Why is believing in Christ's atonement important?

Faith in Christ's atonement is central to the gospel message. In 1 John 4:10, we see that 'herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.' This underscores that our salvation does not depend on our efforts but on God's love demonstrated through Jesus' sacrifice. Without the atonement, there would be no forgiveness of sins, as emphasized in Hebrews 9:22, 'without the shedding of blood there is no remission.' Therefore, recognizing and believing in Christ’s atoning work is essential for being reconciled to God and receiving eternal life.