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.