“Jesus did not come to meet friends; He came to save enemies.” (Pierced for Our Transgressions)

by Josh Liu

In College Life, we have been studying the gospel of Jesus Christ. We followed Christ as He washed His disciples’ feet in the upper room (John 13:1-5), listened to His prayers in the garden in Gethsemane (Matt. 26:36-46), watched his trials before the councils and officials (Luke 22:54-23:33), mourned at His crucifixion (Luke 23:33-43), and rejoiced in His resurrection (Matt. 28:1-15). We are continuing to reflect on Christ’s life, death, and resurrection by considering biblical (theological) implications. Recently, we studied Christ’s penal substitutionary death that makes atonement for sinners.

First, it may be helpful to identify some misconceptions (the following beliefs contain errors at multiple points and are stated in the negative, indicating that they are to be rejected). Christ did not die as a ransom paid to Satan in exchange for souls held as his captives. Christ’s atoning sacrifice was not in the midst of a battle with Satan and the forces of evil. Christ’s death was not purely an example for others to follow or simply a demonstration of God’s love. Christ’s death did not reconcile all sinners in all time to God.

So then, what is the substitutionary death of Christ that makes atonement for sinners? To answer that, we must examine the Old Testament. The Hebrew term that is most commonly used in regard to atonement is kaphar. It literally means to cover. It is more specifically understood to atone by offering a substitute. Since death is the required punishment for sin, the life of a sacrificial animal, specifically symbolized by its blood, was required in exchange for the life of the worshipper. This is seen in the Passover sacrifice (Exodus 12:1-30), the Levitical sacrifices: burnt offering (Lev. 1:3-17), peace offering (Lev. 3:1-17), sin offering (Lev. 4:1-35), and guilt offering (Lev. 5:14-6:7), and the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:1-34; 23:27). These passages do not conclude that animal sacrifices ultimately cover a person’s sins, or saves them from wrath. It was abundantly clear that these sacrifices were limited. They do not fully atone for sins (cf. Ps. 40:6; 51:16; Hos. 6:6; Mic. 6:6-8). They do not completely remove guilt (cf. Heb. 9:9-10; 10:4). The New Testament provides the final, perfect atoning sacrifice: Christ (cf. Matt. 20:28; Mark 10:45; Luke 22:19, 37; John 1:29; 11:49-50; 15:13; 1 Cor. 5:7; 15:3; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 1:4; 3:13). Hebrews 9:11-14 says,

But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (cf. Heb. 9:23-28)

Christ’s death on the cross paid the penalty of sin–death. Christ’s death was substitutionary: He died on behalf of sinners.

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. (1 Peter 2:24)

For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit. (1 Peter 3:18)

His substitutionary death that atones for sins is graphically described in Isaiah 52:13-53:12.

Surely our griefs He Himself bore,
And our sorrows He carried;
Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten of God, and afflicted.
But He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging we are healed.
All of us like sheep have gone astray,
Each of us has turned to his own way;
But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all
To fall on Him. (Isaiah 53:4-6; emphasis added)

Pierced for Our Transgressions: Rediscovering the Glory of Penal Substitution (by Steve Jeffery, Mike Ovey, and Andrew Sach) summarizes Scripture’s definition and description of Christ’s atoning sacrifice: “The doctrine of penal substitution states that God gave himself in the person of his Son to suffer instead of us the death, punishment and curse due to fallen humanity as the penalty for sin” (21).

Why is this important? You need atonement! Without Christ’s atoning death, you could not be made right with the holy, perfect, righteous, just God of the universe, since you are utterly sinful, depraved, rebellious, unrighteous, and spiritually dead. But take hope! If you will repent of your sins, depend on Christ to save you from God’s wrath, you will be saved!

Always remember the love of Christ who took the death that you deserved, suffered the wrath meant for you, and was forsaken so that you might be reconciled to God. May you be in awe of the suffering and passion of the Servant of God, the Lamb who takes away your sins, who dispels despair and fear of condemnation, who was pierced for our transgressions.

(For further study, I suggest Charles H. Spurgeon, “Our Suffering Servant” on 1 Peter 3:18).