Deep Dive into Christian Theology by Millard J. Erickson - Thories of the Atonement

The Governmental Theory of atonement, primarily developed by Hugo Grotius, a lawyer by training, posits a unique understanding of how God deals with sin. This theory views God as a holy and righteous ruler who has established moral laws. Sin is understood as a serious violation of these laws, inherently deserving punishment.

However, God's dominant attribute of love allows Him to forgive sin. The central challenge addressed by this theory is how God can forgive without undermining the authority of His moral government or encouraging antinomianism (a disregard for moral law).

According to Grotius, Christ's death was not an actual penalty transferred to him for individual sins. Instead, it served as a public demonstration of God's hatred of sin and the severe consequences that God's justice would require if humanity continued in sin. This "spectacle of sufferings" was intended to deter humans from sin by inducing a "horror of sin" in them. By demonstrating the gravity of breaking God's law, Christ's death provided "grounds for forgiveness" while simultaneously "retain[ing] the structure of moral government".

The Governmental Theory is considered a mediating view with both objective and subjective elements. Objectively, Christ's death was a real offering to God, enabling God to deal mercifully with humanity. Subjectively, its chief impact is on human beings, influencing them to turn from sin. This allows God to extend true clemency and pardon, as Christ's offering was a "satisfaction sufficient to uphold moral government" rather than a full payment of debt. The theory aims to impress upon humankind the seriousness of all sin.

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