Dane Ortlund » God Scripture Gospel Doctrine Atonement

We found this post from Dane Ortlund to be helpful as it ties in well with our All of Life series.

Here are the more important descriptions, with the sphere of life from which they are drawn noted.

Justification – the lawcourt metaphor (Rom. 5:1; Titus 3:7)

Sanctification – the cultus metaphor (1 Cor. 1:2; 1 Thess. 4:3)

Adoption – the familial metaphor (Rom. 8:15; 1 John 3:1–2)

Reconciliation – the relational metaphor (Rom. 5:1–11; 2 Cor. 5:18–20)

Washing – the physical cleansing metaphor (1 Cor. 6:11; Titus 3:7)

Redemption – the slave market metaphor (Eph. 1:7; Rev. 14:3–4)

Purchase – the financial transaction metaphor (1 Cor. 6:20; 2 Pet. 2:1)

Wedding – the marriage metaphor (Eph. 5:31–32; Rev. 21:2)

Liberation – the imprisonment metaphor (Gal. 5:1; Rev. 1:5)

New Birth – the physical generation metaphor (John 3:3–7; 1 Pet. 1:3, 23)

Illumination – the light metaphor (John 12:35–36; 2 Cor. 4:4–6)

New Creation – the redemptive-historical metaphor (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15)

Resurrection – the bodily metaphor (Eph. 2:6; Col. 3:1)

Union with Christ – the organic or spatial metaphor (Rom 6:1–14; 2 Tim 1:9)

Inexhaustible richness. Luther was right:

If a person is without warmth about matters pertaining to God and salvation, as the common man does, then the devil merely laughs. But if your words are aglow in your heart, you will put the devil to flight. (LW 22:357)

Reposted and adapted with permission.

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