The Doctrine of Salvation (Soteriology)

Soteriology is the sound doctrine of salvation. The Greek term σωτηρία (sótéria) is a noun and has been translated into English "salvation" (cf. Luke 1:77; Acts 4:12; 13:47; 16:17; Romans 1:16; Ephesians 1:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:8-9; 2 Timothy 2:10; Hebrews 2:10; 5:9; 1 Peter 1:9; Revelation 7:10; 12:10; 19:1). The suffix ‘ology’ is derived from the Greek suffix logia – which means to reason, to study, ‘study of’ signifying a subject of study (e.g. a branch of knowledge). Therefore, together with the term “ology” which has the sense to mean “to reason” or “to study” and the Greek term σωτηρία (sótéria) “salvation,” soteriology is the study of salvation. We teach the biblical definition and explanation of soteriology – namely, salvation is being saved from the wrath of God (cf. 1 Thessalonians 1:10) and the only way of salvation is from Yahweh (cf. Jonah 2:9).  

We teach that salvation is deliverance from the wrath of God and this deliverance is wholly of God by God’s grace alone, through faith alone, in the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work of redemption alone – that is, the perfect, sufficient, effective, and volitional merit of His perfect sinless life, His shed blood, His penal-substitutionary death on the cross, and His literal physical bodily resurrection from the dead (John 10:15; Romans 3:24-25; 4:25; 5:8; 1 Peter 1:18-19; 2:24; Revelation 7:10). 

We teach that salvation is not and has never been on the basis of human merit or fallen man’s works of the Law (cf. John 1:12; Galatians 2:16, 21; 3:21; Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 3:5).  

We teach that the believer in Jesus Christ is saved from the wrath of God by the perfect sinless life that Jesus Christ lived during His first advent. We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ not only died on the cross receiving the penalty that the elect deserved but that He also lived for their righteousness (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 John 4:9-10). 

We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ during His first advent vicariously lived and performed all the righteous requirements of the Law on behalf of everyone who would ever trust in Jesus Christ for salvation (cf. Matthew 5:17; Luke 2:27; Romans 1:3; Galatians 4:4-5). 

We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ during His first advent physically lived perfectly. We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ shed His blood and died on the cross in propitiatory penal-substitutionary sacrifice to save everyone who would ever believe in the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved from the wrath of God on Friday, Nisan 14, April 3, A.D. 33.

We teach that on the cross the Lord Jesus Christ in His body bore the punishment for the sins of everyone who would ever believe in Him for eternal life (cf. 1 Peter 2:18-24). We teach that the sins of everyone who would ever believe in Jesus Christ were charged to Jesus Christ’s account and He died on the cross for the believing sinner (cf. Isaiah 53:5-6, 10-12; 2 Corinthians 5:21). We teach that the sins of the elect were placed on Him not in Him, because He did not undergo an ontological transformation in either of His two natures – on the cross the Lord Jesus Christ was as righteous as He always was and forever will be – namely, the innocent Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the whole world (cf. John 1:29; Revelation 5:6, 9; 7:10, 17). 

We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ was physically and bodily raised from the dead on the third day after His death, that is, He was bodily raised from the dead physically on Sunday, Nisan 16, April 5, A.D. 33 for the justification of everyone who would ever believe in the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved from the wrath of God (cf. Matthew 16:21; 17:23; 20:19; 28:1-11; Luke 18:32; 24:5-7, 21, 46; Acts 10:40; Romans 4:25; 1 Corinthians 15:3-7; 1 Peter 1:20-21). 

We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to His apostles and disciples physically bodily raised from the dead in His glorified body and ate with them and taught them before His ascension to the right hand of God (cf. Psalm 110:1; Mark 16:19; Luke 24:1-53; John 20:1-21:25; Acts 1:3-11; 7:55; Romans 8:34; Ephesians 1:20; Colossians 3:1; 1 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 1:3; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2; 1 Peter 3:22; Revelation 3:21). 

We teach that there is both a logical and chronological order to the order salutis – that is, the order of salvation.  

Overview:

We teach that the atonement has been a work that the Lord Jesus Christ has perfectly performed to save everyone who would ever believe in Him alone to be saved from the wrath of God.  

We teach that the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ – namely, His perfect life, His death on the cross, His resurrection, His ascension and His exaltation has definite value for the doctrine of soteriology in the atonement (cf. Hebrews 9:11, 14; 10:10-20). 

We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ completely and perfectly accomplished the redemption of the elect by the perfect, sufficient, effective, and volitional merit of the sinless life He lived under the Law, the shedding of His blood, and His penal-substitutionary sacrificial death on the cross (cf. John 10:15; 19:30; Galatians 4:4-5; 1 Peter 1:18-19; 2:24; 1 John 1:7-9; 2:1-2; 3:16; 4:10; Revelation 1:5; 5:6, 9). 

We teach that there are seven aspects to the nature of the atonement because the perfect life and the death of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross has been predetermined, voluntary, vicarious, propitiatory, penal (i.e. penalty received), substitutional, and redemptive.  

8.2.1 The Predetermined Aspect of the Nature of the Atonement (see section 2.7 – The Eternal Decree of God). 

We teach that the atonement accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ was predetermined by God from all eternity (cf. Psalm 22:16, 18; Matthew 27:35; Mark 15:24; Luke 23:33; 24:20; John 19:18; Acts 2:22-24; 3:18; 3:27-28; 1 Peter 1:18-21).

We teach that God, from all eternity, by His perfect wisdom, holy intra-Trinitarian counsel and free will, sovereignly and unchangeably decreed and ordained to send the eternal Son of God to accomplish in space and time – that is, at the right time that God predetermined (cf. Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 53; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 1 John 4:9-10), the atonement. We teach that although the atonement happened at a moment and location in space and time the atonement was predetermined by God from all eternity and therefore the atonement transcends space and time. The atonement perfectly accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ secured for all eternity the salvation of the elect from every tribe and tongue and people and nation of mankind (cf. Matthew 15:24; Luke 19:10; John 10:11, 14-16; 19:18; Romans 9-11; Ephesians 1:3-14; Revelation 5:9).  

We teach that the death of Christ was pictured and prophesied before the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in His first advent and incarnation, and before His death in 33 AD, physical bodily resurrection, ascension and exaltation. The indelible proof of the predetermined aspect of the nature of the atonement is inseparably constrained to the many types and prophesies in the OT concerning the death of Christ. For example, the penal-substitutionary death of Christ and the need of His righteous life for an imputation was proclaimed by God in the protoevangelium from Genesis 3:15, and this protoevangelium was pictured by God with the animal that died to provide garments of skin for Adam and his wife to clothe (i.e. cover) them (cf. Genesis 3:20-21). Such animal sacrifice that pictures the protoevangelium is the red thread that extends throughout the entire Word of God from Abel’s sacrifice (cf. Genesis 4:4), to Abraham’s sacrifice on Mount Moriah (cf. Genesis 22:13), to the latter Patriarchal sacrifices in the book of Genesis and that of Job (cf. Genesis 8:20; 12:8; 26:25; 33:20; 35:7; Job 1:5, 8; 2:3; 16:19; 19:23-26; 42:7-9), to the Passover lamb in Egypt (cf. Exodus 12:1-28), to the Levitical sacrifices (cf. Leviticus 1-7), to the high Priest’s sacrifice on the day of Atonement (cf. Leviticus 16-17), to Manoah’s burnt offering (cf. Judges 13:16-23), to Elkanah’s yearly sacrifice (cf. 1 Samuel 1:21), to Samuel’s offerings (cf. 1 Samuel 7:9-10; 16:2-5); to David’s offerings (cf. 2 Samuel 6:18), to Elijah’s offering (cf. 1 Kings 18:38), to Isaiah’s prophetic message sometime around 739-681 B.C. (cf. Isaiah 53:1-12), to Hezekiah’s offerings (cf. 2 Chronicles 29:21-24), to Ezra, Nehemiah and the people’s offerings (cf. Ezra 3:3-6; 10:32-33) – for all these examples from the OT pictured the protoevangelium (cf. Genesis 3:15) because they all pointed to the one great sacrifice performed by the Lord Jesus Christ offering Himself undo death on the cross to make propitiation for the sins of His people (cf. Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 2:9-10; 14-17; Revelation 1:5-6; 5:9).   

