SUBSTITUTIONARY ATONEMENT: A THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION PAPER

BASED ON

DEVER, MARK AND MICHAEL LAWRENCE, IT IS WELL: EXPOSITIONS ON

SUBSTITUTIONARY ATONEMENT. (WHEATON:CROSSWAY, 2010)

BY

MOBOLAJI OLANIYI

SUBMITTED TO
DR. BENJAMIN SKAUG, PH.D ( SYSTH 3063)
SOUTHWESTERN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, TEXAS

APRIL 17, 2023

 The doctrine of substitutionary atonement is becoming a debate among the so-called Christian

theologians and even in our churches today. This a doctrine that supposed to be central to the tenets of the

Christian church but unfortunately it is gradually becoming a forgotten message in the church. So many

researchers and theologians have questioned this doctrine but the Bible is filled with pages that confirm

the doctrine of substitutionary atonement. Today, according to Mark Dever, “the cross is hard to find in

many evangelical churches…the cross seems to be fading in public worship…It seems to be disappearing

from our songs and our sermons” 1 In other words, the church has practically abandoned the cross and

there is an increasing hostility to the doctrine of substitutionary atonement for our sins.

What is substitutionary atonement? Simply put, according to Dever, it is all about Jesus “ the

Lamb who was slain for us”2 It is further defined or referred to as “penal substitute” 3 by Dever who

defines it in relation to the Passover in Exodus chapter twelve as “Jesus stood as a substitute for his

people, taking the penalty that was due to those who deserved it.” 4 It is a message of what happened when

Jesus died on the cross. It teaches us that Jesus died in our place on the cross, bearing the anger of God

that was supposed to be poured on us. It means that Jesus took the punishment, the pain, and the death we

deserve upon himself on the cross. He went to the cross for us- the real sinners. To some, who do not

believe in this doctrine of the church, it is a doctrine that portrays God as inhuman and unloving to have

put such agony on someone who does not deserve it. Yet the scripture proves that it is rather a show of

God’s love to the world. (John 3:16).

Substitutionary atonement is about Jesus shedding his blood on the cross for our sins in order that

God will not have to descend on us with the judgment we deserve. Just like the blood of the lambs was

used on the doorpost of the Israelites in Egypt so the angel of destruction will pass over the houses

wherever he sees the mark of the blood (Exodus 12), so it is that someone – Jesus the Son of God would

shed his own blood as a substitutionary sacrifice for us. It means that “without the shedding of blood there

1
Dever, Mark and Michael Lawrence, It Is Well: Expositions on Substitutionary Atonement. (Wheaton: Crossway,
2010), 16.
2
Dever and Lawrence, 18.
3
Dever and Lawrence, 19
4
Dever and Lawrence, 19

2
is no forgiveness.”5 (Heb. 9:22). Substitutionary atonement is also understood as Jesus giving his life for

ours so that we would live. It is exactly what one of our hymn writers - Frances R. Havergal pictures

when he wrote:

“I gave My life for thee, My precious blood I shed,

That thou mightst ransomed be, And quickened from the dead;

I gave, I gave My life for thee, What hast thou done for Me?

I gave, I gave My life for thee, What hast thou done for Me?”6

This hymn clearly defines what substitutionary atonement truly means and it also requires a response

from us –the beneficiaries.

Substitutionary Atonement fulfilled by Christ in the scriptures: The scriptures give us clear

understanding of how Jesus Christ fulfils this doctrine. First, Isaiah 52:13-53:12 is the teaching of the

suffering servant which is divided into five stanzas namely:

1. The supreme irony of the Servant (52:13-15) – The servant will be exalted but will also

experience great humiliation and suffering.

2. The supreme rejection of the Servant (53:1-3) – Despite all the proofs of Jesus being the Messiah,

he was still rejected.

3. The supreme, substitutionary suffering of the Servant (53:4-6)- He took on the suffering that we

deserve.

4. The supreme injustice against the Servant (53:7-9)- Though innocent, He quietly accepted to die

in our stead.

5. The supreme reward of the Servant (53:10-12) 7 – He was exalted after going through all these for

us .

