Post on 08-Apr-2018
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Images of the Atonement
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Contents
Introduction! 1The Course Programme! 1Reading! 1
Redemption! 2Introduction! 2Old Testament! 2New Testament! 3Conclusion! 4
Reconciliation! 5Discussion! 5
Adoption! 6Discussion! 7
Regeneration!
8Discussion! 8Conclusion! 11
Sanctification! 12Discussion! 12Means of Sanctification! 13Discussion! 13
Christus Victor! 14Discussion! 14Victory through Defeat! 15Discussion! 15
Justification! 17Discussion! 17Comment! 18Discussion! 18Conclusion! 19
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the HOLY BIBLE, NEWINTERNATIONAL VERSION and are copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible
Society. Used by permission of Hodder and Stoughton Ltd, a member of the HodderHeadline Plc Group. All rights reserved.
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IntroductionThis course will take place over 6 weeks and
will look at the way the atonement is described
in the New Testament.
We will be looking at seven different pictures
given to us and exploring how these various
images help us understand, to some degree,
the wonder of our salvation.
This will not, in any way, be a comprehensive
treatment of the atonement, rather it is aimed at
being an introduction to what Jesus did for us in
his life, death, resurrection and ascension.
By the end of the course, we hope that
everyone will have been encouraged by seeing
something of Gods eternal plan for salvationand how he brought this about in the person of
his Son.
While not essential, you will gain more from
the course if you read the core book, which is
also the core book for the course, We Believe,
and perhaps one or two of the other
recommendations.
The Course ProgrammeWeek 1:! Redemption
Week 2:! Reconciliation/Adoption
Week 3:! Regeneration
Week 4:! Sanctification
Week 5:! Christus Victor
Week 6:! Justification
ReadingAs with our other courses, we dont have a set book for the
course. However, a book which covers the major Christian doctrinesin an accessible way is this one. Copies can be had from me.
In Understanding Be Men; T. C. Hammond. IVP
Other books which will be useful and helpful if you wish to explore
the topic further are:
Know the Truth:B. Milne, IVP
The Foundations of Christian Doctrine;K. J. Conner, Sovereign World
The Christian Theology Reader;A. E. McGrath (ed.), Blackwell
The Atonement: Its Meaning and Significance;L. Morris, IVP
The Apostolic Preaching of the Cross;L. Morris, The Tyndale Press
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Any really serious attempt to
understand the Christian way
must begin with the cross. Unless
we come to see what the cross
means we do not understand
Christianity, real Christianity in the
sense the New Testament writers
gave to it. The cross is absolutely
central. We must give time and
attention to our understanding of
what it means.
Leon Morris, The Atonement, 12
The Doctrine of the Atonementcomprises the redemptive work of
Christ, involving His crucifixion,
r e s u r r e c t i o n , a s c e n s i o n ,
e x a l t a t i o n , g l o r i fi c a t i o n ,
intercessory ministry, and second
coming.
Kevin Conner, The Foundations of
Christian Doctrine, 191
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Redemption
IntroductionIn general terms, it could be argued that
redemption is the overriding picture of Gods
dealings with his people. The great story ofliberation found in Exodus is the ultimate picture
of this and needs to be kept in mind in any
discussion of what redemption means. Perhaps
the easiest way of looking at what redemption
means is to see it as deliverance. But, as Leon
Morris says, It mean[s] not simply deliverance,
but deliverance in a particular way.1 It is this
particular way that we will try to explore a little
today.Like many of the words and images we will be
considering in this course, redemption can be a little difficult to define exactly as it
includes so many different aspects. However, the following might be a working
definition: God pays an infinite price to release us from slavery and death in order
to bring us into our rightful place of safety and freedom.
Old TestamentThe starting point for any understanding of redemption is, unsurprisingly, to be
found in Genesis.
Discussion
1. Read Genesis 1:26-31. What do we learn here about humanitys relationship to
God?
2. Read Genesis 3:21-24. What does this tell us about our relationship with God
after the Fall?
