The Substitution Theory of Atonement

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The Substitution Theory of Atonement Study by
Tim Haile
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The Substitution Theory of Atonement

• Otherwise Known As The Doctrine of the Vicarious
  Death and Suffering of Christ
• The Doctrine Suggests That, On The Cross, Jesus
  Literally Took On All Human Sin
• Common Expressions
• Jesus Died In Our Place (in our stead)
• Jesus Suffered The Hell That We All Deserved
• The Finite Suffering of an Infinite Being Was
  Equivalent To The Infinite Suffering of Finite
  Beings.

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The Substitution Theory of Atonement

• Common Expressions
• That Jesus literally took our sins upon Himself
  on the cross
• That our guilt was literally transferred to Him
  there
• That the Father had to withdraw His presence
  from Him at that time in order for Jesus to
  suffer the punishment of sinners
• That Jesus thus died spiritually on the cross
• That Jesus Died VICARIOUSLY FOR US

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The Substitution Theory of Atonement
IF THE THEORY OF SUBSTITUTION IS CORRECT, THEN NO
HUMAN SIN EXISTS, BECAUSE CHRIST TOOK AWAY ALL
SIN ON THE CROSS!
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The Substitution Theory of Atonement

• W.A. Criswell (former president of the Southern
  Baptist Convention) expressed the typical Baptist
  view when he said
• The Lord was assuming in his own spirit and in
  his own body the penalty and judgment for the
  mountains of sin of the whole human race ... It
  is this bearing of our sins that explains our
  Lord's being forsaken as he hung on the cross
  (Why I Preach That The Bible Is Literally True,
  page 113).

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The Substitution Theory of Atonement

• Albert Barnes (Barnes Notes, Gal. 14)
• The Syriac translates it, "who gave himself
  instead of," by a word denoting that there was a
  "substitution" of the Redeemer in our place. The
  sense is, that the Lord Jesus became a VICARIOUS
  offering, and died in the stead of sinners. It is
  not possible to express this idea more distinctly
  and unambiguously than Paul has done, in this
  passage. Sin was the procuring cause of his
  death to make expiation for sin was the design
  of his coming and sin is pardoned and removed
  only by his substituted suffering.

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Some Thoughts on Atonement

• Some Question Whether or Not The Very Concept of
  Atonement Is Biblical
• The Concept of ATONEMENT Is Biblical
  (Reconciliation, See Rom. 511 And not only so,
  but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus
  Christ, by whom we have now received the
  atonement (katallage, restoration,
  reconciliation)
• The Problem Comes When Men Use The Word
  Atonement As A Foundation For Their Fanciful
  and Unbiblical Theories of Sin Expiation,
  Vicarious Obedience, Suffering and Death
  CALVINISM!

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Reconciled to God
19. For it pleased the Father that in him should
all fulness dwell 20. And, having made peace
through the blood of his cross, by him to
reconcile all things unto himself by him, I say,
whether they be things in earth, or things in
heaven. 21. And you, that were sometime
alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked
works, yet now hath he reconciled 22. In the
body of his flesh through death, to present you
holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his
sight 23. If ye continue in the faith grounded
and settled, and be not moved away from the hope
of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was
preached to every creature which is under heaven
whereof I Paul am made a minister Colossians
119-23
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Reconciled to God
1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in
trespasses and sins 2 Wherein in time past ye
walked according to the course of this world,
according to the prince of the power of the air,
the spirit that now worketh in the children of
disobedience 3 Among whom also we all had our
conversation in times past in the lusts of our
flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of
the mind and were by nature the children of
wrath, even as others. (Ephesians 21-3) - GODS
WRATH BUILDS AGAINST THOSE WHO ARE DISOBEDIENT
AND IMPENITENT
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The Wrath of God
4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness
and forbearance and longsuffering not knowing
that the goodness of God leadeth thee to
repentance? 5 But after thy hardness and
impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath
against the day of wrath and revelation of the
righteous judgment of God 6 Who will render to
every man according to his deeds 7 To them who
by patient continuance in well doing seek for
glory and honour and immortality, eternal
life 8 But unto them that are contentious, and
do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness,
indignation and wrath, 9 Tribulation and
anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil,
of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile Romans
24-9
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The Wrath of God
6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to
recompense tribulation to them that trouble
you 7 And to you who are troubled rest with us,
when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven
with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking
vengeance on them that know not God, and that
obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 9
Who shall be punished with everlasting
destruction from the presence of the Lord, and
from the glory of his power 2 Thessalonians 16-9
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Reconciled to God
19. For it pleased the Father that in him should
all fulness dwell 20. And, having made peace
through the blood of his cross, by him to
reconcile all things unto himself by him, I say,
whether they be things in earth, or things in
heaven. 21. And you, that were sometime
alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked
works, yet now hath he reconciled 22. In the
body of his flesh through death, to present you
holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his
sight 23. If ye continue in the faith grounded
and settled, and be not moved away from the hope
of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was
preached to every creature which is under heaven
whereof I Paul am made a minister Colossians
119-23
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The Substitution Theory of Atonement