We teach that it forever has been the predetermined plan and predestined purpose of God for the Lord Jesus Christ to die on the cross in vicarious propitiatory penal-substitutionary atonement for everyone who would ever trust in the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved from the wrath of God, thus atoning for sin, accomplishing redemption of the elect forever, and reconciling sinners to God (cf. Luke 22:42; Acts 2:23; 4:28).

We teach that the death of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross was not an accident or an afterthought, but instead was the predetermined and accomplished definite eternal purpose of God. 

We teach that the ultimate explanation for predestination is found in the redemptive, predetermined, voluntary, vicarious, propitiatory, penal-substitutionary atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ and His resurrection from the dead (cf. Acts 2:23-24).

8.2.2 The Voluntary Aspect of the Nature of the Atonement

We teach that the atonement has been a work that the Lord Jesus Christ performed, because it did not come upon Him against His will or unknowingly and unexpectedly, but because His atoning death on the cross resulted from a volitional and certain decision on His part, when He could have avoided it (cf. Matthew 26:39; 53). The atoning death of the Lord Jesus Christ is a work because of what it accomplished for the beneficiaries of His death (cf. Hebrews 9:15-17, 28). We teach that as the Mediator of the New Covenant the Lord Jesus Christ willfully serves as the Benefactor for His beneficiaries, providing for them an eternal inheritance and such could only be provided to the beneficiaries if indeed the Benefactor knew that He would die and therefore volunteered Himself unto death by the act of His volition (cf. Philippians 2:8; Hebrews 12:2). 

We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ’s death on the cross was voluntary, for He died voluntarily so that He could save the elect (cf. Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45; John 10:17-18; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 5:25; Philippians 2:5-8; 1 Timothy 2:6; Titus 2:14; Hebrews 9:14; 1 John 3:16).

We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ was not compelled to die against His will. 

We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ knew all along what would happen to Him. He repeatedly predicted His crucifixion, yet He willfully chose to proceed into the very city (i.e. Jerusalem) and circumstances that He knew would lead to His death on the cross (cf. Matthew 16:21; 17:22, 23; 20:17–19, 28; 26:2; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22; 17:25; John 12:32-34; 13:21).

We teach that although the Lord Jesus Christ had the power to prevent His death, yet He willfully chose to die on the cross. The Lord Jesus Christ voluntarily and willfully determined to be obedient to what God the Father willed concerning the atonement and refused to be rescued after His arrest (cf. Matthew 26:39-53). 

8.2.3 The Vicarious Aspect of the Nature of the Atonement

We teach that the obedient life the Lord Jesus Christ lived (i.e. His active obedience) prepared Himself for His death as the perfect innocent sacrifice for sin (cf. Matthew 3:15-17; 26:6-13; John 1:29, 35-36; 1 John 3:5; 4:2).  

We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ not only died on the cross for the believing sinner’s penalty, but the Lord Jesus Christ also lived for the believing sinner’s righteousness (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 2:20). We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ lived for the believing sinner’s benefit and performed all the righteous requirements of the Law in the believing sinner’s place.  

We teach that the purpose of the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ is the redemption of the lost through the Lord Jesus Christ’s perfect life lived under the Law as well as the Lord Jesus Christ’s death on the cross (cf. Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45; Romans 5:10; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 2:20; 4:4-5; 1 John 4:9). 

We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ died for the sins of others (cf. Isaiah 53; Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45 1 Peter 3:18; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 5:8; John 8:46; 10:11; 1 Peter 2:22-24; Hebrews 4:15; 1 John 3:5).  

As the sin-offering and perfect substitute, the Lord Jesus Christ during His first advent had to have been sinless in His entire life to be prepared as the perfect sin-offering. He had to have lived perfectly under the Law, with a perfect record in order to be the vicarious sacrifice for sinners (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 John 3:5). 

8.2.4 The Propitiatory Aspect of the Nature of the Atonement

The Biblical term propitiation means to satisfy the wrath of God.  

We teach that Christ’s sacrifice is both a pecuniary and penal satisfaction. In other words, payment (redemptive aspect) and penalty (legal aspect) meet together in propitiation. 

We teach the following features concerning the propitiation aspect of the nature of the atonement:   

The Greek term found in Luke 18:13 for “be merciful” is ἱλάσκομαι (hilaskomai) and is the verb form of the word propitiation (i.e. to satisfy the wrath of another). Its noun form, namely ἱλαστήριον (hilastérion) was used in Romans 3:25a to refer to the vicarious propitiatory penal substitutionary death of Christ: “whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith” (cf. 1 Jn 2:2; 4:10; Heb 2:17). It is also used in Hebrews 9:5 as a noun, ἱλαστήριον (hilastérion), referring to the mercy seat – the mercy seat was the chair on top of the Ark of the Covenant which the High Priest on the Day of Atonement would sprinkle with the blood of the sacrifice (cf. Leviticus 16-17). The OT description of the Day of Atonement was a type of what Jesus Christ would do once and for all (i.e. provide full perfect atonement and satisfy the wrath of Almighty God through His finished cross work cf. Heb 9:11-14). 

In the context of the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ, Hebrews 2:17 describes the nature of the atonement when the text reads, “Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” The word used in Hebrews 2:17 for “to make propitiation” is the Greek word ἱλάσκεσθαι (hilaskesthai) from ἱλάσκομαι which means “to satisfy the wrath of another.” This pertains to the nature of the atonement, namely that the Lord Jesus Christ serves as both the Great High Priest and the sacrifice for sin, serving as a substitute for those joined to Him (i.e. the elect), exhausting the wrath of God in its completeness on the cross in the place of His people. 

The propitiation aspect of the nature of the atonement pertains to the absolute fullness of a payment for the sins of the people, having the wrath of God in an absolute completed manner poured out upon the substitute, who takes the place of those who are joined in union with Him, therefore satisfying the wrath of God. 

