How Would You Respond to this Atheist?
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DavidinWichita
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Re: How Would You Respond to this Atheist?
The young man in the video is a clear and logical thinker. If the theological view of the atonement that he is assuming to be true is actually correct, then his argument is reasonable, and seemingly unanswerable.
Where I do not find his point compelling is in his assumption of a certain paradigm of the atonement (i.e., a straight-across parallelism with human courtroom justice). The young man is the victim of an over-simplified theology of the atonement, which he probably received in talking to Christians.
There are many metaphors for the atonement. A courtroom drama is only one metaphor illustrating what was accomplished by Christ's death. Some idea of legal penalties is probably intended in Col.2:14 and 1 Pet.3:18 (and, possibly in Rom.5:10, Eph.2:6 and Col.1:20 as well), but this is only one of a variety of human comparisons, none of which are necessarily exact.
Some passages speak of Jesus paying a price, without necessarily suggesting a legal penalty—e.g., that He purchased, or redeemed (as from slavery) the church with His blood—Acts 20:28/ 1 Pet.1:18-19.
Others speak of the blood "cleansing" or "washing away" sin (1 John 1:7/ Rev.7:14), or providing ritual purification for uncleanness (Heb.9:13-14/ Tit.2:14/ 1 Pet.1:2).
There is the imagery of Jesus overcoming the devil and his minions through His death, and delivering humanity from bondage (Col.2:15/ Heb.2:14-15).
There is the language of Jesus offering Himself as a sacrifice—introducing the strange idea of His being both the sacrificial victim and the priest who offers the victim (Heb.7:27; 9:14; 10:12), which differs from all the earlier-mentioned images, e.g., the idea of a courtroom, from that of a purchase, and from that of a conquest.
Jesus also speaks of His giving His life like a shepherd dying for his sheep—presumably envisioning a predator killing the shepherd as he is defending the sheep from its attacks (John 10:11).
Hebrews 9:16-17 suggests that His death was required in order to enact the New Covenant (like a will, that is in force only after the death of the testator).
In one place, Jesus' death is said to be a demonstration of weakness (2 Cor.13:4) or the epitome of humility to be imitated (Phil.2:5-8).
In another place, Jesus is said to have died on a tree in order to become a "curse" (Gal.3:13).
It is also said that, through the cross (that is, the death) of Christ, we are crucified to the world, and the world to us (Gal.2:20; 6:14/ Rom.6:6).
His life is also said to have been given as a ransom—though to whom the ransom is paid is never explained (Mark 10:45/ 1 Tim.2:6).
There are so many different images that are used to bring out the different aspects of the atonement, that there have been at least four or five different theories of the atonement that have been suggested by theologians. Probably, each metaphor of the atonement is intended to provide one angle of a complex event, which we may never fully grasp. It would be a mistake to press any of the metaphors to an exact match, in all respects, with the earthly illustrations employed for the purpose of analogy.
In any case, since the Bible clearly requires that sinners repent and believe in order to be saved, it cannot be argued that the Bible teaches a doctrine of atonement that is identical to the courtroom justice described by the young man in the video—a view which would render personal response unnecessary.
Where I do not find his point compelling is in his assumption of a certain paradigm of the atonement (i.e., a straight-across parallelism with human courtroom justice). The young man is the victim of an over-simplified theology of the atonement, which he probably received in talking to Christians.
There are many metaphors for the atonement. A courtroom drama is only one metaphor illustrating what was accomplished by Christ's death. Some idea of legal penalties is probably intended in Col.2:14 and 1 Pet.3:18 (and, possibly in Rom.5:10, Eph.2:6 and Col.1:20 as well), but this is only one of a variety of human comparisons, none of which are necessarily exact.
Some passages speak of Jesus paying a price, without necessarily suggesting a legal penalty—e.g., that He purchased, or redeemed (as from slavery) the church with His blood—Acts 20:28/ 1 Pet.1:18-19.
Others speak of the blood "cleansing" or "washing away" sin (1 John 1:7/ Rev.7:14), or providing ritual purification for uncleanness (Heb.9:13-14/ Tit.2:14/ 1 Pet.1:2).
There is the imagery of Jesus overcoming the devil and his minions through His death, and delivering humanity from bondage (Col.2:15/ Heb.2:14-15).
There is the language of Jesus offering Himself as a sacrifice—introducing the strange idea of His being both the sacrificial victim and the priest who offers the victim (Heb.7:27; 9:14; 10:12), which differs from all the earlier-mentioned images, e.g., the idea of a courtroom, from that of a purchase, and from that of a conquest.
Jesus also speaks of His giving His life like a shepherd dying for his sheep—presumably envisioning a predator killing the shepherd as he is defending the sheep from its attacks (John 10:11).
Hebrews 9:16-17 suggests that His death was required in order to enact the New Covenant (like a will, that is in force only after the death of the testator).
In one place, Jesus' death is said to be a demonstration of weakness (2 Cor.13:4) or the epitome of humility to be imitated (Phil.2:5-8).
In another place, Jesus is said to have died on a tree in order to become a "curse" (Gal.3:13).
It is also said that, through the cross (that is, the death) of Christ, we are crucified to the world, and the world to us (Gal.2:20; 6:14/ Rom.6:6).
His life is also said to have been given as a ransom—though to whom the ransom is paid is never explained (Mark 10:45/ 1 Tim.2:6).
There are so many different images that are used to bring out the different aspects of the atonement, that there have been at least four or five different theories of the atonement that have been suggested by theologians. Probably, each metaphor of the atonement is intended to provide one angle of a complex event, which we may never fully grasp. It would be a mistake to press any of the metaphors to an exact match, in all respects, with the earthly illustrations employed for the purpose of analogy.
In any case, since the Bible clearly requires that sinners repent and believe in order to be saved, it cannot be argued that the Bible teaches a doctrine of atonement that is identical to the courtroom justice described by the young man in the video—a view which would render personal response unnecessary.