Tag Archives: Christ’s Doctrine of the Atonement

George Smeaton – Love Is Prominent in the Atonement

15 Jan
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1814-1889. Scottish minister and Professor of New Testament Exegesis at New College, Edinburgh.

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. – John 3:16

The atonement is here described as emanating from the love of God. These words of Christ plainly show that the biblical doctrine on this point is not duly exhibited, unless love receives a special prominence; and that it would be a misrepresentation against which the biblical divine must protest, if, under the influence of any theory or dogmatic prejudice, love is not allowed to come to its rights. If even justice were made paramount, the balance of truth would be destroyed.

~George Smeaton~




The Doctrine of the Atonement, as Taught by Christ Himself, Second Edition (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1871), 45-46.

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George Smeaton – The Incarnation as Foundational to the Atonement

3 Jan
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1814-1889. Scottish minister and Professor of New Testament Exegesis at New College, Edinburgh.

Having noticed the provision to be made for sin, we come next to the great fact of the Incarnation as the foundation of the whole work of atonement. The Lord’s advent in flesh is uniformly set forth as a means for the accomplishment of a great result: not as in itself an end. Thus, in the Lord’s own teaching, He announces that He came down from heaven for the sake of a people given to Him (John 6:39); that He came to save that which was lost (Matt. 18:11); that He came to give His life for others (Mark 10:45). We may represent the relation between God and man in this way. Between the INFINITE GOD, possessed of all holiness and justice, and MAN, a rebel and infected with sin, there is the widest conceivable remove in a moral point of view. What can bring them together? Who can terminate the estrangement? The INCARNATION of the Eternal Son supplies the answer: this fills up the chasm and paves the way to the rectification of man’s relation. But it is equally necessary to meet the wants and cravings of the human spirit, which ever and anon exclaims: What would become of me if my Maker were not my Redeemer? (Is. 54:5).

~George Smeaton~




The Doctrine of the Atonement, as Taught by Christ Himself, Second Edition (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1871), 39–40.

Books by George Smeaton

The Smeaton Theology Collection on Logos Bible Software

Kindle Books

More Smeaton Quotes at The Old Guys

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