As mentioned above, the noun propitiation was used in Hebrews 9:5, namely ἱλαστήριον (hilastērion), and is translated as mercy seat. To this effect, the word propitiation represents what was called the mercy seat in the OT. The mercy seat symbolized God’s presence and signified where God would sit among His people anthropomorphically speaking. The mercy seat was the cover of the Ark where sacrificial blood was sprinkled as a means of picturing propitiation. Animal sacrifices in the OT were types that pictured the Lord Jesus Christ propitiating (satisfying) God’s wrath. Leviticus 1:1-7:38 reveals six offerings in which the OT saint would participate in obedience to Yahweh. These offerings were the burnt offering, the grain offering, the sin offering, the guilt offering, the ordination offering, and the sacrifice of peace offering (cf. Lev 7:37-38). Concerning the burnt offering Leviticus 1:4 reads, “He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, that it may be accepted for him to make atonement on his behalf.” This is the first of fifty-six times the word atonement is found in Leviticus. The verb for atonement in Leviticus is from the Hebrew trilateral verb root כָּפַר (kaphar) and means, “to be atoned for; make amends, pardon, release, appease, forgive, annulled, covering over and therefore forgetting sin.”  What is more, the Hebrew noun for the word atonement is כַּפֺּ֫רֶת (kapporet) and means, “traditionally, ‘mercy seat’ the golden cover on the Ark of the Covenant, the place where atonement is made.” It was through these sacrifices in place of the OT saint’s sin, that atonement was pictured and demonstrated how the OT saint maintained his relationship with Yahweh. God demands an innocent blood sacrifice to atone for sin (cf. Leviticus 17:11; Hebrews 9:22). At this point one must appeal to the NT where one sees that the OT sacrificial system pointed to the ultimate one-time sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross for the forgiveness of the sins that were committed by everyone who would ever believe in Him for eternal life, including the OT saint. Propitiation has to do with a covering, as God is going to pour out His wrath against the unredeemed, the ungodly, and the impenitent. The only hope of escape from that outpouring of wrath is to be covered by the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. The believing sinner is covered with the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, covered with the blood and righteousness of Christ (cf. Genesis 3:20-21; Matthew 5:20; 22:11-14; Galatians 3:27 see together with Romans 6:3). In conclusion, the OT Hebrew word for “atonement” is Kaphar and is used no less than eighty-eight times, and it is defined as “to cover over, pacify, appease, or make propitiation.”

In Leviticus 16, the Day of Atonement ceremony is described where two goats participate in the ceremony, one goat to signify a substitutionary sacrifice and the other goat sent out into the desert to signify removal of sin or expiation (see also Leviticus 17; 23:26-44). Once a year on the Day of Atonement the high priest of the people of Israel would go into the Holy of Holies where the mercy seat was located and sprinkle the blood of the innocent sacrifice on the mercy seat for the sins of the people. This is so important to grasp because that is what Christ has done for everyone who would ever believe in him. The two goats served as a sacrificial type that points to and has been fulfilled by Jesus Christ’s one-time sacrifice of Himself on the cross because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins (cf. Heb 10:1-4).  This is a truthful description and explanation of the word propitiation. After Jesus Christ offered up Himself on the Cross as a one-time substitutionary sacrifice for sin He was then raised to life from the dead on the third day and then sat down at the right hand of God. This means that Jesus Christ now sits on God’s throne (cf. Psalm 110:1; Matthew 22:44; 26:64; Mark 14:62; 16:19; Luke 22:69; Revelation 3:21). Therefore, Jesus Christ is the fulfillment and fullness of the true meaning and purpose of the mercy seat.

We teach that God’s holy and righteous demands have been satisfied in the death of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. We teach that the Law demanded righteousness, but the Law cannot provide righteousness to the fallen race of Adam (cf. Romans 3:21-31; 5:13-14; 7:5-25; 10:3-4; Galatians 2:21; 3:17-29 emphasis v. 21). God has provided righteousness apart from the Law in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who fulfilled the Law (cf. Matthew 5:17; Romans 10:4; Galatians 2:20; 4:4-5).  

We teach that all the attributes of God were on display at the Cross of Christ. For example, while maintaining His holiness and justice, the Bible also affirms that God is love, and that in love He has sent the Lord Jesus Christ to be the propitiation for our sins (cf. 1 John 4:8-10). 

We teach that propitiation reveals the love of God and the love of God is defined and seen in the propitiation (cf. 1 John 4:9-10).   

We teach the love of God in the propitiation that the Lord Jesus Christ has accomplished in His sacrificial death on the cross. Propitiation is the manifestation and the unfolding of the true significance of the nature and expression of Divine love.

8.2.4.1 The Sound Doctrine of Expiation

We teach the aspect of the atonement called propitiation is related to expiation and it is important to identify that there is a distinction between propitiation and expiation. The words propitiation and expiation are clearly biblical. Biblically propitiation places emphasis on the reality that a blood sacrifice has satisfied God‘s wrath toward the guilty person and that He is no longer in enmity with the guilty but instead fellowship and favor has been restored with God. Propitiation has to do with bringing about satisfaction, whereas expiation has to do with taking something away. The term expiation is a compound word with the prefix ex which means “out of” or “from,” and piation which is Latin for the sense of atonement. Therefore, expiation means “out of atonement.” Theologically, therefore, expiation has to do with the atonement removing something or taking something away and that is specifically the removal of the guilt of sin (cf. Leviticus 16:7-10, 20-22, 26; Romans 11:26-32; Colossians 2:14; 1 John 1:7; ). In biblical and theological terms, expiation has to do with taking away guilt through the payment of a penalty or the offering of an atonement. Propitiation has to do with God’s wrath towards the believing sinner being removed because the wrath of God has been satisfied by the sacrificial atonement accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ, whereas expiation has to do with the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ in the removal of the guilt of our sins. In other words, in the result of the Lord Jesus Christ’s death on the cross, His work of expiation is inseparable to propitiation – our guilt is removed and therefore God’s wrath toward us is satisfied. 

We teach that God’s wrath toward the believing sinner is satisfied by the atoning work of Christ, we teach that the believing sinner is covered by the blood of the atoning work of Christ and we teach that because of the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ the guilt of our sins is removed (cf. Matthew 26:27-28; John 1:29). 

We teach that there is no wrath for those whose sins have been paid (cf. 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 5:9). 

8.2.5 The Penalty Aspect of the Nature of the Atonement

We teach that by His death on the cross the Lord Jesus Christ bore the penalty of our sins and has eternally paid the sin debt that we owe to God (cf. John 19:30; Colossians 2:13-15; 1 Peter 2:24;).   

We teach that God is perfectly holy and just and cannot look on wickedness with favor (cf. Proverbs 17:5; Isaiah 59:2; Habakkuk 1:13). We teach that the only position that the all-holy God has toward sin is wrath (cf. Romans 1:18). We teach that if God ever allowed sin to go unpunished, He would be denying His perfections of holiness and justice. We teach that sin is antithetical to God’s perfect holy nature. Therefore, we teach that God has an uncompromising position towards sin – namely, sin must be punished. God cannot excuse sin without the penalty of death because without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness for sin (cf. Romans 6:2-3; Hebrews 9:22). 

God cannot pardon sin merely on the ground of the sinner’s repentance, for that would be impossible for God to do because God is righteous (cf. Proverbs 17:15). In order for there to be forgiveness there must be blood atonement. Therefore, in order for God to pardon a sinner and to remain righteous at the same time, Christ paid the sinner’s penalty (cf. Hebrews 9:22). The Lord Jesus Christ had to die if God was to both justify the ungodly and Himself, to maintain and publicly display His justice, holiness and love (cf. Romans 3:23-26; 1 John 4:8-10). 

God’s love bore the penalty and judgment toward sin – the penalty and judgment toward sin that God’s holiness and justice demands and requires – namely, the Lord Jesus Christ died in our place, paying the penalty that we owe God (cf. Galatians 3:13; 1 John 4:9-10). 

We teach that Jesus Christ on behalf of all the elect, satisfied for all eternity God’s holy requirement that no sin go unpunished. Therefore, every sin that was committed by the elect that could separate them from God – that is, every sin in word, thought, or deed has been “nailed to the cross,” appeasing God’s wrath against the elect forever (cf. Colossians 2:14).  

We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ rendered Himself as the guilt offering to God when He died on the cross in the place of sinners (cf. Isaiah 53:10-11). We teach all of the individual guilt of the redeemed in Christ was transferred to the innocent Substitute (i.e. the Lord Jesus Christ) and He paid the penalty of death for their sins.  

