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Sunday, May 31, 2015

Atonement: Is It Payment of Debt or Substitution



ATONEMENT: IS IT PAYMENT OF DEBT OR SUBSTITUTION
The Gospel of Salvation: Part 3


It is toward the end of the Church service.  The piano and organ are playing while the choir and some of the congregation are singing “Just As I Am”.  The preacher or pastor proclaims, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and give your heart to Him.  Come down to the altar and profess your faith in Jesus”.

Is salvation really that simple?  Exactly what is the criteria for believing in Jesus?  Exactly what part of Jesus is someone supposed to profess their faith in?  Difficult questions with generally simple answers offered by some pastors and denominations.  As noted in Part 1, the primary message of Jesus’ teachings was (and is) “repent and follow me” (into the Kingdom of God or Heaven) because “the Kingdom of God is at hand”.

The majority of the teachings, including the parables, of Jesus involved gaining entry or becoming a subject of the Kingdom of God (or Heaven in the Gospel of Matthew).  The teachings of Jesus are very important because they inform us of the protocol for following Him.  However, first, we must repent of our sins (transgressions or disobedience to the laws of God) and then attempt not to repeat them.

Jesus’ first two commands (proclaimed throughout the Gospels) clearly articulate the early church view of the Gospel; that is, repent and follow me! The Gospel according to Jesus is turn from your sins and follow Him. Turn from the world, the kingdom of darkness, sin, selfishness, hatred, and submit to the lordship of Christ, the Kingdom of God, righteousness, holiness, obedience, and love. This is the true Gospel.  Marc Carrier:  The Gospel According to Jesus

The Atonement of God through Jesus
The suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus is extremely important but it is not the only aspect of His life that believers should be concerned with.  As noted in Part 1 sin and disobedience was brought into the world of humankind by the deception of Adam and Eve through the wiles of the Nachash.  The first couple lost their possibly glorified bodies and became typical humans such as all their descendants since that incident.  They were removed from the Edenic garden and placed on real-time earth to make ends meet at the best of their abilities.  They were now under the unwritten but understood “law of sin and death”.  The death of something innocent was required to expiate their sins.  A sheep was first killed as a means to clothe them and they were later apparently taught a type of sacrificial system.  Noah and his family were familiar with the sacrificial system.  Later, Moses and the Israelites (Hebrews) were given a more complete sacrifice and offering structure.  However, the animal sacrifices were all temporary expiations of sin.  Repentance, trusting God, and following the laws of God generally referred to as “faith in God” were required to become a “child of God”.

The Nachash (or Satan, devil, deceiver, accuser, or whatever his actual name happens to be) became the “god of this world” and everyone is his subject and under his authority.  God began to construct His own nation through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jacob’s 12 sons who were to be an example to the world of the worship of the one, true, God.  Although it did not proceed as might be expected, the world obtained the written instruction of God (the Bible), and the birth, life, death, and resurrection of the Son of God.  Those placing their faith and trust in the one true God were shown mercy from God until the New Covenant pronounced by Jesus Christ.

Jesus, the Son of God, was the innocent Lamb of God, sacrificed for the remission of sins for all people.  Salvation is not as simple as believing that fact – one must repent and follow Jesus: His life and His commandments.

But we see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by God's grace He would experience death on behalf of everyone……to make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings. ……Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, he likewise shared in their humanity, so that through death he could destroy the one who holds the power of death (that is, the devil), and set free those who were held in slavery all their lives by their fear of death…….. so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in things relating to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people.  (Hebrews 2:9-17 NET)

DEFINITION OF ATONEMENT:  Amends or reparation made for an injury or wrong; expiation.  The reconciliation of God and humans brought about by the redemptive life and death of Jesus Christ.

Because of disobedience to the laws of God the Creator, all people with the knowledge of good and evil and thus considered law breakers are to die as told to Adam and Eve.  Yes, we will all die a physical death until the return of Jesus but the spirit of a person, given by God, continues to live in the abyss, in some type of sleep state.  Through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, an atonement was given to us.  He was the ultimate sacrificial Lamb; the spilled blood for the remission of sins; a ransom to God the Father for the sin and death of all.  Those in bondage (to Satan) now have their freedom purchased, if they are willing to follow the King of the Kingdom.

Through selective scripture choosing, it is possible to make the atonement through Jesus a simple thing with no side effects.  Just believe that Jesus died for your sins and continue with business as usual.  Some teach and preach a doctrine related to the Anselm (a Catholic Archbishop of Canterbury, around 1100 AD) “satisfaction” model wherein the crucifixion sacrifice was a once and for all debt payment to God and everything is finished – just believe Christ died as your debt payment to God and anything else appears to be optional (although optional is not necessarily taught just thought).

