Page 42 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

ATONEMENT - AUTONOMOUS

Christ and God or between the ‘two natures of He uses the same words as the Bible believer, but he
God’ (his love and his justice), but as a figure of the reinterprets key Bible passages. This is called neo-
‘cost,’ in terms of suffering” (E.A. Nida and Charles orthodoxy. Beware.
Taber, Theory and Practice, 1969, p. 53, n. 19). Bible translator J.B. Phillips expressed a doctrine of
Nida was co-author (with Barclay M. Newman) of the atonement similar to Nida’s. “I think He [Jesus
the United Bible Societies’ publication A Translator’s Christ] saw it as the only way out of the impossible
Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Commenting situation into which men were jammed. He, God, as a
on Ro. 3:25, which says, “Whom God hath set forth to Human Being, as the Representative Human Being,
be a propitiation through faith in his blood,” this must take the rap! It happened to have been a
commentary states: crucifixion, but it might just as well have happened in a
“... ‘blood’ is used in this passage in the same way that gas-chamber or an electric chair. (J.B. Phillips, Plain
it is used in a number of other places in the New Christianity, London, Wyvern Books, 1957, p. 82). I’m
Testament, that is, to indicate a violent death. ... sorry, my friends, but Mr. Phillips was wrong. if Christ
Although this noun [propitiation] (and its related had died a bloodless death, His death would not have
forms) is sometimes used by pagan writers in the sense
of propitiation (that is, an act to appease or placate a atoned for man’s sin.
god), it is never used this way in the Old Testament.” The Atonement was depicted by the O.T. mercy seat
In Good News for Everyone, Nida’s defense of the which perfectly covered the tables of the law in the Ark
Good News for Modern Man paraphrase, he says, “To of the Covenant, and which was sprinkled with blood
translate haima as ‘blood’ in Acts 20:28 (as in every year at the Day of Atonement (Le. 16:15-16).
traditional translations ...) could give the impression The Atonement Christ has provided is UNIVERSITY and
that Christ’s blood became an object of barter, as though UNLIMITED in its offer. Paul Reiter notes that Christ died
focus were on the substance of the blood rather than on for all (1 Ti. 2:6; Is. 53:6). He died for every man (He.
the death of the person, for which the substance is a 2:9). He died for the world (Jn. 3:16). He died for the
figurative substitute” (p. 77). sins of the whole world (1 Jn. 2:2). He died for the
We do not doubt that Nida’s view of the atonement is ungodly (Ro. 5:6). He died for false teachers (2 Pe. 2:1).
held by a majority of theologians, but the fact remains He died for many (Mt. 20:28). He died for Israel (Jn.
that it is heretical. The sacrifice of Christ was not just a 11:50-51). He died for the Church (Ep. 5:25). He died
figure; it WAS a placation of God—of His holiness and for “me” (Ga. 2:20). [See Atonement - Day of, Blood,
of the righteous demands in His law. Christ’s sacrifice Eternal Security, Justification, Mercy Seat.]
WAS a commercial transaction between Christ and God, ATONEMENT - DAY OF. The annual Jewish holy day
and was NOT merely a figure of the cost in terms of during which the high priest offered sacrifices for his
suffering. own sins and for the sins of the nation (Le. 16:1-34;
The sacrifice of Calvary was a true sacrifice, and that 23:27-32; Nu. 29:7-11). This was symbolic of Jesus
sacrifice required the offering of blood—not just a Christ as the Great High Priest who has made a sacrifice
violent death as Nida says. Blood is blood and death is for sins by His own blood and death (He. 9-10). As one
death, and we believe God is wise enough to know of Israel’s appointed feasts, the Day of Atonement points
which of these words should be used. Had Christ died, to that happy day when Israel will be converted and the
for example, by beating, it would not have atoned for New Covenant fulfilled. In that day a fountain will be
sin because blood is required. Those who tamper with opened “to the house of David and to the inhabitants of
the blood atonement often, like Nida, claim to believe in Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness” (Ze. 13:1). [See
justification by grace, but they are rendering the Cross Atonement, Blood, Covenant, Gospel, High Priest, Mercy
ineffective by reinterpreting its meaning. There is no Seat, Scapegoat.]
grace without a true propitiation. Propitiation means ATONEMENT - HEALING. [See Healing.]
“satisfaction,” and refers to the fact that the sin debt ATTENDANCE. Attend to; wait on; give application
was satisfied by the blood atonement of Christ. The to (Ac. 16:14; 1 Ti. 4:13; He. 7:13).
great difference between the heathen concept of ATTENT. Attentive (2 Ch. 6:40; 7:15).
propitiating God and that of the Bible is this—the God
of the Bible paid the propitiation Himself through His AUDIENCE. Hearing (Ge. 23:10, 13, 16; 1 Sa. 25:24;
own Sacrifice, whereas the heathen thinks that he can Ne. 13:1; Lk.20:45; Ac. 13:16).
propitiate God through his human labors and sacrifices. AUTHORITY. [See Power.]
The fact remains that God did have to be propitiated. AUTONOMOUS. Self-governing; independent. Local
Notice that Nida does not openly assault the blood churches are to be autonomous (Ac. 14:23; Tit. 1:5; Re.
atonement. He claims to be orthodox and evangelical. 2-3). [See Church.]

42 Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity