At-One-Ment

“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 16v16

Once a year the high priest went in to the Holy Place to make atonement for the sins of the people. Since God is perfect, holy, sanctified, and separated from sin, something must be done to bring man back in to a proper relationship with God. The Biblical word for this is atonement. An old Webster’s dictionary defines atonement thusly – “Agreement; concord; reconciliation, after enmity or controversy.”

During the tabernacle ceremony the priest used the blood of animals to make atonement for the sins of the people. An easy way to remember the meaning of atonement is to break the word down thusly; “at-one-ment.” Atoning is the process of making a sinner, who it enmity with God, to be at one with God.

During the Old Testament the blood of bulls and goats only covered over the sins of the people. Hebrews 10v4 says that the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sins. All it can do is to cover them over. A few verses later we read however that there is a way for sins to be totally atoned for – “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

When we were still sinners Christ loved us an made atonement for. His atonement became efficacious when we accepted His free gift. It is an amazing truth that our perfect God would willing take the initiative to atone for our sins.