• William Clarke
• At the Reformation, this doctrine (of Anselm)
  was modified by the introduction of the analogies
  of criminal law. In this view, the satisfaction
  that was due to God consisted in punishment. It
  was now held that Christ actually took the place
  of sinners in the sight of God, and as their
  substitute suffered the punishment that was due
  to them, including, as many of the reformers
  taught, the sufferings of hell.

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The Substitution Theory of Atonement

• William Clarke (Continued)
• Upon Him fell all the punishment of all the sins
  of all the men for whom he died against them,
  therefore, penal justice could have no further
  claim.An Outline of Christian Theology, p. 319.
• The theory is that sinful man is owned by Satan,
  but Jesus, as the ransom, paid the price to set
  men free.
• A switch occurred suggesting that the price was
  paid to God, not to Satan BOTH CONCEPTS ARE
  EQUALLY WRONG

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Favorite Passages of Substitutionists

• Matthew 2746 - And about the ninth hour Jesus
  cried with a loud voice, saying, 'Eli, Eli, lama
  sabachthani?' that is to say, My God, my God, why
  hast thou forsaken me?
• It is assumed that the Father forsook Jesus
  because Jesus became tainted by sin, and in
  (God) is no darkness (1 Jn. 15).
• In fact, Jesus was quoting from Psalm 22 in order
  to demonstrate His fulfillment of that passage
  (described things as they appeared to men).

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Matthew 2746

• Some Argue That God Turned His Face From Christ
  Because Christ Had Allegedly Acquired Human Sin
  and Guilt
• Psalm 22 Teaches The Exact Opposite
• My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why
  art thou so far from helping me, and from the
  words of my roaring? (v. 1)
• For he hath not despised nor abhorred the
  affliction of the afflicted neither hath he hid
  his face from him but when he cried unto him, he
  heard (v. 24).

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Matthew 2746

• Did The Father Really Forsake The Son While He
  Was On The Cross?
• Forsake Means To Leave Alone
• Did The Father Leave Christ Alone?
• John816 And yet if I judge, my judgment is
  true for I am not alone, but I and the Father
  that sent me.
• John829 And he that sent me is with me the
  Father hath not left me alone for I do always
  those things that please him.
• John1632 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now
  come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to
  his own, and shall leave me alone and yet I am
  not alone, because the Father is with me.

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Matthew 2746

• PSALM 22 VIEWS THE CRUCIFIXION FROM THE HUMAN
  PERSPECTIVE

• 6 But I am a worm, and no man a reproach of
  men, and despised of the people.
• 7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn they
  shoot out the lip, they shake the head saying,
• 8 He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver
  him let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in
  him.

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The Substitution Theory of Atonement

• Favorite Passages of Substitutionists
• 1 Peter 224 - Who his own self bare our sins in
  his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to
  sins, should live unto righteousness by whose
  stripes ye were healed.
• Bare (bear up) or carry ANAPHERO
• It is true that Jesus bore our sins, but the
  question is, HOW DID HE BEAR THEM?
• It is also true that this was done by the cross,
  but by the cross HOW?

