Atonement

Got Rabbit-hole Rot or Hijacked Health?

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Are you one of those people who think that the communion service is the appropriate time to seek a physical healing? You probably believe that “by his stripe we are healed” has nothing to do with the salvation of souls, specifically from sin. You are likely also thinking that the singular expression “stripe” is a typo. Singular stripe is what both Isaiah (53:5) and Peter (1:2:24) wrote. This phenomenon of the singular representing many is apparent in several expressions; transgression, sin, and uncleanness, where the singular represents a single concept.

Forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin; all three singular

Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation. (Exodus 34:7 [KJV])

Israelite uncleannesses addressed as singular in English

And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness. (Leviticus 16:16 [KJV])

Can it be that the wicked ways of God’s people is a single sin?

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14 [KJV])

Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; (Ezekiel 33:14)

Of course not.  It should be clear that saving his people “from their sin” means the multitude of a person’s sins.

Healing by request and grace

Sin is a condition for which God has healing, according to 2 Chronicles 7:14, by promise and apparent in the songwriter’s request (Psalm 41:4).

The iniquity of God’s people is a multitude of sin (singular)

You forgave the iniquity of your people; you covered all their sin. — Selah (Psalm 85:2 [ESV2011])

There are only five imperative uses of rapha in the Hebrew Bible and one request for healing is for the condition known as sin.

As for me, I said, “O LORD, be gracious to me; heal me, for I have sinned against you!” (Psalm 41:4 [ESV2011])

No healing power is in the bread and wine.  The Eucharist is not for healing. The power of the bread and wine remembrance service is not healing power; it is in the sober recall of Messianic salvation.

Eucharistic clarity

Is it not true though that one sin -the sin of unbelief – is forgiven to enable the New Covenant even though multiple shortcomings are tagged.

And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. (Hebrews 10:17)

God Convicts People of Sin

regarding sin, because they do not believe in Me; (John 16:9)

The problem is called iniquity and sin

And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. (Jeremiah 31:34 [KJV])

One failing is removed to bring people from condemnation

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:18 [KJV])

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29 [ESV2011])

Isaiah and Peter both wrote STRIPE

Isaiah and Peter both wrote “by his STRIPE”, meaning his vicarious bearing of sins, with not even a hint that the flogging was a part of atoning grace for salvation from sin.

τῷ μώλωπι αὐτοῦ – by his stripe (Isaah 53:5)

οὗ τῷ μώλωπι – of whom by the stripe (1 Peter 2:24)

So talking about how many stripes Jesus received and how many diseases there are a rabbit hole too deep, and it is certain to make a victim of the blind and careless. Major organs in the human body are nowhere near 10, much less 39. Furthermore, why would God atone by being flogged for human sickness and, unlike salvation (healing) from sin, the believer has to keep on claiming the benefit. If you visit your physician and tell him your eyes are malfunctioning, what are the chances that he will not check your ears and nose? What are the chances that God (1) received 39 lashes to heal you of every disease, (2) sees you coming to him weekly for healing after healing, and (3) does not apply the benefit of his flogging/stripe?

Does anyone have to keep confessing and believing the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved? You certainly are in a deep dark hole if you think that God sees your organs out of whack, and does not help you. Just tell us why atoned healing does not result in shielding Christians from sickness and what accounts for Christians in every  die.

Responsive Reading: No Shrine But Christ

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Leader: 
Lord, You have been our refuge… in all generations; 
no shrine of stone… but Yourself. 

People: 
You are our dwelling place, our καταφυγή… our shelter and sanctuary. 

Leader: 
Christ Jesus, You are the ἱλαστήριον…  the mercy seat where atonement was accomplished once for all. 

People: 
And You are the ἱλασμός… 
the sacrifice itself—both priest and offering… altar and temple. 


Leader: 
According to the pattern of Melchizedek… 
Your priesthood follows sacrifice. 

People (slow, deliberate emphasis): 
Its focus is the distribution of benefits… 
bread and wine… the staples of the Christ Event. 


Leader (crescendo on verbs): 
You tore the veil… opened the door… 
and made fellowship permanent. 

People: 
We enter boldly… not by ritual schedule… 
but by Your living presence. 


Leader (solemn, slower pace): 
No shrine but Christ—our temple… our communication… our communion. 

