Atonement For Mankind

Bedrock of Our Glorious Redemption

(Glorious Atonement for Mankind)

Beloved, we stand on holy ground when we speak of Jesus, the Christ, and the Son of the Living God! His mission, His purpose, His ultimate sacrifice was a one-time, perfect atonement for all mankind! Consider the countless souls who walked this earth, generation after generation, burdened by sin and death, long before you or I drew our first breath. They are long gone, their names whispered by the winds of time, their faces forgotten by history. Yet, for them, and for us, and for all who would ever believe, Jesus accomplished a work so complete, so profound, that its legacy is nothing less than a lifetime inheritance—an eternal inheritance for every soul who accepts it!

Let this truth echo in the chambers of your heart: Jesus is not coming back to offer Himself again! No, my friends! Were He to return, time and again, to suffer the agony of the cross, it would diminish the power of His first, final act. It would become a grim pattern, an endless cycle of suffering, and mankind, in its stubborn rebellion, would find no end to its sinning. Now, such a repetition would turn the very Savior into an enabler of sin, a tragic absurdity against the backdrop of His divine purpose!

The Father, our Almighty God, was perfectly satisfied with Jesus’ one-time mission! His precious blood, shed on Calvary, will never be shed again. It was the only blood, the only sacrifice, that brought true forgiveness. The only blood that tore down the veil and brought sinful humanity back into communion with a Holy God. Yet, sadly, here we are, centuries removed from that glorious event, and what do we witness? Humanity, in its ceaseless struggle, is sinning continually! Nothing is new under the sun, for corruption, in all its myriad forms, still plagues the hearts of men.

And oh, how many still cling to the old lie that “only the love of money is the root of evil”! But let us be real, let us be honest before the Lord: in this present age, who among us does not desire money? And who among us, if given the chance, does not crave the “easy money,” that quick path to fleeting comfort? The lure of material gain remains a potent snare for the human heart.

So then, the question arises, sharp and piercing: Who is going to atone for people if Jesus is not coming back for that purpose? Ah, they might say, “They can always ask God for repentance, ask forgiveness.” Easy words to utter, but how deep is their understanding? How good would it be for our Omniscient God, who knows all things, to see them repent today, only to know they will fall into the same snare tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that?

And what of those who are not “church people”? Where will they find God’s presence? Do they need the stained-glass windows of a traditional church to make their confession? Do they require a priest or a pastor to listen to the lament of their sins, to mediate their plea for forgiveness? How, in their spiritual wilderness, will they truly know that they are forgiven?

My beloved, this is where the glory of our God shines brightest! For God will make a way, when there seems to be no other way! In ancient times, when His people cried out for help, they went directly to God. When the heavens withheld their rain, they lifted their voices to the Almighty. King David, a man after God’s own heart, poured out his confession and asked for forgiveness directly from the Lord! The Scriptures are replete with instances where, in their direst need, they communicated directly with their God, and He heard them!

And know this truth, which stands immutable through all generations: God is the same God yesterday, today, and forever! He is not a God who hides Himself or demands intricate rituals for communion. Prayer, earnest, heartfelt prayer, is our means of communication with Him! And He, the Father of mercies, hears the prayers of those with a contrite heart, a broken spirit, a soul yearning for His grace!

Yes, Jesus provided the ultimate, one-time atonement that covers all sin, for all time. But the acceptance of that atonement, the turning of the heart, the ongoing walk of repentance and faith—that, my friends, is a personal journey. No one can atone for your sins but only you, through your personal acceptance of Christ’s sacrifice. No other human, no institution, can do that for you. It is a sacred, individual dialogue between your soul and the Savior. He has done His part; now, it is yours.

Let us do ours, by humbling ourselves, confessing our sins, and clinging to the precious blood that brings us home to God! Let this truth empower you, comfort you, and compel you to draw ever closer to the heart of our loving Lord! Amen!