What is the Atonement of Jesus Christ?
The atonement of Jesus Christ is the doctrine that explains how sinful humanity can be reconciled to a holy God through the sacrificial work of Jesus. The term “atonement” itself carries the idea of making amends, reconciling, or covering over sin. In the Christian tradition, the atonement is the living heart of the gospel, shaping our relationship with God, self, and others. This article will explore the biblical foundations of the atonement, its necessity, the teachings of Jesus regarding his atoning work, and how we are called to apply the atonement in our lives.
Biblical Foundations of Atonement
The concept of atonement is deeply rooted in the Old Testament of the Bible. The sacrificial system established in the Mosaic Law provided a way where the people of Israel could have their sins covered and their relationship with God maintained. The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), described in Leviticus 16, was the most significant of these rituals, involving the sacrifice of animals and the sprinkling of blood to cleanse the people from their sins. The writer of Hebrews explains that “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins” (Hebrews 9:22). Sin was serious, and a substitute was necessary.
Yet, the Old Testament sacrifices were ultimately insufficient to remove sin completely. They pointed forward to a greater reality–a perfect and final sacrifice. The prophet Isaiah, centuries before Jesus, spoke of a suffering servant who would bear the sins of many: “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). This passage anticipates a substitutionary atonement, where one would suffer in the place of others to bring about reconciliation and peace.
The New Testament presents Jesus as the fulfillment of these Old Testament types and prophecies. John the Baptist, upon seeing Jesus, declared, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). The apostle Paul summarizes the gospel message in these terms: “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). The atonement is thus the work of Jesus in his death and resurrection, and he deals decisively with the problem of human sin.
The Necessity of the Atonement
To see why the atonement of Jesus is necessary, we ought to look at the biblical teaching on sin and the holiness of God. Sin is not just a set of bad behaviors; it is lawlessness, a rebellion against the very character and commands of God (1 John 3:4). Paul writes, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The consequence of sin is death–spiritual separation from God and, ultimately, eternal judgment (Romans 6:23).
God’s holiness and justice demand that sin be punished. He cannot simply overlook evil or sweep it under the rug. This is impossible to do because he is Perfect Justice. At the same time, God is loving and desires to save sinners. The tension between God’s justice and mercy is resolved in the atonement of Jesus. As Paul explains, God put forward Jesus “as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:25-26).
The atonement is necessary because only through a perfect, sinless substitute can the penalty for sin be paid and the sinner be reconciled to God. The sacrifices of animals could never fully accomplish this (Hebrews 10:4), but Jesus, as the sinless Son of God, offered himself once for all (Hebrews 10:10). His death satisfies the demands of justice and opens the way for mercy.
Jesus’ Teaching on the Atonement
Jesus himself spoke about the purpose and necessity of his death. In Mark’s Gospel, he declares, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). The language of “ransom” evokes the idea of a price paid to secure the release of captives. Indeed, we are captives to sin without Jesus’ sacrifice, and he understood his vital mission to set us free.
At the Last Supper, Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper as a memorial of his atoning death. He took the cup and said, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood” (Luke 22:20). Jesus is connecting his impending death with the establishment of a new covenant, echoing the promises of Jeremiah 31:31-34, where God would forgive sins and write his law on the hearts of his people.
In John’s Gospel, Jesus describes himself as the good shepherd who “lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). He emphasizes that his death is voluntary and purposeful: “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again” (John 10:18). Jesus’ teaching is clear–his death is not a tragic accident but the fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan.
Accomplishments of the Atonement
The New Testament writers use a variety of images and metaphors to describe what Jesus accomplished through his atoning death. These include:
Substitution: Jesus dies in the place of sinners, bearing the penalty they deserve (Isaiah 53:5-6; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
Propitiation: Jesus’ death satisfies the wrath of God against sin (Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2).
Redemption: Jesus’ death secures the release of sinners from bondage to sin and death (Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:13-14).
Reconciliation: Jesus’ death restores the broken relationship between God and humanity (Romans 5:10-11; 2 Corinthians 5:18-19).
Victory: Jesus’ death and resurrection defeat the powers of sin, death, and the devil (Colossians 2:13-15; Hebrews 2:14-15).
Together, these facets of the atonement provide a rich and multifaceted picture of the salvation Jesus brings to us.
Applying the Atonement of Jesus
We must recognize that the benefits of the atonement are not automatically applied to every person. The New Testament consistently teaches that the atonement must be received by faith. Paul writes, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). Faith involves trusting in Jesus’ finished work on the cross, turning from sin, and embracing him as Lord and Savior.
Repentance is also essential. Jesus began his public ministry with the call, “Repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15). To apply the atonement is to acknowledge your sin, confess it before God, and turn away from it, trusting in Jesus’ sacrifice as the only basis for forgiveness.
Baptism, while not the means of salvation, is the outward sign of an inward reality. It symbolizes union with Jesus in his death and resurrection (Romans 6:3-4). The believer is called to live in the light of the atonement, walking in newness of life, empowered by the Holy Spirit.
The atonement also shapes the believer’s ongoing relationship with God. The writer of Hebrews encourages us to “draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:22). The atonement provides the basis for ongoing forgiveness and cleansing (1 John 1:7-9).
Conclusion - What is the Atonement of Jesus Christ?
The atonement of Jesus Christ is the heart of the Christian gospel. It is the way through which sinful humanity is reconciled to a holy God, the fulfillment of centuries of prophecy and promise, and the foundation for the believer’s hope and assurance. Jesus’ atoning death is necessary because of the reality of sin and the demands of God’s justice. Jesus himself taught that his death was purposeful, voluntary, and redemptive. The atonement is applied through faith and repentance, resulting in forgiveness, new life, and restored relationship with God.
As Paul writes, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7). The invitation of the gospel is to receive this gift, to trust in Jesus’ atoning work, and to live in the freedom and joy that it brings. The atonement is not only a doctrine to be believed but a reality to be experienced, transforming every aspect of life and eternity.