One way of seeing the rest of the story of salvation is of Gods putting this
situation right: of rescuing fallen creation, including humanity, from the position they
find themselves in and bringing them back into the position that was theirs before
the entrance of sin2. This overarching story is mirrored in lesser stories which help
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1The Atonement, p 107
2 The Study Centre course The Mission Heart of Godlooks briefly at this big question.
Our redemption through the
suffering of Christ is that deeper
love within us which not only frees
us from slavery to sin, but also
secures for us the true liberty of
the children of God, in order that
we might do all things out of love
rather than out of fear love for
him who has shown us such grace
that no greater can be found.
Peter Abelard (early 12th century)
quoted in The Christian Theology
Reader, 184
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us to understand it more fully; the central one of
these is that mentioned above, the Exodus.
Discussion
1. Read Exodus 13:3-16. What do we learn
about the Exodus here and what might that
tell us about the whole idea of redemption?
As our definition above makes clear,redemption involves the paying of a price. This
is pictured in Gods demand that the firstborn in
every family and flock is to be redeemed
(Exodus 13:1, 11-16; 34:19). It is also clearly
seen in the story of Ruth and the way that Boaz
acts as kinsman-redeemer. This introduces
another aspect of redemption: that it is about promoting the interests, the
welfare of the family.3 (You may want to think about how that helps us understand
the incarnation.)This raises the issue, though, of whether God pays a price. The biblical evidence
suggests that this price is to be seen as the exertion - expenditure, if you like - of
power, rather than money. It cannot be said that God paid to the Egyptian
oppressor any price for the redemption of His people. On the other hand the idea
of the exertion of a mighty force, the idea that the redemption costs much, is
everywhere present. The force may be represented by Divine might, or love, or
self-sacrifice, which become finally identical.4 Redemption always involves some
kind of price being paid.
New TestamentThe Old Testament background is important in our understanding of redemption;
but so is the Greek background of many of the readers of the New Testament. This
is, perhaps surprisingly, a similar one to the OT. The main words used to describe
redemption are taken from the theatre of war. Soldiers would be taken captive and
removed to a foreign land, where they were helpless to free themselves. However,
on payment of a ransom - by people from their home country, and most likely their
own family - they could be released and returned to the place they rightfully
belonged.
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3The Atonement, p 111
4 B. F. Westcott, quoted in The Atonement, p 114
The foundational aspect of the
Exodus to Israels faith can be
seen is the number of times it is
referred to in the Old Testament.
If we take the description of this as
Gods bringing Israel out of
slavery, the following references
can be found to it. If we add to
this the times when the more
general idea of being brought out
of Egypt the the number of
references increases substantially.
Exodus 13:3! Exodus 13:14
Exodus 20:2! Deut. 5:6Deut. 6:12! Deut. 7:8
Deut. 8:14! Deut. 13:5
Deut. 13:10! Joshua 24:17
Judges 6:8! Jeremiah 34:13
Micah 6:4
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Discussion
1. Read John 8:33-34. What does this tell us about our position and how does it
link with the Old Testament?
2. Read Acts 20:28, Romans 3:24-25, Ephesians 1:7, Hebrews 9:12, 1 Peter
1:17-19 and Revelation 5:9-10. What do these verses tell us about redemption?
3. Read Luke 21:27-28 and Romans 8:22-25. What do these passages tell us
about our redemption?
4. Read Ephesians 4:30. What important truth about redemption does this tell us?
ConclusionWe might sum up what redemption can tell us about Gods plan for our salvation
by saying that we were all in slavery to sin which would lead to death. God paid the
price for our redemption in the death of Jesus and his blood shed on the cross in
order that we may be brought back into our rightful position of children, and
servants, of God. As Paul put it, It is for freedom that Christ has set us
free. (Galatians 5:1)
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ReconciliationThe Collins English Dictionary defines
reconciliation in this way, to become friendly
with (someone) after estrangement or to re-
establish friendly relations between (two or
more people). There is direct link, then, with
the concept of redemption we looked at last
week. Once again, we are talking about a
restoration of relationship, whether that is being
ransomed to take up our rightful place in
freedom and security as in redemption, or being
brought back into an original, friendly
relationship from one of estrangement. In New Testament terms, this is not only
described as reconciliation but as making peace. It is these two ideas which we
will consider under reconciliation, following Morris in his Apostolic Preaching of theCross.
DiscussionRead Romans 5:6-11.
