I received a newsletter from John MacArthur the other day. In it, he stated that he once heard an hour long sermon that included 1 Peter 2:24. He stated that the preacher never touched on Isaiah 53:5. It's very true that the atonement isn't something you hear about all that often. Today, my pastor was praying and he used that very word. As soon as the prayer ended, I immediately grabbed a pen and wrote down the two words: Substitutionary Atonement. I then proceeded to write down my thoughts on the subject. Below are those thoughts. Please keep in mind that these are just my opening thoughts. When I get more time, I'll add more to them just to have for my own notes and studies. I just thought I would share this for now.

A) SUBSTITUTIONARY
B) Propitiation
C) Justified

ATONEMENT
D) Cleansing
E) Actual
F) Imputed

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A) Took our place. Wages of sin in death. We are all guilty. Calvin said all sins are mortal sins. In a court of law, we would be declared guilty and sentenced to death. We would have to pay with our life blood. In the Old Testament, an animal could be a temporary substitution. Christ was a substitution that was once for all.

B) Sin is an assault on God's character and an insult to His majesty. It deserved and earns His wrath. The only way to appease His wrath is by paying the price we owe, our life. Refer to point A (Substitutionary)

C) We are guilty by nature. Upon Christ stepping in as a substitution and appeasing His wrath, all debt is paid. God does not practice double jeopardy. Upon the debt being paid, we are declared free. The guilt was found in someone else (Christ) and we are now found not guilty. However, while we are not guilty, we are not yet made righteous.

D) The blood is the method of cleansing that God has chosen. In the Old Testament, it was the lamb. The blood was spilled by the priests (Levites) and was offered up to God on behalf of the recipients whom the priest represented. Upon this action, not only were they temporarily declared not guilty but they were also temporarily washed clean. Isaiah 53 states, "By His scourging we are healed." 1 Peter 2:24 states, "By His wounds you were healed."

E) The atonement was not hyporthetical. It was not pending activation by faith. It was not incomplete. It was not the person who went before God for cleansing or the forgiveness of sins. It was their representative, the Levite priest. He performed an actual sacrifice with actual blood on behalf of an actual selet group of people resulting in an actual immediate cleansing and actual immediate forgiveness. Christ is our high priest. He offered himself for his people (those whom the Father had given to him before creation) to give his people the same very real and instantaneous forgiveness and cleaning. We are now declared not guilty. We are now considered clean. However, we are NOT yet righteous.

F) The sin of the people were transferred to the blood of the lamb but it had no righteousness to give to us. Our dark blot was passed (imputed) to Christ. He was not a sinner yet he became sin. In turn, by his blood, his righteousness was transferred (imputed) to us. We not only display righteousness but we are made righteous. We are not to sin but, if we do, we have an Advocate. It is an unending cycle of imputation.

Hi Rojo, it has been a while, it is good to see you here! I enjoyed your post, thanks.

Many blessings, in His Name,
your brother Larry.