Jesus Is Not a Substitute

"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sin according to the Scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:3)

"He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross..." (1 Peter 2:24)

The bible does not say sin is a debt that needs to be paid to God, but a result of bad behavior. All die as the result of sin - there are no exceptions, not even Jesus. But Jesus did not die for his own sin, but “for our sins". He “bore our sins in his body on the cross". Jesus IDENTIFIED himself with sinful men to demonstrate God’s love for sinners.

"God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8).

In the resurrection of Jesus God has revealed that the death of a sinner will be "swallowed up in Victory" when resurrected - a free gift.

"The wages of sin is DEATH but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our LORD.” (Romans 3:23) 

Almost all Christian theologians teach that when Jesus died on the cross it was as our "substitute" to "pay" for our sin. No, he "bore" the sin of Adam and everyone else, and died "for" Adam's sin and everyone else's, because he had no sin of his own to die for. We will all "die" like Jesus, and be "made alive" like Jesus.

"For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive...The last enemy to be destroyed is death...so that God may be ALL in ALL....death has been swallowed up in Victory." (1 Corinthians 15:22-29,53)

Sunday School

The church in which I was raised has a meeting each Sunday morning which is called “Sunday School”. It is assumed that we attend to study the Bible. However, the truth is that it is a place where the denominational beliefs are studied and various bible verses are read to attempt to prove that doctrine. This teaching method is true of every church group I have read about, whether Catholic or Protestant.

We are not taught to think and reason with regard to the truth, but to simply believe what we are told is the truth.  "Thinking and reasoning" about what we read in the Scripture is very rare among Christians today. If people would actually think logically about what they are told is truth we could eliminate the horrible false doctrines in our churches. The following is an example:

The doctrine of “substitution” is taught in most churches. We are taught that Christ Jesus is our substitute in regard to judgment for sin.  It says Jesus paid for sin so we do not have to pay for sin, and that he suffered so that we do not have to suffer. The bible however, says no such thing.

Think about that doctrine of "substitution" logically and observe reality. Reality shows that just as Jesus died, so do all of us die. Just as Jesus suffered that death, so do we all suffer in the dying process. And that logical, reasoned reality is what the Bible actually teaches.

“This is a trustworthy saying: If we died with Him, (die just as he died) 
we will also live with Him; (be resurrected to life just as he was)

if we endure (suffer the dying process) 

we will also reign with him; (after our resurrection) 

if we deny him, (by believing false doctrine) 

he will also deny us (deny the fulfillment of that false doctrine)

if we are faithless, (refuse to believe the truth)

He remains faithful, (he will save us)

for He cannot deny Himself (that he is the savior of the world). 

Remind the believers of these things, charging them before God to avoid quarreling over words; this is in no way profitable, and leads its listeners to ruin. Make every effort to present yourself approved to God, an unashamed workman who accurately handles the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:11-15)

The truth is in “ruin” because of false teaching. The false teaching does not change the faithfulness of God in doing what he says he will do to save mankind out of death by the resurrection to immortality, however, it robs mankind of the JOY of that good news, and prevents most people from giving God the Glory, at least in this age. 

In the next age, after our resurrection, all will give Glory to God for salvation from death. God sent His Son Jesus to earth in the form of a man to die with us and to demonstrate what follows…

“Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father...For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (Philippians 2:8-11; 1 Corinthians 15:20)