The Foundation of the Christian Faith

 

                                                     "So it was necessary, since God had purposed
                                                       to save His church, to transfer the punishment
                                                       from them who deserved it but could not bear it,
                                                       to one who had not deserved it but could bear it.
                                                  
                                                       This transfer of punishment by divine dispensation
                                                       is the foundation of the Christian faith, indeed of
                                                       all the supernatural revelation contained in Scripture."
                                                                                                   John Owen


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                      Since sinners were incapable of bearing the penalty for their transgressions,
     due to their being dead in sin, God the Father and the Son made a divine transaction
     which would save His people.
     

                      The Father would send the Son to pay for the sins of His people, bearing
     their sins on Himself, and imputing His righteousness to them.

                     
                                                     "God made him who had no sin
                                                       to be sin for us, so that in him
                                                       we might become the righteousness
                                                       of God."
                                                                               2 Corinthians 5:21


                       Though he was without sin, he removed his people's sins, and took our
     place on the cross.


                                                     "But you know that he appeared so that he
                                                      might take away our sins.  And in him is
                                                      no sin."
                                                                                  1 John 3:5


                        God the Father being determined to save His people, gave His Son
     to purchase the church (those who believed in him), by his death for them.


                                                      "Be shepherds of the church of God,
                                                       which he bought with his own blood."
                                                                                    Acts 20:28b


                        We were cursed under the law because of our sins, but Jesus redeemed us
     by taking our place and becoming a curse for us.


                                                       "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.' (Deut. 21:23)

                                                        He redeemed us in order that the blessing
                                                        given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles
                                                        through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might
                                                        receive the promise of the Spirit."
                                                                                          Galatians 3:13-14


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                           Jesus  became the penal substitute for his people. shedding his blood
                           to pay for their sins, thereby redeeming and saving them.


                           J.I. Packer, in his book, In My Place, Condemned He Stood, wrote:


                                               " ... God remits our sins and accepts our persons
                                                 into favor, not because of any amends we have
                                                 attempted, but because the penalty that was our
                                                 due was diverted on to Christ.

                                                 The notion which the phrase 'penal substitution'
                                                 expresses is that Jesus Christ our Lord, moved
                                                 by a love that was determined to do everything
                                                 necessary to save us, endured and exhausted the
                                                 destructive divine judgment for which we were
                                                 otherwise inescapably destined, and so won us
                                                 forgiveness, adoption, and glory.

                                                 To affirm penal substitution is to say that believers
                                                 are in debt to Christ specifically for this, and that
                                                 this is the mainspring of all their joy, peace, and
                                                 praise both now and for eternity."