My further study leads me into our understanding of ‘penal substitution’. This has been amongst evangelicals very controversial and after much prayer, study and reflection my position remains unchanged. Christ paid the ‘penalty’ for sin, for the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23). To fully comprehend the gravity of penal substitution one must grasp the severity of sin. It’s plain within the text of scripture that sin is an offense to God that can only be removed by someone/something being punished and paying the penalty of death for their sin. The sacrifice of animals (Heb 10) was a foreshadow of what was to come in the act of the cross and in the atonement of Christ.

To suggest that Jesus died as a mere example or that he died for the expiation of sin alone does not do justice in relation to the necessity of God’s anger and wrath towards sin. At the cross the wrath of God was satisfied that a price had been paid for sin not just in the present but in the future for all who by conviction of His Spirit accept the atoning work of Christ, repent and become a disciple of the risen Christ. What many fail to realize is that Christ’s blood is ‘divine’ and by it we are continually cleansed from sin (Heb 9:22).

This short conclusion is not of course entertaining other aspects that surround the argument as I would be here all night! ie. satisfaction theory. However I firmly believe that Christ paid the penalty for my sin and the death he died was in my place as the substitutionary sacrifice.

I must leave it there as Im at a conference of Evangelists and tea with be served up in 15 minutes!