November 28

WHY DID JESUS DIE? / THE ATONEMENT

-Romans 5:11 states, … we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom we have now received the atonement …

-The word “atonement” means: the reconciliation of humankind to God through Christ. The word “reconciliation” means: to restore to a friendly or peaceable state, at one in harmony, at onement, unity, and to make amends for wrong or injury. Here is a list from A. P. Adams that addresses the atonement. It addresses the question … Why did Jesus die?

According to A. P. Adams:

1. The atonement was not to satisfy God's Justice, but to reveal His Love.

2. The justice of God is not against the sinner, demanding his condemnation, but for him, insuring his salvation.

3. God is not in contrast with, much less in opposition to Christ in the atonement, but in perfect harmony and accord.

4. The atonement is not the exclusive work of Christ in order to reconcile God unto the world, but it is the work of "God in Christ" to reconcile the world unto Himself.

5. Christ does not have to plead with God in order to make Him willing to pardon the sinner, but God, by His ministers, "beseeches" (II Cor. 5:20) the sinner to make them willing to be pardoned.

6. Hence the atonement is not to propitiate God, but man; not to make God favorably disposed toward man, but to make His already existing favor known to man.

7. Christ did not die as our substitute, but as our companion and associate; not instead of man, but with him and for him.

8. Christ did not die to save us from the penalty of sin, but from sin itself.

9. Christ did not die that we might not die, but to deliver us out of a death in which we were already involved.

10. The sinner is not redeemed because he repents, but he is called upon to repent because he has been redeemed.

11. The atonement is not the cause of God's love to man, giving rise to that love, but the effect, flowing out of that love.

12. The final outcome of the atoning scheme is not a partial success, but a perfect, absolute, and universal triumph! ( The Atonement, A. P. Adams )

-Each one of these lofty statements carries with it a tremendous thought worthy of much meditation. As you dig deep ( past the traditions of men ) you will find every statement to be 100% correct. This is what the Bible teaches about the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are indebted to such a great man of God as A. P. Adams! He, in spite of having to go against the traditional teaching of his day, spoke the truth concerning the atonement. Read over each one of these statements again carefully, studying each one for the truth that it contains.

-ENJOY YOUR SEARCH!-