His Atonement: Rescue as well as Forgiveness
There have been a number of postings on the Facebook group regarding the nature of the atonement that Jesus has made possible for us. There are proponents of the “ransom” that He paid to Satan, and proponents of His “substitution” for us in order to take God’s wrath in our place. Some wisely do not treat them as “either/or” scenarios.
I point out several times in my “Blueprint For A Revolution: Building Upon ALL Of The New Testament” that you should not assume that everything God has done can be understood by a single simple answer. In Chapter Seven of Volume One I present a substantial NUMBER of Biblically supported reasons why Jesus came and what He accomplished.
In the Evangelical Protestant world by far the greatest emphasis I have read regarding why He came, was upon His bringing forgiveness for our personal sins. The preached invitations also stress that passionate invitation for the hearers to acknowledge their sinfulness and trust Christ alone for their forgiveness.
I agree, and agree STRONGLY to that plea; yet, in order to be faithful to the richness and the balance found within God’s Word that message needs more to it than to focus on the personal guilt of the hearer.
Jesus did not come solely to bring forgiveness for what messes we may have made with our lives. He also came to bring RESCUE to us from conditions about which we are NOT responsible. That theme of “rescue” is certainly one of the components in such passages as follow:
Galatians 4:8 ” 8 But at one time indeed, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those that by nature are not gods.” [Remember that we are BORN not knowing God; our personal choices can DEEPEN that separation, but we did not personally create that separation]
Luke 23:34 “34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” [“They” of course did not know that they were crucifying an innocent man, or murdering their God-sent Messiah, but surely He was saying something deeper than that; as Paul said above, their ignorance was in never having known God.]
1 Timothy 1:13 “I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did [it] ignorantly in unbelief.” [Same as above]
Jeremiah 24:7 “Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the LORD” [To come to “know” Him requires something that only HE can provide]
The desire to rescue springs from the yearning of our Father’s heart:
“Indeed, the people of Israel are my dear children. They are the children I take delight in. For even though I must often rebuke them, I still remember them with fondness. So I am deeply moved with pity for them and will surely have compassion on them. I, the LORD, affirm it!” (Jeremiah 31:20).
Jesus Himself shows that great heart: “How OFTEN I have LONGED to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings…” (Luke 13:34)
So, what is it, oh human, from which you need to be rescued that is not your personal fault?
It IS your guilt, your fault, for choosing to cheat on that exam. Or to sleep with your date. Or to compromise your honor to please your boss. For that you must REPENT.
But is NOT your fault that you inherited the condition that Adam and Eve received when they quit trusting and obeying their creator and instead became the prisoners of their deceiver. He had been assigned the task to SERVE them as God’s representative, but through deception he became their wicked covering, the “god of this world.” You and I were BORN disconnected from God and BORN with a nature that found it more “natural” to disbelieve and disobey rather than to instinctively believe and obey our Creator. You did not choose this condition, you were BORN in it. That is not your fault, and no guilt or repentance is to be imposed upon you for that condition.
What IS required of you for that condition is to enter into the status of a “little child” which is oh so humbling to those who think they are grown-ups. Those who are little children in their own eyes, it feels very natural to cry out “Abba, Father; RESCUE me!”
The great Son of God came to provide forgiveness for your SINS.
He came to RESCUE you from your inherited condition and from your default “god.”
“Father, forgive them. They do not KNOW what they are doing!”
Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children.
Little children can ACCEPT the humbling need for rescue so much easier than those who think they are adults. And yet you MUST let yourself be rescued like a little child: “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
You really can both repent like a responsible adult AND accept gratefully being rescued like a little child, HIS little child. The inner voices of self-condemnation become so much quieter when you do.
Amen?
