At One With God - Encouragement Café - September 30, 2014

At One With God

Café Menu for Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Today’s Special is: The Atoning Work of Christ

Carefully prepared just for you by your friend, Carolyn Dale Newell

Main Ingredient:

How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

Hebrews 9:14-15 (NKJV)

Entrée:

We should always expand our knowledge of Scripture, including understanding topics such as atonement. Atonement is the means by which we are reconciled to God. Jesus Christ was our substitute on the cross. Our sins were placed on Him, and He took our punishment for them.

The Israelites had a day set aside in the fall called “Atonement Day” or Yom Kippur. It was not a festive holiday. It was a day of mourning, fasting, and repentance. It was the day that the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies to make atonement for the sins of the people.

Atonement Day exemplifies the sacrificial work of Jesus Christ more than any other Jewish holiday. The high priests offered many sacrifices, and they had to atone for their own sins; but Jesus was sinless, and His sacrificial death atoned for our sins once and for all time (Heb. 7:26).

The blood of Christ is able to do what the blood of goats and calves could not do – reconcile us to God (Heb. 9:12).

When couples separate and get back together, that is called reconciliation. That is what Jesus did for us. He made it possible for us to be together with God. Atonement means that we are now “at one” with God.

Christians may not recognize Atonement Day, but we can celebrate every day because Jesus paid the greater sacrifice. He made it possible for us to have access to God. What a great High Priest we serve!

Take Out:

It is not necessary to study subjects like reconciliation and atonement, but the knowledge can be gratifying. I studied atonement for several hours in order to write this devotion, and the beautiful outcome was that Hebrews made much more sense. Don’t shy away from the challenge of broadening your spiritual knowledge.

Dessert:

Our Father,

We thank You for Christ’s atoning work on the cross. Without it, we could never come to You in prayer. We thank You that by trusting Christ, our sins have been wiped away, and we will spend eternity with You. In Jesus’ name, amen!

© 2014 by Carolyn Dale Newell. All rights reserved.

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Originally published Tuesday, 30 September 2014.

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