WHAT'S WRONG WITH US?

What is the problem with the human race? What is it we have all done wrong?

Not all have murdered or committed adultery or stolen. But Isaiah 53:6 says "All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, everyone, to his own way." God calls this tendency to choose our own way rather than his "iniquity." Today we would probably call it rebellion. Derek Prince in his book Atonement sums it up this way: "The root problem of humanity is rebellion against God."

THE CROSS IS THE SOLUTION

We see in this verse not only the problem but the solution. God laid on Jesus the iniquity of us all on the cross. But what does this mean to you and me us as we live out our lives in today's culture?

The Hebrew word for iniquity is avon. This word means not only rebellion but all the evil consequences of rebellion. It is a comprehensive word including the punishment that falls on those who disobey God's law. This same word is used in Genesis 4:13, 1 Samuel 28:10, Lamentations 4:6 & 22. In each of these instances the Hebrew word avon is interpreted as punishment.

AVON = REBELLION & ITS CONSEQUENCES

Derek Prince in Atonement lets scripture interpret scripture and comes to this conclusion: the Hebrew word avon means rebellion, the punishment for rebellion, and the evil consequences of rebellion. In Genesis 4:13 we see that Cain's iniquity and its punishment were both included in the one word: avon. 1 Samuel 28:10 shows Saul using avon to assure the witch that she would not be held guilty, nor would she be punished. Lamentations 4:6 uses avon to mean punishment or punishment of the iniquity. Lamentations 4:22 also uses the word avon to mean the punishment of the iniquity.

DIVINE EXCHANGE ON THE CROSS

He further concludes that a divine exchange took place on the cross that unlocks all the treasures of God's provision: "All the evil due by justice to come to us came on Jesus, so that all the good due to Jesus, earned by His sinless obedience, might be made available to us." A future post will name the nine specific exchanges that took place on the cross and give scripture references for each.

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ATONEMENT: God's Extravagant Provision, Part 2

THE CROSS PROVIDES ALL OUR NEEDS

Atonement: Your Appointment With God, by Derek Prince has as its theme the work of Calvary as God's extravagant provision for all our needs. In Chapter one we learn that the word atonement refers to God and the sinner being reconciled to each other through the cross. That is, God and the sinner are brought into a relationship in which they are at one, or at-one-ment.

At this point Derek writes about the Bible diagnosis of sin as the problem of mankind. And states that the Bible remedy for sin is atonement.

CONTRASTS IN THE TWO TESTAMENTS

Old Testament Sacrifices Temporarily Covered Sin

Derek then explains the difference between the Hebrew word kippur translated atonement in the Old Testament and the Greek word translated atonement in the New Testament. Kippur actually means covering. The sacrifices offered on the Day of Atonement covered the sins of the people for one year, and only for one year. Instead of providing a permanent solution for sins, they were merely temporarily covered until the Day of Atonement arrived again each year.

New Testament Sacrifice Takes Away Sin

The New Testament gives a completely different picture. Hebrews 10:3-4 tells us that the blood of bulls and goats as sacrifices in the Old Testament could not take away sins. Hebrews 9:26 contrasts the death of Jesus and the Old Testament sacrifices by saying, "But now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself." In John 1:29 John the Baptist introduced Jesus as, "The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"

So we see the huge difference between what atonement meant in the Old Testament and what it meant in the new. Old Testament sacrifices rather than taking away sin actually reminded the people of the problem of sin. Sins were merely covered from one year to the next. Jesus took away sin so that for New Testament believers who have accepted his sacrifice, there remains no further sacrifice for sins.

We Are Perfected Forever

A key scripture in this book is Hebrews 10:14: "By one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified." Hebrews 9:13-14 tells us that Christ was without blemish as he offered himself through the eternal Spirit. Unlike the animal sacrifices, he was totally pure. And the involvement of the eternal Spirit indicates that his substitutionary death on the cross transcends the limits of time. The inference here is that He took on Himself the sins of all people past, present and future.

THE CROSS IS OUR ONLY SOURCE OF POWER

There is much good advice given in Christian circles and in the Bible itself, but the cross is the only source of absolute forgiveness, grace and power to make all the other good advice work. As Derek writes, "No one will ever live out the Sermon on the Mount without the power of the cross in his or her life."

Next time we will look at what Derek calls the "Divine Exchanges."

ATONEMENT: God's Extravagant Provision

Over the years I have read many books that impacted me, but if I could only have one book in addition to the Bible, it would be this one by Derek Prince: Atonement, Your Appointment With God, published by Chosen in 2000. Above the title on the front page are these words, "Discover God's extravagant provision for all your needs." The back cover adds this information, "Look at what is ours through Christ's atoning work!"

DEREK PRINCE: AUTHOR, TEACHER

If you aren't familiar with Derek Prince (1915-2003), he was an internationally-known Bible teacher whose daily radio program once broadcast to half the population of the world in various languages. His presentation of Bible texts was clear and concise. People of all denominations found his teaching to be relevant and insightful. He authored over 40 books and more than 500 audio and 150 video teaching cassettes. He had a Ph.D. from Cambridge University and a Fellowship in Philosophy at King's College, Cambridge. In addition, while at Cambridge, he was an avowed atheist. But his former life brought no satisfaction to him, only depression. After an encounter with Jesus, his life was transformed.

INFORMATION ABOUT THIS BOOK

There are four divisions to this book of 223 pages: Part 1: The Cross at the Center; Part 2: The Nine Exchanges; Part 3: Five Aspects of Deliverance; Part 4: How to Appropriate What God Has Provided. Because I think this book is so important, I am going to write this review in several parts, presenting pertinent information along the way.

CONSIDER THE WORK OF CALVARY

The introduction opens with Derek in a military hospital in Egypt with an incurable skin disease. He is also depressed. Sovereignly God moves to give him direction to "consider the work of Calvary: a perfect work, perfect in every respect, perfect in every aspect." With these words, he is directed to the answer to his problems. He understood he was to focus on the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross of Calvary. As he did this, he received a complete and permanent healing. For the remainder of his life he continued in the same manner and received many additional blessings.

In the rest of the book, Derek shares God's extravagant provision through the cross of Jesus for every need in human life. In his own words, "The essence of my discovery was this: On the cross a divinely ordained exchange was enacted in which all the evil due to our sinfulness came on Jesus, that in return all the good due to His spotless righteousness might be made available to us."

MORE NEXT TIME

So, the stage is set. Next post on this topic will go in more depth about God's amazing provision through the cross.

Was the cross of Jesus a good thing?
Is today a "Good" day?

Click here to go to an in-depth article on the topic
"Why is it called Good Friday?"


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