Weeks:

A[spasio]. I have mentioned the principal; but I will suggest one more, the identity of atonement and redemption. As they signify the same thing, all who are atoned for are redeemed. But the elect only are redeemed; therefore the atonement was made for none else.

P[aulinus]. Atonement and redemption are not the same thing. Atonement is satisfaction for sin; redemption is deliverance from sin. The atonement was finished when Christ rose from the dead; but the redemption of any individual is not finished till he is freed from sin by complete sanctification, and received to heaven. Christ is said to have “obtained eternal redemption for us;” not eternal atonement, surely. The apostle exhorts Christians, ” Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption;” not the day of atonement, for that was past already. And when the Son of Man shall be seen coming in the clouds of heaven, his people are exhorted, “Then look up, and lift up your heads: for your redemption draws nigh;” not your atonement draws nigh, for that was accomplished long since. If atonement and redemption were the same thing, it would be as improper to pray for redemption 11.1 for atonement. To pray for atonement would be to pray that Christ might die again. ‘No Christian prays for atonement. But Christians may pray for redemption. They may pray with the Scripture saints, ” Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it.” “Redeem me, and be merciful unto me.” Atonement and redemption, therefore, are different things; and the argument which is built upon their identity is built upon the sand.

William R. Weeks, “A Dialogue on the Atonement,” in The Atonement: Discourses and Treatises, ed., Edwards A. Park, (Boston: Congregational Board of Publications, 1868), 579. [First published in 1825.]  [Some spelling modernized and underlining mine.]

[Note: Once again, it is not necessary, or the point, that one has to agree with everything Weeks says on the doctrine of Christ’s satisfaction, it is  his distinction between atonement and redemption–the former being universal, the latter particular–which interests us here.]

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 11th, 2010 at 10:26 am and is filed under The Distinction Between Atonement and Redemption. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

Comments are closed at this time.