What if the Gospel we inherited left something out?
“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”
—A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy
We don’t always realize it, but our view of God—our “mental image” of Him—shapes everything. It forms our understanding of salvation, of Scripture, of ourselves.
And that’s why theology matters. Because what we believe about God determines how we relate to Him.
What the Cross Reveals
One of my favorite chapters in all of Scripture is John 17—a glimpse into the very heart of Jesus, praying for us. And paired with 2 Corinthians 3:16–18, it becomes even more powerful:
16 But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed…
The veil is removed. Not when we strive or suffer or sacrifice—but when we turn. And in that beholding, we are transformed.
Your Origin Story
Let’s go back. Before there was sin, there was union.
Before there was a fall, there was a garden.
Before there was shame, there was face-to-face communion with God.
“Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…” (Genesis 1:26)
“And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31)
The cross is not about getting God to love us. It’s the culmination of His love already poured out. It’s the moment He steps fully into our flesh and becomes our covering.
Atonement is At-One-Ment
We often hear a version of the Gospel that splits the Trinity: the Father is angry, the Son is kind. Jesus must persuade God to accept us. But this is not what Scripture reveals.
“In Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself…” (2 Corinthians 5:19)
The atonement is not transactional—it’s transformational. It’s not Jesus saving us from God, but God saving us in Christ, from the illusion of separation.
Watch the Full Message
🎧 Listen to the full message on YouTube:
Atonement: Living Without a Veil
The audio includes teaching by Leah Ramirez, our time from Sunday’s message at The Gathering.
📝 Read the full notes here:
Google Doc: Atonement Teaching Notes
Where We’re Landing on Atonement
We are not teaching penal substitution as our framework. Instead, we’re seeing the cross as:
- Union restored
- Participation renewed
- Love revealed
- Creation reconciled
As theologians like T.F. Torrance, Baxter Kruger, and George MacDonald have said: Christ didn’t come to change God’s mind about us. He came to change our mind about God.
“Christ died to deliver us, not from the Father’s wrath, but from our sins—which are the wrath of God.”
—George MacDonald
“The cross is where Jesus climbed into our delusion of separation and brought the Father with Him.”
—Baxter Kruger
Reflection
- How does this view of atonement shift your understanding of salvation?
- What would it mean to live as someone who is already “face to face” with God?
- What veils might still be clouding your reflection?
Want to Go Deeper?
Here are a few ways to stay connected:
🔗 Company318.com – A national network of prayer, presence, and communion
🏡 The Gathering – Colorado Springs – A local church rooted in Gospel union and hesed community
📖 Re-Found Devotional – A 30-day journey into union, communion, and the finished work
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Every week, we’re going deeper into the Gospel that heals, restores, and brings us face to face with God.
Written by Leah Ramirez
