The atonement is like a four leaf clover. Though it’s one thing, it’s made up of four unique parts. But before we can discuss the four parts of the atonement, we must first take a look at what the original Day of Atonement looked like in the Bible.
In Leviticus 16 we read of the Day of Atonement. It was held once a year and was for the forgiveness of the previous year’s sins. The high priest used two goats in this ceremony. The first goat was killed for the sins of the people. The second goat was called the scape goat. By the laying on of hands the high priest would symbolically transfer the sins of the people and himself onto the goat and then send it out into the desert, forever removed from the people. This foreshadowed Jesus who through his shed blood would provide forgiveness of sins and consequently forever remove our sins from us.
Now that you have the rough idea concerning the Day of Atonement, we’re now ready to take a look at the four aspects of the atonement. Again, the atonement is like a four leaf clover, so let’s take a look at each leaf:
Leaf 1: Sacrifice. Jesus was the offering for sin, presented on our behalf, that made atonement for our sins. As High Priest, Jesus presented himself. He was both the Priest making the offering and the offering itself.
Leaf 2: Substitution. When Jesus died on the cross he was our substitute. We deserved to die, but Jesus died in our place and for our sins.
Leaf 3: Propitiation. Jesus satisfied God’s wrath against sin. You see, the nature of God is perfect and complete holiness. Since sin is the opposite of holiness, sin is repulsive to God. He is allergic to sin, so to speak. He cannot look upon it. The Bible is something of a transcript of the nature of God. The Bible reveals God’s will and nature. When we obey or disobey God’s law, we are obeying or disobeying God. Violation of the law, whether by disobeying or by failing to fulfill it, carries the serious consequences of liability to punishment, and especially death. Adam and Eve were told that in the day that they ate of the fruit of the tree they would surely die, Genesis 2:15-17. God told Ezekiel that “the soul who sins is the one who will die”, Ezekiel 18:20. According to Paul, “the wages of sin is death”, Romans 6:23. On the cross, through his death, Jesus satisfied God’s wrath against sin. We no longer have to suffer for our sins. Jesus suffered for us. We can now have peace with God, because his wrath against our sin has been satisfied.
Leaf 4: Reconciliation. Our sin separates us from (Isaiah 59:2) and made us God’s enemies (Romans 5:10). Jesus’ substitutionary death on the cross made us God’s friends. By accepting the forgiveness of sins that Jesus offers, we make our peace with God and are no longer estranged from him.