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The Healing Substitution Model

The Healing Substitution Model

It has become apparent that those who have never participated in the Come and Reason Bible Study (BSC) class have false concepts of what we (and others who value a healing model) teach and believe.

Rather than seeking to understand our position, many who disagree with us falsely label us as believing in the Moral Influence Theory (MIT) and then dismiss us out of hand. This article seeks to shed light on this situation by clearly articulating the ideas and concepts that are discussed in Come and Reason SS class. Since the subject of the atonement has often been at the heart of this debate, I have used the term “Healing Substitution Model” (HSM) in this article as an attempt to clarify some misconceptions.

Within a few hundred years after Christ’s ascension, the Christian church was corrupted by pagan influences. The Reformation has gradually eliminated pagan concepts from Christianity. It is our hope and prayer that the… church will carry the Reformation forward and take the final message of God’s loving character to the world.

To such an end, we offer what we believe to be a next step in completing the Reformation and ushering in the Second Coming of Christ. We claim no corner on truth. Neither do we believe that we possess the “final word” on truth.  Rather, in the best Seventh-day Adventist tradition, we believe that truth is progressive and ever unfolding and we eagerly invite our brothers and sisters in Christ to assist us in further developing, refining and purifying this message. (COL 128.1). All to the glory of God, may He be praised!

Contrary to what some erroneously allege, we believe the MIT inadequately explains God’s plan of Salvation. The HSM recognizes sin as a terminal condition, a condition out of harmony with God, His law and, therefore, incompatible with life and thus requires divine remedy. The MIT only provides evidence refuting Satan’s lies in order to restore the terminal sinner to trust in God, but leaves the sinner terminal, dying in sin. In other words, MIT provides no remedy.

Similarly, we also believe the Penal Substitution Model (PSM) is laden with pagan ideology from the Dark Ages.  The PSM shifts the sin problem away from the sinner’s terminal condition, which is in need of healing, to an offended and angry God who needs appeasing.

We believe the next pagan misconception to be removed from our theological understanding is the angry/wrathful God construct. In this view, God (or His law) requires payment or appeasement for sin in order to vindicate His justice. As a result, He inflicts pain and suffering upon his unrepentant children as punishment for sin.

While HSM retains the essential elements of Christ’s substitutionary role, it eliminates the pagan belief that God must be appeased by the blood of His Son or that God is the source of death and will one day punish sin by inflicting pain on His unrepentant children until they die. The result of eliminating that belief is that one is left with a clearer knowledge of God.

The importance of God’s character cannot be overstated. Mankind fell when they first believed Satan’s lies about God. Ellen White wrote:

It is the darkness of misapprehension of God that is enshrouding the world. Men are losing their knowledge of His character. It has been misunderstood and misinterpreted. At this time a message from God is to be proclaimed, a message illuminating in its influence and saving in its power. His character is to be made known. Into the darkness of the world is to be shed the light of His glory, the light of His goodness, mercy and truth…The last rays of merciful light, the last message of mercy to be given to the world, is the revelation of His character of love.”  Christ’s Object Lessons, p.415

The central pillar of Scripture, with which all doctrines must align, is the truth about God’s character of love as manifested through Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:3). If any doctrine undermines the truth about God, as revealed in Christ, it is misplaced, misunderstood, misaligned or simply wrong. (John 17:3; 2Corinthians 10:3-5; 5T 738.2; GC88 536.2; RH, November 17, 1891 par. 5, 6; ST, January 20, 1890).

The HSM uses an evidence-based integrative approach (or this blog) to Bible study, recognizes the Bible as authoritative (RH, October 9, 1883 par. 13, ED 190), and seeks to demolish “everything which sets itself up against the knowledge of God” (2Cor 10:5) because only in the knowledge of God is there “life eternal” (John 17:3).  When the knowledge of God is rejected, the mind becomes darkened, futile and depraved. (Romans 1:21-22).

The following is a select overview of major points of the HSM (each point in bold below is a link to a PDF document that extensively expands the topic with Biblical and Spirit Of Prophecy support):

The War Between God and Satan:
There is a war over ideas, concepts and beliefs centering on the character of God (Rev 12:7). This war began in heaven when Lucifer told lies about God. The war was subsequently spread to earth by those same lies, and continues today. We use the weapons of truth, love and freedom to war against “everything that sets itself up against the knowledge of God and take captive every thought to Jesus Christ” (2Corinthians 10:5). (ST, December 22, 1914 par. 4; PP 68.2; DA 19, 20, 758; ST, 5T 738.1, 2; GC88 536.2; TMK 338.4).

