Rethinking:the Cross

I have had the distinct pleasure of reading Mark Driscoll’s “Death by Love” over the last several months.  It has been one of those books where I read a chapter a week and truly sit on the truth and argument of every chapter. The thesis of the book is that there are many different theories of the atonement that have been prevalent throughout historical Christianity (other than penal substitutionary atonement which is highly favored in most evangelical Churches today) and Christfollowers must look at all the theories of atonement to have a holistic picture of what Christ truly accomplished on the Cross. Driscoll looks at all of the different views of the atonement and gives life experiences of people and why they need to view the cross in a certain light because of their circumstances.

Many theological concepts such as Christus Victor, propitiation, justification, expiation, gift righteousness, revelation, ransom, Christus exemplar, and reconciliation are considered in the picture of Christ and his atoning work on the cross.

This book and some lectures I have sat in this semester have led me to rethink my view of the atonement to include and emphasize these other aspects of Christ’s atonement on the cross.  I have grown up and basically only experienced Christ’s work on the cross being explained as penal substitutionary atonement (or Jesus paid the price I couldn’t pay for my sins).

It is interesting to me that most evangelical Churches who emphasize this theory are living in a time when most people who are not Christians do not consider themselves to be bad people or people who carry shame of a sinful lifestyle.

Maybe, just maybe, the Church is not emphasizing the right part of the atonement to reach the world in its current culture of “shame and guilt-light.”

One chapter of “Death by Love” that I read today was a letter Driscoll wrote to a young woman who had been raped and he reminded her that Christ was her expiation.  The theological term, expiation, refers to the cleansing act of Christ that gives believers the ability to overcome shame of their past guilt.  Driscoll made a fascinating point about modern church and its narrow view of the cross with this quote.

“The typical Christian gospel presentation only deals with sins for which we bear responsibility and guilt.  It only addresses sins of commission (things we did) and stands silent about sins of omission (sins that were committed against us).”

Here, Driscoll points out that through Christ’s cleansing expiation of our sins at the Cross, we can be forgiven of our actions AND we can be free of the guilt and shame from acts that were committed against us.

THAT IS POWERFUL. Christ’s work on the cross not only saved me from my sins, but it freed me from the sins that were committed against me that lead to bitterness and broken relationship with my fellow man.

I thought this was an absolutely powerful way to exemplify the majesty of what Jesus did on the cross. There is so much there and throughout the history of the Church, many different (and valid) views were held by leaders of the Church.

NOT ONE VIEW OF THE ATONEMENT IS SUFFICIENT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT JESUS ACTUALLY ACCOMPLISHED ON THE CROSS.

All of the different views are taking a picture of the cross of Christ, but from a different angle.

I encourage everyone to read this book. Its been formative in my life and theology

May we continue to look in to the depths of what Christ accomplished on the Cross so that we can truly live out the love that was displayed in every facet of life.

Galatians 6:14-May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.