Self-styled “evangelical” theology of the Atonement is so strapped to medieval categories of “satisfaction,” etc., that it finds it all but impossible to come to terms with the pure categories of Scripture alone. This overcomplication of the Gospel largely accounts for the “forensic BLINDNESS” of Evangelicals to the simple resurrectionary explanations of apostolic scripture. To be sure, the apostles themselves would never have recognized the so-called “evangelical” version of the atonement as the Evangel at all! It’s misrepresentation of the Father, and of what the Son was suposedly doing relative to Him, would have brought an immediate and shocked outcry of protest. [6/08/10]
The main hindrance to human salvation has never been human sin, nor God’s reluctance to forgive, much less any necessity of His to require payment for sin by an expression of His wrath (to demonstrate His “holiness,” “[penal!] justice,” whatever) before He could forgive sin. The prime hindrance to our salvation is our distrust of God. Satan, in the guise of the Serpent of Eden, was the instrument of planting doubt in the human heart. He supplied a contradictory explanation to the one given by God. This challenge was necessary in order that Adam and Eve might overcome falsehoods and grow in their trust of God, which was the only route to true human maturity. But they failed the test or trial of their young faith and sinned by eating the forbidden fruit; this was the outworking of their unbelief concerning God. Their restoration, therefore, would require overcoming their distrust/unbelief. This need was forthwith supplied by God in the history of His personal revelation that we find in the Bible. By this means He established a credible track record of powerful historic deeds that brought the very salvation that humans had come to believe He was reluctant to offer. This was God’s most direct method of dealing with human sin, although it may seem roundabout. This strategy best honors creatures made in God’s own image and likeness. For in order to deal properly and effectively with sin–a voluntary human behavior–it was necessary to appeal to the human will by restoring faith in the Creator, who alone could adequately handle the problem.
So the big question is really, “HOW DOES THE CROSS/ RESURRECTION OVERCOME DISTRUST?” The apostolic answer to that question is simplicity itself. Human distrust breeds hostility and enmity within us. To overcome this attitude God sent His own Son as a human being to teach and demonstrate what God desires from humanity, fully aware that this mission would call down the fury and wrath of Satan himself at the hand of corrupt human authorities, thus leading to his inevitable execution. But not to worry! For this little snag would allow God TO DEMONSTRATE AT FULL SCALE THE MAGNITUDE OF HIS LOVE AND ABSENCE OF HOSTILITY/ENMITY ON HIS PART, SO AS TO EFFECT THE CONCILIATION OF HIS ENEMIES AND OF THE IRREVERENT WHEN THEY HEAR THIS ASTOUNDING NEWS. THE NATURAL EFFECT OF THIS ENDEARING STORY IS TO GENERATE FAITH/TRUST WITHIN ITS HEARERS. For who could possibly have expected the Son of God to die at the hands of sinners and yet that God the Father would possibly allow the murder WITHOUT INSTANTLY RETALIATING, BUT WOULD INSTEAD REVERSE OUR TRAGIC CRIME BY RAISING THE VICTIM FROM THE DEAD AND REPAYING HIM SUCH A BONANZA FOR ALL HIS TROUBLE THAT THE WHOLE WORLD OF SINFUL MANKIND COULD HAVE NEW LIFE AND FULL PARDON TOO? But there you have it. WOW!!! [6/08/10]
The Premial Atonement 