Dear Ruth

Dear Ruth

[Note: “Ruth” has read the gospel of John, the books of Romans, James, and Matthew. She has some good questions which she sent to me. The following is a response to those questions.]

Dear Ruth,

From your letter, I see you’ve done a great deal of reading in the New Testament and that’s highly commendable because most people don’t do what you’ve already done. Not only that, but you’ve chosen to read some books in the Bible that have rocked the world for 2,000 years. Congratulations!

You’re in good company with your questions—there was a high-ranking official who decided to do what you’ve done, that is, start reading the Bible. As he was reading, a Christian came along and noticing that he was reading the Good Book, asked him, “Do you understand what you’re reading?” As it turned out, this government officer was different than many in his position: he was honest. Instead of faking it, he said, “No, I don’t; how can I unless someone guides me?” Your honesty, as his, is refreshing.

The list of the words you sent me for definition contained a few words on which I’d like to focus, because you’ve hit on some key words in the Bible.

In your reading you ran across the word atonement, and that one is a mouthful. The meaning of this word is hiding in the word itself, but we can find its meaning if we break it down into its parts. Look at atonement this way: at-one-ment.

Atonement is the bringing together of two, God and man. Man and God are separated by a gigantic sin block. You and I are pathetic sinners, as is all the human race. The problem is, how can man the rebel and a holy God come together, be at one? That’s where the at-one-ment comes in. To come together, there must be an atonement, something must happen to reconcile the two and it must be done in such a way so as not to compromise God’s holiness.

This is where the cross enters. There’s no way in this whole wide world that anybody can get past that sin block. We’re pathetic to the point of being hopeless. If we’re going to get past it and get to God, then somebody is going to have to do something. That something is the atonement.

The cross is the one and only atonement. When Jesus died on the cross, He had just finished making the atonement, that is, He had finished paying for the first sin you ever committed and paying for the last sin you’ll ever commit, and every single sin in between. God cannot simply say, “That’s OK,” about our sins; if He did, He’d be compromising His own holiness. So, He sent His Son to the earth to go to the cross and pay the penalty of our sins. Completely. Totally. All done.

This brings us to the next word you asked about: propitiation. You came across that word when you read Romans. John also uses the word in I John 2:2: “And he (Jesus) is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” You have hit on another key word in the Bible. Propitiation means “satisfaction.” The work Christ did on the cross for you satisfied God that your penalty was paid. Now God is satisfied because of what Christ has done. He’s not the angry God many people picture, but He’s satisfied with the death of His Son for you and me. You’re into some good news when you’re into propitiation.

If you thought that the news that God was satisfied was good news, and it is, you haven’t seen anything yet!

This brings us to the other concepts you asked about: gift of grace and free gift. These two concepts intertwine to bring the best of good news. Man’s getting to God is free, based on the atonement that Christ worked which satisfied God. Grace means unmerited, undeserved favor. Because of what Christ did, God offers salvation to everyone as an unmerited, undeserved free gift. Free gift means just that—no charge, it’s on the house.

Now, Ruth, let’s personalize your questions. What grace, free gift, propitiation, and atonement mean for you is that all the work to get Ruth past that sin barrier has been completed and Ruth didn’t do any of it. There’s nothing Ruth has to promise God, do for God, give up for God, dedicate to God, or beg God for, to get past that barrier to have eternal life with Him.

When anyone offers us a gift, we can do one of two things—receive it or reject it. One thing we certainly can’t do is work for a gift, because once we do even an ounce of work, it’s no longer a gift. The receiving of this gift comes by trusting Christ alone for it, what the Bible calls faith. We can say it this way to personalize this great news: Ruth, do you believe that Jesus, who is God, became a man, died for your sins and rose from the dead? Do you believe that He promises you everlasting life when you trust Him and Him alone (not trusting in any good you’ve done or will do; not trusting in your giving up any sins now or in the future) for it?

If so, if you’ve trusted Christ alone, here’s the best of the best good news: your questions have led you to the two greatest gifts of them all—forgiveness of sin and eternal life! Here’s the promise, straight out of John 1:12: “. . . to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”

Keep reading, keep studying, and keep the good questions coming!

Dr. Mike Halsey, Pastor

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