Some Common Questions and Answers —
Q: Don’t the scriptures say .. He was punished in our place?
A: No, it never says that. It was wicked men and the hostile powers that ‘chastised’ Christ and put Him to death.
Christ yielded up himself to discipline, chastening, and punishment by sinful men driven also by the hostile powers ( for our sins ) in order to declare God’s righteous and gracious judgment of sin in the flesh (condemn sin in the flesh) that all mankind who put their trust in His atoning work might agree with this judgment, enforce it, by uniting their will with that of the indwelling Holy Spirit, counting their bodies dead to sin and their spirits alive unto God – taking up their CROSS daily and enduring to receive the promise on that day when the children of God are revealed at His coming and return. This is the nature of the Christ’s atonement; that is, it is a gracious amnesty in His blood, guaranteed by the Holy Spirit (His pledge and earnest) to those He has ransomed from sin’s dominion, condemnation, and corruption. To them that endure and are being made perfect will He return to redeem His purchased possession who will then receive their inheritance with Him and the promise of Eternal Life.
Q: I thought Jesus paid for my sins?
A: No, the analogy of debt in scripture is always used to communicate and represent forgiveness and not as debt satisfaction or payment. The message is one of debts forgiven, let go of, and therefore not paid – That is the nature of forgiveness.
Acts 20:28 – the church He (Jesus) bought with His own blood (not debt-satisfaction, but a ransom) You were slaves of sin now slaves of Christ (1 Cor. 7:17-24) A change of allegiance.. again, back to the “Big Idea” of the Kingdom. This purchase is figuratively expressed in scripture as a bride-price or as the ransom of a slave and not a literal debt satisfaction. In that, Christ spoiled the hostile powers against us and freed us from the dominion of sin and death – the way is open for men to receive what the King has made possible by His sacrifice.
Q: Is not Christ’s death vicarious?
A: What do you mean by vicarious?
Jesus offered Himself up for our (sin) that we might die to (sin) that is, concede with His righteous judgment on sin by crucifying it in ourselves. He provided the rescue and if we identify with Him (Obey the Gospel) we will be saved in Him. The term vicarious has the primary meaning of participation in the life and experience of another. For example, it is biblical that we all vicariously identify with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection in baptism and this regeneration and redemption is to be fully realized at Christ’s return. However, the word has secondary shades of meaning that include the idea of substitution. Therefore, I believe we ought to, if used, specifically qualify our meaning or use more precise language that communicates the Truth according to the scriptures. Participation in the life of Christ is the precise biblical idea according to the scriptures. We with Him died to sin that we might live unto Him – righteousness. This great salvation is “In Christ” and not by means of an exchange or substitution. There is no trading places in the Gospel, but a dramatic rescue, redemption, and partnership in the redemptive work. That is, He has inaugurated His plan in the restoring and perfection of creation in Christ, the last Adam, our King and Redeemer and is calling all to draw near to Him and labor together as a united, redeemed, and reborn – new humanity. (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15)
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