God’s Character:
“God is love and love is not self-seeking” (1John 4:8, 1Corinthians 13:5). God’s character of love is completely expressed in the life of Jesus (Hebrews 1:3). Every attribute of God – His justice, grace, and even His wrath – is an expression of His character of love. God is not arbitrary, but does everything for a reason and with a purpose for the good of all. (TMK 338, DA19).

God’s Law:
God’s law is the law of love, which is the law of life. The law of love cannot be arbitrary, created, enacted, or legislated. God’s law of love originates in the heart and character of God and, thus, has no beginning point and no ending point. It is immutable and can never be changed. God’s law of love is the design template for life. All life is constructed to exist only in perfect harmony with this law. Deviations will bring the natural results of pain, suffering, and death, unless remedied by God Himself. (Romans 13:10; Galatians 5:14; James 2:8; Matthew 12:37-40 PP 33; GC 678.3; COL 258; GC 493; RC 46; DA 21;SR 145; SR 145.3; SR 146.1; PP 364.2; MB 109.2).

God’s Methods:
While Satan loves to use lies and force to advance his agenda (John 8:44; Job 1 & 2), God uses truth, love, freedom, evidence, reason, openness, and humility. God does not use His power to coerce, because what God really wants – trust and love – cannot be compelled.  Trust and love cannot be commanded but can only exist in an atmosphere of genuine freedom. While there have been times that God has acted forcefully in cases of emergency in order to preserve a knowledge of who He is, these methods were never His first choice. And God has never tried to force an individual to love Him. (1Corinthians 13:4-7; John 4:23, 24, 8:32, 14:16,17; Ephesians 4:15; Isaiah 1:18; Romans 14:5; Hebrews 5:14; Philippians 2:5-8; Zechariah 4:6; DA 759.1; GC 36.1, 493.2).

Sin:
Sin is “lawlessness,” that is, living outside the law of love, and violates the design template for life. God’s nature is to give (Matt. 5:45, 7:11, 20:28). Sin is selfishness, a condition of the heart/mind which leads to symptoms we call “sins.”  Sin is, therefore, a deviation, a twisting, of the construction protocols under which life is designed to operate. (1John 3:4; Matt 5:27, 28, 12:34,35; James 4:17; Romans 7:23, 8:7,8; RH, January 5, 1886 par. 8; WB, September 9, 1902 par. 3; GC88 492.2)

Forgiveness:
Forgiveness originates in the heart of God and is an expression of His character of love. God’s attitude is always one of forgiveness. But redemptive forgiveness includes more than God’s personal pardon of our sin. It involves actual reclaiming from sin. To experience forgiveness necessitates a transforming change in the believer, and this necessitated the death of Christ, “for without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of [remission – reclaiming from] sin” (Heb 9:22, MB 114.1).

Substitution:
Christ is our substitute. He became human and took sinful mankind’s position. He took our terminal condition upon Himself. He “became sin who knew no sin,” in order to cure mankind from sinfulness. Though sinless, Christ died when He experienced the sense of darkness of God-forsakeness, crying, “Why have you forsaken me?” At the cross, He experienced the consequences of sin much like unhealable sinners will in the end.  In Christ’s human brain, love overcame the temptation to save self (selfishness), thereby destroying the carnal nature, perfectly restoring God’s law of love back into the human species, thus restoring unity between the human species and God. (2Corinthians 5:21; 1Peter 2:24; Isaiah 53:4; Hebrews 4:15; James 1:13, 14; Luke 22:41-44; 3SM 129.3; Con 17, 18; GCB February 25, 1895 par. 6; DA 762.2)

Penalty for Sin (aka wages of sin):
Eternal death (non-existence), experienced by the unrepentant after the Great White throne judgment.

Punishment for Sin:
Punishment is the natural consequence that unremedied sin brings upon the sinner in this life and in the Final Judgment, where each person suffers in the end according to his deeds. Christ, in our place, experienced this mental agony (punishment) for sin during the fractured unity with His Father (“… why have you forsaken Me?”) prior to His actual death, when He “became sin who knew no sin.”

