THE ATONEMENT AND ITS BENEFITS

“He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).

Atonement is the shedding of Jesus’ Blood for the sin of the people. It is the means by which reconciliation between God and the sinner is effected. [2 Corinthians:5:18-19].

God created Adam and Eve out of the dust of the earth and placed them in the Garden of Eden. They were to be caretakers of that beautiful garden where all was perfect. Adam and Eve were made in the likeness of God, never to know sorrow as long as they obeyed God. God came down in the cool of the day and walked with them. How happy they must have been!

Satan set out to upset the perfect situation in Eden. He entered into a serpent, at that time a most cunning creature, and tempted Eve. She, in turn, tempted Adam, and he yielded to the temptation. It is not the temptation, but the yielding to it, that is sin. This yielding of Adam and Eve brought a terrible change upon the earth and its inhabitants. Adam and Eve lost their sweet fellowship with God; sin became their master and they were driven from the garden. Thorns and thistles grew with the vegetation; and man was to suffer pain, sickness, and later physical death because of disobedience.

God in His justice punished Adam and Eve of their sins. Consequently, judgement and punishment came upon all sinners. But “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” [John:3:16]). Think how much God loved humanity that He would make a way for them to come back to sweet fellowship with Him. God Himself made coats of skins to cover Adam and Eve. That was the first indication that blood was shed for a covering because of sin. It pointed to the time when Jesus was to hang on the Cross and shed His blood for the sins of the world. God knew that nothing man could do would be able to bring him back into favour with his Maker. God also knew of all the diseases and sufferings that would be upon man, and in His mercy was willing to provide even for man’s health.

A sinner needs the Blood of Jesus to wash his sins away that he may become a child of God. All our hopes are based upon the great Atonement. Everything that we receive from God in this life, especially from the time we are born again and become children of God, is made possible by that great price paid on Calvary. Our spiritual needs are amply provided for – our bodies are healed, strengthened, and renewed; our spirits are revived in the hour of trial and test; and many of our temporal needs supplied by and through that precious Blood. It is comforting to consider the fact that God has given this great provision of His love and grace, that those men and women of every clime and nation might have an opportunity to come under its benefiting influence. To aid those who lived in the period of time before the promised Seed came to die as the perfect Sacrifice for sin, the Tabernacle Worship, as well as the sacrifice offered since the very beginning of the world’s history, have been a picture or representation of the coming Atonement that was to be made. Wonderful are the ways of the Almighty God!

Question 1: What is the only thing that can satisfy divine justice? Blood. [Leviticus:17:11]; [Hebrews:9:22]; [Leviticus:4:13-20]; [Romans:5:8-11], [Matthew:26:27-28].

Question 2: Did Adam and Eve die immediately they sinned? Yes. They died spiritually. [Genesis:3:10], [Genesis:3:23]; [Ezekiel:18:4]; [Romans:6:16], [Romans:6:23].

Question 3: How did God atone for this first sin in the world? [Genesis:3:15], [Genesis:3:21]; [Revelation:13:8].

Question 4: How was the Atonement typified in the Passover Lamb? [Exodus:12:12-13]; [John:1:29]; [1 Corinthians:5:7]; [Hebrews:9:24-26].

Question 5: How was the atonement typified in the Tabernacle Worship?
-Trespass offering: for sins committed by individuals (Salvation) – [Leviticus:5:14-19]; [Leviticus:6:4-6]; [Colossians:1:14].
-Sin Offering: for sin inherited/inbred sin/sin principle/Adamic nature (Sanctification) – [Leviticus:6:24-30]; [Psalms:51:2-3]; [Isaiah:6:5-7].

Question 6: How did Jesus Christ become the Perfect Atonement for our sins? Christ came to offer Himself (i.e. shed His Blood) once and for all, for the sins of all mankind. [Mark:10:45]; [John:1:29]; [John:11:50]; [John:19:30]; [Hebrews:7:19-27]; [Hebrews:9:11-12].

Question  7: What can the Blood of Atonement do for human souls?
-Salvation (freedom from sin): [Exodus:12:13]; [Leviticus:17:11]; [Matthew:26:28]; [Ephesians:1:7]; [Hebrews:9:22]; [Matthew:1:21].
-Sanctification (purity of heart): [Hebrews:13:12]; [1 Thessalonians:4:1-3]; [Hebrews:10:9-10]; [John:17:17-19]; [Ephesians:5:25-27]; [1 Peter:1:15-16].

Question  8: What can the Blood of Atonement do for our sick bodies? [Exodus:15:26]; [Isaiah:53:4-5]; [Matthew:8:16-17]; [1 Peter:2:24]; [Psalms:103:2-3]; [James:5:14-16].

Question9:  What provision is made for our deliverance in the Blood of Atonement? [Proverbs:18:10]; [Psalms:91:1-16]; [Isaiah:54:13-17]; [Isaiah:26:20].