Salvation in Christ | The Nature of the Atonement: Sacrifice and Propitiation
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Salvation in Christ, Fall 2026
Class 3: The Nature of the Atonement: Sacrifice and Propitiation
I. Atonement: Christ’s Perfect Obedience & Satisfaction as Mediator The Obedience of Christ (Jn. 6:38; Heb. 5:8-9; see also Matt. 3:15; 20:28; 26:42; John 4:34; 5:30; 6:38; Rom. 5:19; Gal. 4:4; Phil. 2:7-8; 10:5-10; etc.)
Vicarious Satisfaction
● The demands of God are fulfilled and met (cf. Gen. 2:15-17; Matt. 22:37-40; Mark 12:33)
● After the fall, the demands remain, but punishment for sin is now required (Rom. 5:12; 1 Cor. 15:22; Rom. 3:9, 10, 23; 6:23; Gal. 3:10)
● Christ makes satisfaction on our behalf (Rom. 5:18-19; Gal. 3:10-14; 4:4-5, etc.)
Christ’s Obedience as the Mediator & Surety of the New Covenant
● One Mediator (1 Tim. 2:5) appointed by God (Heb. 7:22)
● The Priestly work of Christ (Heb. 5:1; 2:17; 9:11-28, esp. 12-14)
II. The Sacrifice of Christ: Substitutionary, Propitiatory, and Expiatory The Old Testament
● Cf. Genesis 22; Exodus 12; Exodus 24; Leviticus 1–7; Leviticus 16; Numbers 21:4–9; Psalm 22; Psalm 40; Psalm 110; Isaiah 52:13–53:12
The New Testament
● Most significant passages: Romans 3:25; Eph. 5:2; Gal. 1:4; Heb. 9:14; 1 John 2:2; 4:10
● Christ as offering (cf. 1 Corinthians 5:7; Ephesians 5:2; Hebrews 7:27; 9:14, 23–28; 10:5–14; 13:10–12)
● Christ’s blood for atonement (cf. Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20; Acts 20:28; Romans 3:25; 5:9; Ephesians 1:7; 2:13; Colossians 1:20; Hebrews 9:11–14; 10:19, 29; 13:12, 20; 1 Peter 1:18–19; 1 John 1:7; Revelation 1:5; 5:9; 7:14; 12:11).
● Christ as the Lamb (cf. John 1:29, 36; Acts 8:32–35; 1 Peter 1:18–19; Revelation 5:6–14; 7:9–17; 13:8; 14:1–5; 17:14; 19:6–9; 21:22–27; 22:1–5)
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Christ’s Sacrifice as Vicarious/Substitutionary
● Isaiah 53; Heb. 9
Christ’s Sacrifice as Expiratory and Propitiatory
● Rom. 3:21-26; Heb. 2:17; 1 John 2:2; 4:10; Heb. 9:22
III. Devotional and Practical Implications and Applications
1. This truth causes us to reckon with the fact that we cannot save ourselves, but we need Christ to save us (Gal. 3:10-14)
2. The Lord wants us to feel in our bones that in Christ our sins are fully and finally taken care of (Rom. 8:1-4, 31-34; 1 John 1:9; 2:1-2; Jer. 31:31-34)
3. The Lord wants us to know that the cross is the ultimate proof of His love, not the cause of it (1 Jn. 4:10; John 15:13; Rom. 5:8; Rev. 1:5b)
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