God did not simply send Jesus to suffer and die so as to satisfy His own justice. Christ was not merely a substitute for our own just punishment for errant behavior, and He did not simply come to earth to take away the penalty of our sin. If this were true, why then did Jesus teach at all? Why did He show us how to live if the atonement was simply a legal transaction?  Marc Carrier:  The Gospel According to Jesus

Since he had committed no sin and had been 100% obedient to the will of God, he was not under the death sentence as the rest of humanity. His death was not required for justice, it was a substitution or a sacrifice for our sin nature.  His blood was not a debt payment but actually cleanses us from sin:  frees us from the law of sin and death; a ransom.

But if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.  (1 John 1:7 NET)

The King and His Slaves
"For this reason, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves. As he began settling his accounts, a man who owed ten thousand talents was brought to him. Because he was not able to repay it, the lord ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, children, and whatever he possessed, and repayment to be made. Then the slave threw himself to the ground before him, saying, 'Be patient with me, and I will repay you everything.' The lord had compassion on that slave and released him, and forgave him the debt. After he went out, that same slave found one of his fellow slaves who owed him one hundred silver coins. So he grabbed him by the throat and started to choke him, saying, 'Pay back what you owe me!' Then his fellow slave threw himself down and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will repay you.' But he refused. Instead, he went out and threw him in prison until he repaid the debt. When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were very upset and went and told their lord everything that had taken place. Then his lord called the first slave and said to him, 'Evil slave! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me! Should you not have shown mercy to your fellow slave, just as I showed it to you?' And in anger his lord turned him over to the prison guards to torture him until he repaid all he owed. So also my heavenly Father will do to you, if each of you does not forgive your brother from your heart."   (Matthew 18:23-35 NET)

The Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a King (or God) desiring to settle accounts with His slaves (or subjects).  One is brought before Him with many trespasses but he throws himself to the ground and repents of his sins and promises to follow the King and not repeat his trespasses.  The King had compassion on the slave and forgives him of his debt.  The slave, however, does not keep his word, and has a fellow slave thrown into prison for debts owed.  The King then retracts His compassion and demands the slave repay his debt.

False repentance and a lack of forgiveness does not include one in the Kingdom of God.  The acts and decrees of the King must be followed with repentance at each misstep. 

Closing Statements
The death of Jesus Christ has had many interpretations and doctrines declared through the ages.  These various shades of understanding are most likely the product of the expositor’s desires and expectations.  Jesus is scripturally called the “Lamb of God”, therefore it was a sacrifice for sin.  Since Jesus did not sin, it must have been a substitute for His followers.  It is my opinion His sacrifice ended the sacrificial system for all time.  It is believed the Judeans will rebuild a temple (possibly in the near future) and restart the daily sacrifices but it will not be recognized or honored by God.  The death and resurrection of Jesus also demonstrated that all the spirits of the dead will be resurrected at the return of Christ (and afterward) some for eternal life and others for eternal death in the lake of fire.

During the three days that Jesus was in the tomb, some expositors have speculated that he went to the abyss (bottomless pit) in the section designated as Abraham’s bosom and preached the Kingdom of God (or Heaven) to the spirits that have been residing there since the time of Adam and Eve.  The truth of that is unknown, but it is a thoughtful assessment.


Monday, May 25, 2015

The True Vine & the Branches



THE TRUE VINE AND THE BRANCHES
The Gospel of Salvation: Part 1

The story of Adam and Eve is a basic Bible story and is probably known by most everyone.  The simplistic plot is Eve was deceived by a Nachash (a glowing, winged, serpent-type entity) and convinced to disobey the command of God then afterward Adam followed suit.  According to Paul, this disobedient act instituted the “law of sin and death.”  Sin and corruption entered Creation and the human race and everyone inherited this propensity.  See The Nachash in the Garden of Eden for more information.

For the law of the life-giving Spirit in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.  (Romans 8:2 NET)

After some investigation, I discovered there is not an actual written law of sin and death.  It is a Biblical principle validated in many places throughout Scripture as described in Wuest’s Word Studies.

Kenneth Wuest:  The law here is not a written law but a regulative principle which exercises a control over the life of the believer. This regulative control over his life is exercised by the Holy Spirit. This control is in the form of the energy given the believer both to desire and to do God’s will, this energy coming from the life that God is, which in the believer is given him by reason of his position in Christ Jesus.

The Ransom
Jesus gave His life as a ransom.  Through the ransom, the Son of God paid the price of sin resulting in death owed by all and set people free from the law of sin and death, but there is a catch – we must confess our sins, repent, and follow Jesus into the Kingdom.  One must desire to be set free and become a willing subject of the King (or a citizen of the Kingdom).  It is not an automatic endeavor.

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."  (Mark 10:45 NET)

For there is one God and one intermediary between God and humanity, Christ Jesus, himself human, who gave himself as a ransom for all, revealing God's purpose at his appointed time.  (1 Timothy 2:5-6 NET)

The sacrifice of the Lamb of God not only cleared one’s debt ledger but it also cleanses us from all confessed and repented sin.

