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Daily Devotion: Colossians 1:12-14

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Colossians 1:12-14    "Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:  (13)  Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:  (14)  In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins"  

In Romans 5:11, Paul reminds us that we "joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement." We have been reconciled back to our Heavenly Father through Christ Jesus.

I want us to think about the word atonement for a few moments. If I counted correctly, the word is mentioned 80 times in the Old Testament and only once in the New Testament. Most of that 80 times is in the book of Leviticus where the law  and instructions were given to the priests for making the sacrificial offerings unto God. That which I find interesting is in the meanings for the word in the different Testaments.  The word, atonement, in the Old Testament means "to cover". The book of Hebrews, chapter 10 and verse one tells us, "those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually (can never) make the comers thereunto perfect."  Covering something does not change nor remove. Under the law, the sins were not removed by those animal sacrifices; rather, they served to remind the people of their sins.   The word, atonement, in the New Testament means to exchange. Why would it be important to know the difference between the two words used and their application?  That work of redemption which we remember today served to remove our sins and exchange the righteousness of Christ in its place.

Jesus' blood did not cover our sins; rather, His blood washed our sins away and we were given His righteousness instead. We are now the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Take time today to give thanks and honor unto our Lord for the glorious work of redemption by which we have been atoned.

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