What is Substitutionary Atonement? When it comes to understanding the Christian faith, there aren’t many ideas more central to grasp than this one. Those words can sound intimidating, so let’s break them down. To “substitute” is to stand in the place of or take the place of. To “atone for” is a multifaceted biblical term which means to “cover”, “forgive”, and “reconcile.”This is the heart of the Gospel. Jesus died in my place, as my substitute, for my sins. Peter, who saw Jesus raised from the dead, described...