Does ‘atonement’ not look like ‘AT- ONE- MENT with God’?

Is God a sanguinary Deity to require blood sacrifice as an atonement? He did that to save the Adamic race. He told the errant Cain in Genesis 4:7, “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.” The word ‘sin’ is chatta’ah (khat-taw-aw’) (or chattacth {khat-tawth’}) ‘1. an offence (sometimes habitual sinfulness), and its penalty, occasion, sacrifice, or expiation 2. (concretely) an offender.’ The word ‘lieth’ is rabats (raw-bats’) ‘1. to crouch (on all four legs folded, like a recumbent animal) 2. be implication, to recline, repose, brood, lurk, imbed.’ An offering of the blood of a ruminant in exchange for the life of a man is God’s solution to our sinful propensity.

The blood reconciles man to his Maker. The word ‘reconcile’ shows in scripture the first time in Leviticus 6:30 “And no sin offering, whereof any of the blood is brought into the tabernacle of the congregation to reconcile withal in the holy place, shall be eaten: it shall be burnt in the fire.” ‘Reconcile’ in the Hebrew is kaphar (kaw-far’) ‘1. to cover (specifically with bitumen) 2.(figuratively) to expiate or condone, to placate or cancel.’ Your sins are not only covered, they are cancelled, by God. In the New Testament, it is in Romans 5:10 “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life,” where ‘reconcile’ is katallasso (kat-al-las’-so) ‘1. to change mutually 2. (figuratively) to reconcile.’ What happens spiritually is that the death and resurrection of Jesus was designed to effect a mutual exchange, to purge us of our sins; by which we become righteous before the thrice holy God. Levitical offering prefigures Christ’s eventual atonement. Colossians 1:21, “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled.” No one else, as far as Jehovah is concerned, can blot out human sinfulness (only the sacrificial katallasso of Jesus is required).

Abraham’s obedience to Jehovah earned him ‘the father of faith!’

Abraham had to obey God by agreeing to sacrifice his only son so that God would give up His Only Begotten Son. “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out [Romans 11:33]!”

Man hardly understands that he can have a relationship with God. There is this primordial acceptance that the gods are so marblehearted towards the activities of humans on earth. It is believed that the gods are always involved in wanton debauchery and sex such that they could care less about the travails of earthly man. As easy as pie man, therefore, finds it not difficult to maintain a stereotypic mindset when it comes to the LORD God, the Creator of the universe. Jehovah is not an unfeeling God.

Isaiah 53:4-5, “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. (5) But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” Matthew 8:16 & 17, “When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: 17) That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.” Our sympathetic Jehovah says in Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” God, who created us perfectly, decided to save us from our sinful nature. He is full of compassion; but we must relate to Him in His own terms.

The number one term is not a denouncement of your sins, neither is it the resolve to start doing good things; it is the deployment of the faith that has been quickened in your heart as the rejuvenating word of God begins to permeate the entire fabric of your reasoning capacity. “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” [Hebrews 11:6]. And this faith must be found only in God’s Word -Jesus.

Other gods’ rewards can never be eternally endowed (it is an ephemerality of falsehood), little wonder then, that these gods of falsehood cannot vouchsafe the gift of eternal life.

Those who are endowed with God’s relationship do not appreciate this rare opportunity, it is abused unfortunately.

                                                            Get Gennao Anothen!

Get born again by saying this sinners’ prayer: “Dear heavenly Father, I come to You now in the name of Jesus Christ. I believe in my heart that Jesus is the Son of God. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sin. I believe that You raised Him from the dead. I confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord and I receive Him now as my Lord and my Saviour. I give God all the glory. Amen!”  

(CONCLUDED) 

Read the 3rd part here

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