THE VICARIOUS ATONEMENT

By Gary Ray Branscome

What Christ accomplished on the cross, the sacrifice He made for our redemption, is known in theology as His vicarious [i.e. substitutionary] atonement. Now, the word “atonement” is used throughout the Old Testament, and the blood sacrifices that were required of those under the law were designed help us to think of Christ as, "The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). Isaiah speaks of God laying "the iniquity of us all" on Christ (Isaiah 53:6). And Paul uses the word "atonement" in reference to Christ's death (Romans 5:11). As it is written, “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous man: although perhaps some might even dare to die for a good man. But God demonstrates His love for us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 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. And not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement” (Romans 5:6-11). For, “The Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). And, “We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7).