"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith." — Romans 3:23-25
Read what Sinclair B. Ferguson writes about the demonstration of the Trinity in atonement:
"Here, the God who puts forward is God the Father, the blood is that of God the incarnate Son, the faith is the fruit of God the Spirit's ministry. The unity and harmony of the three persons of the Trinity in both accomplishing and applying redemption are evident. In this complex of activity no wedge can be driven between the purpose of the Father, the atoning work of the Son, and the effective purposes of the Spirit without compromising the coherence of the Trinity. By contrast, any form of indefinite (universal) atonement short of absolute universalism in effect limits the efficacy of the Son's work and debilitates the power of the Spirit's ministry."
- Sinclair B. Ferguson, "'Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine'? Definite Atonement and the Cure of Souls"
In preparation for advent, I've been reading through Crossway's From Heaven He Came and Sought Her: Definite Atonement in Historical, Biblical, Theological, and Pastoral Perspective. This collection of essays celebrates the doctrine of definite (limited) atonement through various aspects of Christian living (as if the subtitle wasn't clear enough). I recommend trying to get your hands on a copy before Christmastime. Reading about the atoning work of Christ simply reminds me that we have every reason to revel in Christ's birth.
You can get your hands on a copy from Amazon for just under $40.00 right here. If that's a little too much money, it definitely makes a great gift for you (or someone else if you trust my word on what a great resource it is).
Here's the book trailer that Crossway made in promotion for From Heaven He Came and Sought Her. I hope you'll join me in reading about the magnificent work of Christ's blood.
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