Continued….
'So far
from his “mediatorial work” being completed when he was on the cross, it had
not yet commenced.
The
mediatorial work is the work of the priest, which he had not entered upon when
he died. Paul says he entered into Heaven “by his own blood,” “now to appear in
the presence of God for us.” But if his mediatorial work was completed when he
was on earth, even before his death, as the above quotation would have it, then
he cannot be a mediator now! and all that the Scriptures say of his priesthood
on the throne of his Father in Heaven, there making intercession for us, is
incomprehensible or erroneous. By thus
confounding the sacrifice or death of Christ with the Atonement, the latter is
supposed to be a general work, made for all mankind. With this we cannot agree.
That
Christ died for all, is distinctly stated, but we have seen that that was only
preparatory to the Atonement, and it is in the Atonement that application is
made of the blood to the full removal of sin.
This is
shown also in the type. The goat of the sin offering was slain for the people,
and, of course, was offered to meet the wants of all; but while the priest made
the atonement, they were required to “afflict their souls,” or come as humble
penitents before the Lord, and whosoever did not should be cut off from among
the people. Lev. 16:29; 23:27-29.
Lev
16:29 And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh
month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no
work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that
sojourneth among you
Lev
23:27 Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of
atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your
souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
Lev
23:28 And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of
atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God.
Lev
23:29 For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same
day, he shall be cut off from among his people.
This,
then, was required of them individually, in that day, in order that their sins
might be atoned for by the priest; for we cannot suppose that they would be cut
off whose sins were actually blotted out, or removed from the presence of the
judge, by the blood of the offering with which the sanctuary was cleansed from
sin. The same is also taught by Peter, who says that God exalted Jesus, who was
slain, to be a prince and Saviour, to grant repentance and forgiveness of sins.
Acts 5:30, 31.
Act
5:30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a
tree.
Act
5:31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a
Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
Now that
“he died for all” there can be no question; and his death is absolute and
without condition. But not so the Atonement; for Peter says again, “Repent ye,
therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times
of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord,”
The
Atonement - 134
Acts 3:19.
We have
found that, when the priest made the atonement, he took the blood and cleansed
the sanctuary of God from the sins wherewith it had been defiled; and this is
the only act which will answer to the expression of blotting out the sins, for
blood was the only thing that would remove them. Hence, while the blood of Christ was shed for all, the efficacy of
that blood in atoning for, or blotting out, sin, is contingent, is availing
only for those who will repent and be converted.
He died for the world—he died for all; and he
is able to save to the uttermost them that come unto God by him. Heb. 7:25.
Heb
7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come
unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
But he
will save no others… Man is a rebel, an enemy to his Maker. God, though he
loves man in his ruined condition, is a just Governor. His love can certainly
go no farther, and grant no more, than justice can permit. Justice must be
appeased; and while the offering makes it possible to pardon consistent with
justice, it leaves us guilty, worthy of the condemnation under which we rest. A complete vindication of the righteousness
of the law is found in the sacrifice of the Son of God; but, as concerns the
sinner, personally, he rests under condemnation still, until the mediation of
Christ brings him into such harmonious relations with the divine Government
that it will not endanger its principles, nor reflect dishonor upon the
Governor, to freely forgive him and take him back into his favor.
When we
consider that the sacrifice is the means whereby the Atonement is made, we can
readily understand how hilasmos is used in 1 John 2:2,
1Jn
1:2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness,
and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was
manifested unto us;)
defined by
Liddell & Scott, a means of appeasing, an expiatory sacrifice. Jesus Christ
is the propitiation—the sacrifice to divine justice, for all. It is by means of
his intercession, his pleading his blood, that probation is given and mercy
offered to the whole world. But it cannot too often be pressed upon the mind of
the impenitent that probation, and the offer of mercy through the blood of
Christ which was shed for all, does not secure the salvation of all. Says
David, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity.” Ps. 32:1, 2. This blessing does not come upon all, but it
is placed within the reach of all by the death of Christ. And whose sins
- 135 - J.
H. Waggoner
will be
covered? Evidently theirs who have confessed and forsaken their sins, or who
have been reconciled to God. This is exactly the order of the work described by
Peter in Acts 3:19. “Repent ye, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may
be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the
Lord.”
This
blotting out is by the blood which the High Priest brings into the sanctuary to
cleanse it from sin. We cannot, for a moment, suppose that the sin of any will
be blotted out or covered, who still maintains his opposition and enmity to
God; but he who confesses and forsakes shall find mercy; that is, he who is
reconciled shall have his sins forgiven and blotted out. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1
John 1:9. “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth
and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Prov. 28:13.
(To be
continued)
(Excerpt
from-) THE ATONEMENT PART SECOND:
THE
ATONEMENT AS REVEALED IN THE BIBLE
(1884)
BY ELDER J. H. WAGGONER