If, rather than the throwaway remark Jonathan Edwards [Sr.] did make—“Could God be satisfied by Christ’s earnest and honest REPENTANCE on behalf of humanity, or was his death necessary for satisfaction, forgiveness, and atonement to occur?” (all emphases added)—he had instead quipped something like, “Could God be satisfied by Christ’s loyal and faithful OBEDIENCE such that he was deemed worthy of receiving all the Covenant blessings promised of old, and could thereafter rightfully mediate their redistribution on behalf of humanity, or etc.?” Edwards might have put John McLeod Campbell onto a fruitful path of discovery, or rather rediscovery, of a more authentically apostolic gospel. Instead, not only was Campbell led down a rabbit trail, but his results prompted a further wayward bit of trailblazing by Robert Campbell Moberly at the dawn of the twentieth century. Results, of course, were mixed, as usual. But on the plus side came a fresh plowing of the field conjoining the doctrine of the Atonement with the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, and none should begrudge Moberly that solid advance. After all, this result was not so ‘far afield’ from the revivalist Jonathan Edwards’ labors, as it turns out. May we see yet more, greater, and even deeper revivals as long-term fruits! (2/17/11; 2/18/24)
The Protestant so-called “doctrine of justification” is only secondary to and derivative from the more fundamental “doctrine of atonement.” i.e., the climactic Messianic event of the Gospel. Once the Atonement is properly understood, the matter of justification follows naturally in due course. By contrast, a “penal substitution” assumption concerning atonement will cause any subsequent treatment of justification to boggle. This is because the Atonement, in actuality, entailed the exclusively premial execution of divine justice, not its penal manifestation in any respect. So the justification of all who trust this Gospel is premised on the positive divine judicial decision of doing justice to the Lord Jesus Christ via resurrection on earth and enthronement in Heaven, along with the subsequent sending of the Holy Spirit to all who believe, in order to perfect/mature their faith by good works in the New Covenant version of justness (apart from Moses’ Law). [2/21/11; 2/19/24]
Penal satisfaction (in tandem with its fraternal twin, penal substitution) is so extremely entrenched and nearly ineradicable for the simple reason that it “satisfies” the reflex for instant punishment and gratifies the carnal urge for immoderate revenge, all under the hollow pretext of God’s need to punish every sin to the fullest extent of the law, i.e., to get full satisfaction/payment for all his injuries from human beings.
The appalling example this sets for human behavior, which is quite sufficiently punitive without it, should go without saying. But the risky job of actually saying it, in view of the consequent punitive backlash it is likely to provoke among a smugly orthodox officialdom, still remains to be done and its disturbing effects to be seen. May God grant the grace to declare this singularly disgraceful state of affairs without flinching, regardless of predictable acting out by its defenders. [2/23/11]
The vigorous alleging of a penal atonement serves to justify its defenders to behave in similar manner via mimetic reflex. It has, accordingly, become an historic habit, contrary to the general tenor of the entire New Covenant ethic of Jesus and his apostles. How can this be? How can this continue? [2/24/11]
When we say that a person is “righteous” or “just,” do we first of all or above all or, yes, even at all think of them as “PUNITIVE AGAINST EVILDOERS”? Rather, don’t we first of all think of them as upright, honest, judicious, virtuous, kind, merciful, tolerant, thoughtful, forgiving, generous, true-to-their-word, gently corrective, and so forth? Why, then, when it comes to God’s righteousness, do we get it all backwards and upside down? How have our theologians and preachers so betrayed us…nay, betrayed God and His clear Word? [2/24/11]
The Premial Atonement 