Jesus according to Dever in the passage cited above was the One “Crushed for our iniquities.” 8

5
The NIV Bible, (Hebrews 9:22).
6
https://hymnary.org/text/i_gave_my_life_for_thee#Author
7
https://frbible.org/the-victorious-suffering-servant-isa-5213-5312/
8
Dever and Lawrence, 68.

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 Secondly, the gospel of Mark 10:45, describes Jesus as the “Ransom for many.” This is the act of

service that Jesus did to the entire human race. He gave his life as ransom by dying for our sins, he paid

with his life to release us from bondage because we cannot even afford to pay for our sins on our own. So,

Jesus made himself the substitute so that at the cost of his life we will gain freedom. Ransom therefore

means substitution that puts Jesus in the place of many, the transaction that only Jesus was qualified to

do. Jesus is the only one who was qualified to be the substitutionary atonement for the human race

because he is the only sinless, and blameless one.

Likewise, the sacrificial system and the day of atonement in the book of Leviticus chapter 16

shows that before Jesus’ death, animal sacrifices were required by God from the Israelites to compensate

for the sins they committed. It implies that a life had to be taken for a life to be spared and this is what

Jesus finally came to do for us so that we would need no animal sacrifices anymore. He did it once and

for all unlike the Old Testament covenant that requires the repetition of such animal sacrifices annually.

Jesus though sinless also became the “scape goat” as mentioned in Leviticus 16:22 to take away our sins

and guilt. That is why the substitutionary atonement of Christ is further proven in Hebrews 10:1-10:

1The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the

realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated

endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. 2

Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers

would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for

their sins. 3 But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. 4 It is

impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5 Therefore, when

Christ came into the world, he said. “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,

but a body you prepared for me;6 with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were

not pleased.7 Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—I

have come to do your will, my God.’”8 First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings,

burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with

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 them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law. 9 Then he said,

“Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the

second. 10 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the

body of Jesus Christ once for all.9

Other scriptural indications that viewed Jesus’ death as substitutionary atonement for our sins are:

 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself

all things…by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross (Colossians 1:20).

 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s

wrath through him! (Romans 5:9).

 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. (Romans 3:25).

 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins. (Ephesians 1:7).

 You who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

(Ephesians 2:13).

Application of this great theme in Ministry Setting: In our ministries, the substitutionary

atonement could be applied by firstly acknowledging the following truths and teaching them to our

congregations and even to unbelievers:

1. We are all sinners who need to be rightly judged and die for our sin

2. God sent His Son Jesus Christ to pay with His life in our stead. Because we cannot pay

for our sins on our own.

3. We must believe and accept the perfect work of salvation done by Christ for us on the

cross before we can be freed and saved eternally.

Secondly, when we understanding substitutionary atonement it enables us believers to realize that

we are right with God and it affects how we think about and relate to God, and others. It will help us

preach and sing regularly about the Cross with the right message to the congregation.

9
The Bible NIV

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 Thirdly, the understanding of substitutionary atonement can also be useful in “counseling our

counselees to see that because of Christ’s substitutionary atonement they can have relief from guilt and

shame, a proper view of forgiveness, and access to the Father.” 10 In other words, it will help us to

properly present Christ to those who are still thinking they must work for their own salvation or those

who feel their sins are too much to be forgiven.

Finally, the understanding of substitutionary atonement should prompt us believers into praise,

thanksgiving and life of worship for all Jesus did to give us salvation. A song by Andre Crouch comes to

mind:

How can I say thanks for the things You have done for me?

Things so undeserved, yet You gave to prove Your love for me;

The voices of a million angels could not express my gratitude

All that I am and ever hope to be, I owe it all to Thee

To God be the glory/3x For the things He has done

[Chorus 2] With His blood He has saved me. With His power He has raised me;

To God be the glory for the things He has done

[Bridge]

Just let me live my life, let it pleasing, Lord to Thee

And if I gain any praise, let it go to Calvary11

10
https://www.9marks.org/article/why-penal-substitutionary-atonement-matters-for-counseling/
11
https://genius.com/Andrae-crouch-my-tribute-lyrics