Nothing skews our understanding of God’s reconciling atoning work like leaving the Holy Spirit out of the atonement. Atonement is the totality of who Christ is and what He has set in motion. It is the incarnation, calvary, resurrection, Pentecost, ascension, intercession and more. There are many atonement theories, none of which can stand alone, but only in tension with each other and other biblical truth. As to the Spirit and atonement, we can never be at-one-ment with God without the Spirit of the Christ living inside of us. Jesus called the Spirit, “I in them” (John 17:23). The root idea of atonement is unity with God. The washing of regeneration makes possible the abiding Spirit who unites us to our Father. Hallelujah!
(You are reading from the soon to be published devotional book, “Build On The Rock” by H. Lamar Smith)
