Topical Bible: The Atonement: Necessity For

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The concept of atonement is central to Christian theology, representing the reconciliation between God and humanity through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. The necessity for atonement arises from the inherent sinfulness of humanity and the holiness of God, which demands justice and righteousness.

Sin and Separation from God

The Bible teaches that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Sin creates a barrier between humanity and God, as God is holy and cannot tolerate sin in His presence. Isaiah 59:2 states, "But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear." This separation necessitates a means of reconciliation.

The Holiness and Justice of God

God's nature is both holy and just, requiring that sin be punished. Habakkuk 1:13 declares, "Your eyes are too pure to look upon evil, and You cannot tolerate wrongdoing." The justice of God demands that the penalty for sin be paid, as seen in Romans 6:23 : "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

The Sacrificial System

In the Old Testament, the sacrificial system was instituted as a temporary measure to atone for sin. Leviticus 17:11 explains, "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul." These sacrifices pointed forward to the ultimate sacrifice of Christ.

The Fulfillment in Christ

The necessity for atonement is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who is described as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Hebrews 9:22 emphasizes, "According to the law, in fact, nearly everything must be purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." Christ's death on the cross satisfies the demands of God's justice, providing a way for humanity to be reconciled to God.

The Love and Mercy of God

While God's justice requires atonement, His love and mercy provide it. John 3:16 declares, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." The atonement is a demonstration of God's love, offering redemption and restoration to those who believe.

The Role of Faith

The necessity for atonement is met through faith in Jesus Christ. Romans 3:25 states, "God presented Him as the atoning sacrifice through faith in His blood, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand." Faith in Christ's atoning work is essential for salvation and reconciliation with God.

Conclusion

The necessity for atonement is rooted in the character of God and the condition of humanity. Through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, the demands of justice are met, and the way is opened for sinners to be reconciled to a holy God.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Isaiah 59:16
And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation to him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Luke 19:10
For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Hebrews 9:22
And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Christ and Man in the Atonement
... has ever been written. It is the same truth of a divine necessity for the
Atonement which is emphasized by St. Paul in the third ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/denney/the death of christ/chapter 9 christ and man.htm

Atonement.
... forgive sin. This proves to a demonstration, that they felt the necessity
of an atonement, or expiatory sacrifice. And having too ...
//christianbookshelf.org/finney/systematic theology/lecture xxv atonement.htm

The Necessity of Divine Influences. [*Continued]
... of these words, in the preceding discourse, the argument for the necessity of Divine ...
and secondly, to that saving act of faith by which the atonement of Christ ...
/.../shedd/sermons to the natural man/the necessity of divine influences 2.htm

Christ and Man in the Atonement
... has ever been written. It is the same truth of a divine necessity for the
Atonement which is emphasised by St. Paul in the third ...
/.../denney/the atonement and the modern mind/chapter iii christ and man.htm

Contents. Lecture I.
... LECTURE XXVI. EXTENT OF ATONEMENT. For whose benefit the atonement was intended. ...
What regeneration is. " The universal necessity of regeneration. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/finney/systematic theology/contents lecture i.htm

Detailed Contents
... The Christian doctrine: it is mediated through atonement, The divine necessity for
the Atonement " Athanasius and Anselm give imperfect expression to it ...
//christianbookshelf.org/denney/the death of christ/detailed contents.htm

The Lamb of God, the Great Atonement
... The early institution and long continued use, of sacrifices, had clearly pointed
out the necessity of an atonement; but the real and proper Atonement could ...
//christianbookshelf.org/newton/messiah vol 1/sermon xvi the lamb of.htm

The Day of Atonement
... Observe the anomaly inherent in the very necessity of the case ... bring us to God and
God to us, to offer sacrifice which shall need no after atonement to expiate ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the day of atonement.htm

The Necessity of Faith for Justification
... to the Romans and the Galatians eloquently insists on the necessity of faith ... of
Christ,"a dogma in which the whole teaching of the atonement lies imbedded. ...
/.../pohle/grace actual and habitual/section 1 the necessity of 2.htm

The Necessity of Other Preparatory Acts Besides Faith
... retort: My sins are actually forgiven by virtue of the atonement, because all ... True,
Luther himself at times emphasized the necessity of good works; but this ...
/.../pohle/grace actual and habitual/section 2 the necessity of.htm