Understanding Your Religion
7 Major Doctrines that Define Christianity
What Atonement Achieves
The Sub-Doctrine of Redemption
教学策略
The focus of this lesson is the difference between the act of atonement and its natural result of redemption. Of special note in this lesson is the process and relationship of these two vital salvation concepts.
学生学习成果
- Know: Explain the relationship between atonement and redemption.
- Feel: Value the love and sacrifice offered by God.
- Do: Live faithfully as a result of our redemptive state.
课程内容主体
讨论问题
以下是课堂引导讨论部分建议使用的问题。也提供了对问题的建议回答，以帮助学生理解各个概念。这些仅为辅助讨论而设，不被视为“对错”答案。
Answers will vary but look for responses that show that atonement is the method or process that God used to bring us back into a good relationship with Himself.
To redeem means to buy back or purchase a debt. It can also mean to liberate or set free from punishment due to our guilt. As a result of the atonement (payment), we have been bought, set free or redeemed from the consequence of our sins (death) which have been removed.
God freed Israel from physical slavery and gave them a new identity (Exodus 3:7). Along with the identity came the responsibility of having a special relationship with God.
In the same way, the death of Christ frees us from the slavery to sin, identifies us as citizens of His Kingdom and gives us a special relationship with God (Romans 6:1-10; Romans 8:12-24).
- John 8:34 – Sin is slavery.
- Romans 3:23 – Everyone is guilty.
- Romans 6:23 – We are separated from God because of our sin.
- Romans 5:6-11 – We owe debt to God we cannot pay therefore God paid the price through Jesus.
- We are released from slavery – We have been bought (redeemed) from slavery and the eternal consequences.
- We have a new identity – We now belong to God as His people.
- We have a new purpose – We now live to serve God as faithful citizens of His Kingdom.
The expression, "freedom is not free" has been used to help us understand the sacrifice others have made for the physical freedoms we enjoy as citizens of our respective nations. In the same way, our freedom from the slavery to sin was purchased at an incredible price. It required the death of the innocent Jesus.
We must not forget that nor take it for granted. We owed a debt we could not pay. God paid the debt. We are now His people and enjoy all the benefits and consequences of that relationship.