Atonement

I believe that Jesus Christ fully carries out the offices of prophet (Mat 21:11) proclaiming the word of God to the people; priest (Heb 2:17) representing the people before God, especially making sacrifice; anointed king (Luke 23:3) who rules, protects, and executes judgment especially in the kingdom to come; sage (Luke 2:40) growing in wisdom; suffering servant (Isa 53; Mat 20:28); and rabbi (Mat 26:25) who teaches.

I believe that the cause of atonement is divinely motivated out of God’s love for the world (John 3:16), demonstrates God’s righteousness (Rom 3:25), according to the riches of His grace (Eph 1:7), and is for His own pleasure (Heb 12:2). It is also set forth because of human sin (Heb 9:26) and requires blood that signifies death (Lev 17:11). It was promised in the Garden of Eden (Gen 3:15) and was the mission of Jesus (1 John 3:8).

I believe that atonement is for our benefit and in our place (2 Cor 5:14-15). Christ satisfied the ransom (Mat 20:28), destroying the power of darkness (Col 2:13-15), brought cleansing from the effects of sin (John 1:29; 1 John 1:9), bore witness to the perfect spirit-filled life to live (Gal 2:20), was crucified in our place (Gal 3:13) as a life of a substitute given to God (Heb 10:10), bringing captives out of slavery into freedom (Luke 4:18-19), reconciling people with God (Rom 5:10-11), and reveals the Father to humanity (Rom 5:8).

I believe that Christ’s death fully satisfied the penalty for every sin of every believer for all times thereby making salvation possible for every person (1 Tim 2:6; 2 Pet 2:1; Mat 28:18-20). The application is conditioned by God’s election of a person to salvation (1 Tim 4:10; John 17:9) whereby a saved person’s is healed (Isa 53:3-5; Gal 4:13) including the spirit (2 Cor 4:16).