So, today I am writing this as a request by my good friend Shane, and just to let you know this is a post about my personal religious beliefs and how I see it, so if that bothers you, you might not want to read this one.
So, Shane commented on my status and told me that I should write about "substitutionary atonement," which of course I had to look up to see what it meant. I really honestly thought it was some legal term, and that Shane was just pulling my leg. Yeah, I'm a real smart one.
BUT it turns out the meaning is so very simple:
Substitutionary is a person or thing serving in the place of another. So, like the word substitute, but more fancy.
Atonement is a regularly used word, but I still had to look it up to see exactly what it meant. Atonement literally means amends. So, reparation for doing wrong.
So when applied to the Christian faith, it refers to Jesus Christ dying on the cross as our "substitute."
Just a bit of background on me for those of you who don't know, I grew up in a Baptist home and I went to a Baptist church my entire life. My family has been a part of my church for years and years. So personally I believe that, yes, Jesus Christ was sent by the Father to die on the cross for our sins, so we as humans don't have to burn in hell. Just to put it harshly.
When I used to think about the sacrifice made on the cross, it seemed like something out of a story book or a movie. Like, I could see it playing out in my head but I didn't ever really think about it in terms of the impact on my life, or how real it really was. But if you think about it like this;
My parents have always been the most supportive parents. I can't express in words how much they have been behind me 100%. They really love me with all their hearts and I could not ask for better parents. I just imagine them coming up to me one day and saying "Hey Hannah, you've been a really great daughter, but theres this random person that really need some help, so we are going to have to get rid of you...sorry"
It sounds pretty comical now because it's just so unbelievable! But, think about it. The love for a child, doubled and even tripled. That's some crazy stuff. The word love gets tossed around a lot, but honestly this is the definition of love to me. The Father loved us so much that he sent Jesus (who also loved us) to die for us. So, he loved his son, but he loved us even more than that!
I am not posting this entry to really get anyone to believe in what I do, because it won't happen that way. My faith lets me know that this "substitutionary atonement" really did happen, and it's really the greatest thing that has happened. If you don't have the same faith as I do, then maybe you don't believe this. But, this is just my take on it.
Man, this post really made my brain hurt. Thinking about the greatness of everything I've talked about is just...overwhelming.
I hope that you guys liked it, and I hope I said everything clearly enough to where you can tell what I mean, and also I hope that I'm even talking about the right thing!! Shane can correct me if not.
Have a great day and...
Stay Excellent!
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