Christus Victor
As we come to the final atonement theory for this year- the last one discussed in the book I’ve used as a jumping off point, the one I find personally best, and the one that many others use to catch up all the others, it is a moment to ponder. You see, just because I like this one doesn’t mean you will like this one. In a way, it’s the vaguest atonement theory. Leaves it all with a bit of a shrug and a dismissing “it’s a holy mystery” sort of attitude.
And I guess you can say that I want to blame Veggie Tales for this bit of embedded theology. Embedded theology isn’t even my term- I have a supervising pastor to thank for that one. I can turn to scripture and academic writings and back up what it is I feel in my gut, but so much of my theology has become second nature to me. It’s embedded within me. And that includes the idea that Christ was victorious in death. You see, I’m not sure what Christ was fighting there. Was it the devil? Maybe. Some atonement theories think so. Was it human nature? Quite possibly. Paul’s bit about all too human still fits today. And does it matter what it was that Christ fought on the cross? No, because God is bigger than the boogeyman.
We have nothing to fear, not even death, because Christ was going to win. Nothing else mattered. Christ was going to be victorious. Good was going to be greater than evil, even if evil won the battle, God would win the war. And this particularly violent terminology isn’t great, isn’t how I like to think about God, but I also know that if God was anthropomorphized or incarnate again, that if push came to shove, the situation would either be diffused by the awesome might of God and the fear of the opponent or by a simple bit of table flipping and whip making. There wouldn’t be a fight. Not like any fight we know anyway. Scripture in many ways backs this up. When Christ comes again, riding on the clouds, and the trump shall sound… there isn’t going to be a fight. It’s just going to happen.
So why do I call this the catch all atonement theory? Because it works. If Jesus had to take our place because we deserve punishment for the sin, Christ wins in that moment of horrific pain and torture because we don’t have to suffer. If Jesus sets us free from sin, Christ is victorious. Let’s call it pass fail and the moral example and… Christ passed. Does Christ’s death reconcile us to God? Yes, so, once again, Christ wins. And are we washed clean of our sins by the blood of Jesus? Not literally, but again, mission accomplished. Christ is victorious no matter how you understand the atonement. When people ask why did Christ have to suffer and die, it can wind up being a very personal answer. How you understand sin and salvation tend to shape everything else about your faith.
Ergo, therefore, thus, Easter is a wonderful victory celebration. Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again. The mystery of our faith that we repeat during the communion liturgy ties us back again and again to the cross as an important moment. And for those of you who have been paying attention, you may have noticed that when I talk about sin, I often talk about being sin sick and weary. Burdened by sin. And it is Christ that defeats that sin, sets us free, releases us from any punishment that might have been (and not punishment from God, but punishment from the sin itself or from some version of the devil), and otherwise wins. Christus Victorious. Victory in Christ. When that stone was rolled away, sin had no more power over us. We cannot defeat it on our own, but God has helped, is helping, will help. Christ is a winner now and forevermore. And who wouldn’t want to be on the winning team?
Definition of Sin: Sin weighs us down and renders us powerless to overcome it on our own strength. We are left in a perpetual state of being defeated, as if we were doomed to push a boulder uphill every day.
Definition of Salvation: Just like God rolled away the stone, Jesus grants us victory over sin and enables us to overcome the sins in our lives.[i]
[i] Magrey R. DeVega, Savior Leader Guide: What the Bible Says about the Cross (Abingdon Press, 2020), 59-60.