8.2.6 The Substitutional Aspect of the Nature of the Atonement

We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross received the punishment for our sins in our place as our substitute (cf. Matthew 17:27; 20:28; Mark 10:45; Luke 19:10; John 15:13; 19:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 2:20; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 4:10; 1 Peter 2:24; 3:18).   

The biblical theology of the nature of the atonement unequivocally reveals that the Substitute pays the debt that the believing sinner owes God. This particular aspect of the nature of the atonement, namely that God would provide the perfect substitute for the elect, is foreshadowed in the OT sacrificial pictures, practices and types (cf. Leviticus 1:3-4; 16:20-22; 17:11). We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished what the OT sacrifices could not – that is, Jesus Christ removed sin once for all by the sacrifice of Himself on the cross (cf. 1 John 3:5). The OT sacrificial practices pictured the substitutionary aspect of the protoevangelium and therefore pointed forward to the Lord Jesus Christ’s penal-substitutionary death on the cross in the place of sinners (cf. Isaiah 53:5, 6, 10, 12; John 1:29; Acts 20:28; 1 Corinthians 5:7; Romans 3:25; Hebrews 9:12-14, 26).  

We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Substitute for sinners, for He died on the cross in substitution for everyone who would ever trust in Him to be saved from the wrath of God. 

We teach that the aspect of the atonement called substitution has the sense to mean that the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross on behalf of others to make them acceptable to God (cf. Ephesians 5:2). We teach that those who genuinely trust in Jesus Christ’s finished cross work (because He truly died for them as their substitute) are indeed reconciled to the One True God and enter into perfect fellowship with the Holy God (cf. Romans 3:23-25; 2 Corinthians 5:19; Colossians 2:14).    

Substitution has the sense to mean “instead of, in exchange for, in behalf of.”

We teach that the Greek prepositions used to explain the nature of the atonement that have been translated into the English preposition “for” such as ἀντί (anti) “instead of, in exchange for, as a substitute for, on my behalf,” (cf. Matthew 17:27; 20:28; Mark 10:45) and ὑπέρ (huper) “in behalf of” do not contradict each other, but instead both Greek prepositions contribute to the definition of the nature of the atonement being a true substitution (cf. 1 Timothy 2:6).

We teach that those for whom the Lord Jesus Christ died were joined together with Him in substitutional union (cf. Galatians 2:20; Colossians 2:20).  

8.2.7 The Redemptive Aspect of the Nature of the Atonement  

We teach redemption – namely, the sound doctrine that God has purchased our salvation through Jesus Christ. We teach that redemption is God’s effective work of grace, purchasing those for whom the Lord Jesus Christ died for on the cross from the debt of sin and bringing them to their new status – that is, redeemed, being in Christ.

We teach that salvation is completely of God by the grace of God on the basis of the redemption that is in the Lord Jesus Christ (John 1:12; Galatians 2:16, 21; 3:21; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-10; 1 Peter 1:18-19).  

We teach that redemption is a biblical aspect of the nature of the atonement because the Greek word ἀντίλυτρον (antilutron), which has the sense to mean “what is given in exchange for another as the price of his redemption, or ransom,” is one of the major themes of the Lord Jesus Christ’s cross work concerning His messianic mission during His first advent (cf. 1 Timothy 2:5-6) 

We teach that redemption has the sense of the payment in the atonement being paid to God by the death of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross and the shedding of His blood (cf. Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45; Luke 21:28; John 19:30; Romans 3:24; 8:23; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 6:20; 7:23; Ephesians 1:7, 14; 4:30; Colossians 1:14; Hebrews 9:15; 13:20; 1 Peter 1:18-21; Revelation 5:9; 14:3, 4).

Conclusion: 

In conclusion, we teach the atonement having seven aspects– namely, predetermined, voluntary, vicarious, propitiatory, penal, substitution, and redemption is the biblical view of the atonement, and therefore the correct view of the atonement. This definition takes at face value and with genuine sincere seriousness the teaching from the Word of God that the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross in the place of sinners. Likewise, it is the only position that teaches with unmistakable clarity how the Holy God can reconcile sinners to Himself. Moreover, vicarious propitiatory penal-substitutionary atonement is the only explanation that connects Jesus’ penal-substitutional death with His perfect vicarious life under the Law, living for the believing sinner’s righteousness. The Lord Jesus Christ had to live a life of perfect obedience to God under the Law, because Jesus could be our substitutionary sacrifice only if He himself was not in need of a sacrifice. In order to be the perfect substitutionary sacrifice, the Lord Jesus Christ had to be the innocent unblemished lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (cf. John 1:29, 36). The reason the Lord Jesus Christ’s substitutionary death is effectual for our redemption is because His life was perfect without sin (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 1:18-19; 1 John 3:5).  

8.2.8 Against Heresies 

We DO NOT teach the following theories of the atonement because they are heretical: the “chrispus victor” theory, the “ransom” theory, the “moral governmental” theory, the “moral influence” theory, and the “moral example” theory. Below is a description of these heretical positions so that the reader can be aware to avoid them in their belief and behavior. 

8.2.8.1 “Christus Victor” Theory

We DO NOT teach the “Christus victor” view of the atonement as formulated by Gustaf Aulén. In 1931, Gustaf Aulén published a book called “Christus Victor” where Aulén reinterpreted the classic ransom theory of atonement, who says that Christ's death is a ransom to the devil, which had held humankind in his dominion. The ransom view of the atonement (a.k.a. fishhook theory or bait and switch) is a model of the atonement that is dated to the Alexandrian theologians of the early centuries like Clement of Alexandria and Origin, and it was one of the dominant theories of the atonement for a thousand years, until Anselm of Canterbury supplanted it in the West with his satisfaction theory of atonement. 

Although we do teach that Christ is victor over the powers of evil and has defeated the devil (cf. Genesis 3:15; Psalm 110:1; John 16:11; Acts 26:18; Colossians 2:14-15; Hebrews 2:14-18; 1 John 3:8; Revelation 20:10), we do not pin this victorious aspect of the atonement over or to the neglect of the propitiatory penal-substitutionary features of the atonement. In other words, the fact that Jesus Christ has defeated the devil does not replace the penal-substitutionary aspects of the atonement.  

8.2.8.2 “Ransom” Theory

We DO NOT teach the “ransom” theory of the atonement that suggests that the death of Christ was a ransom sacrifice, usually said to have been paid to Satan, in satisfaction for the bondage and debt on the souls of humanity as a result of inherited sin. This heresy was made popular in the 4th century by the heretic Origen of Alexandria, who also promoted allegory as the chief hermeneutical principle to interpret the Bible.  

8.2.8.3 “Moral Governmental” Theory 

We DO NOT teach the “moral governmental” theory of the atonement. Hugo Grotius (c. 1583–1645) created the heretical “moral governmental” view of the atonement which suggested that punishment for sin is not essentially necessary. This “governmental” theory holds that Christ's suffering was a real and meaningful substitute for the punishment humans deserve, but it did not consist of Christ's receiving the exact punishment due to sinful people. Instead, God publicly demonstrated his displeasure with sin through the suffering of his own Son. Christ's suffering and death served as a substitute for the punishment humans might have received. On this basis, they suggest that God is able to extend forgiveness while maintaining divine order, having demonstrated the seriousness of sin and thus allowing his wrath to "pass over.” 

The “moral governmental” view of the atonement does not attach sufficient importance to the idea of propitiation, and therefore deconstructs and replaces the idea of a real satisfaction of God’s divine perfections.