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1 Peter 224

• Matthew 816-17 - 16 When the even was come,
  they brought unto him many that were possessed
  with devils and he cast out the spirits with his
  word, and healed all that were sick
• 17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken
  by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our
  infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

• Illustration of Bearing
• Isaiah 534 - Surely he hath borne our griefs,
  and carried our sorrows yet we did esteem him
  stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

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1 Peter 224

• What Was Involved In Jesus' Bearing The Griefs
  and Sorrows of Others? (Isa. 534)
• Did Jesus Grieve as a Result of Bearing the
  Griefs of Others?
• Did He Become Sorrowful as a Result of Carrying
  the Sorrows of Others?
• Did Jesus Get a Fever When He Cured Peter's
  Mother-in-law? (Matt. 814-15)
• Did Demons Possess Jesus When He Cast Them Out of
  Others?
• Did Jesus Get Sick As A Result of Healing Those
  Who Were Sick?

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1 Peter 224

• Favorite Passages of Substitutionists
• 1 Peter 224 - Who his own self bare our sins in
  his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to
  sins, should live unto righteousness by whose
  stripes ye were healed.
• The Meaning Is That Jesus REMOVED Our Sins In His
  Own Body
• He TOOK Our Sins By His Sacrifice
• John 129 Behold, the lamb of God, who takes
  away the sins of the world.

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John 129 DOES NOT SAY
Behold, thelamb of God, who takes ON the sins
of the world.
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The Substitution Theory of Atonement

• Favorite Passages of Substitutionists
• 2 Corinthians 521 - For he hath made him to be
  sin for us, who knew no sin that we might be
  made the righteousness of God in him.
• Paul Employs A Figure of Speech Called
  Synecdoche (the part is used for the whole
  see Acts 207).
• Jesus Was Not Made Sin While On The Cross He
  Was Made a Sin Sacrifice

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The Substitution Theory of Atonement

• Made to be sin... (2 Cor. 521)
• Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, saying, This
  is the law of the sin offering In the place
  where the burnt offering is killed shall the sin
  offering be killed before the LORD it is most
  holy (Lev. 625, see also 421,25)
• Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and
  burnt offerings and offering for sin thou
  wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein
  which are offered by the law (Heb. 108)
• Over 50 Times in Leviticus Alone, Offering is
  NOT In The Original

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The Substitution Theory of Atonement

• P.E. Hughes - God made Him sin that is to say
  that God the Father made His innocent incarnate
  Son the object of His wrath and judgment, for our
  sakes, with the result that in Christ on the
  cross the sin of the world is judged and taken
  away... Our sin is transferred to Him and His
  righteousness is transferred to us.Paul's
  Second Epistle to the Corinthians, pages 213-214.
• This Quote Expresses Classic Calvinism
  (Transferral of guilt and righteousness)

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The Substitution Theory of Atonement

• Favorite Passages of Substitutionists
• Hebrews 928 - So Christ was once offered to
  bear the sins of many and unto them that look
  for him shall he appear the second time without
  sin unto salvation.
• It Is Argued That Since Jesus Would Come The
  Second Time Without Sin, That It Is Implied
  That He Did Have Sin The First Time He Came
• This Is Synecdoche Jesus Will Not Again Offer
  Himself As A Sin Sacrifice

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The Substitution Theory of Atonement

• Favorite Passages of Substitutionists
• Hebrews 928 - So Christ was once offered to
  bear the sins of many and unto them that look
  for him shall he appear the second time without
  sin unto salvation.

The Context Contains The Key! Hebrews 926 For
then must he often have suffered since the
foundation of the world but now once in the end
of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by
the sacrifice of himself.
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The Substitution Theory of Atonement

• Favorite Passages of Substitutionists
• Isaiah 536 - All we like sheep have gone
  astray we have turned everyone to his own way
  and the Lord hath laid on (paga) him the iniquity
  of us all.
• Strong's Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon Suggests
  Several Figurative Meanings
• come (betwixt), cause to entreat, fall (upon),
  make intercession, intercessor, entreat, lay,
  light (upon), meet (together), pray, reach, run.
  
• Same Verb Used In Verse 12 made intercession
  (paga) for the transgressors.

