I saw one hanging on a tree
In agony and blood
Who fixed His loving eyes on me
As near His cross I stood
And never till my dying breath
Will I forget that look
It seemed to charge me with His death
Though not a word He spoke

My conscience felt and owned the guilt
And plunged me in despair
I saw my sins His blood had spilt
And helped to nail Him there
But with a second look He said
“I freely all forgive
this blood is for your ransom paid
I died that you might live”

Forever etched upon my mind
Is the look of Him who died
The Lamb I crucified
And now my life will sing the praise
Of pure atoning grace
That looked on me and gladly took my place

Thus while His death my sin displays
For all the world to view
Such is the mystery of grace
It seals my pardon too
With pleasing grief and mournful joy
My spirit now is filled
That I should such a life destroy
Yet live by Him I killed.

"The Look".  Original lyrics by John Newton.
New and alternate lyrics and music by Bob Kauflin. © 2001 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI)

In the course of the past couple years, focusing my mind more on the pastoral implications of theology, I’ve found myself more humble in my theology, re-examining various theological positions I have held. And one of these areas which I have become less adamant at being overtly dogmatic about is the extent of Christ’s atonement.  I.e. Limited atonement vs. Unlimited atonement vs. Unlimited Limited atonement (a.k.a. Multiple Intentions).

Consider this classic hymn by John Wesley, titled “Father, Whose Everlasting Love“:

Father, whose everlasting love
Thy only Son for sinners gave,
Whose grace to all did freely move,
And sent Him down the world to save;

Help us Thy mercy to extol,
Immense, unfathomed, unconfined;
To praise the Lamb who died for all,
The general Savior of mankind.

Thy undistinguishing regard
Was cast on Adam’s fallen race;
For all Thou hast in Christ prepared
Sufficient, sovereign, saving grace.

The world He suffered to redeem;
For all He hath the atonement made;
For those that will not come to Him
The ransom of His life was paid.

Why then, Thou universal Love,
Should any of Thy grace despair?
To all, to all, Thy bowels move,
But straitened in our own we are.

Arise, O God, maintain Thy cause!
The fullness of the Gentiles call;
Lift up the standard of Thy cross,
And all shall own Thou diedst for all.

How much of this hymn do you disagree with, and why?

Our substitute, then, who took our place and died our death on the cross, was neither Christ alone (since that would make him a third party thrust in between God and us), nor God alone (since that would undermine the historical incarnation), but God in Christ, who was truly and fully both God and man and who on that account was uniquely qualified to represent both God and man and to mediate between them.  If we speak only of Christ suffering and dying, we overlook the initiative of the Father.  If we speak only of God suffering and dying, we overlook the mediation of the Son.  The New Testament authors never attribute the atonement either to Christ in such a way as to disassociate him from the Father, or to God in such a way as to dispense with Christ, but rather to God and Christ, or to God acting in and through Christ with his whole-hearted concurrence.

John Stott, The Cross of Christ (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1986, 2006), p. 156.

Yesterday at church, we heard a very powerful sermon preached by a long-time friend of the church, Pastor Wes Pastor. (yes, apparently, his last name is Pastor!). In a word, it was convicting. He spoke on one of my favorite passages of Scripture — 2 Corinthians 5:11-6:2, in a sermon that was titled Pleading Against Spiritual Suicide. I highly recommend y’all have a listen!

11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. 12 We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. 13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. [2] The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling [3] the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

6:1 Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For he says,
“In a favorable time I listened to you,
and in a day of salvation I have helped you.”
Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

“I want a real chaplain who believes in a real God and a real hell! …I need answers! And all your questions and uncertainties are only making things worst. I need someone who will look me in the eye and tell me how to find forgiveness, because I am running out of time!”

(Feed readers, please visit this post to see the video.
fromER - Season 14, Episode 13 “Atonement”)