The Myth of Penal Substitutionary Atonement in Christianity

The Origins of Penal Substitutionary Atonement

The belief that Jesus died to pay for our sins has become deeply rooted in Christianity and is widely taught in churches worldwide.

However, the Bible does not actually say this. Instead, this idea is a human-created theology known as "penal substitutionary atonement," which did not exist in Christian doctrine for the first 1,600 years after Jesus' crucifixion.

This belief was created by people struggling to understand how Jesus Christ saved humanity and is not based on the Bible.

The Economic and Political Motivations Behind Jesus' Death

While there are a few limited verses that mention Jesus' death in relation to our sins, they do not say that His death was a substitute or penalty for our sins.

His death did not purify us from future sins or give us a "free pass to heaven" to do as we please and ask for forgiveness later.

Jesus' death was intentionally caused by human interests, specifically the powerful priestly class who were afraid of losing their hold over the people and their wealth acquired through people's faith.

The prosperous economy of the Jerusalem temple was sustained by taxes, offerings, and above all, rituals for obtaining forgiveness from God through payment.

It was a commerce of animals, skins, money offerings, fruits, grains, all for the "honor of God" and the pockets of the priests.

When the scribes, the highest theological authority in the country, saw Jesus forgiving sins without the expected payment, they accused Him of blasphemy, as forgiving sins without payment threatened the economy of the temple.

Jesus' death was not just a theological issue, but also an economic one.

He presented a God who did not demand from His children, but always gave.

The death of Jesus was not a substitutionary penalty for our sins, but a result of human interests and fear of losing power and wealth.

Rethinking the Cross: Examining the Origins of Penal Substitutionary Atonement

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