Atonement

Sin cannot be removed unless someone takes responsibility to make expiation for the transgression. This is the concept of atonement. Atonement is required because of God’s lawful nature, which requires that the object of His love be worthy to receive it.

The predicament of the sinner is made worse by Satan’s accusation, which serve to remind God of sins he might rather overlook. Therefore, some act of sacrifice is needed to pay the debt, clear away the sin, and remove the obstacle to full forgiveness and fellowship between God and human beings.

In Christianity, Jesus Christ offers himself on the cross as atonement for sin. This is the ultimate atonement: a sinless man dying to save sinners. And yet, Jesus’ atoning death on the cross is an example of a larger principle, as vicarious atonement can occur in many situations: a priest offers a sacrifice for sins of the worshippers, a good man pays with his life for the sins of the community, or a patriot sheds his blood on the altar of his nation. In each case, a righteous person’s sacrifice provides atonement for many.