PowerPoint Presentation Points: Lessons 35 & 36
Slide 1: Title Slide
Title: Christian Doctrine II – Lessons 35 & 36
Subtitle: Justification, Reconciliation, and Atonement
Image: Cross or Bible
Slide 2: Lesson 35 – Justification
Title: Justification: A Legal Declaration
Key Points:
Justification is the opposite of condemnation (Rom. 5:18).
It is not simply forgiveness but a righteous standing before God.
Luther called it the principal article of all Christian doctrine.
Objections:
Legal language may portray God as Judge, not Father.
Justification is not just a Pauline concept; it originates from Jesus (Luke 18:14) and
the OT (Isaiah 53:11).
Critics argue it neglects the Christian life and fruits of faith (Romans 6:1-3).
Slide 3: The Source and Means of Justification
Title: How Are We Justified?
Key Points:
Source: Justified by God’s grace (Rom. 3:24), not by works.
Ground: Justified by Christ’s blood (Rom. 5:9).
Means: Justified by faith alone (sola fide, Rom. 3:28).
Faith is the means to receive grace, not the cause of justification.
Justification is not amnesty; God does not forget sins but declares sinners legally
righteous because Christ bore their penalty.
Slide 4: Effects of Justification
Title: The Results of Justification
Key Points:
We are justified in Christ (Gal. 2:17; Rom. 8:1).
We belong to God’s family (Gal. 3:26-29).
No barrier remains between us and God.
Justification leads to a community eager to do good (Gal. 5:6; James 2:14-26).
We have peace with God and hope for the future (Rom. 8:1, 33, 39).
Slide 5: Lesson 35 – Reconciliation
Title: Reconciliation: Restoring Relationships
Key Points:
Reconciliation is the opposite of alienation.
It begins with reconciliation with God and extends to a reconciled community in
Christ.
Justification is our legal standing; reconciliation is our personal relationship with God
(Rom. 5:9-11).
Reconciliation means peace with God, adoption into His family (Rom. 8:14-17), and
access to His presence (Eph. 2:17-18).
Slide 6: Horizontal and Vertical Reconciliation
Title: Reconciliation in Two Dimensions
Key Points:
Vertical: Reconciliation with God through Christ’s sacrifice.
Horizontal: Reconciliation between Jews and Gentiles in Christ’s new community
(Eph. 2:11-22).
God is the author, Christ is the agent, and we are the ambassadors of reconciliation (2
Cor. 5:18-21).
Slide 7: Summary of the Four Images of Salvation
Title: Four Images of Salvation
Key Points:
Propitiation: Addresses God’s wrath.
Redemption: Addresses our captivity to sin.
Justification: Addresses our guilt.
Reconciliation: Addresses our enmity with God.
All emphasize God’s saving initiative through Christ’s substitutionary sacrifice.
Slide 8: Lesson 36 – The Glory of God
Title: The Cross as Glorification
Key Points:
Jesus referred to His death as “glorification” (John 12:20-28; 13:30-32; 17:1).
The cross, though appearing as shame, was His glory.
Christ’s self-humiliation and self-giving love reveal God’s glory.
Paul highlights this in Rom. 3:25-26 and 5:8, showing God’s justice and love.
Slide 9: The Justice of God
Title: God’s Justice Revealed at the Cross
Key Points:
The OT questions God’s justice (e.g., Job, Psalm 73).
The cross demonstrates God’s justice in judging sin and His mercy in justifying
sinners (Rom. 3:21-26).
Luther initially saw God’s righteousness as punishing justice but later understood it as
a gift of justification by faith.
The cross shows God’s justice and love together.
Slide 10: Anselm’s Theory of Atonement
Title: The Sacrifice Picture
Key Points:
Christ is the sacrifice for sin, satisfying God’s justice and enabling Him to love
without reservation.
Christ substitutes for humanity, bearing the punishment for sin.
Key Terms:
Sacrifice: God gives Himself to help humanity.
Satisfaction: God’s holiness and forgiveness are satisfied.
Substitution: Christ takes our place.
Atonement is a past, objective event; salvation is a present, subjective event
dependent on faith.
Slide 11: Strengths and Weaknesses of Anselm’s Theory
Title: Evaluating Anselm’s Theory
Key Points:
Strengths:
Addresses human guilt and God’s justice effectively.
Easy to understand in the Western world.
Weaknesses:
Overly legalistic; may portray God as wrathful.
Neglects the resurrection and the role of love.
Despite limitations, it remains a profound biblical illustration of the atonement.
Slide 12: Conclusion
Title: Key Takeaways
Key Points:
Justification, reconciliation, and atonement are central to understanding salvation.
The cross reveals God’s justice, love, and glory.
Anselm’s theory, though imperfect, helps us grasp the mystery of Christ’s sacrifice.
All four images of salvation (propitiation, redemption, justification, reconciliation)
emphasize God’s initiative and Christ’s substitutionary work.
Slide 13: Questions for Reflection
Title: Discussion Questions
Key Points:
Why is legal language important in understanding justification?
How does reconciliation change our relationship with God and others?
What does the cross reveal about God’s justice and love?
How does Anselm’s theory help or hinder our understanding of atonement?
