Atonement

John,

I want to encourage you in your ministries in Christ and pray that all of Gods blessings, through Christ, may always be with you and your family.  Stand firm in your convictions and God will guide and direct you through the Holy Spirit.  I am sure there are many on this forum that can explain better than I what the ministry of Atonement is, what it was and how it affects Christians today.  Having said that I will attempt to tackle this crucial principle as best I can and ask God to help me and you to more fully understand his Atonement.  This is one of the most exciting subjects to me and I am learning more everyday.

 “The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement.  It is to be a holy assembly for you, and you must humble yourselves and present a gift to the Lord.  You must not do any work on this particular day, because it is a day of atonement to make atonement for yourselves before the Lord your God. ” Leviticus 23:27-28

This is the only day in the Jewish year where Israel was commanded to fast, and also and more importantly the day of the year the High Priest went into the Holy of Holies to offer up incense and Blood on the Mercy Seat of God, for himself and all of Israel.

This was for a “covering” of Sin for the Priest and the Nation of Israel. 

The word "atonement" in Hebrew is Kaphar = 1) to cover, purge, make atonement, make reconciliation, cover over with pitch.  The definition is from the Strongs Dictionary <03722> provided on this Web Site. 

This was because God demanded a sacrifice for Sin; this Blood was shed for the salvation, or reconciliation of Israel.  It was an Atonement or (covering) by the Blood of an innocent sacrafice for their Sins.  Or as some have stated “To make At-One-With or AtOneMent.  To be reconciled, by the "covering" of innocent blood, with God through a perfect and sinless sacrifice.  Israel was also commanded not to work on this day.  I believe, because they could not do anything to add to the sacrifice that God considered acceptable.  This to me is a forerunner of the salvation we receive by faith in Christ; it is a gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast, and only by the faith in the blood of Jesus at the cross. 

 1 John 2:2 “And he himself is the atoning sacrifice, for our sins, and not only for our sins but also for the whole world.”

Colossians 1:20 “And through him to reconcile all things to himself by making peace through the blood of his cross – through him, whether things on earth or things in heaven.”

 Also, in Strongs Dictionary the word in Greek for "reconcile" is Katallaso <2644>

 1)  to change, exchange, as coins for others of equivalent value
1a) to reconcile (those who are at variance)
1b) return to favour with, be reconciled to one
1c) to receive one into favour

So, as in 1 John 2:2 Jesus was and is the atonement for our sins; this then has reconciled us with God, it is a completed work, by his own sacrifice at the Cross.  When we accept this through faith we died in him at the Cross, and were resurrected into a new life in Christ.  He exchanges his life for our sin on the cross of Calvary, the same as if we ourselves were nailed to the cross.  Which would have done us no good anyway, because we aren't and never can be perfect, except by faith in Christ and Calvary.  The reason Israel was commanded not to work on the Day of Atonement, as well as it being a Holy day, but that they could not earn or do any work to add to the sacrifice.  All they had to do was believe in it to receive it.  And thanks to the Grace of God and his Mercy, and the cross of Jesus, that is all we need to do today is confess our sin, and through Faith, accept his sacrifice to be atoned for, then by his blood, and again faith in that be, reconciled to God, once and for all.  We can be forever more At One with God through Jesus and the “atoning” work he finished at the cross. 

I hope this is what you were asking about, and I hope I made an understandable explanation.  This is a fairly laymen perspective on this subject and I am sure that others can and hopefully will expand on this question for the edification of us all.

 May God be with you in your ministry of Jesus, and the Holy Spirit guide you in truth and knowledge and give you courage and strength in all you do my Brother in Christ.

Live Blessed and Praise Him Always...

A fellow servant to Christ,

Dan Byrd II