Believer, You Need the Gospel: Understanding the Foundations of Your Faith

Part 3: The Sacrifice of Christ

Introduction

The more you mature as a Christian, the more interested and awed you should be at what Jesus has done for you. It may be tempting to become complacent toward the message of the Cross. You hear it over and over again, and it just starts to sound like old news.

That type of thinking needs to be combated because it causes you to wane in your love and obedience toward God. The best way to overcome wrong thinking is to replace it with wonderous meditation on the Word of God.

To that end, in this series I have done my best to help you reflect on the significance of Christ’s sacrificial death in a way that is maybe deeper than your previous thoughts about this wonderful news. We have studied the glorious words that describe all that Christ has done for us. Let’s wrap up what we’ve learned with a few reminders.

Atonement

Atonement is the forgiveness of sin by the sacrifice of one on behalf of another. In the Old Testament, God required that the Israelite nation shed the blood of animals to atone for their sin (Leviticus 16:6, 11, etc.), but this was only a picture of the coming sacrifice of Christ (Hebrews 10:1). Christ’s death on the Cross atones for all sin for all time—it was a once-for-all-sacrifice, never to be repeated (Hebrews 9:24-28).

Atonement is a stabilizing thought in the midst of life’s turmoil because it anchors us in a secure, forgiven position before God.

Propitiation

Propitiation is the satisfying of God’s anger against sin. It makes atonement effective because it allows for both forgiveness and justice. By dying on the Cross, Jesus took the punishment that God sentences upon sinners (Romans 3:25; I John 2:2). God can therefore justly grant us mercy because of His sacrifice (Ephesians 2:4-5). Propitiation’s connections with the “Mercy Seat” of the Old Testament reveal the purpose of Christ’s death—to give mercy to sinners whom God loves.

Propitiation is a word to be shared with those who are still under God’s wrath.

Redemption

Redemption involves two aspects: the idea of “buying back,” as in a ransom, or the concept of “rescue” or “deliverance.” As sinners, we are shackled to the bondage of sin (Romans 6:16). Our efforts to fulfill God’s Law perfectly in order to enter Heaven further tie us down under the heavy load of guilt. But Jesus came to free us from those burdens and rescue us from sin’s slavery (Galatians 3:13).

Although the world may call license to sin a life of independence, redemption leads to true freedom in Christ.

Reconciliation

Reconciliation is God taking the initiative to restore our relationship with Him. Though we are enemies and alienated from God by our wickedness (Ephesians 4:18), He has sent Jesus to exchange our sinfulness for His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21), putting us in a position to accept God’s offer and live in friendship with Him.

Reconciliation is a word that unifies, for it unites the soul with God, the church with each other, and the Church with Christ for all eternity.

Take these words to heart, dear Christian, and never lose your wonder for them. By a single act, Jesus has forgiven your sin, removed God’s anger and condemnation from you, freed you from sin, and brought you to God as a continual friend.

For more details on these concepts, read my series of daily devotionals on this subject.

Devotional 1

Devotional 2

Devotional 3

Devotional 4

Devotional 5

© 2025 by Anchor & Fish Ministries. All rights reserved

Photo by Jenny Venturo

Scripture quotations are from the ESV^® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version^®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Used by permission.  All rights reserved.