FRIDAY 16 September, 2016
The Price of Atonement
And the Gibeonites said to him, “We will have no silver or gold from Saul or from his house, nor shall you kill any man in Israel for us.” So he said, “Whatever you say, I will do for you.” - 2 Samuel 21:4
King Saul broke the covenant between Israel and the Gibeonites when he went to war against them. David asked them what payment would satisfy their grievance. He offered whatever payment was necessary. The Gibeonites flatly refused any monetary atonement. Neither did they accept the death of any man of Israel––so what would they ask?
What about our atonement? Our atonement simply means: the state of being at one or being reconciled. As sinners we are estranged from God. Silver and gold could never pay for the forgiveness of our sins or reconcile us to God. First Peter 1: 18-19 tells us the purchase price:
…you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
God’s requirement for our sins to be forgiven was met in Jesus Christ. Jesus is God. He became incarnated, God in the flesh (John 1:1, 14) Jesus Christ is sinless, innocent as a spotless lamb His sacrifice on the cross obtained our reconciliation with God (Romans 5:8-10).
There are many people who think they can get into heaven by being good––apart from Jesus Christ. Other people are religious; they think their good works will gain them entrance into eternity. Religion is a road that leads men to spiritual death. Some believe in the false philosophy: all roads lead to heaven. But Jesus said in John 14:6: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. So who is the person of Jesus Christ to you?
“Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
~John 1:29~
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