The “moral governmental” theory of the atonement isolates particular attributes of God against each other and therefore makes a caricature of God. But we teach that the true theory of the atonement must satisfy and accurately represent all the divine attributes of God working at maximum capacity. 

The “moral governmental” view of the atonement substitutes the perfections of God in the atonement for utilitarianism and situational ethics. For example, it is built upon a false philosophical principle that utility and efficiency are the ground of moral obligation, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few and the chief good is the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest amount of people. The “moral governmental” view of the atonement uses only a few attributes of God as the means to the end of the greater good – that is, the greatest happiness for the greatest amount of people. Therefore, the “moral governmental view” diminishes the holiness of God, humanizes God and deifies man.   

The “moral governmental” view of the atonement is not the same as the biblical position of penal-substitutionary atonement. The “moral governmental” view of the atonement is different than the biblical position of penal-substitution, because the biblical position of penal-substitution teaches that Christ endured the precise punishment that sin deserves and paid its sacrificial equivalent. Instead, the “moral governmental” view of the atonement teaches that Christ's suffering was simply an alternative to that punishment. What is more, the “moral governmental” view of the atonement is the Arminian position and therefore with its erroneous explanation of the nature of the atonement it also holds the wrong view of the extent of the atonement, inferring a hypothetical universalism or unlimited scope of the extent of the atonement. On the other hand, penal-substitutionary atonement teaches correctly that Christ's death served as a substitute for the sins of individuals directly, therefore teaching the biblical scope of the extent of the atonement, namely, particular redemption (cf. Revelation 5:9). 

8.2.8.4 “Moral Influence” Theory 

We DO NOT teach the “moral influence” view of the atonement.  The moral influence theory of atonement was created by Abelard (c. 1079–1142 AD). Abelard isolated the attribute of God called “love” and redefined it to the neglect of all God’s attributes concerning the nature of the atonement and argued that God was not offended by sin and His wrath did not demand satisfaction but that God was only loving. However, the love of God is defined by propitiation and propitiation reveals the love of God (cf. 1 John 4:9-10). 

The ”moral influence” theory objects to the biblical position that the Lord Jesus Christ’s death on the cross was a debt paid to God to propitiate His wrath. 

8.2.8.5 “Moral Example” Theory 

We DO NOT teach the “moral example” or Socinian view of the atonement 

The “moral example” theory is the heretical prevailing theory of the atonement among Socinianism, which is non-trinitarian, denies the deity of Christ, and is the earliest form of the heretical cult called Unitarianism. 

The "moral example theory" was developed by Faustus Socinus (1539-1604) in his work De Jesu Christo servatore (1578). He rejected the idea of vicarious propitiation and penal-substitution. According to Socinus, the Lord Jesus Christ’s death offers people the perfect example of self-sacrificial dedication to God but not in the sense of predetermined, voluntary, vicarious, propitiatory, penal-substitutionary redemption. 

The distinction between the moral influence versus the moral example is that the moral influence makes a caricature of the love of God, making the love of God sentimental emotionalism, whereas the moral example places emphasis on an individual to try and earn their own salvation through their own sufferings by just following Jesus’ example of suffering to atone for their own sins. Therefore, the “moral influence” theory denies the active obedience of Christ imputed to the account of the believing sinner. Likewise, the “moral influence” theory of the atonement denies that the Lord Jesus Christ lived for our righteousness. The “moral influence” theory of the atonement denies vicarious propitiatory penal-substitution and the highly forensic righteous sound doctrine called imputation (cf. Galatians 2:20; 2 Corinthians 5:21).    

Today, the heretical Unitarian Church maintains a moral influence view of the atonement, as do many liberal Protestant theologians and liberal Protestant churches of the modern age and can be found among apostate pockets of Anglican, Methodist, Lutheran and Presbyterian churches. 

In conclusion, we DO NOT teach the moral influence theory of the atonement. On the other hand, we teach that the Lord Jesus Christ did not come for the sole purpose to set for people an example on how to live, but to die for the elect. 

We teach the biblical position on the extent of the atonement – that is, particular redemption or limited scope, namely, that Christ died only for the elect. In understanding the sound doctrine of the atonement, one must recognize two major categories, namely, the nature of the atonement (i.e. how atonement was made) and the extent of the atonement (i.e. who the atonement was made for). These two major categories of the atonement are part and parcel to one another. 

We teach the glorious efficacy of the scope of the atonement in the one offering of Christ in which perfect and complete atonement has been effectually accomplished towards all for whom it was offered.

We teach that the sound doctrine of the extent of the atonement does not provoke conflict in the Godhead. We teach that there is no confusion in the Godhead. We teach that God is not a confused God. In other words, God is not a God who elects, but then the Son of God says, “No, I'll not die for those whom God has elected. I'll also die for others.”

We DO NOT teach that God seeks to save everybody, but then is frustrated in His purposes because man  is able to frustrate God’s sovereignty with unbelief. We DO NOT teach that God is frustrated or restrained in accomplishing His purposes. 

We teach that God Has perfect knowledge and accomplishes exactly what He intended to accomplish from all eternity. 

We teach that the unbelief of man cannot frustrate or overthrow the purposes of God in the extent of the atonement.

8.3.1 The Unity between the Nature of the Atonement and the Extent of the Atonement

We teach that the vicarious propitiatory penal substitutionary death of the Lord Jesus Christ explicitly reveals the scope of the atonement as a particular redemption because His sacrifice on the cross was the perfect and compete sacrifice [e.g. “for by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified” (Heb 10:14)]. 

We teach the atonement of Christ as an eternally complete atonement. Therefore, those for whom Christ died are completely atoned for – for all eternity. If Christ’s atonement was also for the non-elect, then the non-elect also would have an eternally completed atonement based on Hebrews 10:14 (that would have to mean that they were paying for their sins a second time because in the eternal state, the lake of fire will be eternal punishment for sins that have already been eternally propitiated). However, the Bible teaches that not everyone’s sins have been atoned for because there are individuals who are sentenced to the lake of fire to pay for their sins against God (cf. Isaiah 1:28-31; 66:24; Daniel 12:2; Matthew 7:23; 25:41; Mark 9:48; Luke 16:24; Jude 7; Revelation 19:20-21; 20:11-15). A second payment for sins already atoned for is an anthropocentric argument and compromises the self-existence of God and the eternal nature of His justice (cf. Hebrews 1:8; 8:12; 9:28; 10:16-17; 26-31; 38; 11:33).

8.3.2 The Context of 1 Timothy 4:10 “πάντων ἀνθρώπων” (All Men)

One of the most debated verses concerning the extent of the atonement is 1 Timothy 4:10 which reads, “For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.” 1 Timothy 4:10 is constrained to its immediate unit context which begins in 1 Timothy 2:1 with “Παρακαλῶ οὖν πρῶτον πάντων” (“I exhort therefore, that, first of all”- KJV) and ends with 1 Timothy 4:16 “Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure the salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.” Within this unit context, that is 1 Timothy 2:1-4:16, Paul identifies “all men” πάντων ἀνθρώπων as kinds of men (e.g. kings, all who are in authority). It is the context that defines “all men” in which 1 Timothy 4:10 is constrained (e.g. same construction πάντων ἀνθρώπων). Nowhere in this context does Paul identify “all men” as the entire scope of humanity (i.e. every single person who has ever lived). Therefore, the argument for all types of men is stronger than for the entire scope of every single person who has ever lived in the history of the human race (i.e. universalism). If all men is the scope then all men has a context and is constrained to 1 Timothy 3:16 “Proclaimed among the nations” as well as understood as men from every nation as described in Revelation 5:9 which reads, “for You were slain, and You purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.” If the argument of the extent of the Atonement concerns scope it is from the scope of the nations that God is saving many men, but scope is not understood canonically as every single person who has ever lived in the history of the human race because not all are saved from the wrath of God or the Bible would contradict itself (cf. Isaiah 1:28-31; 66:24; Daniel 12:2; Matthew 7:23; 25:41; Mark 9:48; Luke 16:24; Jude 7; Revelation 19:20-21; 20:11-15).

