Soteriology: The Doctrine of Atonement with 15 Theories of Atonement → A More Beautiful Life Collective

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How are we made right with God? Because of sin, we must be justified before God. Soteriology explains how we are justified. This post will discuss 15 theories of atonement that consider how we are made right before God.

S3E4 – Clarifying Your Mission: Influence, Ministry, & Your Why – A More Beautiful Life Collective Podcast

In Season 3, Episode 4 of A More Beautiful Life Collective podcast, we're exploring why clarifying your “why” is the keystone to living with purpose and avoiding burnout. We unpack how hustling without direction leads to overcommitment, comparison, and exhaustion, while a God-given mission statement provides traction, focus, and freedom to say no. Learn to align gifts, burdens, and seasons with your calling, filter decisions through a simple mission, and turn everyday influence—parenting, ministry, creative work—into fruitful Kingdom impact. Perfect for Christian women seeking intentional living, faith-centered productivity, and clarity of purpose.Read the full post here: https://amorebeautifullifecollective.com/clarifying-your-mission-influence-ministry-your-why/Get the 30 Days to a Life You Love Challenge here: https://amorebeautifullifecollective.com/product/30-days-to-a-life-you-love-challenge-tracker-slow-living-printable-tracker-faith-simplicity-peace/Get the Full Life You Love Toolkit here: https://amorebeautifullifecollective.com/product/a-life-you-love-toolkit-christian-intentional-living-planner-toolkit-for-women/Get the Build a More Beautiful Life: 5 Days to Align Your Faith, Family and Work here: https://amorebeautifullifecollective.com/product/build-a-more-beautiful-life-faith-and-family-devotional-workbook-5-day-christian-pdf-to-align-faith-family-and-work/Get The Faithful 12 Goal-setting Kickstart Planner Here: https://amorebeautifullifecollective.com/product/your-12-week-year-pdf-guide/ Get Cultivate: A Faithful Framework for Aspirations, Goals & Habits here: https://amorebeautifullifecollective.com/product/cultivate-a-faithful-framework-for-aspirations-goals-habits-christian-goal-setting-workbook-faith-based-planner-printable/ …Visit our Shop to get a copy of any of the resources mentioned in this episode: I’m your host, Cayce Fletcher, and you can learn a little bit more about me here. While you’re here, would you consider leaving a comment, rating, or review? You can find our podcast, A More Beautiful Life Collective Podcast, wherever you listen to podcasts. Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, or watch on YouTube. Subscribe to the blog for access to our latest content and some freebies. I love creating and sharing resources with you. You can find all of our resources at A More Beautiful Life Collective Shop.Keep creating a life you love, and cultivating your heart for God.

Hey everyone, and welcome to Season 3 Episode 6. Today, on the podcast, we are continuing our series on Systematic Theology. So far, we have talked about the doctrines of God, the Bible, angels, man, sin and evil, and Christ.

If you noticed in our discussion on Christology, we looked at Jesus’ offices (or roles), how he is an agent of God, and emphasized his human nature and how that is necessary for his role as the Messiah and savior. However, we didn’t focus on the cross in particular. Why? Because there is a whole branch of theology that focuses on our salvation.

Today, we are going to look at that branch of theology that focuses on the doctrine of salvation called Soteriology. When we ask ourselves ‘What must I do to be saved,’ we are focusing on the concept of Soteriology.

Soteriology answers questions concerning atonement, election, sacraments, and the ‘-ifications’ of the Romans Road: justification, sanctification, and glorification.

We are going to be splitting up our discussion of Soteriology into three parts:

The Doctrine of Atonement
What must I do to be saved?
Election (and God’s Will)

If you would like to dive deeper into the doctrine of salvation or any other concepts we’ve talked about in our Systematic Theology series, check out the Building Our Foundations 11 Week Study on the shop. You can also get our personal statement of faith creation guide there.

What is Atonement?

Atonement is the process of fixing a fractured relationship. In the beginning, our relationship with God was unbroken. Mankind was able to walk with him in the Garden and dwell in his presence. After the fall, that relationship that was full of relationship was broken. We were cast out of the garden, out of his presence. The Bible chronicles the story of the process of this relationship being fixed.

In short, God is a holy and righteous God. We are a fallen and sinful people. Holiness and sin cannot exist together. To enter into God’s presence, we have to be cleansed from our sins. Atonement is the process of fixing this fractured relationship.

The Doctrine of Atonement is the concept of how Jesus is able to pay for our sins. It is something that has puzzled theologians for millennia.

How does Atonement fit into the Doctrine of Salvation?

As described in this interview with John Piper, Salvation is a large and complex idea that contains many elements of the Christian faith. The Doctrine of Salvation includes our atonement and forgiveness of sins, our sanctification, and our future promise of the Kingdom.

This speaks to the process of salvation as described in the book of Romans. What is the process of salvation?

