The Power of Christ's Atonement

The following is an excerpt from “The Betrayer, the Denier, and the Deserters," Lesson 1 of the Lent series, The Death of Jesus: Who Is Responsible?

Learn the power of Christ’s atonement. The disciples were forgiven because Christ atoned for their sin on the cross, just as he has atoned for ours. Our sins were placed on him, and he in turn gave to us his righteousness, so that instead of seeing us as sinners, our God regards us as his saints. That is the power of the cross. Christ died to turn deniers and deserters into saints; even betrayers can be changed if they but turn to the one who went to the cross.


This is the wonderful mystery of the gospel. We are given scripture that presents us with a despicable depiction of Jesus’ closest followers. We should be filled with dread, and yet their very failure becomes to us a sign of hope. If such sin can be forgiven, then so can ours. That is the wonder of the gospel. It turns despair into hope, for our hope is in Christ whose mercy and power cannot fail.