The Nature of the Atonement Author(s): Campbell, John McLeod (1800-1872) Publisher: Grand Rapids, MI: Christian Classics Ethereal Library Description: James B.Torrance©s introduction to The Nature of Atonement states that "...we look away from ourselves to what we are in the loving heart of the Father and what we are by the grace in the gift of Christ the Son, through the spirit of adoption." Torrance believes, "No Scottish theologian saw this more clearly than John McLeod Campbell, who ... throughout all his writings was so passionately concerned to call the Church back to the Triune God of grace...." Although the long sen- tences and difficult language can be a challenge to readers, experts agree that this book perceptively addresses the theological tension between judgment and atonement. This is an excellent read for those seeking insights into this topic of atonement. -KTV i Contents Title Page 1 Contents. 2 CHAPTER I. 5 CHAPTER II. 22 CHAPTER III. 32 CHAPTER IV. 46 CHAPTER V. 68 CHAPTER VI. 77 CHAPTER VII. 89 CHAPTER VII. 112 CHAPTER IX. 132 CHAPTER X. 139 CHAPTER XI. 146 CHAPTER XII. 157 CHAPTER XIII. 170 CHAPTER XIV. 181 CHAPTER XV. 192 CHAPTER XVI. 213 LIST OF BOOKS QUOTED 220 Indexes 221 Index of Pages of the Print Edition 222 ii This PDF file is from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library, www.ccel.org. The mission of the CCEL is to make classic Christian books available to the world. • This book is available in PDF, HTML, ePub, and other formats. See http://www.ccel.org/ccel/campbell/atonement.html. • Discuss this book online at http://www.ccel.org/node/28263. The CCEL makes CDs of classic Christian literature available around the world through the Web and through CDs. We have distributed thousands of such CDs free in developing countries. If you are in a developing country and would like to receive a free CD, please send a request by email to [email protected]. The Christian Classics Ethereal Library is a self supporting non-profit organization at Calvin College. If you wish to give of your time or money to support the CCEL, please visit http://www.ccel.org/give. This PDF file is copyrighted by the Christian Classics Ethereal Library. It may be freely copied for non-commercial purposes as long as it is not modified. All other rights are re- served. Written permission is required for commercial use. iii Title Page Title Page THE NATURE OF THE ATONEMENT iii AND ITS RELATION TO REMISSION OF SINS AND ETERNAL LIFE BY JOHN McLEOD CAMPBELL. Cambridge: MACMILLAN AND Co. 1856. 1 Contents. Contents. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. PAGE v THE ENDS CONTEMPLATED IN THE 1 ATONEMENT AWAKEN THE EXPECTA- TION THAT WE ARE TO UNDERSTAND IN NATURE CHAPTER II. TEACHING OF LUTHER 32 CHAPTER III. CALVINISM, AS TAUGHT BY DR. OWEN 49 AND PRESIDENT EDWARDS CHAPTER IV. CALVINISM, AS RECENTLY MODIFIED 75 CHAPTER V. REASON FOR NOT RESTING IN THE 113 CONCEPTION OF THE NATURE OF THE ATONEMENT ON WHICH THESE SYS- TEMS PROCEED.--THE ATONEMENT TO BE SEEN BY ITS OWN LIGHT CHAPTER VI. RETROSPECTIVE ASPECT OF THE 128 ATONEMENT CHAPTER VII. vi PROSPECTIVE ASPECT OF THE ATONE- 150 MENT CHAPTER VIII. FURTHER ILLUSTRATION OF THE FIXED 191 AND NECESSARY CHARACTER OF SAL- VATION AS DETERMINING THE NATURE OF THE ATONEMENT AND 2 Contents. THE FORM OF THE GRACE OF GOD TO MAN CHAPTER IX. THE INTERCESSION WHICH WAS AN 227 ELEMENT IN THE ATONEMENT CON- SIDERED AS PRAYER CHAPTER X. THE ATONEMENT, AS ILLUSTRATED BY 240 THE DETAILS OF THE SACRED NARRAT- IVE CHAPTER XI. HOW WE ARE TO CONCEIVE OF THE 253 SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST, DURING THAT CLOSING PERIOD OF WHICH SUFFER- ING WAS THE DISTINCTIVE CHARAC- TER CHAPTER XII. THE SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST, IN WHICH 273 THE ATONEMENT WAS PERFECTED, CONSIDERED IN THEIR RELATION, 1ST, TO HIS WITNESSING FOR GOD TO MEN, AND 2DLY, TO HIS DEALING WITH GOD ON BEHALF OF MEN CHAPTER XIII. vii THE DEATH OF CHRIST CONTEM- 295 PLATED AS HIS "TASTING DEATH," AND "FOR EVERY MAN;" AND THE LIGHT IT SHEDS ON HIS LIFE, AND ON THAT FELLOWSHIP IN HIS LIFE, THROUGH BEING CONFORMED TO HIS DEATH, TO WHICH WE ARE CALLED CHAPTER XIV. 3 Contents. COMPARATIVE COMMENDATION OF 314 THE VIEW NOW TAKEN OF THE NATURE OF THE ATONEMENT AS TO (1) LIGHT, (2) UNITY AND SIMPLICITY, (3) A NATURAL RELATION TO CHRIS- TIANITY, AND (4) HARMONY WITH THE DIVINE RIGHTEOUSNESS CHAPTER XV. THAT GOD IS THE FATHER OF OUR 334 SPIRITS, THE ULTIMATE TRUTH ON WHICH FAITH MUST HERE ULTI- MATELY REST CHAPTER XVI. CONCLUSION 371 4 CHAPTER I. CHAPTER I. THE NATURE OF THE ATONEMENT. 