Atonement Is Peace Received

Second Sunday after Pentecost

June 22, 2014

Romans 3:25

Atonement Is Peace Received

In the name of Jesus.

I.

Pagan unbelievers believe in atonement, too. Ancient and modern pagans all believe in gods and deep down they know they have to make them happy.

They needed to change the feelings of the gods toward them and appease their anger. Then and now unbelievers believe that if they do a good thing, the gods will reward them. They have lots of different names for this deeply held religion: karma, Rome, America.

But for them to continue in their religion, they must never give any space or sanction to the following Word of God:

There is no one righteous, not even one. There is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away; all alike have become useless. There is no one who does what is good, not even one. (Romans 3:10-12)

This is who we all are, lost wicked souls without peace with the true God.

II.

But our merciful Lord God desired to be at peace with us. To accomplish this, He did the following:

God presented Him as a propitiation—an atonement—through faith in His blood. (Romans 3:25)

God put Jesus out on public display for many eyes to see the place of atonement and the sacrifice laid there. Jesus, true God and Man, accomplished it on the cross. He, all by Himself, went to the place of sacrifice and there sacrificed Himself and only Himself.

III.

And that's the difference. Pagans, those who build their house on the sand, believe that they can please the gods. Maybe they can work a little harder or be kinder to their family or to get other people to be kinder, then the gods will reward them.

But true atonement that satisfies the wrath of God has been accomplished by Christ alone. Only His holy blood has put out the fire of God's anger at us and our sin, and through faith in His blood, we are no longer at war with God, but at peace in Christ.

And so being at peace with God is not a reward to be earned, but is instead a present received from God.

For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility . . . He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. (Ephesians 2:14,17)

In the name of the Father

and of the † Son

and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.