1 Timothy 2 undoubtedly teaches the sound doctrine of the vicarious propitiatory penal substitutionary death of the Lord Jesus Christ - that is, “Who gave himself a ransom for all” (1 Timothy 2:6). “All” is to be interpreted by the context of all men without distinction or discrimination, but not all men without exception. "All" means all classes of men - that is, all groups of men and all ethnicities of men. This is the context of 1 Timothy 2. For instance, "all men" from verse 1 is "all in authority" from verse 2, and then there is "all men" from verse 4 and "all" from verse 5. "All men" does not mean the entire scope of every single person who has ever lived in the human race – “all” must be interpreted in light of the context. Therefore, Jesus died for all men without distinction or without discrimination, but not the entire scope of everyone who has or will ever live without exception. 

Context is important to identifying the meaning of the term “all” in each passage. For example, when Jesus said to his disciples “You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved” (Matthew 10:22), He did not mean that they would be hated by every single person who has ever lived in the human race without exception. Because the disciples were not hated by every single person who has ever lived without exception – for instance, the disciples were called to love one another (cf. John 13:34-35), and other believers throughout church history loved them as well (1 John 1:3; 4:12). Likewise, in Mark 5:20 "all" does not mean every single person who has ever lived without exception – “And he departed and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him; and all were marveling.” "All" in Mark 5:20 does not mean the entire scope of humanity marveled because the entire scope of humanity was not present at that particular event. Instead "all were marveling" meant those who were there in that geographical historical context marveled. Another example of “all men” not meaning the entire scope of humanity is found in Luke 6:26 which reads "Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way.” This does not mean every single person who has ever lived will speak well of you, because every single person who has ever lived will not know you. Instead, "all men" is to be interpreted as those who do know you or know of you in your sphere of influence.

In conclusion, in the context of 1 Timothy the Apostle Paul meant “all men” to mean all without distinction, not all without exception. He singled out a particular class of men, namely, kings and all in authority (cf. 1 Timothy 2:2), and Jesus died for some from that class of men as well. Then he singled out a larger class of men in the case that Jews might take exception to Gentiles (cf. 1 Timothy 2:7; Ephesians 2:11-3:7). There is no discrimination concerning those for whom Christ died because He died for Jews and Gentiles. He died for princes and peasants. He died for rich men and poor men. He died for famous men and nobodies. He died for European men, African men, Asiatic men, Hispanic men, Indian men, and Island men, etc. He died for men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation (cf. Rev 5:8-10).  

We teach that “all” in the following passages: Romans 5:18; 1 Corinthians 15:22; 2 Corinthians 5:14; 1 Timothy 2:4, 6; Titus 2:11; Hebrews 2:9; 2 Peter 3:9, do not teach hypothetical universalism but instead teach that the “all” or “all men” includes only those who are in Christ, as contrasted with all who are in Adam. If the word “all” in these passages is not interpreted in a limited scope of the atonement, they would teach universalism. 

We teach that “all men” means all men without distinction or discrimination – not “all men” without exception.

8.3.3 The Extent of the Atonement concerning Creation in the Regeneration of the Earth in the Millennial Kingdom (cf. Colossians 1:20). 

We teach that there is a broader aspect of the atonement in which Christ will restore and recreate the things that were ruined by the fall of man (cf. Matthew 19:28; Colossians 1:20; Revelation 20:1-6). For example, Colossians 1:20 explains the extent of the atonement to the created order when it reads “and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven” Colossians 1:20. This verse does not teach that fallen angels will be saved by the atonement and it does not teach that every single person who has ever lived will be saved from the wrath of God. Instead, this verse teaches that the extent of the atonement outspreads to the created order for the purpose of the restoration of natural features of flora, fauna and geophysics (i.e. the physical processes and properties of the earth), that is, reversing the curse on creation in those things that underwent ontological transformation post fall and because of the fall (cf. Genesis 3) as the consequence of Adam’s sin (cf. Romans 5; Colossians 1:20). This reversing of the curse will take place in the millennial kingdom when the Lord Jesus Christ returns and sits on David’s throne and when all the sons of God will be revealed (cf. Isaiah 55:12-13; Romans 8:19-22).

8.3.4 The Extent of the Atonement and the Doctrine of Election (also see section above 2.7.5 The Logical Order of the Decree of God)

We teach that the extent of the atonement concerns the sound doctrine of election as it relates to the fall of humanity, as well as the question, did Christ die for only a limited scope of humanity known as the elect or did he die for the entire scope of humanity (i.e. the elect and the non-elect)? 

Concerning the doctrine of election and how it relates to the fall and the redemption of man, one must examine the decree of God (see section above 2.7.5 The Logical Order of the Decree of God). God’s purpose in creation was to glorify Himself. Logically, it makes most sense that to have a plan of election, reprobation, and redemption of persons, you have to have previously thought to have created them. To this effect, the infralapsarian explanation of the divine decree makes most sense logically and includes five decrees which are;

(1) The decree of God to create the world and humanity in it. 

(2) The decree of God to allow the Fall of humanity. 

(3) The decree of God to elect some fallen humans to salvation and eternal life and predestine others to damnation and everlasting punishment. 

(4) The decree of God to provide the means of salvation (Christ) for the elect through Christ’s atonement (limited). 

(5) The decree of God to apply salvation to the elect and leave the reprobate to their deserved fate. 

Concerning the second and third decrees above, it was God’s permissive will to allow evil to enter the creation. It is God’s prescriptive will to judge evil to demonstrate His wrath and justice (cf. Romans 9:22). It is God’s prescriptive will to deliver some from the judgment on evil to make known His glory and mercy on vessels of mercy, and these vessels of mercy are known as the elect (cf. Romans 9:23). 

We DO NOT teach Amyraldianism, that the atonement is efficient for the elect, but sufficient for all. Instead, we teach that the atonement is efficient for the elect and the atonement is not to be understood in both hypothetical and categorical intentions. 

There is not both a categorical limited atonement and a hypothetical atonement in which Christ died for the elect and He died so that if anyone at all should believe, he would be saved. The Lord Jesus Christ’s death does not make the Arminian or Amyraldian hypothetic universalistic claims true. 

However, the Word of God teaches that the extent of the atonement is not a potential atonement but an actual atonement sufficient and efficient for only the elect.

8.3.6 Against Heresies

We DO NOT teach unlimited atonement. 

Some argue that the extent of the atonement is unlimited in its scope, that is, a hypothetical universalism. Proponents of unlimited atonement cannot argue a literal universalism from the Word of God because not every single person from the entire scope of humanity will escape the sentence of Hell and go to Heaven for eternity (cf. Isaiah 1:28-31; 66:24; Daniel 12:2; Matthew 7:23; 25:41; Mark 9:48; Luke 16:24; Jude 7; Revelation 19:20-21; 20:11-15). 

We DO NOT teach Amyraldianism.

We DO NOT teach Arminianism. 

We DO NOT teach that there is a dichotomy between the commercial aspect of the scope of the atonement and the legal aspect of the scope of the atonement.