1. What do we learn about the situation before reconciliation takes place?
2. How would you describe the process of reconciliation?
3. What is the means of reconciliation?
4. What is the result of reconciliation?
Read 2 Corinthians 5:17-21
1. What do we learn about the process of reconciliation here?
2. How would you describe the result of reconciliation?
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In Christ, God has reconciled the
world to himself, the world that
because of sin was in enmity with
God, so that we may become the
righteousness of God; Christ not
only bore our sin but was made
sin for our sakes.
V-M Krkkinen, Christology A
Global Introduction, 51-52
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Greece the process of adoption was irrevocable. While a natural son could be
repudiated, an adopted son could not.
Discussion1. Read Ephesians 1:4-6
a. What does this tell us about adoption?
2. Read Galatians 3:26-4:7.
a. How does God bring us into his family?
b. What are the results of this?
c. What contrast does Paul draw between our previous and present states?
3. Read Romans 8:12-17
a. How do we know that we are sons of God?
b. How does Paul describe the Spirit we have received?
c. What does our sonship allow us to do?
4. Read John 1:11-13.
a. How does God bring us into his family?
b. What difference do you think there might be between being children of God
and being sons of God?
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RegenerationThere are a number of different terms which
we will consider under the overall one of
regeneration. These includes, conversion,
new birth, new life, renewal etc. (a fuller list is
in the box on the right). While there are
differences in emphasis in each of the terms, I
think placing them all under the one heading
helps to give a general picture of how important
the concept of newness, of regeneration, is in
biblical terms.
Discussion1. Read Ezekiel 36:24-27.
a. How would you describe the general context of this passage?
b. What important promises does God give, and what words or ideas do you
think might be central to Gods message?
2. Read John 1:12-13. How do these verses fit in with the idea of regeneration?
a. Who takes the initiative in this?
3. Read John 3:1-8.
a. Which person of the Trinity seems to be most involved in new birth?
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Words and ideas which can be
placed under the general one of
regeneration include:
new birth! cleansing
quickening! resurrection
creation! conversion
renewal! salvation
new heart! translation
relationship
The Foundations of Christian
Doctrine, 275-6
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b. Leon Morris writes, Spiritual
regeneration is indispensable if we
would be Gods6. How does this
passage show the truth of Morris
statement?
c. What other images from Ezekiel do we
see here?
d. Why does Jesus use the analogy of the wind?
4. Read 2 Corinthians 5:17.
a. What does this suggest about the scope of the newness we have inChrist?
b. How far do you agree with the quotation from Hughes in the box at the top
of this page?
c. How might Hughes claim affect the way we view not only our salvation but
our role as messengers of the gospel?
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6The Gospel According to John, 218
A regenerated person is a reborn
microcosm belonging to the
eschatological macrocosm of the
hew heavens and the new earth
for whom the old order of things
h a s g i v e n p l a c e t o a
transcendental experience in
which everything is new.
The Second Epistle to the
Corinthians, P. E. Hughes, 201/02
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5. Read Titus 3:4-7.
a. What ideas and images are repeated
here?
b. What is the ultimate result of our new
birth?
6. Read 1 Peter 1:3-6; 22-23.
a. What does Peter tell us about new birth? How has it happened, what is its
result and what will be its fulfilment?
b. How might the knowledge of our new birth change the way in which we
view difficulties in this life?
c. Why can we have confidence in our new life?
7. Read 1 John 5:1-2; 18-20.
a. What links can you draw between these verses and what we have already
looked at?
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Regeneration is an act of God,
whereby a soul, previously dead
to Him, experiences a spiritual
resurrection into a new sphere of
life, in which he is alive to God
and united to Him in Christ.
In Understanding Be Men, 140
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ConclusionWe have seen that regeneration is an act of God, specifically an act of the Holy
Spirit who is the divine agent in the whole process.7 Everything changes when we
are born of God, everything is new. In other words, God is not going about simply
patching up sinful people, putting plasters on broken arms or giving painkillers for
headaches! God starts anew, a new birth. In regeneration a person is born intothe family of God. He is born anew from above. In regeneration, man receives a
new nature and a new life and is placed in the Kingdom of God.8
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7In Understanding Be Men, 134
8Foundations of Christian Doctrine, 274
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SanctificationThe terms we have looked at so far in this
series have generally been about our position in
Christ, especially in terms of family and safety.
