Reconciling Away Sin

PRESENTER'S NOTES

Why do we participate in Atonement, or any Holy Day, for that matter? Commanded? Yes. Knowledge? Yes. (A remembrance of God’s Covenant with Israel, and a foresight into life and happenings of the future.)

But, is that all there is? Does another critical reason exist for observing this day? Emphatically, YES! We can obey, and should. We can look back, and should. We can look forward, and should. But, if we are not doing something else, our obedience is in vain, and our knowledge of the past and future is nothing more than information.

Let me ask a rhetorical question and follow with its obvious answer.

Who isn’t pleased with an obedient child? NOBODY. Everyone is pleased with an obedient child. But, is that all we expect FOR them? If I tell a child to look both ways before crossing the street, and they listen and obey, they remain safe when I’m there to tell them. As they mature, though, don’t we hope they will grow to understand why they should look both ways before crossing the street?  But then there’s the aspect of multi-tasking. The concept of “always” can be understood and appreciated, but what happens if I’m focused on catching a ball that got away from the playground? How solid in my well-meaning, obedient mind is the concept of “always”?

With maturity, opportunity for understanding arises. They can learn of signs and symbols related to road and crosswalk safety. They can learn about how others have benefitted from looking both ways before crossing the street.

So, what about the Day of Atonement is valuable for you and me right now? Is the present about obeying God once a year? Is the present about ceremonial law? Is the present about prophetic fulfillment?

Well, first, let’s look at the definition for atonement…

Atonement - 3722 kaphar kaw-far' a primitive root; to cover (specifically with bitumen); figuratively, to expiate or condone, to placate or cancel:-- appease, make (an atonement, cleanse, disannul, forgive, be merciful, pacify, pardon, purge (away), put off, (make) reconcile(-liation).

Reconcile - to restore to friendship or harmony (Webster’s Dictionary)

Obedience. Looking back. Looking forward.

Yet isn’t a personal, present instruction found in the Day of Atonement for us?

We have received reconciliation to God through Jesus Christ (Romans 5:11)

Following does not directly address atonement or reconciliation, but it is inferred and offers a critically important association with today.

James 4: 5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?
6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:
“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”
7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. CLARIFY
8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

So, Israel could enter a ceremony on the Day of Atonement and be forgiven of sin and all their sin be put on the head of a goat to be sent into the wilderness. Also, a time is coming when man will be in his most humble condition of all time and the one who brought reconciliation will be their new King and the old king will have all their sins upon his head and put away.

What about us? Does the meaning of this day only count, today? Do we have to wait all year to come to this day to be forgiven and have all our sins put on the head of the evil one?

Colossians 1:  20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.
24 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God,

Romans 5:6 For we yet being without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For one will with difficulty die for a righteous one, yet perhaps one would even dare to die for a good one.
8 But God commends His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.
9 Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.
10 For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
11 And not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the reconciliation.

Here is another that defines more than just being reconciled, but also being representatives of reconciliation.

2 Corinthians 5: 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.

Be reconciled to brother (Mat. 5:23-24)
Be reconciled to spouse (1 Cor. 7:10-11)

As we gain helpful instruction about Atonement as it was practiced under the Old Covenant, as we learn of it’s prophetic significance, and as we bask in the comfort of humbly obeying God’s command to observe the day, let us also remember to dwell daily, including today, in what this Day of Atonement means to our Christian walk.

To conclude…

Let us understand that any time we resist the devil, he won’t just leave us alone; he will flee away. Let us know that it is an ongoing and daily process to be reconciled to God and our fellow man. Let us practice, in the spirit of peace, the ministry of reconciliation as a witness to a world still living in ignorance of all God’s wonderful ways.