Atonement Versus Forgiveness

 

Atonement Versus Forgiveness

Atonement – To cover

Forgiveness – To erase

     No sin or violation was eradicated prior to Christ’s sacrifice.  In other words, all men from Adam to John the Baptist died with their sins remembered.  Putting their faith in Christ’s future action, as modeled in the sacrificial system, meant God covered their sin.  In this state, God’s wrath was turned from them.  By contrast, all believers after Jesus’ death enjoy complete erasure of any wrong.  God, in addition, chooses to forget.  Something He could not do before His Son’s sacrifice.

      Iowa weather takes its toll on roadways.  Summer’s heat and winter’s cold expand then contract material such as concrete.  Small fissures grow as water seeps in then freezes.  Pushing apart, cracks multiply.  The continual pounding of tires finds the concrete’s fatigue.  Eventually, potholes result.  Next, the roadcrew is sent to cold patch or throw asphalt to fill.  A pockmarked surface makes the roadway serviceable.

     Israel’s sacrificial system was like God’s cold patch answer.  With every weakness, Israel came to God and He covered to make them agreeable again.  Hence, their highway looked like a lunar landing.  Divots filled with black substance marred the run which the King tread upon.  Thus, stained glory was the best they could offer.

     Similarly, the Church comes to God with the same cracked highway.  Sin has eaten holes exposing neglect.  However, in pleading Christ’s blood, God brings out His grinding machine. Setting the teeth low, the surface is eaten away to sufficient depth.  When prepared, He lays down a thick layer we call black top.  The Church’s glory is then a seamless run of smooth roadway free of potholes.

     Atonement only covers one’s sin like cold patch. 

Hebrews 10:4 “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.”

     Forgiveness reworks and lays a new surface forgetting past transgressions.  Like cold patch, asphalt is black like death.  We are reminded our glorious freeway has come at a cost.  Animals were sacrificed once.  Now the death of His Son permits a comfortable travel with our God.

     It is His plan to forgive and forget.  Christ’s superior sacrifice has more than placated God’s wrath.  His blood has freed His father from a burdensome recollection.  Loosing restrictions, we run with Him full throttle upon what He has provided.

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