This week, with sanctification, we change the
venue, if you like, and look at a word which has
as its background the Temple. A word which is
often used in this context, and which covers the
same ground as sanctified is holy. Thus, in
Leviticus 21:5-6 God tells the Israelites that the
priests must be holy to their God.
Holiness, or sanctification, has two basic
parts. Firstly, it is about separation. Leviticus 21 tackles some of the important
areas where the priests were to be separate, different, from the ordinary Israelite.
The reason given for this, on three occasions, is because I the Lord am holy Iwho make you holy (Leviticus 21:8, 15, 23). Secondly, it is about dedication to
service. Sanctification is not just negative (separation) it is also positive, and
service is this positive side to it. In 1 Peter 2:9-10, Peter refers to the Levitical
priesthood as a picture of the church, making it clear that we are a holy nation
which has the task of declar[ing] the praises of [God].
DiscussionThe Bible gives us three basic stages of sanctification in the believer, so we will
turn to look at those briefly now.
1. Read 1 Corinthians 6:11.
a. What point is Paul making here?
2. Read 2 Corinthians 3:18, 1 Thessalonians 5:23.
a. What do these passages tell us about sanctification as a process?
3. Read Philippians 3:21, 1 Thessalonians 3:13.
a. What do these verses tell us about our sanctification?
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Sanctification is the work of Gods
free grace, whereby we are
renewed in the whole man after
the image of God, and are
enabled more and more to die
u n t o s i n , a n d l i v e u n t o
righteousness.
The Shorter Catechism, quoted in
In Understanding Be Men, 145
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Means of Sanctification4. Read Hebrews 13:11-13, Ephesians 5:25-27
and Romans 15:15-16.
a. What three means of sanctification are
presented here?
b. How might this help you in understanding what sanctification is all about?
DiscussionOne of the important aspects to bear in mind when talking of sanctification is that
it does not mean that we achieve a state of sinlessness in this life. As we saw in
the passages earlier, sanctification is a process. However, it is also a completed
act, so how are we to understand the tension between these two things?
It might help, in this discussion to think of sanctification as being:
Gods provision in Christ
The Christians appropriation of this provision.
In other words, the present reality is that God sees us, and counts us, as
sanctified because of the completed work of Jesus on the cross. However, we
have not yet fully appropriated this, or taken this to ourselves. Thus, we remain in
the process of sanctification, which will reach its fulfilment at the return of Christ.
Read Ephesians 4:22-25 and Galatians 5:22-25a. What does this add to our understanding of the process of sanctification?
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Not all believers are saintly but
all true believers are saints.
J. R. McQuilkin in Five Views of
Sanctification, 159
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Christus VictorThis is the name given by Gustaf Auln in
1931 to what might be considered the dominant
theory of the atonement for the first 1000 years
of Church history. It is closely related to the
Ransom Theory, which we looked at in week
one in connection with Redemption. While
many of Aulns conclusions are not necessarily
ones I would endorse, the image of Jesus as
the victor, triumphing through his death is a
powerful and important one in the New
Testament, and one to which we, perhaps, do
not do full justice.
Discussion1. Read Colossians 2:13-15.a. How has the victory been achieved?
b. Who are the powers and authorities?
2. Read 1 Corinthians 15:20-26.
a. What is the importance of the resurrection in understanding the nature of
Christs victory?
b. When will the final victory be achieved (:23-24)?
c. Who is it that we are told God will destroy (:24)?
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Its central theme is the idea of the
Atonement as a Divine conflict
and victory; Christ Christus
Victor fights against and
triumphs over the evil powers of
the world, the tyrants under
which mankind is in bondage and
suffering, and in Him God
reconciles the world to Himself.
Gustav Auln quoted in The
Christian Theology Reader, 199
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Victory through DefeatThere are, I suggest, two main traps we can fall into with this picture of the
atonement. The first of these is to imagine that the authorities who have been
destroyed (the tyrants in the quite from Auln above) are the political and
economic forces of this world. The effect of this can be to turn the gospel into little
more than a political movement. The powers that have been overcome, are clearlyspiritual powers. This may have an impact indeed does in the physical realm,
but the important, fundamental victory was spiritual. The second is to turn Christs
victory into a sort of triumphalism in our attitudes and gospel proclamation. The
truth the image opens up for us, though, is different from both of these.