God’s Wrath:
God’s wrath is not like human vengeance.   Because God desires only the service of love, He can never force anyone to live out His law against their will. Thus, God’s wrath is His ultimate and final gift of love for those who refuse His cure. God’s wrath is His abandoning, forsaking, giving up, and ultimately letting people go in response to the choices that they have made.  As a result, the sinner is allowed to reap what he has freely chosen – the suffering of unremedied sin, which culminates in eternal non-existence. (Deuteronomy 31:17, 32:22,23, 32:29,30; Jeremiah 21:5,6,9-10,14; Hosea 5:14,15; Romans 1:18,19,22-26, 4:25;  Manuscript Release  vol. 14, p. 3; RH, September 17, 1901 par. 7; RH, September 17, 1901 par. 8).

Atonement:
The Atonement is the complete restoration of unity between God and sinful humanity achieved by Jesus Christ. Jesus achieved humanity’s restored unity with God by revealing the truth about God to restore us to trust AND by restoring God’s law of love into humanity through His victorious life while He simultaneously destroyed the carnal nature that He assumed when He became human. He perfected human character, thereby restoring the human species back to the image of God as designed in Eden. The human race was brought back to perfection in the individual person of Jesus Christ and Christ once “made perfect became the source of salvation for all who obey him” (Hebrews 5:8).  The completion of atonement occurs when the universe is again at-one with God. (John 17:11,20-23; Letter 406, 1906;  7ABC 464.2, 472.5; RH, September 2, 1890 par. 7; The Home Missionary, April, 1893; ST, March 26, 1894 par. 5; WB September 9, 1902 par. 4; MB 114.1)

The Purpose of Christ’s Death:

  1. To reveal truth which destroys lies and wins us to trust (Colossians 1:20);
  2. To destroy the devil (Hebrews 2:14);
  3. To destroy the carnal nature/death (2Timothy 1:10);
  4. To destroy the devil’s work, by restoring God’s law of love back into humanity and thus restoring God’s character in man (1John 3:8, LHU 48).

Intercession:
Intercession is not something that Jesus does to appease an angry Father. Rather, it is the work of the entire Godhead—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – all working together in perfect union to intercede against Satan and sin in order to save mankind and secure peace and harmony throughout the universe. They intercede by:

  1. Holding in check Satanic power and agencies;
  2. Placing a desire for good in the human heart/mind, a longing for redemption and countering the work of Satanic forces;
  3. Intervening in the natural result of sinfulness through Christ, who partook of our humanity and overcame sinfulness and restored righteousness, linking fallen humanity back into unity with divinity.
  4. Christ, being the conduit or avenue of God’s love, truth and grace to His creation, thereby bringing God into the closest possibly communion with His creation.

All members of the Godhead are unified in this mission and work together to achieve these goals. (Genesis 3:15; Exodus 23:20; Job 1:9, 10; Revelation 7:1; John 16:26-29; Zechariah 3:1-4; Romans 8:26, 31-34; ST, July 11, 1895 par. 5; UL 20.3,4; MYP 253.3, 254.1)

Justice:
Justice means doing what is right, what is in complete harmony with God’s law of love. The predominant context of God’s justice in the Bible describes making things right by pouring out loving compassion on those who have been unfairly treated – the poor, widow, and outcasts of society. God’s justice is the perfect outflow of God’s benevolent love, no deviations from God’s law, no bending, or twisting around God’s law.  It is exact conformity with God’s law of other-centered love. For salvation, justice requires perfection of character, perfect harmony with the law of life. Christ justly achieved this perfect character in His human form and in His human brain and, in so doing, God is just in offering Christ’s perfect life to all who are willing to trust Him.

God’s justice also includes the reality that those who reject His healing will reap the full weight of suffering and the ultimate and final death that unremedied sin brings.  (Psalms 82:3; IS 1:16, 17; Jeremiah 21:12; Micah 6:6-8; GC 541.2-543.1).

Justification:
Is not a legal status. Instead it simply means being set right with God. Christ, as our substitute, took defective humanity upon Himself and in His person (human brain) destroyed the carnal nature, perfectly living out the law of love and developed a perfect human character. Therefore, the human race (species) was set right (justified) with God in the person of Jesus Christ. Through this achievement (a free gift), Christ’s perfect character is now offered to all mankind. Each individual person is “justified” (set right) when he is won back to trust by the truth Jesus revealed. In this mindset of trust, they experience the indwelling of the Holy Spirit who “sanctifies” them by transfusing Christ’s character into the believer. (Psalms 40:6; Isaiah 53:4, 5; 2Corinthians 5:21; 1Peter 2:24; Hebrews 2:10, 5:9, 8:10; John 16:13-15; ST, January 20, 1890 par. 6; COL 311.4; TMK 78.4, 206; AG 96.4; OHC 364.2).