But if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we do not bear the guilt of sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness.  (1 John 1:7-9 NET)

The Kingdom
The Gospel According to Jesus: Unwrapping Centuries of Confusion by Marc Carrier  Yet today, the gospel that is preached concerns only Jesus’ substitutionary death for our sins—rarely about His Kingdom. As a result, many evangelicals don’t even know what the Kingdom of God is.

Contrary to popular opinion, salvation is not achieved by believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, even demons know that fact.  That fact is important, but it is not the Gospel of salvation.

You believe that God is one; well and good. Even the demons believe that — and tremble with fear.  (James 2:19 NET)

It is also not by merely asking Jesus into one’s heart during an altar call and then go home to watch TV and drink a 12-pack.  The salvation Gospel is to repent and follow the commandments of Jesus Christ (the will of the Father).  In other words, become a citizen or subject of the Kingdom of God.

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter into the kingdom of heaven — only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.  (Matthew 7:21 NET)

The first message of John the Baptist was, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near" (Matthew 3:2).  The Gospel of Jesus was and is the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Heaven, depending on the Gospel writer.  In the KJV, the Kingdom of God is stated 79 times and the Kingdom of Heaven has 33 instances, mostly in the Gospel of Matthew.  The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is very important as the ultimate sacrifice for sin and for the atonement of human beings to satisfy God’s requirement for justice, but to qualify for salvation, one must follow the life of Jesus and enter into the Kingdom of God.

ATONEMENT:  1. Amends or reparation made for an injury or wrong; expiation.  2. An individual's reconciliation with God by means of repentance and confession of one's transgressions. 3. The reconciliation of God and humans brought about by the redemptive life and death of Jesus.

God has provided a way for humankind to come back into harmonious relation with him,

The purpose of the atonement is this: to restore our hearts back to God in true repentance, turning away from sin and towards holiness and righteousness. Our salvation is as sure as our changed heart.

Is the Kingdom of God (or Heaven) something that will occur at the return of Jesus as some claim and preach?  Is it not present today?  If it is present, is it only a spiritual kingdom?  The Kingdom of God has a king and he sits in heaven at the right hand of God the Father.  The king is always present to the citizen through the Spirit of God or the Holy Spirit.  It is generally understood the king will be physically present on earth during the Millennium.  Would it matter if He were present today?  To some, yes, to many others, probably not.  At the end of the Millennium, Satan is released for a short period and he deceives the nations for a battle against God.  The number of the warriors is listed as the grains of the sand in the sea (a large amount).

Revelation 20:7-9 NET  Now when the thousand years are finished, Satan will be released from his prison  (8)  and will go out to deceive the nations at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to bring them together for the battle. They are as numerous as the grains of sand in the sea.  (9)  They went up on the broad plain of the earth and encircled the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and devoured them completely.

Many people will not honor the Kingdom of God even if the King is present.


The True Vine

John 15:1-5 NET  "I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener.  (2)  He takes away every branch that does not bear fruit in me. He prunes every branch that bears fruit so that it will bear more fruit.  (3)  You are clean already because of the word that I have spoken to you.  (4)  Remain in me, and I will remain in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.  (5)  "I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me — and I in him — bears much fruit, because apart from me you can accomplish nothing.

Jesus is the true vine and God the Father is the gardener.  The Father removes (takes away) all non-fruit bearing branches.  The branches that remain are pruned (literally means cleansed) so they will produce even more fruit.  The pruning maximizes fruit bearing, exposes counterfeits, and maintains the citizen’s dependence on God.  The branch must remain in the vine (Jesus and the Kingdom) to bear fruit.  Those apart from Jesus and the Kingdom can accomplish nothing.  Remain (follow) Jesus and He will remain in you (salvation).  True salvation is both an initial and a continuous response. This theological truth is often ignored in our enthusiasm for personal assurance of salvation.  Fruit bearing (and salvation) requires always being a part of the Lord.

Those claiming to be Christian but do not follow the commandments of Jesus as a member of the Kingdom of God will be thrown out and become a piece of dry wood.  At the return of the Messiah, those dried branches will be gathered and burned (thrown into the fire), a parallel to the parable of the wheat and tares. 

If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown out like a branch, and dries up; and such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, and are burned up.  (John 15:6 NET)

Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
(Matthew 7:19 NET)

The Gospel According to Jesus: Unwrapping Centuries of Confusion by Marc Carrier.  Our invitation to the Vine comes by grace through faith, in repentance and baptism. We remain on the Vine by abiding in Christ. Abiding in Christ is maintaining our obedient love relationship with Him (see John 15:10 below and John 14:15 and 21). There can be some level of obedience without love, but there is no love without obedience. And without such fruit, the branches will be cut off and thrown into the fire