We DO NOT teach that there is a double payment or double jeopardy of those who were joined to Jesus Christ in penal-substitutionary atonement. In other words, if Christ died for the sins of anyone in a true penal-substitution then those for whom He died could not pay for their own sins a second time in Hell. Therefore, we DO NOT teach double payment or double jeopardy because to suggest this is to suggest that the Jesus Christ’s atoning death on the cross was merely a potential atonement and not an actual atonement. 

We teach that true justice cannot condemn those whose sins have been forgiven because God’s wrath has been propitiated (i.e. satisfied) forever by the atoning death of the Lord Jesus Christ on their behalf. To suggest that the holy demands of God need propitiation twice, first from the Substitute and then from the sinner himself, is to suggest that God is not eternal or sovereign and is a denial of the deity of Jesus Christ and a denial of the perfect innocent humanity of Jesus Christ as the perfect sacrifice – the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.   

8.3.6 The Extent of the Atonement and the Sound Doctrine of Regeneration 

We DO NOT teach that Christ died for only some of the sins of men. Instead, we teach that Christ died for all of the sins that were ever committed by the elect. 

The Arminian would argue that Christ died for some of the sins of all men. Therefore, according to the Arminian, the one sin which Christ did not die for is the sin of unbelief. 

We teach that Christ died for all the sins of the elect including the sin of unbelief. On the other hand, the Arminian wrongly teaches that it is prevenient human power of the sinner to believe or not believe in Christ before regeneration. We teach that the unbelief of man does not frustrate the purposes of God. We teach that God first regenerates the elect and then the elect trusts in the atonement of Christ for the forgiveness of sins and as such repents unto salvation. We teach that the order salutis (i.e. order of salvation) designed by God is always and surely efficacious and cannot be frustrated by the actions of man. This applies to the purpose of saving men through the death of our Lord Jesus Christ, and is perfectly and inseparably constrained to the order salutis (i.e. order of salvation). 

The extent of the atonement is efficient and sufficient for only the elect. Those who support a limited scope of the atonement argue that Christ died for the sin of unbelief for everyone who would ever believe in Christ (these are known as the elect). Those who support an unlimited scope of the atonement wrongly argue that Christ did not die for the sin of unbelief, but died for some of the sins of the entire scope of humanity (i.e. every single person who has ever lived). Therefore, unlimited atonement also suggests that one can lose one’s salvation through unbelief after believing. What is more, if the entire scope of humanity was joined to Christ when He died on the cross for their actual sins except for their sin of unbelief, then do those who do not believe but die in unbelief - do they then pay God back for only the sin of unbelief and not their actual sins? That would contradict Ephesians 5:5-6 which reads, "For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience." Or does Christ eternally propitiate the wrath of God for their actual sins and then based on the condition of belief according to their own merit, if they refuse to believe on Christ, does God then impute their actual sins back to them? After Christ has paid for the actual sins of the unbeliever does he then pay God back a second time, satisfying His wrath for eternity?  

8.3.7 Concluding Remarks on the Finished Work of Christ in the Extent of the Atonement  

In conclusion, immediately before the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross for human sin He said these words, “It has been finished!” Then the Apostle John recorded the following: “And having bowed the head He gave up His spirit” John 19:30. “It has been finished” literally means “It has been paid!” These were among the last words of Jesus on the cross. "It has been paid!" - Tetelestai is a verb in the Greek language. It is in the perfect tense which conveys the kind of action that is a completed action with the results being ongoing. Tetelestai was a word used in the first century formally as debt payment language. It is common knowledge that through archeology the word has been found on first century papyri tax receipts, from the verb τελέω – “I accomplish, I pay.” In John 19:30 the Greek verb is used in the perfect tense – namely, tετέλεσται, a word for debt payment language. We teach that these words of Jesus were a cry of victory, for He fulfilled all righteousness perfectly, completing His earthly ministry – that is, the perfect obedience of His life under the law. Then the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross for everyone who would ever believe in Him for eternal life in predetermined voluntary vicarious penal-substitutionary redemptive atonement. We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ was raised from the dead for the justification of everyone who would ever believe in Him for eternal life.

We teach the sound doctrine called imputation, that is, imputed righteousness – the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ credited to the Christian, resulting in God declaring the Christian to be justified. We teach double imputation, that is, the imputation of all of the sins of believers to Christ in which He is the expiation for their sins (cf. 1 John 1:7) and the imputation of Christ's righteousness to believers (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:21).  

The sound doctrine of imputation teaches that in the doctrine of justification (see section Justification), God imputes or credits the righteousness (i.e. the personal merits of Christ’s perfect obedience to the Law, a.k.a. the active obedience of Christ), and the atoning death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ (a.k.a the passive obedience of Christ) to those who are in the Lord Jesus Christ – namely those who have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved from the wrath of God (cf. Luke 18:13-14; 19:10) because, in turn when Jesus Christ was dying on the cross in the first century, God imputed all of the sins of those destined for redemption to the account of the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Isaiah 53:5-6, 10-12; Matthew 16:26; 17:24-27; 20:28; Mark 15:28; Luke 22:37; John 19:30; Romans 4:1-25; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, 17-19, 21; Galatians 2:20; 3:6; James 2:23).  

We teach that the term impute means to charge or put to one’s account. We teach the righteousness of Christ is imputed to believers—that is, believers are treated as if the righteousness of Christ were theirs through faith. 

We teach that justification is the act of God in imputing and declaring His righteousness to the account of the believing sinner. 

We teach that God only justifies the believing sinner through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Romans 3:24-26; 4:25; 5:1-2). 

We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ lived perfectly fulfilling everything that God requires us to do. The Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross as an innocent sacrifice for those who would trust in Him alone to be saved from the wrath of God. At the right time, when Jesus died on the cross for the ungodly, God the Father charged to Jesus’ account all the sins of everyone who would ever believe in Him for eternal life, and in turn, God the Father charges to the believing sinner the perfect righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is called the great exchange of the cross and is explicitly taught in the Word of God when it reads, “He made Him who knew no sin, sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). This does not mean that Jesus became a sinner on the cross. In fact, He was perfectly righteous on the cross. 2 Corinthians 5:21 has the sense to mean that Jesus Christ is the perfect sacrificial offering for sin. It means that Jesus was treated as if He committed all the sins of everyone who would ever believe in Him, although He was innocent, and now God treats everyone who would ever believe in Christ only as if they lived Jesus’ perfect life.

See https://bcri.wordpress.com/2017/04/07/the-one-not-having-known-sin/

We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ not only died for our penalty but also lived for our righteousness. We teach that the believer finds acceptance by God in Jesus Christ alone. We teach that when God looks at the believer in Christ, God sees the Lord Jesus Christ and His perfect righteousness alone and atoning work, and therefore, the believer has the acceptance with God that the Lord Jesus Christ has by virtue of the Lord Jesus Christ’s perfect righteousness and atoning work. We teach that the believing sinner is given by God the righteousness of God, the only righteousness that satisfies Him – namely the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is because the Lord Jesus Christ is the representative of everyone who would ever trust in Him to be saved from the wrath of God. We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ stands in representation for the people of God forever and God sees the people of God in the Lord Jesus Christ. We teach that those who have genuinely trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved form the wrath of God – their lives are hidden with Christ in God (cf. Colossians 3:3). We teach that the believer stands in the Lord Jesus Christ and has participated in Jesus Christ’s death, burial and resurrection from the dead. We teach that because the believer has participated in the Lord Jesus Christ’s death, burial and resurrection the believer is forgiven of all their past, present and future sins and is now seated with Christ in the heavenly places, identified with the Lord Jesus Christ at the right hand of the throne of God (cf. Ephesians 2:6; Colossians 3:1). 