People: 
No shrine but Christ—our bread… our wine… our eternal refuge. 


Leader: 
The Lamb is our sanctuary; 
the Lord is our dwelling place. 

People: 
Forever we proclaim: No shrine but Christ! 

Forgiveness, then what?

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Forgiveness is the highway where apologies, explanations expectations, regrets, rationalizations and remorse lose their crutches and acquire wheels.

Forgiveness is not a religious phenomenon.  People of all stripes are capable of letting go of injuries they have suffered.  People who are not religious or spiritual are equipped emotionally and rationally to make a firm break with animosity and hostility that may arise from injustices they have experienced.

It is curious how many religious people have a set of talking points about forgiveness which are wholly unattractive and inconsistent with a God of infinite mercy and compassion.

Take the sacred tent of the Levitical order.  It’s purpose was for divine residence and for divine communication with the priesthood, but at its innermost recesses there were operations for the expiation of sins. 

Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them.

Exodus 25:8

To see that this atonement process did not work one only needs to read the rest of the priest-temple narratives.

There I will meet with you; and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, I will speak to you about all that I will give you in commandment for the sons of Israel.

Exodus 25:22

It is beyond question that the people pursuing that ancient concept and its supporting regulations are outrageously bewitched, and the leaders wilfully forgetful, that “there were heavens from of old, and an earth compacted out of water and amidst water, by the word of God;” (2 Peter 3:5). All things from the beginning are not automatic contributors to the kingdom of God.

We say that after forgiveness comes the gift of the Holy Spirit not testing and failure. We say that after forgiveness comes the guarantee of the final redemption- of the body – not bondage to human and bodily discipline.

We are recipients of certainty, finality, rest, and peace. When Christ liberates people they are free for real, from death, bondage, and condemnation. When Christ saves people they are safe. What else could they be?

Bloody Messiah

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Who would have thought that the ruler of the age to come would make himself an offering for sin? The princes of this world did not for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 1 Corinthians 2:7-8.  The bloody component of divine wisdom is scandalous, necessary and diagnostic.

Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

Isaiah 53:10

His soul an offering for sin

If we do not know what sin is we might have an excuse.  With the conscience accusing every one, and the law condemning everyone who looks into it, an offering for sin is the only answer.  We know what a sin offering looks like.   It is the holy and undefiled Son of God, incarnate and separate from sinners (all humans).  Sin, for which Christ suffered himself, is unbelief.  This is the universal failure of the human race.  There is no one who is exempt from God’s evaluation of humanity.

Comparing missions

I know that tombs were emptied the moment Christ died. In the Bible we find neither rumor nor speculation that the sick and diseased were affected by the Lord’s death. On the cross is where the atonement takes place, not before or after.  It is to honour the Son that this timing is precise and public.  Christ on the cross is God’s exclusive answer to the human problem, and that problem is not the kind of thing that a doctor, prophet, priest or king can treat.  Sin calls for a life – “blood”, not a beating.  The idea that the physical abuse our Lord endured is atonement for infirmity (sickness and disease) has no biblical support. To remove disease requires no offering, least of all the offering of God’s Son. The idea that Christ went to Golgotha to change the physical wellbeing of the human race is a mouldy piece of bread.

Trafficking in trademark trash

It is obvious that the mission of the original missionaries did not include forgiveness of sins.  Jesus stopped funerals, reversed the corruption of death (in one case after four days). At his death all kinds of ancient dead came back to life.


Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

Matthew 10:8
  • The sick
  • The lepers
  • The dead
  • The demonized (those possessed by evil angels)
  • No price tag attached

Instead of believing the message we have turned the report into a set of fables.  Isaiah’s question still highly functional.  Who is believing the messsge of the evangelist?

Scandalous from the start

When the Hebrews slew a lamb and sprinkled its blood on their doorposts it saved their lives.  Noone questioned this use of blood.  There were no questions about the use of blood in the tabernacle day after day.  However, since a life is given to pay for sin, and the life is in the blood, there was no living link between the sinner and the animal that saved his life.  The priest sprinkled or poured the blood but that atoning blood never came into contact with the worshipper.  Blood was the last thing an Israelite wanted to handle.


26. Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings. 27. Whatsoever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.



Leviticus 7:26-27