What’s the difference between Salvation and Atonement?

Hi, the differences between salvation and atonement? Well, for one thing, Atonement is part of Salvation.

Last year, I posted a paper that I did while in seminary on salvation. In it, I explained that there are 3 tenses of salvation, and the first one is Atonement. Let me see if I can explain this some:

Part 1: The Past Tense of Salvation

Atonement

Another way to see atonement is, “At-one-ment” — bringing together two who have been enemies, into a relationship of peace and friendship – in other words, reconciliation. See, when sin entered the picture, it separated creation (us) from God. Because the Law claimed death as the punishment for sin, there needed to be a way to reconcile creation with God. But since sinful creatures (humans) can’t work our way out of sin ourselves, a specific type of creature, unblemished in every way, needed to be killed, taking the place of the sinners. Jesus was this perfect, final, unblemished “creature” sacrificed for the sake of humankind. Only Christ could free creation from sin’s grasp once and for all, for he had no sin, but instead, became sin (or took on our sin) in order that we may be freed. Christ’s death on the cross was needed in order to reconcile with God. However, though Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was once for all, this doesn’t mean that all of creation is saved from sin. The present tense must still occur next:

Part 2: The Present Tense of Salvation

The Great Divide Begins

Since the first humans, disobedience to God was in the heart of mankind. God gave Adam and Eve an awesome blessing and provided for them everything they could possibly want and need. And He gave them a simple command: “Don’t eat from the tree in the center of the garden.”

When the Serpent came and tempted Adam and Eve, they engaged in conversation with it. Understand, they had 1 job: don’t eat from the tree in the center of the garden. They could desire the fruit, and they could question God’s instructions, but if they ate from the tree, they’d die — 1 job: don’t eat from the tree. What’d they do? They ate from the tree. But that wasn’t the end, for when God came searching for them, He actually gave them a chance to own up to their sin by admitting it and repenting. But instead, they made up lies to cover their sin, then blamed each other (and even blamed God!) for their sin.

God’s Call to Reconciliation

Unfortunately, this became a pattern for God’s people all throughout history. But instead of judging them immediately, as He did up until the flood, God gave His people more of a chance to repent and return to Him. God sent leaders and prophets to call His people back to Him. To do this, all they needed  to was renounce their sins and evil ways, and turn (back) to Him. If they did this, then the Lord would once again be their God, and they would be His people. Granted, they were always His people, but if they would repent and obey, they would not only be under His blessing, but also reconciled to Him, as He intended and desired from the beginning, even taking on His character and representing Him to the surrounding nations — becoming truly God’s people.

So those who repented were reconciled with the Lord, but the many who disobeyed and refused to repent, were cut off from the nation or killed.

Repentance & Obedience

Christ’s death on the cross was God’s way of calling His people out of sin and into Him. But once in Christ, there is an issue of obedience and renewal that has to take place, for one cannot be in Christ if they do not also obey His commands. So if we are in Christ, then a new creation takes place within us, replacing our old selves with new selves.

Part 3: The Future Tense of Salvation

Eschatology

If the atonement happened when Christ died on the cross, then what is the significance (in terms of salvation) of God raising Christ from the dead? One word: Eschatology.

Resurrection of the Body

According to Scripture:

• The Messiah’s death was needed to cleanse creation from sins.
• Isaiah 7 foretold His miraculous birth
• Isaiah 52:13-53:12 reveals the Messiah’s mission, suffering, and death.
• In Isaiah 40, Isaiah calls the Messiah “The Arm of the Lord” and says that He will rule.
• Isaiah 51 says that the Gentiles will put their hope in the Arm of the Lord and be redeemed
• Isaiah 52 says that the Arm of the Lord brings salvation
• Isaiah 53 reveals that the Arm of the Lord is in fact the Messiah.

So as you can see, the Eschatological mention of the Messiah’s arrival, life, suffering, death, and resurrection gave hope to God’s people as something to look forward to. Also, by showing this, God was showing us that the end is not death, but life–the final step in salvation.

So in summary:

• Atonement is what Jesus accomplished on the cross.
• Salvation is what God accomplished when He raised Jesus from the dead, and which we gain when we accept Christ’s sacrifice and enter into a relationship with God through faith in Christ.