Redemption Accomplished and Applied by John Murray (available from - Read Chapter 2.
My notes and thoughts
Now Murray deals with the nature of atonement.
Initially he suggests that the obedience of Christ is the inclusive category under which other specific categories of the atonement may be placed (sacrifice, propitiation, reconciliation and redemption). Murray then clarifies what is meant by understanding Christ's obedience as both active (referring to Christ meeting the preceptive requirements of the law) and passive (referring to Christ taking the guilt/penalty of sin).
Then Murray analyses the specific categories of the atonement:
(i) Sacrifice - an expiatory sacrifice that removed the liability that sin produces: 'a liability arising from the holiness of God, on the one hand, and the gravity of sin as the contradiction of that holiness, on the other.' On this point, Murray notes the differences between the Levitical sacrifices and Christ's sacrifice.
(ii) Propitiation - a sacrifice that deals with the wrath of God: 'Propitiation presupposes the wrath and displeasure of God and the purpose of propitiation is the removal of this displeasure.' On this point, Murray deals with common objections to having a loving and wrathful God.
(iii) Reconciliation - an overcoming of the alienation of the sinner from God. Murray spends most of his time demonstrating that the enmity that needs to be overcome is not our enmity toward God, but his enmity toward us: 'It is not our enmity against God that comes to the forefront in the reconciliation but God's alienation from us.'
(iv) Redemption - Christ payed the ransom of the law (specifically: the curse of the law, the ceremonial law and the law of works) and of sin (specifically: sin's guilt and power). On this point, Murray closes the chapter correcting the common misunderstanding regarding Satan and redemption.
The section on propitiation is excellent, particularly when Murray addresses how it fits with the love of God: 'It is is one thing to say that the wrathful God is made loving. That would be entirely false. It is another thing to say the wrathful God is loving. That is profoundly true. But it is also true that the wrath by which he is wrathful is propitiated through the cross. This propitiation is the fruit of the divine love that provided it. "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins" (1 John 4:10). The propitiation is the ground upon which the divine love operates and the channel through which it flows in achieving its end.' Brilliant, just brilliant! In the cross we see the wrath of God (and therefore his righteous justice) and the love of God together!
Now it's your turn
Now Murray deals with the nature of atonement.
(i) Sacrifice - an expiatory sacrifice that removed the liability that sin produces: 'a liability arising from the holiness of God, on the one hand, and the gravity of sin as the contradiction of that holiness, on the other.' On this point, Murray notes the differences between the Levitical sacrifices and Christ's sacrifice.
(ii) Propitiation - a sacrifice that deals with the wrath of God: 'Propitiation presupposes the wrath and displeasure of God and the purpose of propitiation is the removal of this displeasure.' On this point, Murray deals with common objections to having a loving and wrathful God.
(iii) Reconciliation - an overcoming of the alienation of the sinner from God. Murray spends most of his time demonstrating that the enmity that needs to be overcome is not our enmity toward God, but his enmity toward us: 'It is not our enmity against God that comes to the forefront in the reconciliation but God's alienation from us.'
(iv) Redemption - Christ payed the ransom of the law (specifically: the curse of the law, the ceremonial law and the law of works) and of sin (specifically: sin's guilt and power). On this point, Murray closes the chapter correcting the common misunderstanding regarding Satan and redemption.
Now it's your turn
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