The victory that Christ gains, he gains in a way that is counter-intuitive. It is out
of seeming defeat that victory comes; out of death that life comes.
Discussion1. Read 1 Corinthians 15:51-56.
a. What do we learn hear about the victory of Christ?
2. Read Revelation 5:5-6.
a. What ideas do you associate with a lion, and how do these link with the
concept of victory?
b. How are the associations of a lamb different to those of a lion?
c. What does this tell us about the nature of Christ s victory?
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3. Read Revelation 12:10-12.
a. What does this tell us about the victory, we as Christians experience?
4. Read Revelation 3:21.
a. What does it mean, then, to overcome so that we might know the reality of
sitting with Christ on his throne?
b. What effect should this have on our lives and our witness?
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JustificationJustification is the final image of the
atonement that we will be looking at in tis
course. It stands absolutely central to the New
Testament understanding of what God has done
for us in Christ. Martin Luthers rediscovery of
the truth of this doctrine marks the ignition of the
Reformation and it remains at the heart of
evangelical Christianity.
We have seen how some of the images used
in the Bible to describe the atonement refer to
various areas of life, whether family, or temple
for example. The arena for justification is that of
the law court, a truth which is found not only in
the New Testament, but also in the Old. It isquite clear that the Old Testament consistently
thinks of a God who works by the method of
law.9
The central concern in the biblical discussion
of justification could be described as that of
answering Jobs question, How can a mortal be
righteous before God? (Job 9:1)
Discussion1. Read Galatians 3:23-25.
a. What does this tell us about the problem of the law?
b. What do we learn about the purpose of the law?
c. What does Paul tell us about our present relationship to the law?
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9The Apostolic Preaching of the Cross, 232
The person who is justified by faith
is someone, who apart from the
righteousness of works, has taken
hold of the righteousness of Christ
through faith, and having been
clothed with it, appears in the sight
of God not as a sinner, but as a
righteous person. Therefore
justification is to be understood
simply as the acceptance by
which God receives us into his
favour as righteous people. We
say that it consists of the
remission of s ins and theimputation of the righteousness of
Christ.
Jean Calvin quoted in The
Christian Theology Reader, 234
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2. Read Genesis 15:1-6.
a. What do we learn about righteousness, and how it is obtained here?
3. Read Romans 4:1-5.
a. What is the point of Pauls reference to Abraham?
CommentIt is worth noting here, that the NIV uses the word credited to describe what Goddoes concerning righteousness. When someone exercised faith in God,
righteousness was placed to [their] account, it was imputed to [them].10 In other
words, justification goes beyond merely being pardoned, for pardon still leaves the
sin. The basic thought in righteousness is of a standing with God, and we should
think of a status conferred on men by God on the grounds of the atoning work of
Christ.11 It thus is about legal standing, about our relationship to God, not about
ethical behaviour or new life.
It is also worth mentioning here that Paul seemingly did not think he [was]
enunciating an entirely novel doctrine.12 He used the Old Testament to explainwhat justification meant following the death and resurrection of Jesus. Even for first
century Judaism, justification was not about moral qualities but was recognised as
only to be obtained by the verdict at the tribunal of God.13
Discussion1. Read Romans 5:1-5.
a. What does this tell us about the result of justification?
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10The Epistle to the Romans, J. Murray, 131
11Apostolic Preaching, 258
12Apostolic Preaching, 238
13Apostolic Preaching, 242
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2. Read Romans 3:21-26.
a. When is this righteousness available?
b. What is the source of justification?
c. What what is the channel of reception of justification?
d. How does God show his justice in justification?
ConclusionThis very brief look at some of the images the Bible uses to explain the
atonement should have given us some idea of the depth and nature of what God
has done for us in Jesus. It ought to have the result of leading us, once more, to the
foot of the cross where, in humble adoration, we can worship the one who opened
up a new and living way through the curtain14 into the very presence of God.
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14 Hebrews 10:20
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Study CentreInternational Church of PragueBox 91, IBTS, Nad Habrovkou 3
Jenerlka, 164 00 Praha 6dorit.marshall@icprague.cz
(420) 296 392 338