The so-called “exemplary” theory of the Atonement, which was ever only partly right (yet “all are in the wrong”!), will nevertheless enjoy a long and well-deserved rehabilitation when the restorative justice understanding of the cross-resurrection sequence comes to be accepted. For this apostolic understanding of the respective roles of the Son, and then the Father, both in the Spirit, sets up a role patterning designed to imprint our own mimetic role indelibly in our very behavioral core. The Son was the authoritative “representative” of and ambassador for/on behalf of/in place of, and even the “substitute” for his Father on the earth. Then when the Wholesome Spirit was sent from the Father by the Son, it functioned in that representative and substitutionary role for the Son (as well as for the Father, in turn), but now not merely beside or alongside (para) us, but also within (en) us! THUS THE BATON HAS BEEN PASSED TO US! WE WHO TRUST JESUS AS THE MASTER AND GOD’S ANOINTED ONE, IN TURN GET ANOINTED TO BECOME GOD’S (FATHER, SON, AND WHOLESOME SPIRIT) “REPRESENTATIVES” OR “SUBSTITUTES” ON EARTH! WE ARE TO MIMIC OR IMITATE JESUS’ EXAMPLE IN THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT. “FOR UNTO THIS WERE YOU CALLED, SEEING THAT MESSIAH ALSO SUFFERED ABUSE FOR YOUR SAKES [YET OBVIOUSLY, IN THIS CASE, NOT AS OUR “SUBSTITUTE,” OR PETER WOULD NOT BE URGING US TO REPEAT THE IDENTICAL CONDUCT AND DEEDS, AND EVEN, ACCORDING TO JOHN, “GREATER DEEDS” (JOHN 14:12)], LEAVING YOU A COPY THAT YOU SHOULD BE FOLLOWING UP IN THE FOOTPRINTS OF HIM WHO DOES NO SIN, NEITHER WAS GUILE FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; WHO, BEING REVILED, REVILED NOT AGAIN; SUFFERING ABUSE, THREATENED NOT, YET SURRENDERED IT TO HIM WHO IS JUDGING JUSTLY, WHO HIMSELF CARRIES UP OUR SINS IN HIS BODY ONTO THE TREE, THAT COMING AWAY FROM SINS, WE SHOULD BE LIVING TO RIGHTEOUSNESS; BY WHOSE WELT [BY/FROM OUR SINS!] YOU WERE HEALED. FOR YOU WERE STRAYING SHEEP, BUT NOW YOU TURNED BACK TO THE SHEPHERD AND SUPERVISOR/INSPECTOR OF YOUR SOULS” (1 Peter 2:21-25). WE SHEEP ARE TO EMULATE OUR SHEPHERD!
Thus the Atonement, in a very real sense, includes our TAKING THE BATON AND RUNNING WITH IT THROUGHOUT OUR OWN LEG OF THE RACE OF FAITH AND TRIAL OF ENDURANCE. AND FOR THIS FEAT WE ALSO SHALL BE AWARDED AN OVERCOMPENSATING PRIZE, FOR FAITH IS A PRIZE FIGHT! [8/12/07]
In God’s raising Jesus from a death of the cross, He proved beyond any shadow of a doubt that He did not need to punish sin for the sake of “honoring his holy Law” or to “avenge His perfect justice’ or “satisfy for his injured honor.” HE WAS BLARING THROUGH A BULLHORN: I DO NOT HAVE TO EXACT THE “FULL PENALTY FOR EVERY SIN”! LOOK HERE! GAZE AT THIS STAKE! WHAT DO YOU SEE? ARE YOU WILLING TO ADMIT THIS WAS A SIN—A CRIME? WILL YOU CONFESS THAT THIS EXECUTION WAS AN EXTRAORDINARILY VICIOUS AND FELONIOUS DEED? IF SO, YOU WILL BE PREPARED FOR THE FULLER SIGNIFICANCE OF WHAT I DID ON THE THIRD DAY…I NULLIFIED THAT SIN BY MORE THAN REVERSING ITS DEADLY EFFECTS! IF I CAN DO THAT, WHY WOULD I NEED TO WHACK YOU SOUNDLY FOR YOUR CRIME AND DEMAND “MY POUND OF FLESH” FROM YOU? IF I WAS WILLING TO DO THAT—AND THOSE EVENTS STILL STAND, RECORDED IN HISTORY BY A MULTITUDE OF WITNESSES, (I MADE SURE OF THAT!)—THEN WHAT A WASTE OF DIVINE ENERGY IT WOULD BE…WHAT A WASTE OF HUMAN RESOURCES (!) FOR ME TO WHALE ON EVERY PERSON FOR EVERY SIN! NO, NO! WHAT I WANT IS YOUR LOVE AND FREELY OFFERED DIVINE SERVICE. I WANT YOUR VOLUNTARY OBEDIENCE TO MY DIRECTIVES BECAUSE THEY WILL MAKE YOU WISE AND PRODUCTIVE AND HAPPY. THAT’S THE WAY I WANT THINGS IN THE NEW EARTH I AM PREPARING. NOW I’M ON THE LOOKOUT FOR LIKELY CANDIDATES FOR ADOPTION, BECAUSE I NEED WHOLE BUNCHES OF DAUGHTERS AND SONS TO HELP ME RUN THINGS THERE. THAT’S WHY I’M OFFERING EVERYONE ENDLESS POST-MORTEM EXISTENCE! ALL THEY NEED TO DO IS GET ON BOARD, BY FAITH—DOES WHAT I DID AT THE RESURRECTION OF MY FIRSTBORN SON, JESUS, HELP YOU TO TRUST ME NOW?—AND THEN START KEEPING HIS DIRECTIVES FOR LIFE (WHICH I GAVE HIM TO FOLLOW AND TO DEMONSTRATE AND TEACH YOU, TOO) SO THAT YOU ALL MATURE AND BECOME LIKE US IN CHARACTER AND POWER. WOULDN’T THAT BE FUN?! I WANT YOUR JOY TO BE FULL AND REAL! HOWEVER, TRUTH BE TOLD, THERE IS A “PLAN ‘B’,” BUT YOU’RE NOT GONNA LIKE IT…BESIDES, I DON’T LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IT. Maybe later. [8/12/07]
The Premial Atonement 