In this article, the author puts forward a strong case for studying theological doctrines in such a way that each individual doctrine falls within a particular larger theological field. He thus proposes that the doctrine of the atonement should be defended as falling within the covenant of grace. In this regard, the gospel call is made to everyone outside, but the one who really calls, Jesus Christ, does so from within the covenant of grace.
What does it mean to have assurance of salvation in the atoning work of Christ? This is the critical question that the article deals with, as a reminder of the sure and unwavering hope that believers have in the finished work on the cross of Christ.
What does it mean that believers rely on Christ as their advocate and atoning sacrifice? This article responds to this question, explaining that Christ is the one who has turned away the wrath of God against the believer. In the rest of their lives, believers live by acknowledging their dependence on God's grace demonstrated in Christ.
What did Christ accomplish for us by his active obedience and passive obedience? This article notes four things in answer to this question: Christ accomplished expiation, propitiation, reconciliation, and redemption. In the process, the author attempts to explain these terms and their individual meanings within the context of Christ's atonement.
The author attempts to explain what is meant by the terms "propitiation" and "expiation" as far as they apply to the aspect of the need for the justice of God to be satisfied by a human being.
Did Christ die a substitutionary death in order to save us from our sins or to train us not to sin? He died to save us. This article explains, however, that this doctrine needs to be fleshed out more consistently with the realities of Christ's divine and human natures, and the Lord's Supper.
Dahm wants to draw attention to a biblical emphasis concerning atonement that has suffered from relative neglect. This neglect concerns the believer's dying with Christ. The author considers the significance of dying with Christ against the background of Old Testament sacrificial practices.
This is a theological dictionary entry on different theories of the atonement.
This is a theological dictionary entry on the atonement.
Looking at redemption, reconciliation, victory, propitiation, and justification in relation to the atonement, this article shows how these words are used in the New Testament to clarify and portray the wondrous work of Christ in the atonement.
This article looks at salvation as the work of God alone, salvation as brought by Jesus Christ, and the plan of God in the redemption of man.
This article looks at the love people have for Jesus, but not for the real reason he came to earth. The author discusses Jesus Christ and our atonement, and the offence of the gospel.
This article is about the atonement and the righteousness of Jesus Christ. The author also discusses the active and passive obedience of Jesus Christ, the second Adam, and the suffering of Jesus Christ.
This article is about common grace and atonement. The author also looks at creation and providence, expiation and propitiation of atonement, and particular atonement.
This article outlines the various views and theories concerning Christ's work on the cross: the ransom theory, the satisfaction theory, the moral influence theory, the governmental theory, and penal substitution. Though all have pieces of truth in them, the final view is the most thoroughly biblical.
This article highlights ten key notes about the doctrine of definite atonement.
This article discusses the Reformed doctrine of definite atonement or limited atonement.
Why are not all people saved? This article answers this question by looking at the relationship between limited atonement, election, and total depravity.
This chapter is the conclusion to Morris's study on the atonement. Morris summarizes the major findings of the book.
The biblical way of thinking about the atonement is to think of it as penal substitution. In arguing this point this article points to the nature of knowledge required to comprehend this. This kind of knowledge is faith knowledge that rests on God's Word. It explains the idea of substitution and how it relates to Christ death being penal.
Definite redemption, also known as particular redemption or limited atonement, attests to the biblical truth that God intended Christ's work to remove only the sins of the elect. Let the article explain.
Looking at the relationship between forgiveness and consequences, this article shows that forgiveness of an action does not mean a fresh start with no repercussions. Some actions, even when God has forgiven them, have a permanent effect.
The author of this article shows that Mark 15 points to Christ's death as the penal substitution, and discusses the link between this passage and Old Testament scriptures.
In this article on church history, the author traces the different teachings of the church in reaction to the doctrine of atonement. Five views on atonement have arisen in the past; namely, ransom, satisfaction, moral influence, penal substitutionary, and governmental perspectives.
Defending the doctrine of limited atonement, this article gives the biblical ground for particular redemption and the arguments supporting it. Though Christ's atonement was sufficient for the whole human race, God chose to limit salvation to the elect.
This short article is an excerpt from John Piper's book The Future of Justification. It gives an exposition of our only great hope as Christians - that God is for us now and forever. This hope is founded on the obedience of Christ.
Why do you value God’s forgiveness? Or why do you value eternal life? Have you ever considered asking why a person would want to have eternal life? Why would people want to live forever? Does God feature in how we think about these things? This article looks at John 17:3 and how this text should shape our perspective on forgiveness and eternal life.
The death of Christ was an intentional laying down of his life. We must recognize how utterly intentional it was in order to appreciate the intensity of his love.
How did Christ gain victory over Satan through the atonement? Did Christ pay a ransom to Satan? This article addresses these questions, giving due attention to the Christus Victor theory of the atonement in its considerations.
This article focuses on the importance of the blood of Christ in the salvation of his people. With primary reference to the Passover lamb in Exodus 12:13, the author shows that the sacrificial lamb was a pointer to Christ's atonement of his people through his blood.
This article dwells on the redemption of Christ, and emphasizes the particularity of Christ's redemption (the Reformed view) as opposed to the Arminian understanding that Christ died to make salvation possible for man. Spurgeon then goes on to elaborate on the greatness of this redemption when considering the heinousness of the guilt of the saved, the sternness of divine justice, the nature of the sacrificial price Christ paid, and the vast number of those for whom this redemption was made.
