Substitution
Substitution is always spoken of in the Word in connection with the family of faith. It is never spoken of in any other way. The Word of God never says Christ bore the sins of the whole world.
Propitiation is for the whole world (1 John 2:2). That is, Christ has met the claims of God’s holy nature and borne the full judgment of sin at the cross, so that God can in righteousness forgive any poor sinner who will accept the message of His grace.
Scripture says, “He bare the sin of many” (Isa. 53:12). Hebrews 9:28 confirms the passage in Isaiah 53.
Peter says, “Who... bare our sins in His own body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24).
Christianity brings the blessed truth that every believer stands at all times before God as forgiven (Heb. 10:17; 1 John 2:12). Let us praise Him for such grace!
Forgiveness
Previous to the first advent of Christ, the truth of eternal forgiveness of sin was not made known. Generally speaking, forgiveness, as referred to in the Old Testament, was governmental, that is, it had to do with this life not eternity.
The whole teaching of the Epistle to the Hebrews was to bring those who believed to the blessedness of chapter 10:14: “For by one offering He hath perfected forever [uninterrupted continuance] them that are sanctified.” This is the present blessedness of Christianity: no more offering for sin. See verse 18 of that same chapter.
That is now the believer’s standing before God. Peter preached it in Acts 10:43. Paul preached it in Acts 13:38-39, adding the blessed fact of justification, and Romans 8:1 sums up the work of God in grace with those who believed the glad tidings. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.”
Let no teaching ever cloud the blessed, precious and glorious fruit that flows from the work of God’s Son at the cross! Let us rejoice in it and praise Him now and forever!
H. E. Hayhoe (Present Truth for Christians)