We teach that the sound doctrines of the great exchange of the cross and imputation are apostolic and were not invented in the reformation or by covenant theologians, but instead these sound doctrines of grace were proclaimed by the apostles and those under apostolic authority, as God chose them to write down what God wanted in the Holy Scripture (cf. Mark 15:28; Luke 22:37; Romans 4:3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 22, 23, 24-25; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Galatians 2:20; 3:6; James 2:23).

We teach the salvific spiritual union with the Lord Jesus Christ and the believer in Him is a legal and vital union. We teach the legal union concerns the Lord Jesus Christ as the last Adam being the legal representative of the elect (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:22). We teach that when God regenerates the soul of a person they are brought into vital salvific union with the Lord Jesus Christ. 

We teach that the believer has legal salvific union with Christ and that union is a federal representative union as Christ is the head of the church, the mediator of the New Covenant, who forever intercedes to God the Father as the High Priest for those with whom He is identified. When Jesus Christ died on the cross, everyone who would ever believe in Him for eternal life died with Him. Everyone who would ever believe in the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved from the wrath of God is in legal union with Christ because He is our representative, our substitute who bore our penalty, and our mediator of the New Covenant (cf. Matthew 26:28), We are raised in union with Him when He was raised from the dead (cf. Ephesians 1:19-20; 2:5-6). Therefore, since the Lord Jesus Christ is at the right hand of the Father in heaven, the believer is there in union with Him. Therefore, since the believer is identified with Him in salvific union the believer enjoys all the forensic benefits as the result of having union with the Lord Jesus Christ. The believer has died with Christ and their life is hidden with Christ in God, and as such the believer has eternal security (cf. John 10:27, 29; Romans 6:5; 8:38-39; Ephesians 2:6; Colossians 2:6, 9-15; 3:3). We teach that since the believer is identified with Christ in salvific union, the believer enjoys all the vital benefits as the result of having union with the Lord Jesus Christ, such as the ability to serve in ministry and bear fruit (cf. John 15:1-5; 1 Corinthians 12:4-30; Romans 6:22; 7:4; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 4-5; Colossians 3-4).   

We teach that our union with Christ is past, present, future and eternal (cf. Colossians 3:1-4). In the order salutis, union with Christ follows faith and precedes adoption chronologically (cf. Galatians 3:25-27). But concerning election and the predetermined aspect of the nature of the atonement, union with Christ logically precedes regeneration and justification. Concerning the nature and extent of the atonement and the physical bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, union with Christ is past, present, future and eternal (cf. Colossians 3:1-4). 

We teach that union with Christ has the sense to mean mutual indwelling of the Christian with the Triune God (cf. John 14-15). The phrase “in Christ” (e.g. Romans 16:7, 11; 8:1; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 1:4; 2:13; Colossians 2:8-15) was used many times by Paul and the Apostle John used the phrase “in Him” or “in His Son Jesus Christ” (cf. 1 John 5:20). The phrase “in me” (cf. Galatians 2:20) has the sense of personal and intimate legal and vital salvific identification of Christ with the believer. We teach that God the Holy Spirit is the agent of this union with the Lord Jesus Christ and the believer. Therefore, this union is a spiritual union (cf. 1 Corinthians 6:17; 12:13; Romans 8:9-10; Ephesians 3:16-17). 

We teach that all genuine believers in the Lord Jesus Christ have equal salvific union with the Lord Jesus Christ and therefore share this union together, having relationships with one another. 

Union with Christ has to do with the application of salvation in its beginning. We teach that the practical application of the theological truth of salvific union with Christ evidences itself in the believer fulfilling the imperative commands to seek the things above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God (cf. Colossians 3:1), set the mind on things above not things that are on the earth (cf. Colossians 3:2), and mortify (i.e. kill or trash) the old self with its lusts of deceit (cf. Ephesians 4:22; Colossians 3:5-9). The believer has already put on the new self who is being renewed and restored to the image of God in man only through the salvific union with the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Ephesians 4:23-24; Colossians 3:10-11).

8.5.1 Against Heresies 

We DO NOT teach that union with Christ is a mystic union of pantheism. For God does not have any union with the unregenerate. 

What is more, we DO NOT teach that union with Christ is a sentimental sympathetic love between two friends or a romantic union between a man and a woman, for salvific legal and vital union with the Lord Jesus Christ transcends all human unions of partiality, romance and interest. 

What is more, we DO NOT teach that union with the Lord Jesus Christ has the sense of a union of the incommunicable essence of God with the believer. The believer’s personality is not removed or absorbed into God in such a way that the personal difference and identity removes the biblical language of “me” and “I” and “You” and “Him” representing the relationship between God and the believer.  

We teach that the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is forgiven of all of their sins and as such is reconciled to God in the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. John 5:24; Romans 4:6-8; 2 Corinthians 5:19; Colossians 2:13).  

We teach that the Christian life is marked by forgiveness and as such the Christian lives in newness of life by virtue of the new birth and forgives when sinned against and wronged (cf. Matthew 18:15-35; Colossians 3:13). We teach genuine sincere forgiveness brings about genuine sincere reconciliation and both together are opposed to “moving on” as well as abandonment.  

The Greek term that has been translated into the English term “reconcile” is the Greek term καταλλάσσω (katallassó) and was used no less than six times in the NT (cf. Romans 5:10 2x’s; 1 Corinthians 7:11; 2 Corinthians 5:18, 19, 20). The Greek term καταλλάσσω (katallassó) is a compound word with the Greek preposition κατα (kata) as the prefix which has the sense to mean “according to” or “down to an exact point or terminus” together with the Greek term ἀλλάσσω (allassó) which has the sense to mean to “change” or “transform.” Therefore, the Greek term καταλλάσσω (katallassó) has the sense to mean to change from enmity to friendship by putting an exact end to enmity, hence true reconciliation. 

We teach that reconciliation is at the heart of the Christian faith, as those who have been reconciled to God in Christ Jesus are given the stewardship or management of the ministry of reconciliation (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:18-21).

We teach that reconciliation with God will bring about for the Christian a genuine concern to not be irreconcilable with other Christians (cf. Colossians 3:13). We teach that if someone professes to be a Christian but is indeed irreconcilable (i.e. an ongoing refusal to be reconcilable), then salvation has never been a reality in that professor’s life (cf. 2 Timothy 3:1-9 emphasis on v. 3). 

We teach the order salutis (order of salvation) are the aspects of salvation for all those for whom the Lord Jesus Christ died to atone for their sins.  

We teach that there is both a logical and chronological order to the order salutis – that is, the order of salvation.  

We teach that there is only one way to salvation. A person, either Israelite or Gentile, is saved from the wrath of God by God’s grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, not works of personal merit. We teach that the Israelite saints and Church age saints are saved from the wrath of God the exact same way. OT saints looked forward to the penal substitutionary atoning death of Christ to save them from their sins. NT saints look back to the penal substitutionary atoning death of Christ to save them from their sins (Romans 5:6-11; Galatians 4:4). 

We teach that the OT saints are saved the exact same way as NT saints – namely, Christ’s personal righteousness (active obedience) as well as the penal substitutionary atoning death of Christ and His resurrection for their justification (passive obedience). 

We teach that the believer is brought through the entire ordo salutis – namely, Predestination, Election, Regeneration, Calling, Faith and Repentance, Justification, Conversion, Adoption, Sanctification, Perseverance and Preservation, and Glorification. This is all to the Glory of God – “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen” (Romans 11:36).