Nature of the Atonement

[dalibor]

There are mainly four views out there to explain God's Atonement:

1. The Christus Victor model: the atonement is a divine conflict and victory in which Jesus fights against and triumphs over the evil powers of the world.

2. The Penal Substitution model: "the Father, because of his love for human beings, sent his Son...to satisfy God's justice, so that Christ took the place of sinners. The punishment and penalty we deserved was laid on Jesus Christ instead of us, so that in the cross both God's holiness and love are manifested." (p. 67)

3. The Healing model: the atonement is primiarly a healing/restoration from sin and its resultant sickness.

4. The Kaleidoscopic model: the atonement is understood in multiple ways and no one theory has priority over the others.

How is the best to view these? One view more dominant over the rest or are they all of equal value of viewing biblical description of atonement?
I'm new to this debate so I don't really know the bone of contention between these 4 views.
I know Atonement is central to Christian faith and knowing that there are many critics of Christianity from different backgrounds(naturalism, judaism, islam, hinduism etc.), what are the non-negotiables in discussing these views?

[darinhouston]

I lean towards the Kaleidoscope.

[steve7150]

Just my opinion but i think the propitiation or satisfaction of God's justice is first and then that allows the other secondary effects of this to kick in like,
the defeat of the devil, the restoration of man and Jesus becoming as an example for us.

[TK]

i tend to agree with you, steve. but i know if Paidion was still posting that he would disagree!

TK

[steve7150]

i tend to agree with you, steve. but i know if Paidion was still posting that he would disagree!




Maybe Paidion might have cut us some slack and agree his view was part of restoration, but maybe not, in fact probably not.
What the heck happened to him?

[darinhouston]

I miss him.

[selah]

i tend to agree with you, steve. but i know if Paidion was still posting that he would disagree!




Maybe Paidion might have cut us some slack and agree his view was part of restoration, but maybe not, in fact probably not.

What would Paidion say? He makes sense on another thread I've read, maybe he would here too.

Thanks!

[Suzana]

I think we all miss Paidion.

[selah]

I think we all miss Paidion.

I do too.

Hey, since the Bible says we are supposed to pray about everything, why don't we ALL pray for Paidion!

[steve7150]

What would Paidion say? He makes sense on another thread I've read, maybe he would here too.







I think he would say that the atonement empowers us to overcome sin and live righteously, but he does not believe in imputed righteousness, if i remember correctly.

Abba i pray for Paidion's well being and i ask you to shower him and his family with your grace, and i ask you to put in his heart a desire to contact us, in Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.