# learning the terminology



## Richard King (Sep 30, 2005)

recently I used the term "blood atonement" refering to what the Jews had to offer and I was corrected or I should say I was told..."don't use that term, that is a Mormon term."

Is that term a reformed 'no-no'?


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## Contra_Mundum (Sep 30, 2005)

It probably didn't start out being a 'mormon' term, but they co-opted it, and use it for a specific referent. There is no verse in Scripture I can find that uses that terminology, although there are several that use the words in close connection (KJV, Ex. 30:10; Lev. 12:7; 16:18; 16:27; 17:11; 2 Chron 29:24)

I would avoid the expression to avoid confusion. What other kind of religious atonment can there be other than 'by' blood? None. The questionable term practically states there is also some other kind of atonement, the 'blood' kind and 'another' kind. So, just saying 'atonement' says virtually the same thing without expressing how. How is part of the necessary explanation of the Christian idea.


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## JohnV (Sep 30, 2005)

Richard:

I don't know about that particular term, as we don't often have Mormons around here to deal with. But there are terms that people use liberally that have connotations attached to them which we may not mean, though our use of the term is quite correct. "Rapture" is a common one. If you use the term, people will right away think premillennial, people disappearing while in the middle of doing something. The term "apologetic" connotes methodology more than defending the truth sometimes. 

Anyways, this shouldn't deter you from using the term as it should be used. Its probably not a good idea to use the term generally, but it shouldn't rule out its use altogether. There are other terms you can use. On the other hand, its useful for discussion starters and challenges. Hebrews makes it clear that atonement is a blood atonement: "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin." So its our term, not theirs. You can make a lot of hay by showing how much connotation users rely on connotation rather than definition.


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## Richard King (Sep 30, 2005)

thanks for the input guys. That all makes sense. I just wasn't sure if I touched on something I wasnt sure about in terms of reformed thought but "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin." was what I was thinking about during the discussion and I hoped that no one was denying that. 
Really as far as I can find so far reformed means people who have read the Bible and not just select verses from the Bible. I am sure there are many more questions to come though.


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