Orthodox Evangelical atonement theory teaches perforce that the ultimate logic of the Atonement is the necessity of penal retribution—the logic of God the Father. Subordinate to that is the logic of the Son of God—forgiveness. The Son manifests God as love; the Father, as “holiness.” This inner disconnect in Deity is what necessitated the Cross, putting together again what all the king’s horsepower and all the king’s manpower were powerless to achieve, for they too “had a great Fall” (though winter came early…). To give us a choice of logics to emulate (being the sinners we are) is almost to guarantee a landslide victory for avenging, i.e., unforgiveness. For if this representation of ultimate realities is anywhere near accurate, God made a big boo-boo by revealing it to sinners. [12/19/06] Only the premial justice of God, showing up at the Resurrection to reverse the fait accompli, can set the record straight and make the Story come out right.
“IMPUTATION”: A SHORT CIRCUIT
The doctrines (there are three) of so-called “imputation” amount to short circuits—wayward alternative paths of access to the meaning and power of Messiah’s saving work. Following the rewirings by Augustine, Calvin, Ames, and Piscator, the pivotal significance of Pentecost was often shunted past so that the Holy Spirit’s role in the Atonement got bypassed. Historic attempts of the Holy Spirit to gently retake full and proper governance were bitterly accused of “irregularities” and viciously downgraded: Montanists, mystics, Anabaptists, Huguenot prophets, Quakers, Moravians, Cambuslang, Great Awakening, Second Great Awakening, frontier Camp Meetings, Edward Irving, Charles Finney, Revivals, Faith Cure Movement, Scandinavian Free Church Revivals, Pentecostalism, Charismatic Movement, Third Wave, Toronto Blessing, Brownsville Revivals, etc. [12/20/06] As if we should not expect Satan to be wily enough to insinuate occasional counterfeits especially in the midst of fresh manifestations of his Enemy’s Kingdom of authentic healing and restoration! Now who’s being naïve?
The Premial Atonement 