Every Christian should have a thorough grasp of the doctrine of Christ’s atonement. This doctrine presents Christians with the bedrock of assurance which can enable us to persevere through the often-unrelenting trials of life. Oftentimes, however, this doctrine is more assumed than understood. For his congregation, Spurgeon wanted to present a clear explanation of this reality in order to establish their faith and understanding in the truth of Christ’s work.
The Necessity
To understand Christ’s atonement, we must first begin with the absolute inability on the part of sinners to cleanse themselves before God. Hear Spurgeon, as he thoughtfully explains:
The gospel comes to deal with sin; and if a man has but one sin, he cannot get rid of that one sin apart from the atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ. But all men have not merely one sin, but many sins; they may not all be equally clear and manifest, some of them may be secret sins, but the secrecy of sin does not render it less sinful in the sight of God… it needs the atoning sacrifice of Christ to remove it…All men have evil hearts… and, to get this out of the heart, requires a divine operation in every case. No man can make his own heart clean. If it were possible for a man to change his arm or his foot, yet it would be clearly impossible for him to change his heart.[1]
Even the existence of one sin in a person makes them entirely unfit for the glory and presence of God. But notice, mankind not only has sin (or sins), but “all men have evil hearts.” Our sins flow from corrupt hearts which only love what is selfish and evil. Our hearts are evil, and thus so too are our very natures. And we are helpless in this sinful condition. Spurgeon highlights here that “No man can make his own heart clean.” Only a complete atonement and the “divine operation” of God can bring one into God’s kingdom. Spurgeon helps us see that if we are to understand Christ’s atonement, this is our dark condition that we must first realize.
Substitution
If this is the condition of man, then what does the atonement accomplish? Having established the sinfulness of man and the need for salvation, Spurgeon provides this explanation of Christ’s atoning work:
I will not say that the sins of God’s people were imputed to Christ, though I believe they were; but it seems to me that in a way more mysterious than that which imputation would express, the sins of God’s people were actually laid upon Jesus Christ ; that in the view of God, not only was Christ treated as if he had been guilty, but the very sin itself was, I know not how, but according to the text it was somehow laid upon the head of Christ Jesus… Is it not written, “He shall bear,” not merely the punishment of their sin, nor the imputation of their sin, but “He shall bear their iniquities”? Our sin is laid on Jesus in even a deeper and truer sense than is expressed by the term imputation… yet the sin of his people was literally and truly laid upon him.[2]
Spurgeon conveys here that the sins of God’s elect were laid upon Christ in a very tangible and literal sense. Reflecting on Isaiah 53:6, he emphasizes the remarkable idea that our sins were “laid” on Jesus. He points out that the sins of God’s people, not merely their punishment, were laid upon Christ. While sins are not physical objects that can be measured by weight, mass, or size, Spurgeon focuses on the Lord’s use of the word “laid” to convey the truth that the sins of His people were transferred onto Christ in a very real manner. This is a profound point. So many are wrestling with the reality of their sins, and Spurgeon wants his audience to meditate upon the fact that those sins are actually removed from us and placed upon Christ in a real way. Christ did not merely die for the principle of sinfulness; He truly took the sins of His people upon Himself.
Atonement
Going further, Spurgeon explains how this atoning work was accomplished. He links this work to Christ’s incarnation and sacrifice, where Christ becomes a curse to ransom His people.
He himself came hither in the person of his dear Son; he himself became man, and dwelt among us; he himself took the load of his people’s sin; he bare the sin of many, and was made a curse for us. He put away both sin and the curse by his wondrous sacrifice. The marvel of heaven and earth, of time and eternity, is the atoning death of Jesus Christ. This is the mystery that brings more glory to God than all creation, and all providence. How could it be that he should be slain for sinners, the just for the unjust, to bring us to God? To finish transgression, and make an end of sin, was a labour worthy of his Godhead, and Christ has perfectly achieved it by his sufferings and death.[3]
Here, Spurgeon delineates Christ’s substitutionary death in place of sinners, reminding Christians of their salvation through Christ. In taking our sins upon himself, Jesus Christ was “slain for sinners, the just for the unjust;” “was made a curse for us,” meaning he bore not only our sin but also the judgment and curse that those sins deserved. Why? “To bring us to God,” to “finish transgression, and make an end of sin,” that is, by his sacrifice, sinners can have all their sins paid for, enabling God to uphold His perfect justice and to forgive and be reconciled to sinners. This is the Good News of Christianity which, as Spurgeon states, “is the mystery that brings more glory to God than all creation and all providence.” This is the glory of the cross, by which Jesus Christ has made perfect, complete atonement.
Faith
If this is what Christ provides on the cross, then what is to be our response? How can one be saved and receive the work of Christ’s atonement? In this excerpt, Spurgeon explains the way of salvation in a helpful way which highlights the truth of Christ’s substitution.
…the Lord has put his dear Son into our place, has laid on him our sin, and smitten him with the strokes that ought to have fallen upon us; he, on his part, willingly becoming our Surety and Substitute. We must believe this if we would be saved. That being done, we must accept what Christ has endured as being borne for us, and trust in it with our whole hearts. We must, in fact, change places with Christ; — perfectly righteous and without sin. He clothes himself in our rags, and he puts on us his royal robes.[4]
“We must believe this if we would be saved.” What is “this”? That Christ’s substitution, the very literal reality of His sin-bearing life and death, took place for us. Through the atonement, Christ became “our Surety and Substitute.” Spurgeon describes it as so accepting and trusting what Christ has done for us that we “change places with Christ”: He stands in our place as a sinner, we stand in His place as righteous before God.
Here is the source of our hope and peace as a result of Christ’s cleansing work. Here is the security of our salvation. Spurgeon sheds clarifying light on this glorious truth, which ought to lead believers into thankful praise and a blessed sense of rest, knowing that Christ has accomplished what they never could: He has fully atoned for their sin and purchased their salvation. Spurgeon helps us see the marvelous effect this doctrine can have on our minds and hearts as we rejoice in the fact that Christ has born our sin and judgment in our place and clothed us in His righteousness.
[1] Charles Spurgeon, “There is No Difference”, 63-64.
[2] Charles Spurgeon, “Sin Laid on Jesus”, 315-316.
[3] Charles Spurgeon, “Life and Pardon”, 467.
[4] Charles Spurgeon, “There is No Difference”, 64.