Justification – Justification is the process by which we are justified before God. This is what the doctrine of atonement focuses on. Atonement is the act, and justification is the result. Christ has already atoned for our sins, and to be justified, we must simply believe in his name.
Sanctification – Sanctification is the process by which we are being made perfect in Christ. Through sanctification, we are being made holy and thus being made into a redeemed image of God. This is done through the work of the Holy Spirit and is the focus of the Christian walk on earth now.
Glorification – Glorification is the future process of being freed from the effects of sin completely. We will receive a new body and live in a new heaven and earth in the presence of God and Jesus. This is what will happen after the second coming of Christ.

Justification and Atonement are not necessarily the same thing. Atonement is what was done by Jesus during his time on Earth. Because of the atonement, we are justified. In the next part of this series, we’ll focus on what we have to do to be justified. But today, we are going to focus on what Christ has already done for us.

Atonement in the Old Testament

After the Fall, Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden. Sin and unrighteousness multiplied over time. Sacrifices appear throughout Genesis, but the full sacrificial system was instituted by Moses (as described in Leviticus).

The sacrifices were given by a priest for specific purposes. Some were for the harvest (the first fruits), some were for skin diseases or to dedicate a new baby, and some were for sin.

Every year, the Jewish people would celebrate a feast day of atonement, now called Yom Kippur. On this day, the high priest would offer a sin offering for himself, his household, and all the people. They would also release another goat into the wilderness as a scapegoat, bearing the sins of the Israelites.

Hebrews 7 describes this system of sacrifices, contrasting what is accomplished through Christ:

“26 Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.”

In the Old Covenant, atonement was required for our sins through sacrifices offered day after day. But, this passage points to the new and better way of the New Covenant.

Atonement in the New Testament

In the New Covenant, atonement for our sins happened once and for all through the death of Jesus. He now functions as our high priest and mediator at the right hand of the Father.

Hebrews 9 says, “14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!

15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

27 Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”

The need for atonement is present in the New Covenant as well as the Old. In the New Covenant, the requirement for a sacrifice is satisfied through the work of Jesus on the cross.

Theories of Atonement

Each of these different theories holds some biblical truth, and understanding them can help you to understand what Jesus accomplished through his work on the cross.

Many of these theories of atonement speak in terms of metaphors. They attempt to frame the problem between us and God in word pictures that help us to understand the nature of what Jesus accomplished in his life and his work on the cross.

Why is this important? Understanding what you believe about atonement will help you to understand what you believe about God more fully. There are implications in our understanding of God if we view him through the lens of any of these theories of atonement. Some theories focus on God as a righteous judge. Some frame God as paying a ransom to Satan. Some completely throw out elements of God judging and Jesus paying for sins and focus on the perfect example Jesus is – and how that inspires us to change.

We have an implicit understanding of Atonement simply from the way we talk about what happened on the cross. If you walk into any Easter service, you’ll hear songs like “Jesus paid it all,” “Death was arrested,” and “Man of Sorrows.” Each of these songs imparts a specific theory of Atonement. We need to be wise and understanding concerning what we say. Instead of just repeating cliches we’ve heard in songs and sermons, we need to make sure that we are stating what we actually believe.

I’ve heard the theories of atonement described as a kaleidoscope. These theories are explained in scripture, but they aren’t necessarily named and expounded upon. The theories came after scripture. Some are more correct than others, and I wouldn’t necessarily say that any of the theories are entirely correct or complete.

When we talk about these things, we really are understanding better God’s character, his power, and his righteousness.

What does a Theory of Atonement need to address?

The nature of the central problem between mankind and God
What Jesus’ life and his death on the cross did to fix that problem
How Jesus’ life and his death on the cross changes us

As you learn more about each theory, you can incorporate it into your own doctrine of Atonement.

Theories Which Consider the Cross as a Payment for Sin

The Ransom Theory:

This theory essentially teaches that Jesus Christ died as a ransom sacrifice, paid either to Satan (the most dominant view) or to God the Father. Jesus’ death then acts as a payment to satisfy the debt on the souls of the human race, the same debt we inherited from Adam’s original sin.

The Satisfaction Theory:

In this theory, Jesus Christ’s death is understood as a death to satisfy the justice of God. Satisfaction here means restitution, the mending of what was broken, and the paying back of a debt.

The Penal Substitutionary Theory:

Within Penal Substitution, Jesus Christ dies to satisfy God’s wrath against human sin. Jesus is punished (penal) in the place of sinners (substitution) in order to satisfy the justice of God and the legal demand of God to punish sin. In the light of Jesus’ death, God can now forgive the sinner because Jesus Christ has been punished in the place of the sinner, in this way meeting the retributive requirements of God’s justice. This legal balancing of the ledgers is at the heart of this theory, which claims that Jesus died for legal satisfaction.

