Substitutionary Atonement, also known as vicarious atonement, is a theory central to Christology in most Christian religions. This theory is based on the concept that Jesus came for the express purpose to die in the place of all men of all time and take the blame for all of Humanity’s sins at one time.
He is compared to a lamb which is sacrificed and the blood he shed during his torture and execution is supposed to “take away” the sins of the world. According to this, anyone who believes on him will not go to Hell, no matter how horrendous or how many sins he has committed.
- Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. (Jn 1:29)
This theory makes Jesus into the sacrificial lamb of an ancient Jewish practice in which a lamb (or some other animal) was brought to the priest and was slaughtered — a practice they copied from heathen nations, not commanded by God.
For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices (Jer 7:22)
The idea of atonement was a “payment for sin”, such as this verse from 4 Maccabees 6:28-29: “Be merciful to your people, and let our punishment suffice for them. Make my blood their purification, and take my life in exchange for theirs”
However, this practice was condemned by the true prophets and priests of God.
Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; (Heb 10:8)
The atonement basically means reconciliation. Since it was felt that sin came between the “sinner” and God this substitutional sacrifice was to die in one’s place to reconcile one to God. This was a law that God did NOT give them, and God hated this practice!
Main assumptions:
- Jesus was a type of sacrificial lamb
- He came to the world for this express purpose
- He shed his blood on the Cross which takes away all the sins of the world
- He died in the place for all men of all time to spare them from Hell
Jesus was a type of sacrificial lamb
One problem with this theory is that God never was happy with the practice of animal sacrifice, in fact, he hated it from the very beginning. God did not accept their sacrifices as a expiation (the act of making amends for guilt). God preferred that men repented, forsook their sins and made peace with God directly.
But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you. (Jer 7:22-23)
Animal sacrifice was a practice that the Jews picked up from heathens long ago and apparently was taken advantage of by false priests to leverage advantage over and profit from the people. But God hated this practice!
- He came to the world for this express purpose
The obvious reason that John the Baptist and Jesus and his disciples baptized for the remission of sins instead of practicing animal sacrifice was to get away from this bloody practice that God hated and show people the way back to a more personal relationship to God.
And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. (Mat 3:6)
But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. (Mat 9:13)
“With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings… what does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:6-8)
But Jesus said he came to put an end to animal sacrifice. This teaching of Jesus was not included in the four gospels, since it is an obvious contradiction to the teachings of the Church — but Jesus actually DID say it.
I have come to destroy sacrifices; and if you do not stop making sacrifices, the wrath of God will not leave you. (Gospel of the Hebrews)
This means he had no intention of being a sacrificial lamb. Being a sacrifice would have given the exact opposite message to the world than that which he actually meant to bring. And consequently the Christian world was carried away with this false doctrine, causing disastrous results over the centuries.
If people didn’t have a substitute, they would have no need for an intercessor and consequently no need for the Church, and the people would be able to commune directly with God. Eliminating the middle-man, religion, the Church would no longer be needed for salvation, there would be no control over or profiting from the people.
- He shed his blood on the Cross which (supposedly) takes away all the sins of the world
This phrase “takes away the sins of the world”, has always put a question mark over my head. If there is so much evil in the world, how is it that sin has been “taken away”? Obviously it hasn’t been. I’m assuming then that apologists interpret that to mean all sins will gone after one dies, accepting Jesus’ supposed sacrifice, death and resurrection, of course.
This sends the message to the world that men can sin as much as they want without having to answer for anything — Jesus took the punishment for all the sins of men of all time, past, present and future that when he was tortured and executed — just that one time. And just accepting Jesus makes it all… OK!
- He died in the place for all men of all time to spare them from Hell
So when men accept and believe in the farce of this doctrine, men are supposedly spared the eternal torture in Hell (which doesn’t exist) — no matter how bad or many evil acts one has committed. (according to this doctrine Hitler is saved and in heaven)
Each person is held accountable and must make amends for his own actions. No one’s sins can be transferred to another, according to the Old Testament:
The land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it (Numbers 35:33).
Hell is not a true biblical concept, it is an intentional misinterpretation/mistranslation based on someone’s twisted imagination, which is intended to generate fear in the hearts of men to make it possible for the Church to control and manipulate the masses. Hell does not exist, PERIOD.
In the entire Hebrew Bible or even the teachings of Jesus, are found the absolutely no teachings of Hell — only death and the grave. There is no evidence whatsoever of Hell, therefore it is impossible to prove its existence.
Resurrection
Paul took the false idea of atonement a step further, adding on top of that, to be “saved” one must not only accept the “Lamb’s” sacrifice, but also believe and accept that God brought him back to life (assuming that he actually died).
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (Rom 10:9)
But “saved” from what?
First they invent “Hell” (that is non-existent) that the masses must be saved from, then they invent the means that they MUST accept to be able to escape that horrible, excruciating, eternal imaginary scene! But it’s all a fabrication by religion to make church leadership a necessary intercessor between God and Men in order to make it possible to control and manipulate people.
Conclusion:
So then arises the question: If Jesus didn’t pay for all of Humanity’s sins, then men either go to Hell or have to be held accountable for their own actions — which is it?
Jesus’ Answer:
The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.
And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. (Lk 12:46-48)
Here we see in Jesus’ teaching that men are held accountable and are punished for their own sins. Jesus was not beaten here in Jesus’ teaching — the servant was!
As already stated Hell does not exist. You might say that life here on Earth is Hell, at least for some. Men must be held accountable for their own actions. It could be that in a future life having to receive the effects of their own actions or having to make amends for the wrongs they have done to others could be a real possibility.
The Life Review:
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (2Co 5:10)
Obviously, the “judgment seat of Christ” happens when this current life is over. The “good or bad” one has done in “his body” he must give an account for. The only way one may receive for the things he has done is if he must be “born again” as Jesus put it.
Born Again: Reincarnation
The reality is that we all must be “born again” before we are able to enter the Kingdom of God. We must all go through the process of purification and perfection before God finally opens to us and lets us enter his kingdom. It is imperative that one is righteous to enter into the Kingdom of God:
For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in NO CASE enter into the kingdom of heaven. (Mat 5:20)
Conclusion
No one else can be held accountable for the good or bad done in the body but the one who has done them. There is no amount of belief in an intercessor nor is there even one who can take the place of another, or pay for what one has done in the body. According to the Scriptures, only the one who has committed the what has been done must receive for what has been done.
For every man shall bear his OWN burden.
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall HE also reap.
For HE that soweth to HIS flesh shall of the (HIS) flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
(Gal 6:5-8)
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