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Isaiah 536

• Favorite Passages of Substitutionists
• Isaiah 536 (Septuagint) - All we like sheep
  have gone astray we have turned everyone to his
  own way and the Lord gave him up for our sins.
• Septuagint Uses Paradoken, Found In
• Romans 832 He that spared not his own Son, but
  delivered him up for us all, how shall he not
  with him also freely give us all things?
• Ephesians 52 And walk in love, as Christ also
  hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an
  offering and a sacrifice to God for a
  sweetsmelling savour.

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The Substitution Theory of Atonement

• Did Jesus Die Spiritually?
• Death Means Separation
• Physical Death Involves The Separation of The
  Spirit From The Body
• Genesis 2517 Ishmael gave up the Ghost and
  died
• Genesis 3529 Isaac gave up the ghost and
  died
• Genesis 3518 says of Rachel that, as her soul
  was in departing (for she died) that she called
  his name Benoni

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The Substitution Theory of Atonement

• Did Jesus Die Spiritually?
• Death Means Separation
• Physical Death Involves The Separation of The
  Spirit From The Body
• Spiritual Death Involves The Separation of Man
  From God
• Ephesians 21 - And you hath he quickened who
  were dead in trespasses and sins
• 1 Timothy 56 The woman who lives in pleasure
  is dead while she liveth

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The Substitution Theory of Atonement

• Did Jesus Die Spiritually?
• Death Means Separation
• Physical Death Involves The Separation of The
  Spirit From The Body
• Spiritual Death Involves The Separation of Man
  From God
• Calvinists (and others) Argue That Jesus Died
  Spiritually On The Cross
• This Position Is Required By The Doctrine of Sin
  Substitution

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The Substitution Theory of Atonement

• W.A. Criswell (former president of the Southern
  Baptist Convention) expressed the typical Baptist
  view when he said
• The Lord was assuming in his own spirit and in
  his own body the penalty and judgment for the
  mountains of sin of the whole human race ... It
  is this bearing of our sins that explains our
  Lord's being forsaken as he hung on the cross
  (Why I Preach That The Bible Is Literally True,
  page 113).

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The Substitution Theory of Atonement

• Passages Cited
• Acts 231 - He seeing this before spake of the
  resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not
  left in hell, neither his flesh did see
  corruption.
• The KJV hell is HADES
• Hades is the place of departed spirits (Luke
  1623)
• Consists Separately (Fixed Gulf) of Torments and
  Paradise (Lk. 1626)
• Jesus went to Paradise Following His Death (Luke
  2343), NOT HELL!

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The Substitution Theory of Atonement

• Passages Cited
• 1 Peter 318-20
• 18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins,
  the just for the unjust, that he might bring us
  to God, being put to death in the flesh, but
  quickened by the Spirit
• 19 By which also he went and preached unto the
  spirits in prison
• 20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once
  the longsuffering of God waited in the days of
  Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few,
  that is, eight souls were saved by water.

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The Substitution Theory of Atonement

• Passages Cited
• 1 Peter 318-20
• Spirits in Prison Does Not Mean HELL!
• Spirits in Prison Are Defined As Those Who Were
  Disobedient During The Days of Noah
• NOAH Was A Preacher of Righteousness (2 Pet.
  25)
• The Spirit of Jesus Was Active Through The
  Preaching of Noah
• Jesus Did Not Go To Hell After Death!

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The Substitution Theory of Atonement

• Jesus Did Not Die In The Spirit
• This is my BODY which is given for you...(Lk.
  2219)
• ...You were made dead to the law through the
  BODY of Christ (Rom. 74)
• ...having abolished in his FLESH the enmity,
  even the law of commandments contained in
  ordinances (Eph. 215)
• ...yet now hath he reconciled in the BODY OF HIS
  FLESH through death, to present you holy and
  without blemish and unreprovable before him...
  (Col. 122)

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The Substitution Theory of Atonement

• Jesus Did Not Die In The Spirit
• For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the
  just for the unjust, that he might bring us to
  God, being put to death in the flesh, but
  quickened by the Spirit (1 Peter 318)