Forgiven Forgiving and Free
Teachers
Lesson Summary
In this Bible study class, Larry Johnson explored the multifaceted concept of atonement through three key lenses: sacrifice, reconciliation, and redemption. Focusing on Ephesians 5:2 and Romans 5:10, he emphasized how Jesus’ sacrifice reconciles humanity to God, reversing the traditional understanding of worship by showing that God’s act of atonement empowers believers to forgive and love their enemies. The lesson drew heavily from Everett Ferguson’s *A Biblical Ecclesiology for Today*, with a particular emphasis on the marketplace metaphor of redemption, where believers are ransomed from sin through Christ’s sacrifice. Central to the teaching was the idea that forgiveness is not merely a transaction but a transformative act that compels believers to live as peacemakers, mirroring God’s kindness toward the ungrateful and the evil. The class also highlighted Jesus’ call for radical love, as seen in Matthew 9:13 and Luke 6:36, urging followers to embrace a life of holiness and purpose as those bought with Christ’s precious blood. The session concluded with a challenge to live out the reality of being reconciled to God, not through human effort, but through faith in His word.
Key Scriptures
Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God
Go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice,' for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners
Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ, but he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him? Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price to glorify God in your body