Why is the atonement necessary?  Because God is holy and we are not.  Follow the outline below which leads us through scriptures that demonstrate the reason, the problem, and the solution for our sin problem.

1. God – is the standard of righteousness
   1. Is holy (1 Sam. 2:2; Isaiah 43:3, 14, 15; Rev. 4:8)
   2. Just (Deut. 32:4; Psalm 89:14; 97:2)
   3. Righteous (Psalm 145:17)
   4. Judge (Psalm 50:6; 96:10, 13; Isaiah 33:22)
   5. Visits wrath on the ungodly (Rom. 1:18)
   6. Too pure to look upon evil (Hab. 1:13)
2. The Law – is a reflection of His character
   1. Comes from God (Exodus 20:1-26; Isaiah 33:22; James 4:12)
   2. Is holy (Rom. 7:12)
   3. Is covenantal (Deut. 4:13, 23)
   4. Inaugurated with blood (Heb. 9:18-23)
   5. Brings the knowledge of sin (Rom. 3:20)
   6. Is perfect (Psalm 19:7)
   7. Cannot make man perfect (Heb. 7:19; 10:1)
3. Man – is the Sinner or Law Breaker
   1. Sin is breaking the Law of God (1 John 3:4)
   2. Man is a lawbreaker (Rom. 3:23)
   3. Original Sin – Our inherited sinful nature from Adam (Gen. 3:1-6; Rom. 5:12)
   4. Human nature – We are by nature children of wrath because we are sinners (Eph. 2:3)
      1. Heart is wicked (Jer. 17:9; Mark 7:21-23)
      2. Spiritually blind (1 Cor. 2:14)
      3. Does not seek for God (Rom. 3:11).
      4. Is lawless, rebellious, unholy, and profane (1 Tim. 1:9).
      5. Suppresses the truth of God in unrighteousness (Rom. 1:18)
      6. Futile in heart and mind (Rom. 1:21 )
      7. Man is at enmity with God (Rom. 5:10)
4. Judgment – is God’s lawful action upon the sinner
   1. God punishes evil (Exodus 20:5; Isaiah 11:4)
   2. According to the Law (Deut. 29:21; Joshua 8:34; Rev. 21:8)
   3. Eternal punishment (Matt. 3:12; Rev. 14:11)
   4. Separation from God (Isaiah 59:2)
5. Reconciliation – Man’s Need before God
   1. Reconciliation is the means God has ordained to make peace between Him and ourselves.
   2. We need our sin removed.
   3. We need to regain fellowship with God.
   4. We need to find God’s favor.
   5. We need to escape God’s lawful judgment.
6. Atonement – The Means of Reconciliation
   1. The Nature of the Atonement is in the shedding of blood (Lev. 17:11)
   2. Law requirements of the atonement
   3. The sacrifice must be unblemished (Lev. 22:19)
   4. By appointed priests (1 Sam. 2:28)
   5. The High Priest had to be lawfully clean (Exodus 29:1-9;19-35)
   6. Jesus as the Atonement, the Sacrifice
   7. Unblemished (1 Pet. 1:19)
   8. According to the Law (Heb. 9:22; Lev. 17:11 )
   9. As the High Priest (Heb. 4:14; 6:20)
   10. Substitutionary (1 Pet. 2:24; Isaiah 53; Eph. 5:2)
   11. Our propitiation – He removed God’s wrathful judgment (1 John 2:2; 4:10)
   12. Jesus as God and Man (Col. 2:9; Phil. 2:5-8)
   13. Man – to atone for men (Heb. 2:14; 5:1)
   14. God – to offer an infinite and satisfactory sacrifice to God (Eph. 5:2, 10)
7. Justification – Result of the Atonement
   1. We are lawfully righteous before God (Rom. 3:24-26)
   2. We are clothed in righteousness (Isaiah 61:10)
   3. We have Imputed righteousness (Rom. 4:6)
      1. Active – Christ’s obedience to the Law and his fulfillment of it (Rom. 8:3-4)
      2. Passive – Christ being led to the cross to atone for us (John 19:16-18; 1 Pet. 2:24)
   4. We escape the judgment of God (Rom. 8:1)
   5. We are restored to fellowship (1 Thess. 5:9-10)
   6. We are at peace with God (Rom. 5:1)
   7. We are reconciled to God (2 Cor. 5:19)
   8. We are righteous before God (2 Cor. 5:21)
   9. We have access to God (Eph. 2:18)
   10. We have an advocate with the Father (1 John 2:1)