Excerpt from Redemption Dan Long 10/16/13

Excerpt From Redemption 

"When I survey the wondrous cross, on which the Prince of glory died." 

 The cross of Christ is the only place where the Christian can find true assurance. Looking inward we only find guilt and shame. We must look outside of ourselves to something objective, something real, something of fact. The cross where Christ accomplished our redemption is objective, solid, and sure. When sin haunts us, when our failures come looking for us, when our past starts to mock us, looking inward will only drive us deeper into despair. But looking outside of ourselves to the objective cross, where Christ bought our redemption, will give us peace, rest, and assurance. Why? Because our redemption was accomplished 2000 years ago. Atonement has been made. It is past tense. The sins that we commit today, tomorrow, and next week have already been dealt with. They have already been punished. No wrath or anger remains for those for whom Christ died! It is a done deal. The Father is pleased to call us His own because His wrath was appeased (propitiated) by His Son at the cross.

Here is an excerpt from one of my favorite books on subject of the Atonement, Redemption Accomplished and Applied. In chapter two entitled The Nature of the Atonement, John Murray gives "specific categories by means of which the Scripture sets forth the nature of the atonement." Speaking of reconciliation he writes:

The reconciliation of which the Scripture speaks, as accomplished by the death of Christ contemplates therefore the relation of God to us. It presupposes a relation of alienation and it effects a relation of favor and peace."

Notice two things that the death of Christ has done:

First, it has accomplished reconciliation. I put the word "accomplished" in bold because as I was reading this section, that word seemed to jump off the page. Reconciliation is a guarantee for all those for whom Christ died. Reconciliation does not have to be made. It already has been made! The word "accomplished" implies that no more work needs to be done in order for us to be reconciled to the Father. Christ has accomplished this work on our behalf!

Second, the effects are "favor and peace." "Favor" implies that where we were once alienated from God, only deserving His wrath, now through the death of Christ we have His continual love, kindness and mercy toward us. And "peace," meaning that God is at peace with us. He is the One that procured peace for us.

Over the next few weeks I will try to post different excerpts from the book Redemption Accomplished and Applied. I hope that each of these small excerpts will be an encouragement to you. SDG!