“Nggandhol Yesus”: A New Perspective to Functional Model of Atonement of Jesus Christ

Abstract

The traditional views of atonement provide several angles on Christ's role
in salvation, but they often do not fully clarify how this affects believers'
everyday lives. This paper takes cues from George L. Carey's 1980 work,
"The Lamb of God and Atonement of Jesus Christ," to suggest a new way
of thinking about functional atonement based on Romans 1:17 and God’s
righteousness. Carey's analysis points out the shortcomings of present
viewpoint. We argue that the key issue at the heart of atonement is
humanity's lack of righteousness. No one can meet the perfect
righteousness that God requires. Thus, Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross acts as
a means for believers to cover themselves spiritually with His blood. This
"holding on” proposition permits believers to "borrow" Christ's
righteousness in the sight of God the Father, allowing them to be seen as
righteous by Him. This concept of "Nggandhol Yesus" (holding on to
Jesus), found in a Javanese Christian worship song, is more than just a
symbol; it is a reality lived out. It signifies the believer's ongoing
dependence on Christ's righteousness, enabling them to be before God not
by their own worth, but by Jesus’s perfect worth. This functional approach
brings attention to the practical effects of atonement in the believer's life,
underscoring the constant reliance on Christ's sacrifice for their righteous
status before God. This paper will explore this concept further, examining
its scriptural basis and implications for Christian living, developing the
theme of hanging on to Jesus as the true meaning of atonement both in this
world and in the next.