Featured 5 Biblical Corrections to Penal Substitution

LOL. The very reference is to the sin sacrifice which was carried out of the camp and burned "with his dung". And yes, the offering was a substitute for the offerer.

Expiation is active, not passive. Sin isn't expiated by the mere virtue of Christ's death. He took our sins upon Himself, and He died a sinner's death, as Paul said, quoting the law, "Cursed is everyone that hangs on a tree."

That cross was righteous judgment...judgment upon our sins in the body of Christ.

 

The second reference in my post is about willful sins agains one's neighbor. There is a sacrifice for that, but there was no sacrifice for a willful profanation of the holy things of the Tabernacle. The Apostle referred to that in Hebrews 10:26 -31, applying it to one's willful profanation of Christ and His Work, because that's what the Tabernacle was.

It was a picture of the Son and the work he would accomplish. All the offerings are descriptions of Christ's sacrifice on the Cross, and in the Trespass Offering, we see Him paying the sin debt.

 

". . . Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 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. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. . . ."

 

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The unsaved who perish.

 

Revelation 21:8 also says all liars.

 

I can read these posts but I can't do quotes and such right now but I'm wondering - do you guys who don't like penal substitution think that there is or is not a gulf or separation between us and God because of our sin? And I mean as individuals. And does wrath have a place in describing God's reaction to our sin? What exactly did Jesus do when he was crucified? If penal substitution is wrong then is it absolutely necessary that Jesus die on the cross in order that you be saved?

 

Good Grief, when we are transferred into Christ, we undergo the washing of REGENERATION, resulting in our new spiritual birth, born of God.

 

Comments on the OP:
1) " Problem: deserving wrath / Solution: avoiding wrath "
Here the idea is that the consequence imposed by God for failure to think and act according to God's will is (a) separation from God - thus "dead in sin" and (b) obtaining a "sin burden" - what God holds against the individual thus incurring divine punishment.

But I do agree with the "corrected view" of "Problem: dead in sin / Solution: resurrection in Christ.
Here the idea is that when God transfers an individual from the domain of darkness (in Adam) into the Kingdom of His Beloved Son (in Christ) the individual is made alive (no longer dead in sin) together with Christ (Ephesians 2:5) and having undergone the "washing of regeneration" which makes the person alive and removes the "sin burden" resulting in those born anew being holy blameless and forgiven.

2) Jesus death was unjust and this was corrected by His resurrection. I disagree. Jesus was treated unjustly, but His sacrifice, the just for the unjust, was according to God's plan just plan as God is never unjust.

3) The problem with Penal Substitution is that it limits Christ's provision of the means of salvation to preselected individuals, rather than providing the means of salvation for all of humanity, the whole world. 1 John 2:2

4) Jesus bought everyone, those to be saved and those never to be saved (2 Peter 2:1) such that He became the means of salvation for everyone, but only those God transfers into Him spiritually receive the reconciliation He provides.

5) Christ's substitutionary death provided justification to life for all humanity, Romans 5:18. Or justification for life from death to all humanity, thus providing the opportunity for all, and the actuality for those who receive the reconciliation

 

You can go to the store WITH OR FOR your wife, but if you are going with her, you are not going FOR her. Moreover, when Paul declares, 'I have been crucified with Christ' we know that he wasn't actually there on Calvary as one of the two thieves. He is speaking of his union with Christ. That union is vital for the doctrine of P.S. because it is on that basis that our guilt can be justly imputed to Christ and His perfect righteousness imputed to us.

 

Yes. You are quite right; I should have written, "Christ receives sin's wages on our behalf." Sorry!

I don't think I mentioned any such thing as a "debt of punishment." But there are several references to punishment for debt and of sin as debt (Matthew 5:24-26; 6:12; 18:21ff come to mind instantly)

There are several reasons why I don't think hamartia should be translated as 'sin offering in 2 Cor. 5:21. Firstly, I don't think it at all likely that the Holy Spirit would use the same word with different meanings in the same sentence, and 'He made Him who knew no sin offering to be a sin offering for us' makes no sense.
Secondly, hamartia cannot be shown to have the meaning 'sin offering' anywhere in the NT, though it does sometimes elsewhere. In Hebrews 10:18, 'sin offering' or 'offering for sin' translates prosphera peri hamartias. When the writer is quoting from the LXX in Hebrews 10:6, he writes a sort of shorthand - peri hamartias, but not hamartian as in 2 Cor. 5:21.

 

I think your example is a bit forced, but I did not say it did. But sometimes it can only mean 'instead of' John 11:49-50. Caiaphas predicts that our Lord should die on behalf of the nation, but also very clearly, instead of the nation..

 

I believe that God being just, our sin has caused his wrath to be upon us. We are unholy and sinful and would die by looking God in the face. If we offer unauthorized worship or touch the Ark of the covenant we would die. God has somehow come up with a remedy and it is indeed a mystery but propitiation is part of it and it involves Christ taking our sin upon himself. If you don't see that in scripture I don't know any way to argue you into it but those things that happened in the OT were clues about God's view of our state.

God's wrath is just and righteous and not like ours but it's the concept scripture uses so we can understand. God came up with the plan out of love for us. He can have wrath toward sinners and still save them if you can believe scripture.

The other aspects of Jesus's work are true and beautiful. But this penal substitution is essential. It's not for me to judge but I don't know what it means if someone denies it. I don't think these other aspects of the atonement fully set forth the horrible nature of sin as it looks to God, even though I greatly respect those aspects.