Pastor Matthew Peters,
High Prairie Bethel Baptist Church.
The substitutionary atonement of Christ means that Christ died as a substitute for the sin of mankind and bore the wrath and curse of God towards that sin.
It was necessary for Him to do that since God, “in His divine forbearance had passed over former sins.” (Romans 3:25)
That means before the death of Christ, God had passed over sins without punishing the one who had sinned. This is completely against the character of God since He “by no means clears the guilty.” (Exodus 34:7). Therefore, sins had to be paid for and it was Christ who paid for the sins of all who believe.
Atonement has the concept of covering. God covered over sins, but He did not just sweep them (sin) under the rug. Instead, God “made Him to be sin who knew no sin.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
God laid upon Christ the sins of His people and treated Jesus as though He had committed them. (Isaac 53:4-6). God clearly did not just forever overlook sin, but He placed it all upon Jesus and dealt with it there. Therefore, the sins of God’s people are covered but only through the shed blood of Jesus.
This goes back to the Old Testament where Moses sprinkled the people with blood and purified them. (Exodus 24:8 and Hebrews 9:19
Another way to look at it is that he covered them which speaks of atonement. Just like Aaron the high priest on the day of atonement sprinkled blood in front of the mercy seat and on it, covering it with blood, thereby making “atonement for the Holy Place.” (Leviticus 16:16). In the same way, the blood of Christ is sprinkled on His people and covers (atones) and cleanses them from their sin. (1 Peter 1:2; Hebrews 12:24)
As mentioned before, Christ was a substitute in the Christians place and bore the wrath of God on His behalf. As Romans 3 says, “God put (Jesus) forward as a propitiation by His blood.” (Romans 3:25) Propitiation means that a sacrifice is offered to appease an offended God. In this case, man offended God by his sin, and Christ satisfied Him by offering Himself up as a substitutionary sacrifice in our place. God then treated Christ as He would have treated men if they had borne their sins before Him.
It says that “it was the will of the Lord to crush (Jesus).” (Isaiah 53:10) This is because He bore the sins of His people. (Isaiah 53:12; 1 Peter 2:24).
Lastly, He also bore the curse of God towards sin and sinners. The law (summed up in the 10 Commandments) pronounced anyone cursed who was hung from a tree. (Deuteronomy 21:23). It also pronounced a curse on anyone who did not keep all the words of the law (Deuteronomy 27:26).
However, Christ came to fulfill the law and so He did. (Matthew. 5:17). Therefore, He clearly did not die for His own sin but rather, “by becoming a curse for us” He was “hung on a tree.” (Galatians 3:13)
Even Gentiles, “who do not have the law . . . are a law to themselves.” (Romans 2:14) They are also born in sin and therefore also subject to the judgement and curse of God.
But now, those who were “far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:13)
Christ is the substitution for sinners, the wrath appeaser, the curse bearer, and the One who makes atonement by the shedding of His blood. He who was the only One who deserved to live, died for all the ones who only deserved to die. He was the perfect spotless lamb who “takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29)
The question then, have you perfectly kept all of God’s commands? Have you ever lied, stolen, looked at someone with sexual desire that wasn’t your spouse, been jealous, or hated someone? According to the Scriptures, you will have to pay for those things by dying.
If you say, “it’s not that bad,” you’re judging by your own standard but if you listen to God’s standard, that’s what He will judge you by. Either you’ll pay for your sin and you’ll never finish paying through eternal punishment, or you repent, turn from your evil ways, and look to Christ, the One who bore sin and suffered the curse you deserve. Then God will forgive you and give you everlasting life. Nothing else will satisfy Him. No amount of good to try to outweigh your bad.
Your sin must be paid for, and you can pay it forever in eternity in hell, or you can recognize the love God has shown by sending Jesus, repent, and believe that He indeed paid the price.
This is the Good News. He will forgive your sin and give you a new heart if you call out to Him.