"...by whom we have now received the atonement"

"And the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering and pour out all the rest of its blood at the base of the altar...and the priest shall burn it on the altar for a pleasing aroma to the Lord. And the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be forgiven" (Lev. 4:30-31).

During the time of Moses, the Priests offered animal sacrifices to atone for the sins of the people. The word "atonement" is a theological term of great eternal significance. While some take this word in connection with animal sacrifices to simply mean the temporary covering of sin, in Christ the implications are eternally greater Regarding to the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Paul wrote, "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. 11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement" (Rom. 5:11).

The atonement that Christ provides not only involves expiation (the removal of sin), but also propitiation (the appeasement of wrath). On the one hand, sin calls forth God's wrath and results in sinners needing a substitutionary sacrifice for God's wrath to be appeased. On the other hand, sin defiles and must be removed (expiation)."

The blood of animals no longer needs to be offered so that we may be accepted of God. Neither do we need to try harder to be loved by God. The once and for all sacrifice of Jesus fully and forever atones for the sins of all who have put their trust in Him. Praise His name.