1 CHAPTER I. THE ENDS CONTEMPLATED IN THE ATONEMENT AWAKEN THE EXPECTA- TION THAT WE ARE TO UNDERSTAND ITS NATURE. THE fundamental place which the atonement occupies in Christianity, gives importance to every aspect in which it can be contemplated. Of these aspects the chief are, its reference, its object, and its nature. For whom was it made? what was it intended to accomplish? what has it been in itself? These are distinct questions, though the discussion of any one of them has generally more or less involved that of the other two. Certainly to be in possession of the true answer to any one of them must be a help in seeking the answers of the others; as also a misconcep- tion as to the answer of one must tend to mislead us in our consideration of the others. This is true, whichever aspect of the subject we may regard as the most important, or as having in it most light. The question between the Reformers and the Church of Rome--the question of justific- ation by faith alone--was most closely connected with the second aspect of the atonement, viz. what it has accomplished. The discussions which subsequently divided the Reformers among themselves turned on the first; being as to whether the atonement had been made for all men, or for an election only. Much recent advocacy of the atonement has dealt freely with the third point, i.e., what the atonement is in itself, as to which there was no question raised in the earlier discussions, but as to which it has been latterly felt, that the other questions could not be rightly taken up until this one was more closely considered; and as to which the advocates of the universality of the atonement have begun to feel, that the re- 2 ceived conceptions of its nature have given to the advocates of an atonement referring to an election only, an advantage in argument which a true apprehension of what the atonement has been would do away with. It is this third aspect of the atonement--i. e., its nature--that I now propose to consider; which I propose to do with more immediate reference to the second aspect of the atonement, viz. what it has accomplished--i. e., its relation to the remission of sins, and the gift of eternal life. The first point, viz., the extent of the reference of the atonement, it is no part of my immediate purpose to discuss. I believe that the atonement has been an atonement for sin, having reference to all mankind; I believe this to be distinctly revealed; I believe it to be also implied in what the atonement is in itself. But it is the illustration of the nature of the atonement which I have immediately in view; for it is in the prevailing state of men's minds on this subject that I feel a call to write. 5 CHAPTER I. I have just noticed that the exigencies of controversy, and the natural desire to give a philosophical harmony to theological system, has recently led to a reconsideration of the subject of the nature of the atonement. I shall subsequently have occasion to notice particu- larly what the result has been; and why, I am not satisfied with that result: which had I been, I should gladly have felt this volume superseded. But the intellectual exigencies of systems are, if real, closely connected with the spiritual exigencies of the living man; and something higher than an intellectual demand, though that is not to be slighted as if it were not of God also, is felt to call for light on the nature of the atonement, when previously received concep- tions no longer satisfy conscience, developed, and spiritually enlightened. The internal 3 evidence of Christianity all prize, and anything felt to be a real addition to it all must welcome, though the freedom with which men seek such increase in the internal light of the gospel, is various. Some, indeed, may give too much ground for the charge of intellectual arrogance, in the demand they make for internal evidence at every step; while others, while thankfiilly receiving such evidence, fall into the error of treating it as something over and above what was needed for faith. I believe the former little realise how much more they believe than they understand; and I believe the latter as little realise how much their reception of what they believe depends ultimately upon what of it they do understand, and spiritually discern to be to the glory of God. I am not now to write on the nature of the atonement as one whose first faith in the atonement rested on a clear understanding of its nature; and yet I do not look back on that first faith as unwarranted and unreal. Our first faith may have in it elements which are true and abiding, although mingled with much darkness, which, in the low un- developed condition of conscience, causes us no pain or uneasiness.