Full atonement – Can It Be? -- Hallelujah! What a SAVIOUR!
Maybe like me you were born again several years ago. We know that Jesus died to pay for our sins and therefore we are forgiven, have eternal life and are going to heaven. Pause – does that sound hurtfully glib? Join me on this thought path.
Do we realize that If Jesus had not (2 Corinthians 5:21) been made sin - - you and I could never be saved? A sinless sacrifice was required but there could be no punishment for an absolutely sinless One by our just God. God is totally just and righteous and He had nothing but pure love (Matthew 17:5) for His holy, sinless, beloved Son. The rage of His furious wrath against sin could not be fired up against the MAN Who was the perfection of godliness. When Jesus was made sin, it meant taking all the sin of all the world upon Himself and because He took all our sin He also had to take all our deserving.
Therefore, He had to suffer more than anyone in all the world ever had or ever would suffer. So, the just punishment of outraged divine judgment on all the sin of all the world became His to justly bear. This is far beyond my grasp even though I know without a shred of doubt that it’s true.
Let’s take a moment to go back (Leviticus 1:4) and watch a man who is bringing a perfect unblemished lamb for a sin offering. Did you see what he did? He put his hands on the head of the burnt offering and symbolically his sin was transferred to the sacrificial animal. The sinner received atonement and his guilt was gone. We know this is a “look ahead” to a garden called Gethsemane followed by a Cross at Calvary where there are no symbols – only harsh, brutal reality. We watched the man in the temple put his hands on the head of the burnt offering. Now - - - watch as Jesus reaches out a trembling but determined hand to take the CUP. As He drinks the killing poison, with each deadly, bitter, burning mouthful, our sin is transferred to Him and the suffocating weight increases and His suffering intensified. Fully aware that sin brings only pain and death - - - Jesus drains the CUP.
Look, think, grab this – Cursed by God (Deuteronomy 21:23) is everyone who hangs on a tree - - is crucified. Look again - - this is our Creator and (2 Corinthians 5:19) our God! How can it be? My mind stumbles, staggers, strains to comprehend more of His incomprehensible love.
Those who choose to reject (John 1:29) the mercy of the Lamb, the One Who was not willing (2 Peter 3:9) that any should perish - - - they have an inescapable guarantee (Revelation 6:16) that they will receive the wrath of the Lamb.
Let the Holy Spirit write the Truth of the Atonement in our heart and in our Character. We need to be very careful that sanctification is not just head knowledge with no reality evident in our lives. If the light that is in us (our conscience) be darkened (Matthew 6:23) how dense is that darkness.
OSWALD CHAMBERS: - “Sanctification must be running out into the practical issues of our lives. Every bit of our lives, physical, moral, spiritual, is to be judged by the standard of the Atonement. Do we want to be so identified with Jesus Christ that we are spoiled for everything else but Him?”
Because without Him (John 15:5) we can do nothing, the proof of our Christianity is personal, passionate devotion to Jesus. Unconditional identification with Jesus means that He annihilates our right to ourselves and we are totally abandoned to Jesus. Because we love Him, we will always put His interests first. We will pray for the perfection of God’s will, God’s way, God’s timing, for God’s purpose.
Only identification with the death of Jesus Christ, based on the provision of His atonement, can make such a life your reality and mine.
A loved old hymn, written between 1846 and 1919 says: -
“When we walk with the Lord in the Light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way.”
That “glory” is God’s abiding Presence which changes off-and-on temporary happiness into continual everlasting JOY.
It’s so easy – and I think a loss to our souls – to dwell seldom on familiar Truths because we know them so well and think we know it all. If we’ll take the time to dig/meditate (Colossians 3:16) the Holy Spirit will reveal deeper and richer unsuspected treasures. He will make the living and power-filled Scripture increasingly precious and personal as He holds us close to the heart of God.
Please don’t ever sing these words again without worship, wonder and gratitude. Don’t be surprised by tears.
Full atonement – can it be?
Hallelujah! What a SAVIOUR!