Penal Substitutionary Atonement

          Penal Substitutionary Atonement is the doctrine that Christ died as a substitute
     for sinners, taking on their sins and bearing them on the cross.  It was a full payment
     for sins, satisfying the wrath and righteousness of God, setting the believer free from
     the penalty due them, because of their disobedience (Theopedia).

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          Penal Substitution may sound like a dry subject, but it is the reason Jesus came in
     human form and gave Himself on the cross.

          It is found in the Old Testament and the New Testament.

          It is found in the passover lamb in Exodus, when God told Moses and Aaron to tell
     the congregation of Israel that each household was to take a one year old male lamb,
     without blemish, and kill it at twilight.

     Then they were to take the blood of the lamb and put it on their doorposts as a sign for
     God to pass over those homes when He struck the land of Egypt, killing the firstborn
     and executing judgment on the gods of Egypt.

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          Isaiah 53 tells us of the Messiah who was to come as a "Suffering Servant," to be a
     substitute for the people of God, to die in their place, and rise and intercede for them in
     the presence of God the Father.

          The Servant has seven unique qualifications:

          1. He suffers rejection, oppression, affliction, and horrible pain.

          2. He was sinless.

          3. He voluntarily gave His life.

          4. He suffered vicariously, according to the will of God.

          5. He dies in behalf of others.

          6. He suffers in behalf of others.

          7. He was a guilt offering.


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          Through His death and resurrection, Jesus:

          *Brings peace and heals (spiritually).

                         "But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed
                          for our iniquities;  the punishment that brought us peace was
                          upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed (forgiven)."
                          Isaiah 53:5


          *Makes many to be accounted righteous while bearing their sins.

                         "... by His knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
                           and He will bear their iniquities."  Isaiah 53:11b


          *Redeems  His people from the law's curse.

                        "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a
                          curse for us, for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who is hung
                          on a tree.'"  Galatians 3:13


          *Cancels believers' record of debt.
             Because Christ was nailed to the cross, our  legal debt has
     been completely forgiven.  Christ took upon Himself the penalty that we
     were under because of our disobedience, and His death fully
     satisfied God's necessary demand for due punishment of that disobedience.

                       "When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of
                         your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ.  He forgave
                         us all our sins, having canceled the written code,
                         with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed
                         to us;  He took it away, nailing it to the cross."  Colossians 2:13-14


          *Bears believers' sins in His body.

                       "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we
                         might die to sins and live for righteousness ..."
                         1 Peter 2:24a


          *Brings people to God.

                        "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the
                         unrighteous, to bring you to God." 
                         1 Peter 3:18a


          *Is the propitiation for believers' sins.

                        "This is love:  not that we loved God, but that He loved us
                          ('children of God,' 1 John 3:1) and sent His son as an
                          atoning sacrifice for our sins."  1 John 4:10


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          Substitution implies efficacy, which implies particularity.
         
          If Jesus' saving work is substitutionary and efficacious, then there are
     only two possibilities:

                       Either His saving work is universal and everyone is saved
                          or,
                       His saving work is particular and all whom God has chosen
                       are saved.

          Universalism is incompatible with the Bible's message, so Christ's
     atonement is vicarious, effective, and particular --- He has died to save
     His people from their sins.

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                         Sources:   Theopedia
                                          Salvation Accomplished By the Son: The Work of
                                          Christ by Robert A. Peterson