This article interacts with objections levelled at the doctrine of definite atonement, or limited atonement.
This article raises a host of objections against the teaching of universal atonement, or universal redemption.
What was the Amyraut controversy? This controversy is associated with teachings on universal grace that flared up in the Reformed churches of the seventeenth century. Nicole provides a brief survey of the major developments in this controversy and follows this up with a summary of the most important arguments advanced by both sides.
Nicole argues for an understanding of the atonement as definite. He wants to argue the exact point at issue: the chief purpose of the Father in sending the Son and the chief intention of Christ in laying down his life in sacrifice. The author goes on to give the main arguments for his understanding of definite atonement, and to answer objections against his view.
Both universal redemption and Arminianism paint an unbiblical account of salvation, for they all take away God's glory. This introductory essay to John Owen's The Death of Death in the Death of Christ shows how this is so by looking at what constitutes the teaching of Calvinism about the atonement.
How can heaven and earth be joined together when they are currently so separated? This article gives the answer: through the atonement of Jesus Christ. He fulfills all the recoverings that happened in the Old Testament sacrificial liturgy by becoming the covering himself. This article concludes with reflections on how this comes into the Christian life of forgiveness, based on 1 John 1:6-2:2.
It has been argued that it was unjust of God to make Christ our substitute, that this was some sort of divine child abuse. This article shows that is far from so. It offers four reasons why our debt had to be paid by Christ.
What is the significance of the death of Chrst in the atonement for man's sin? The discussion of this article is concerned in particular with the widely criticized doctrine of the penal substitution of Christ and the much-advocated subjective or ethical views of atonement.
A good understanding of the meaning of propitiation is dependent on a good rendering of "hilaskesthai," as discussed by Nicole in this article.
This article examines the doctrine of the atonement of Christ as a teaching that has received a lot of attention and has been the subject of much debate in the past. At issue in this article is the Reformed claim that Christ died for only the elect (limited atonement). This is opposed by those who claim that this would mean a limiting of the power or effect of Christ's atonement. The author deals with this issue on the basis of scriptural arguments raised from both sides of the debate.
The article deals with the doctrine of limited atonement. The main texts considered include Jesus' high-priestly prayer in John 17:1-13 and the angel Gabriel's announcement of the birth of Christ in Matthew 1:21. The author shows that Christ did not die on the cross for every man that ever lived but for the specific people chosen by God to believe and enjoy the benefits of salvation. This teaching also relates to the teaching of predestination.
Written as an introduction to John Owen's teaching on limited atonement, this article shows that upholding universal redemption is a denial of the gospel. The author discusses the biblical teaching on atonement, and shows how this perspective impacts preaching.
Written to defend the substitutionary view of the atonement, this article shows that viewing the cross of Christ as an example of personal sacrifice for Christians to follow is contrary to the teaching of scripture. God's justice necessitated the substitutionary work of Christ on our behalf.
The article deals with the subject of how one should understand the extent of the atonement of Christ. The article first deals with how to understand the use of particular language in particular contexts. Secondly, it appeals to the hermeneutical rule that Scripture should interpret Scripture. Further, Scripture should be compared to Scripture so that similarities occasioned by the use of merely different words should be noted.
This article, the last of a three-part series, considers one of the classic works of John Owen, The Death of Death in the Death of Christ.
During the 1970s Karl Rahner was one of the most popular theologians in the Roman Catholic Church. This essay considers Rahner's view of the salvific value of the death of Christ and the significance of the atonement.
The author introduces the place, meaning, and importance of the doctrine of atonement through penal substitution.
What is penal substitution? It is the doctrine that God gave himself in his Son, Jesus Christ, to suffer in man’s place the curse as the penalty for sin. This stands at the heart of the Christian gospel. The Introduction acquaints readers with more recent objections against this confession of God’s grace.
Nicole considers seven theories of atonement and evaluates each.
This study considers two of the prepositions used in New Testament statements on the subject of the atonement to see what contribution they have to make. Four prepositions are used in the New Testament statements about the death of Christ, but only two are examined here, i. e. "for" (ἀντί) and "on behalf of/for the sake of/for the beneft of" (ὐπέρ).
This essay attempts to explain the belief that the death of Christ on the cross had the character of penal substitution, and that it was by virtue of this fact that it brought salvation to mankind. First, the author clears up some questions of method. He then continues to explore what it means to call Christ's death substitutionary.
Does John Calvin differ from his successors on the matter of the extent of the atonement?
The author argues that while the sacrifice of Christ accomplished the full redemption of all the elect, there are certain benefits that come to sinners in general because of that sacrifice. God may show pity to those whom he is determined not to save. While God purposely designed Christ's sacrifice for the redemption of all whom he intended to save, he yet holds forth the expiation of Christ to the whole world as a demonstration of his kindness.
This article responds to recent criticisms of the doctrine of penal substitution as atonement for human sin. The author's main focus is the publication of The Lost Message of Jesus by Steve Chalke and Alan Mann from a British perspective, and views expressed by Joel B. Green from an American perspective. He notes four main charges brought against penal substitution.
This article offers a scriptural discussion on limited atonement, with due reflection on Paul's words in Ephesians 5:25-27.
This article discusses the extent of the atonement of Christ.
This article includes an excerpt from John Murray's Redemption Accomplished and Applied, in which he discusses Romans 8:31-39 in relation to the question of the extent of Christ's atonement for sinners.
