Why does Les say the word atonement in the Old Testament was a misnomer?
The term is a misnomer because Old Testament animal sacrifices never actually accomplished atonement, even on the Day of Atonement. They could not remove sin. True atoning work required the shed blood of Christ, which alone provides forgiveness, redemption, and atonement for believers. The Old Testament ritual fell short of that final work.
Les explains that when he was teaching in the Old Testament, he called the word atonement a misnomer. The animal sacrifices never brought about atonement, even though the ritual was called the Day of Atonement. They could not do it. Atonement required the blood of Christ to fulfill the atoning work. Because of that, believers are now atoned and redeemed, having been bought with a price—the blood of Christ. Les then applies this to I Corinthians 6:20: since we are bought with that price, we should glorify God in our body. That means not joining with prostitutes or the immoral or breaking fidelity with a spouse, because such conduct brings reproach and does not glorify God. This is his introduction to chapter 7.