The Highway Forums Announcements What's New on The Highway website? The Doctrine of the Atonement - Gresham Machen

The reason this month's article appears as the Article of the Month is quite simple. A personal conversation with two individuals made clear once again that there are myriads of people who profess to "know Christ" and are Christians but who have little knowledge of why they profess to be saved. In fact, as is the case without exception, they not only did not believe in the biblical teaching(s) concerning the doctrine of salvation but tried to give arguments against it. You may certainly be justified in thinking that this is rather illogical to claim to be a Christian but not believe what the Bible teaches of how one becomes a Christian or even what a Christian is, all the while insisting that they embrace what the Bible teaches. Unfortunately, this is more than typical. The overwhelming majority of professing Christians, in my personal opinion, here in America and Canada are yet dead in sins; unregenerate and know not the truth of what God teaches concerning the atonement in His Word.

Okay, so this article consists of two necessary parts, albeit in summary form, concerning the atonement. In theological terms, Dr. Machen addresses 1) the passive obedience of Christ, i.e., His death and 2) His active obedience, i.e., His perfect righteousness which is imputed to believers. He also reminds us as the late John Murray emphasized, the death of Christ was "antecedently, absolutely necessary" in order to save even one sinner. Put another way, no one could be saved; reconciled to God due to the payment of satisfaction made in any other way than by the Son of God becoming man and dying on the cross as the sinner's substitute.

The format of the article is the transcription of Gresham Machen's radio broadcasts rather than that of a lecture. Thus, they are much like how a father would converse with his children. Methinks you will all find the article endearing.

For immediate reading, just click the following link: The Doctrine of the Atonement.

For later reading at a more convenient time, go to the-highway.com/ and click on the "Article of the Month" logo. There you will find this month's article and all past articles which have appeared throughout the years on The Highway.

In His service and grace,