Jesus is Our Atonement
The concept of atonement stands at the very heart of the Christian gospel. It addresses the fundamental problem of human sin and alienation from God, and it reveals the means by which reconciliation is made possible. In both the Old and New Testaments, atonement is the gracious provision of God to cover, remove, and forgive sin so that fellowship with him can be restored. The New Testament proclaims that Jesus Christ is the ultimate and final atonement for sin, fulfilling and surpassing the sacrificial system of the Old Testament.
Atonement in the Old Testament: Sacrifice and Substitution
The Old Testament establishes the necessity of atonement through the sacrificial system given to Israel. Sin, in the biblical worldview, is not merely a moral failing but a violation of God’s holiness and a breach in the relationship between God and humanity. The penalty for sin is death (Genesis 2:17; Ezekiel 18:4), but God, in his mercy, provides a way for sin to be covered and forgiven.
The central ritual of atonement in the Old Testament is the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), described in Leviticus 16. On this day, the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies and offer sacrifices for his own sins and for the sins of the people. The blood of the sacrificial animals was sprinkled on the mercy seat, symbolizing the covering of sin and the turning away of God’s wrath. The scapegoat, bearing the sins of the people, was sent into the wilderness, signifying the removal of guilt (Leviticus 16:21-22).
The sacrificial system, however, was never intended to be an end in itself. The prophets recognized its limitations, declaring that “the blood of bulls and goats” could not ultimately take away sin (see Psalm 51:16-17; Micah 6:6-8; Hebrews 10:4). The sacrifices pointed forward to a greater reality–a final, perfect atonement that would be accomplished by the Messiah.
Jesus as the Fulfillment of Atonement
The New Testament presents Jesus as the fulfillment of all that the Old Testament sacrifices anticipated. He is both the high priest who offers the sacrifice and the sacrifice itself. The language of atonement is applied to Jesus in numerous ways: as the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), as the propitiation for our sins (Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2; 4:10), and as the one who reconciles us to God (2 Corinthians 5:18-21).
In 1 John 4:10, the apostle John writes: “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1 John 4:10)
The term “propitiation” (Greek: hilasmos) refers to a sacrifice that turns away wrath and brings reconciliation. Jesus is explicitly identified as our atonement–the one who satisfies the demands of God’s justice and expresses the fullness of God’s love. The initiative is entirely God’s: “he loved us and sent his son.” The atonement is not something we achieve, but something God provides.
The Meaning of Romans 3:25
Paul’s letter to the Romans contains one of the most important statements on the atoning work of Jesus: “Whom God put forward 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.” (Romans 3:25)
Here, Paul uses the language of the mercy seat (Greek: hilasterion), the cover of the ark of the covenant where the blood was sprinkled on the Day of Atonement. Jesus, by his blood, becomes the true mercy seat–the place where God’s justice and mercy meet. His death is the means by which God’s righteous anger against sin is satisfied, and forgiveness is made available to all who believe.
Paul emphasizes that this atonement is “to be received by faith.” It is not earned by works or religious rituals, but is a gift of grace. The cross demonstrates both the seriousness of sin and the depth of God’s love. God’s righteousness is vindicated, for he does not simply overlook sin, but deals with it fully and finally in the death of his Son.
The Purpose and Accomplishment of Jesus’ Atonement
The atonement accomplished by Jesus is multi-faceted. It includes the following dimensions:
Substitution: Jesus dies in the place of sinners, bearing the penalty that we deserve (Isaiah 53:4-6; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24).
Propitiation: Jesus’ sacrifice turns away God’s wrath, satisfying the demands of justice (Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2).
Redemption: Jesus’ death purchases our freedom from the bondage of sin and death (Mark 10:45; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:13-14).
Reconciliation: Through the cross, the barrier of sin is removed, and we are brought back into fellowship with God (Romans 5:10-11; Colossians 1:19-22).
Victory: Jesus’ atonement defeats the powers of evil, sin, and death (Colossians 2:13-15; Hebrews 2:14-15).
Each of these aspects is rooted in the Old Testament and fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus.
The Assurance and Peace of Atonement: John 16:33
The atonement of Jesus is not only a theological doctrine but a source of profound assurance and peace for believers. In John 16:33, Jesus says to his disciples: “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
This statement comes at the conclusion of Jesus’ farewell discourse, just before his arrest and crucifixion. The peace that Jesus offers is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of reconciliation with God and the assurance of victory over sin and death. The atonement is the foundation for this peace. Because Jesus has overcome the world - through his death and resurrection - believers can face suffering, persecution, and even death with confidence and hope.
The Ongoing Significance of Jesus’ Atonement
The New Testament repeatedly calls believers to live in the light of Jesus’ atoning work. The cross is not only the means of salvation but also the pattern for Christian living. Paul urges the Corinthians, “For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven … but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1 Corinthians 5:7-8). The atonement calls for repentance, faith, and a new way of life marked by love, forgiveness, and holiness.
The atonement also grounds the Christian’s assurance of salvation. As Paul writes in Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” The believer’s standing before God is secure, not because of personal merit, but because of the finished work of Jesus.
Atonement and the Mission of the Church
The message of atonement is not to be hoarded but proclaimed. The church is entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18-19), calling all people to be reconciled to God through Christ. The cross stands as the universal invitation to forgiveness and new life. As John writes, “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2).
Conclusion
Jesus is our atonement–the one who, by his sacrificial death and triumphant resurrection, has dealt decisively with the problem of sin and opened the way to reconciliation with God. The Old Testament sacrificial system pointed forward to this reality, but it is in Jesus that atonement is fully and finally accomplished. In him, God’s justice and love are perfectly revealed; in him, believers find forgiveness, peace, and hope.
The meaning of Romans 3:25 is that God has publicly displayed Jesus as the true mercy seat, the place where sin is judged and grace is given. In 1 John 4:10, we see that Jesus is the propitiation for our sins, sent by the love of God. In John 16:33, Jesus assures his followers that his victory is their peace, even in the midst of tribulation.
To trust in Jesus as our atonement is to rest in the sufficiency of his work, to receive the gift of reconciliation, and to live as those who have been forgiven and transformed by the grace of God. The cross is not only the center of the Christian faith; it is the hope of the world.