The Love That Moves First
In Life in the Abbey this week, Pastor Howie reminded us that the heart of the gospel isn’t about humanity striving to reach God—it’s about a God who moves toward us.
“Not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.” — 1 John 4:10
That single verse captures the essence of our faith: atonement. It’s not just a theological term—it’s the story of reconciliation. To atone means to make one, to bridge what was broken, to remove sin and restore relationship.
Atonement: God’s Plan for Reconciliation
Pastor Howie unpacked the word atonement through the lens of the Old Testament, showing how God’s redemptive story has always been one of grace and pursuit.
The Old Testament Picture
In Leviticus 1 and Leviticus 16, the practice of sacrifice pointed forward to something greater. A spotless animal was offered for sin, its blood symbolizing purification and forgiveness. On the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), two goats represented the cost and completeness of forgiveness:
- Goat One: Sacrificed—its blood purified the temple.
- Goat Two: The scapegoat—sent into the wilderness, carrying away the people’s sins.
“As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” — Psalm 103:12
Even from the beginning—when God clothed Adam and Eve in garments of animal skin in Genesis 3:21—we see that sin leads to death, and yet, God provides life through sacrifice.
Point 1: Sin Leads to Death
From Genesis to Exodus, God established this truth: sin brings separation and death. But He also provided a substitute—a way to be spared.
“The life of a creature is in the blood… it is the lifeblood that makes atonement.” — Leviticus 17:11
The sacrificial system was not about ritual for ritual’s sake. It was a visual sermon about holiness, mercy, and the cost of rebellion. The prophets—Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea—echoed this truth: God desires mercy and relationship more than empty offerings.
“For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” — Hosea 6:6
Point 2: God Always Provides the Way
Pastor Howie explained that every sacrifice was a foreshadowing of something greater—Jesus Christ.
“He has appeared one time, at the end of the ages, for the removal of sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” — Hebrews 9:26
From the Garden of Eden to Calvary, God has always been the One who provides. The old system pointed to the new covenant—Jesus as the Lamb of God, once and for all.
“The sacrifices of the old covenant were God’s classroom, preparing us for the cross of Christ.”
What we could never achieve through works, Jesus accomplished through His blood. The atonement reveals that salvation is not earned—it is received.
Point 3: God’s Way Reveals His Heart
Why such a costly system? Because it reveals who God is.
“The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” — Exodus 34:6–7
God’s justice demands that sin be dealt with. His mercy ensures that sinners are not abandoned. And His love compels Him to take our place.
“On the cross, God did not place sin on a goat—He placed it on Himself.”
The innocent died for the guilty.
The perfect stood in place of the broken.
The Shepherd became the Lamb.
The God Who Moves Toward You
Atonement is not about us climbing our way back to God—it’s about God coming down to us.
“You don’t have to make it up to God. You don’t have to fix yourself first. The One who knows you fully also loves you completely.”
From the first page of Scripture to the cross, the story has been the same:
- Sin leads to death.
- God provides the way.
- His way reveals His heart.
Atonement means you can belong to God—fully, freely, right now.
✨ Reflection Question: What part of God’s atoning love feels hardest for you to accept—that He moved toward you first, or that He did it completely?
🙏 Prayer Prompt: Lord, thank You for being the God who moves toward me. Help me rest in the truth that You’ve already done what’s needed to make me Yours.
