AT_ONE_MENT, Preaching of the Cross

The Atonement    {Christ Died on the Cross for Our Sins}

The Atonement Introduction

Before we can do any justice to the preaching of the message of the
cross, we must look to the Bible and the book of Romans, in particular
Romans 4, for the apostles' teaching of the cross, and since teaching is
basic to any good preaching; then we will be read to proceed with the
preaching of the cross under the many words in the Bible like justification,
redemption, reconciliation, the blood, the cross, and propriation.
Salvation of the Atonement is like a many faceted diamond of God in that
God in writing the Bible through thousands of years and many inspired
prophets and apostles, used many words to help humanity understand in
terms of what they already knew.

I. The Atonement.

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us. {“Christ died for us” is the Atonement.
Galatians 2:20}

Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved
from wrath through him.   {Justification and Blood}

For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the
death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by
his life. {Reconciliation and Salvation}

And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus
Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.” (Romans 5:
8-11) {“we have now received the atonement” by reconciliation to
God by the death of Christ}

II. Exegesis of the Atonement in Bible Context from Romans 5.
Romans 5.

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through
our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into
this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that
tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and
experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love
of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given
unto us.
For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for
the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet
peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God
commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us.
Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved
from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were
reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being
reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus
Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. Wherefore,
as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so
death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until the law
sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them
that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who
is the figure of him that was to come.
But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the
offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the
gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto
many.
And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment
was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences
unto justification. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one;
much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of
righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to
condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift
came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's
disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one
shall
many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offence
might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much
more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might
grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ
our Lord."

III. Atonement and the Trinity.

“God the Father thought it; God the Son bought it; and God the Holy Spirit
wrought it.”

“God the Father is the originating Cause; God the Son is the mediating
Cause; and God the Holy Spirit is the effecting Cause.”

True in salvation, true in Creation, and reverse true in prayer.

IV. Diamonds in the Breastplate of Judgement (Exodus 28)

1. Instructions from God.

"And thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment with cunning work;
after the work of the ephod thou shalt make it; of gold, of blue, and of
purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twined linen, shalt thou make it.
Foursquare it shall be being doubled; a span shall be the length
thereof, and a span shall be the breadth thereof. And thou shalt set in
it settings of stones, even four rows of stones: the first row shall be a
sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this shall be the first row. And the
second row shall be an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.
And the third row a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst.
And the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper: they shall be
set in gold in their enclosings.
And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel,
twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet;
every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes.
And thou shalt make upon the breastplate chains at the ends of
wreathen work of pure gold.
And thou shalt make upon the breastplate two rings of gold, and shalt
put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate. And thou shalt
put the two wreathen chains of gold in the two rings which are on the
ends of the breastplate. And the other two ends of the two wreathen
chains thou shalt fasten in the two ouches, and put them on the
shoulder pieces of the ephod before it. And thou shalt make two
rings of gold, and thou shalt put them upon the two ends of the
breastplate in the border thereof, which is in the side of the ephod
inward.
And two other rings of gold thou shalt make, and shalt put them on
the two sides of the ephod underneath, toward the forepart thereof,
over against the other coupling thereof, above the curious girdle of
the ephod.
And they shall bind the breastplate by the rings thereof unto the rings
of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it may be above the curious
girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate be not loosed from the
ephod. And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the
breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the
holy place, for a memorial before the LORD continually.
And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the
Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron's heart, when he goeth in
before the LORD: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children
of Israel upon his heart before the LORD continually."

2. What the children of Israel did. Exodus 39

"And the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond. (39:11)

3. Urim and the Thummim

"And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the
breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the
holy place, for a memorial before the LORD continually. And thou
shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim;
and they shall be upon Aaron's heart, when he goeth in before the
LORD: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel
upon his heart before the LORD continually." (Lev 8:29-30)

And he put the breastplate upon him: also he put in the breastplate
the Urim and the Thummim. (Lev 8:8)

While the High Priests wearing of the breastplate atoned for the Courts
mistakes in judgment, the urim and tumim inside the breastplate
dispensed judgment of their own. Rashi explains that when the Jewish
People needed to know something of great import, the urim and tumim
could be consulted to reveal the will of G-d, as in the verse, "Before
Elazar the priest, [Joshua] will stand and seek from him the judgment of
the urim" (Numbers 27:21). Urim and tumim, Rashi explains, refers to a
special name of G-d that was written and placed in the fold of the
breastplate through which the breastplate illuminated and clarified its
message. This, the Talmud explains, is the source of its name: urim
being related to or, the Hebrew word for light; tumim being related to tam
meaning perfect (Yoma 73b). {http://ohr.edu/2032}