Affirms
Christ's death is a substitutionary sacrifice that atones for sin
The ICOC affirms penal substitutionary atonement: Christ bore the penalty of human sin in his death on the cross, satisfying divine justice and making reconciliation between God and humanity possible. His blood cleanses from all sin those who respond in faith and obedience. The resurrection vindicates Christ's atoning sacrifice and guarantees believers' justification.
The urgency of the ICOC's evangelistic mission is grounded in the atonement: because Christ died for all, all people must have the opportunity to respond. The ICOC's intensive evangelism culture flows directly from this soteriological conviction.
Key Distinctions
- Primary theory:
- penal substitution — Christ bears the penalty of sin in place of sinners
- Scope of atonement:
- universal — Christ died for all people
- Propitiation affirmed:
- yes — Christ's death satisfies divine justice
Scripture References
Sources
- ICOC Statement of Belief
- Gordon Ferguson, Prepared to Answer (1995)