The Scapegoat Theory:

Within this theory of the Atonement, Jesus Christ dies as the Scapegoat of humanity.

Theories Which Consider Other Views of the Cross

Commercial Theory:

In this theory, Jesus’ death on the cross brought ultimate honor to God. God, in turn, gave Jesus a reward, and because Jesus didn’t need the reward, he passed on that reward to mankind.

Christus Victor:

In this theory, Jesus Christ dies in order to defeat the powers of evil (such as sin, death, and the devil) in order to free mankind from their bondage. Within the Christus Victor framework, the cross did not pay off anyone but defeated evil, thereby setting the human race free.

Recapitulation Theory:

In this theory, Jesus lived the perfect life that Adam didn’t. By being perfectly obedient, he compensated for Adam’s disobedience.

Vicarious Repentance:

In this theory, Jesus identified with sinners when he suffered and died on the cross. Because of this identification, it inspires God to have mercy on other sinners, thus resulting in the forgiveness of sins.

The Governmental Theory:

In the Governmental Theory, Jesus Christ suffers the punishment for our sin and propitiates God’s wrath, but he does not take the exact punishment we deserve. He died to display God’s wrath against sin and the high price that must be paid, but not to specifically satisfy that particular wrath. Jesus died only for the church, and if you, by faith, are part of the church, you can take part in God’s salvation.

Theories Which Consider Jesus’ Life and Death as Causing Change in Our Lives

The Moral Influence Theory:

In this theory, the atonement of Christ is a demonstration of God’s love which causes man’s heart to soften and repent. Those who hold this view believe that man is spiritually sick and in need of help and that man is moved to accept God’s forgiveness by seeing God’s love for man.

Example Theory:

In this theory, Jesus’ life and death serve as the perfect example for us, which should inspire us to change and act accordingly.

Mystical Theory:

In this theory, Jesus’ life and death inspire a deep change in man’s subconsciousness, leading our whole being to change.

Perfection-Participation Theory:

This theory is a form of participation theory that highlights not only the work of the cross but also the role of Jesus’ life. As explained on the Transfigured Podcast, this theory emphasizes how the cross perfects Jesus. (See: Heb. 5:9, Could Jesus sin?) When Jesus ascended to heaven, he had the authority to send the Holy Spirit to us. The Holy Spirit’s work is to perfect us to ultimately make us more like Jesus. As that work is being completed in us, we then work as his agents to bring others into the Kingdom of God, starting that perfecting work in them.

More Explanations on Theories of Atonement:

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What is the best theory of Atonement?

Each of these theories offers a lens through which to understand atonement. As I’ve mentioned before, what we think about what happened during atonement colors our whole understanding of salvation.

Many of the articles and resources on Atonement view atonement through the lens of doctrine developed over time by various great thinkers of the Church. But, the best way to understand atonement is to look at how the Bible described what was done through Jesus’ life and death.

Here are some verses that describe the atonement:

Leviticus 17:11 – For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.
Hebrews 9:22 – Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.
Romans 5:6-11 – For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.
1 Peter 2:24 – He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
Colossians 2:14 – By canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
Revelation 5:9 – And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,
Galatians 2:20 – I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Hebrews 5:7-10 – During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.
John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
2 Corinthians 5:18 – All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;

This is just a glimpse of the many, many verses that describe what atonement is. As you can see from these verses, Jesus’ death on the cross paid for our sins. Through his obedience both in life and death, he was perfected and then exalted to the roles of priest and king. And, through his death, we are able to participate in the ministry of reconciliation in this life now and look forward to the future eternal promise.

My Personal Statement of Faith: Soteriology, Part 1

Jesus’ death on the cross paid the debt, the ransom, for our sins. We are no longer held captive by sin but instead are freed to be perfected into the image of Christ. We can take part in the ministry of reconciliation now – as agents of Christ – reconciling others to God. Because of the atonement, we look forward to our future hope of eternal life, where we can dwell fully in God’s presence.

Now you try:

Here are some questions to help you develop your personal statement of faith:

What is the atonement?
Why did Jesus have to die for our sins?
What is your theory of atonement? How did Jesus’ death on the cross atone for our sins and reconcile us to God?

There is a reason why Easter is the most important holiday of the Church calendar. Atonement is the capstone of the Christian faith. Because of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, we can hope to die to sin, live for Christ, and be resurrected in the age to come.

I’d love to know what you think about the doctrine of atonement. Comment below!

In the next part of this series, we’ll focus on the process of salvation and answer the question: What must I do to be saved?

If you are interested in diving deeper into what you believe, get our 11-week study guide, Building Your Foundations. You can also get your own Personal Statement of Faith Creation Guide on the shop.

Building Our Foundation Systematic Theology Bible Study: An 11-Week Deep Dive into Core Biblical Truths

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Until next time, keep creating a life you and cultivating your heart for God.

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