Which term refers to forgiveness and making amends with God?

• A. Redemption
• B. Salvation
• C. Reconciliation
• D. Atonement

Answer: (D)

Forgiveness and making amends with God are captured by the idea of atonement. Atonement refers to addressing the wrongs of sin and repairing the broken relationship with God, making forgiveness possible and restoring harmony with Him. In Christian thinking, sin creates a rift, and atonement describes the work that removes that debt or penalty so that the relationship can be healed, often emphasized through the sacrifice of Christ.

Redemption talks about being freed or bought back from sin’s power, focusing on deliverance and the price paid. Salvation refers to the outcome—being saved from sin and its consequences. Reconciliation describes the restored relationship itself, the state of peace between God and humanity after the process has occurred. Atonement is the term that most directly denotes the act of making amends and achieving forgiveness with God.