Atonement in Biblical History

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What is Atonement?
ATONE'MENT
Literally, at-onement, or reconciliation; theologically, the satisfaction or propitiation brought about by the death of Christ as the ground of the accord or reconciliation between God and man. The word occurs often in the Old Testament, but only once in the New (Rom 5:11, where the Greek means "reconciliation," which is the result of the atoning death of Christ). The subject itself is presented in every variety of form both in the Gospels and in the Epistles. Rom 3-8 and Heb 7-10, inclusive. The great atonement made for sin by the sacrifice of Christ constitutes the grand substantial foundation of the Christian faith. The efficacy of it is such that the sinner, though by nature the child of wrath, by faith in Christ is brought into favor with God, is delivered from condemnation, and made an heir of eternal life and glory. The Hebrew word rendered "atonement" signifies "covering," Ps 32:1, and the Greek version of this Hebrew word is translated "propitiation" in our Bible, and may denote either that our offences are covered or that we are protected from the curse, Christ being made a curse for us. Gal 3:13. Generally, wherever the term occurs, a state of controversy or estrangement is implied; and in relation to the party offended, it imports something done to propitiate. Gen 32:20; Eze 16:63. The idea of making an atonement is expressed by a word which signifies "to make propitiation;" and the apostles, in referring to the death of Christ, use those very terms which in the Septuagint version of the Old Testament are applied to legal sacrifices and their effect, thus representing the death of Christ not only as a real and proper sacrifice, but as the truth and substance of all the Levitical types and shadows -- the true, efficacious, and only atonement for sin, 1 John 2:2 and 1 John 4:10; showing that Christ is not only the agent by whom the propitiation is made, but was himself the propitiatory sacrifice.

Bibliography Information
Schaff, Philip, Dr. "Biblical Definition for 'atonement' in Schaffs Bible Dictionary".
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