v. How to think about the atonement - Chambers, Oswald
God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself. . . . 2 Corinthians 5:19 (see 2 Corinthians 5:1821)
The modern view of the atonement is that it simply reveals the oneness of god and man; immediately we turn to the new testament we find that the doctrine of the atonement is that god can readjust man to himself, indicating that there is something wrong, something out of joint, something that has to be put right. The bible reveals that there is anarchy somewhere, real thorough going anarchy in the heart of men against god; therefore the need is strong that something should come into us from the outside to readjust us, to reconcile us, to turn us round, to put us right with god. The doctrine of the atonement is the explanation of how god does that. The doctrine of the atonement is that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. All heaven is interested in the cross of Christ, all hell terribly afraid of it, while men are the only beings who more or less ignore its meaning.
No one can believe in the teaching of Jesus unless he believes in the cross. A man who says, i believe in the sermon on the mount means that he gives his mental assent to it .it is a good ideal for whoever can come up to it. But if all Jesus came to do was to tell me i must have an unsullied career, when my past has been blasted by sin and wickedness on my own part, then he but tantalises me. If he is simply a teacher, he only increases our capacity for misery, for he sets up standards that stagger us. But the teaching of Jesus Christ is not an ideal, it is the statement of the life we will live when we are readjusted to god by the atonement. The type of life jesus lived, the type of character he expressed, is possible for us by his death, and only by his death, because by means of his death we receive the life to which his teaching applies.
Him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of god in him (2 Corinthians 5:21 RV ).
The idea of substitution popularly understood is that Jesus Christ was punished for me, therefore i go scot-free. The doctrine of substitution in the bible is always twofold: Christ for me, that he might be substituted in me. There is no Christ for me if there is no Christ in me. The doctrine of substitution is the most practical, radically working thing in the world; it is the very essence of our lords teaching. Except ye eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood, ye have not life in yourselves ( john 6:53 rv ). When the apostle john says he that doeth righteousness is righteous, he is not talking of the righteousness of good moral conduct, but the righteousness that is impossible to a man unless he has been readjusted to god. When it pleased god . . . To reveal his son in me . . . Says Paul. That is the doctrine of substitution; not, i believe in god the father, god the son, and god the holy ghost, and remain the same miser- able, selfish, crooked sinner all the time.
How are we to get to the place where the mighty efficacy of the lords life is ours? Immediately we are willing to recognise that god condemned sin for ever in the death of his son. If we will accept his verdict and go to god just as we are, the holy spirit will apply the atonement to us personally, and we will know with a knowledge that passes knowledge that we have been born again from above into the realm where Jesus lives, and all the marvellous efficacy of his life comes into our mortal frame. The consequence is we can do all that god commands. The only sign of a readjusted life to god is not a head-belief at all, but a manifestation in our mortal flesh that we can keep the commandments of god.
Now examine the sermon on the mount. Can a man by praying, by letting the generous impulse of his nature have its way, produce a heart so pure that it sees god? Can a man by doing those things that are easily within the reach of morality, produce a life unblameable in holiness before god? Paul says he is made unto us . . . Righteousness. That is the doctrine of the atonement that we are made undeserving of censure in gods sight, so that god looking down into the motives of our heart can see nothing to blame. Will i let god identify me with the cross of Christ until i can say, not merely with my lips, but by my life .i have been crucified with Christ; yet i live; and yet no longer i, but Christ liveth in me: and that life which i now live in the flesh i live in faith, the faith which is in the son of god, who loved me, and gave himself up for me? From that position it becomes possible for god to take us into his counsels regarding his redemptive purpose. Our under- standing of the atonement depends on our spiritual growth, not on our bible study or on our praying. As we grow up into him in all things the one thing about which we get more and more understanding is the mystery of redemption, and we understand why jesus said, blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see god.