Let’s get this straight; [in the penal substitutionary atonement] we’re either seeing the truth, or a lie. This either is the Gospel, or, it is not. The dividing line is abundantly clear; we either believe that the sum and substance of the Gospel is that a holy and righteous God—Who must demand a full penalty for our sin—both demands the penalty and provides the penalty, through His Own self-substitution in Jesus Christ—the Son—whose perfect obedience, and perfectly accomplished atonement, has purchased for us all that is necessary for our salvation—has met the full demands of the righteousness and justice of God against our sin.

We either believe that, or we do not. If we do not, then we believe that the Gospel can be nothing more than some kind of message intended to reach some emotive level in the human being, so that the human being would think better of God, and might want to associate with Him. Or, we would transform all of these categories in the theological into the merely therapeutic, and argue that the whole point of the atonement is that we would come to terms with our own problems, and come to understand that there are resources for the repair of our troubled souls beyond which we previously knew.

Or, we would make of the atonement the merely political; that it is to send some kind of signal, both to God’s people—as they would define themselves—and to the larger world. It is important that we understand that the central thrust of the Scripture, though, is undeniable. That’s one of the great accomplishments of the work that has been done in this field. Some of which, we will review. One of the most crucial of these works you were given, the Pierced For Our Transgressions book. If you will deal with it, if you will read it, if you will honestly reflect upon it—if you will work through the biblical texts—it will become a matter of [ir]refutable truth; that the central thrust of the Scriptures atonement, is that God demanded a punishment for sin, and requires it by His own holiness and justice, and that He provided it in Jesus Christ—Who died on our behalf—paying in full the penalty for our sin.

Not only associating Himself with our sin, but becoming sin for us, in order that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. We come to understand that, not only is this the central thrust of the Scriptures, the Gospel as defined and presented in the Scriptures is reaffirmed and preached in the Reformation, and in the tradition that became known as the “evangelical” tradition—and the evangelical movement. We come to understand that the atonement for sin is first objectively accomplished for those who come to faith in Christ through the perfect sacrifice of Christ, and the full satisfaction of God’s righteousness. We understand that this atonement is subjectively experienced by the believer through redemption, and through union with Christ, we understand that this atonement is divinely applied by the Holy Spirit, Who convicts the soul of sin; [and] opens and quickens the eyes and the soul to see and to believe, and then sets His seal upon the believer. (Why Do They Hate It So: The Doctrine of Substitution)

Dr. Al Mohler

See also:

D.A. CARSON: PENAL SUBSTITUTION AND “MODELS” OF THE ATONEMENT

EDWARD J. YOUNG: VICARIOUS PENAL SUBSTITUTION OF CHRIST IN ISAIAH 53:5 

RON HENZEL: THE LAMB BEFORE ITS SHEARERS

EMERGING CHURCH LEADER BRIAN MCLAREN REJECTS ORIGINAL SIN

THE NEW CHRISTIANITY OF BRIAN MCLAREN AND THE EMERGING CHURCH 

PHILIP CLAYTON WITH “BIG TENT” CHRISTIANITY IN THE EMERGING CHURCH

TONY JONES, THE EMERGING CHURCH AND PROGRESSIVE CHRISTIANITY