Wednesday's Word of the Week:

Since it's Holy Week, I thought it would be good to use a related theological term for our Word of the Week.  This definition comes from Michael Horton's The Christian Faith: Penal Substitution: Jesus Christ's sacrifice was the payment of a debt to divine justice as a substitute for his people. More from Horton on Atonement: In Christ's flesh, both his life and his death, we have a thank offering that restores what we owe to God's law--a fragrant life well pleasing to the Lord--and a guilt offering that propitiates God's wrath....The sacrificial motif is at the heart of Jesus' own self-identity: "The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as ransom for many" (Mk. 10:45)...While Christ's sacrifice provides a sample of self-giving love, it is a unique and unrepeatable event, bringing to an end all scapegoats, all bloody sacrifices, all substitutions, and all attempts to reconcile ourselves to God by our own efforts. (496-497)