MojoHand,
As far as penal substitutionary atonement goes, it contradicts itself. Forgiveness means to 'release a debt'. If God is 'paid off' by a blood sacrifice that pays for all of humanity's sins then there is nothing to forgive....he's gotten his payoff. All men are now 'justified'.
Christians like to claim that your debt is paid but you must 'accept' this free 'gift' for you to be forgiven. Complete comtradiction.
You seem to be missing the part where the One Who says there is a debt established the rules on how to take advantage of the sacrifice. He set it up so that the Blood of Jesus is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world but The Same Rule Maker set up the rule that one must asked for it by word or deed.
Christians like to claim that your debt is paid but you must 'accept' this free 'gift' for you to be forgiven. Complete comtradiction.
If, say, I owe Gus a debt and you pay it off for me, YOU are showing mercy, not Gus. Gus has gotten his payment and I am now free and clear of my debt to him whether I accept it as being true or not!
He will not/can not punish me for not believing or accepting my debt has been paid off much less condemn me to pay it off forever (that's a lot of vig!). The debt has been paid...period. Gus has not 'forgiven' me...he got his payoff.
This is written by someone trying to put the Infinite God in a box of his manufacturing. God is not influenced by this logic.
The entire 'theory' of substitutionary atonement is so bizarre, contradictory, stupid and evil that it could only have been dreamt up by superstitious, ancient humans. This was no doubt to control the populace for in a Monotheistic society where sacrifices are demanded by 'God' and those sacrifices are administered completely by the 'priesthood', guess who is in control? Israel's Kings were basically emasculated rulers. The real powers were the Levites--but that's another whole topic for another thread.
You continue with the same flawed human logic to put the Creator of all the rules in your manufactured box.
Oh, and don't forget...god 'does not delight in the blood of bulls or lambs' nor takes 'delight in sacrifices' but the 'sacrifices of the lord are a broken spirit; a broken spirit and a contrite heart he will not despise.'
Someone shoulda told Jesus....
Jesus is the God of the Old Testament. He is the One who inspired the writing of desiring a broken spirit.
