Penal Substitutionary Atonement.
It’s a big phrase. To make it simple, it really means we were traded. We were slaves who were traded for a free person. It’s the foundation for a non-works based belief of our status with God. The Christian would say that Jesus lived a sinless life and traded it for our sinful life. Some good verses of reference are: 2 Corinthians 5:21 and Galatians 3:13
Let’s break it down word by word to make it clearer.
Penal
Prescribing the punishment of offenders under the legal system. In other words: The system of punishment for those on the wrong end of a legal system.
Substitutionary
Comes from substitution, or replacement. In other words: A person standing in the place of another.
Atonement
Reparation for a wrong or injury. In other words: The fully paid price for something done wrong.
So it means
the punishment of someone on the wrong side or a legal system was fully paid by the punishment being placed on another person.
If you want a good example
You can even find it in the bible, with Barabbas. In Matthew 27:15-23
That’s a perfect picture of what Penal Substitutionary Atonement means. Another phrase that theologians have used is “the great exchange”.
That’s what it means to us. There was a death sentence, and someone better than us took our place and was put to death.
For More Reading Check Here:
J.I. Packer on Penal-Substitution
On a ground level
If you know Jesus:
you don’t have to work at paying God back
if bad things happen it isn’t because God’s mad at you, because He’s not
if good things happen it isn’t because God’s happy at you, even though He is
If you don’t know Jesus:
you can, it involves trust (email me for more here)
going to church won’t make God happy at you
if bad things happen it could mean God’s trying to bring you to Him
if good things happen it could mean that God’s NOT happy at you
Penal-substitution means you don’t have to, and can’t, work to please God.[Tweet That]