The law requires righteousness — a righteous life, a perfect character; and this man has not to give. He cannot meet the claims of God’s holy law. But Christ, coming to the earth as man, lived a holy life, and developed a perfect character. These He offers as a free gift to all who will receive them. His life stands for the life of men. Thus they have remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God. More than this, Christ imbues men with the attributes of God. He builds up the human character after the similitude of the divine character, a goodly fabric of spiritual strength and beauty. Thus the very righteousness of the law is fulfilled in the believer in Christ. God can “be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” Rom. 3:26. — Desire of Ages, pg 762

Judgment:

  1. We judge God to be trustworthy and reject the lies of Satan (Romans 3:4), or not. Our judgment of God determines whether we trust Him and thereby determines whether we are healed from sin or die from sin;
  2. Heavenly beings judge God to be trustworthy in His dealings with Satan and sinful mankind;
  3. At the Great White Throne Judgment, every man faces his own character/condition/record and suffers the punishment of unhealed sin;
  4. God’s judgment regarding sin is not an arbitrary declaration that causes something to suddenly become a sin.  It’s an affirmation of the obvious:  Sin is a deviation from the law of love. God’s judgment simply affirms the reality that the sinner is ultimately, by his own choice, beyond God’s healing.

Final End of Sin and Sinners:
As God unveils His life giving glory, the fire of His presence of truth and love come out from Him. The wicked and righteous are washed in this life-giving glory. The righteous are renewed by this glory.  But the wicked, whose minds have been ruined because of their belief in Satan’s lies, and who have chosen to develop and solidify their characters of selfishness, suffer torturous mental agony according to the level of evil in their characters. This culminates in their death when love and truth burn through all selfishness and lies. After this, the literal cleansing fire of combustion renews the earth with fervent heat and the bodies of the wicked are consumed to ashes. (Isaiah 33:14,15; Hebrews 12:29; 2 Thessalonians 2:8, 10; Leviticus 10:1-5; MB 61.2, MB 62.1; DA 223.3, DA 107.4, 763.4, 764.1; PP 329;)

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Testimony 36

Thank you and may God continue to bless you as you share with others the intricacies of how we are all “fearfully and wonderfully made”. I must share that you have opened a whole new world to me, and I have found tremendous healing through what you have shared in two of your books, “Could It Be This Simple?” and “The God Shaped Brain.” I praise God for what you shared, what I have learned, and how I have grown and healed! My prayer is that My Precious Jesus will be seen by others in the way I live, act, talk, etc. and they may be encouraged to know He is truly a GREAT God of LOVE, desiring that no one should perish! God Bless you in your continued endeavors to present Him as He really is!

Joleen H. GA, USA

 

Testimony 49

I came into the church at 21, but that is as far as it went. I was so confused about what love is. I couldn’t find it in the bible, because I am not a person that can read between the lines. I have no logic. I have read many, many books; trying to figure out the crux of the matter. They were helpful, but something was still missing. I have become very frustrated to the point of crying out to God, “Where can I go?”  I needed some basics.

I found two books, written by Timothy Jennings, MD, to be very helpful. God showed me that I had lived my whole life in fear. I didn’t even see it. Now, I do. God is so good.  I discovered the “The Remedy”  Dr. Jennings new book, “The God-Shaped Heart!” Oh, I was so excited, I purchased them right away.

I can get rid of most of my books, because “The Remedy” brings the Love of God out so clearly, even I can’t miss it. Now, I want to sit and read my Bible. Wow, what a revelation! It is just simply Awesome! I am so grateful to Jehovah Almighty for hearing my prayer for more understanding! I am so encouraged!

Jackie S.

 

Testimony 29

Thank you for all of your work to correct misconceptions about God’s character. So many people that my husband and I have talked to seem to be against the natural law construct and view it as “errant” and “dangerous.” Having learned more about it through your blogs and lessons, I don’t really understand why they view it that way, except that it means they have to relearn theology they have known for their entire lives. But I’m so excited to relearn this. For the past few years I have been questioning how I could trust a God who punishes arbitrarily and is full of wrath for those who don’t obey His commands. That view made me afraid to “mess up” or “not be good enough,” even within my relationship with God. I really appreciated the point you bring out about God not wanting us to serve Him because we are afraid, but because we love Him.

Melissa H., IN, USA

 

Testimony 60

Just watched watched lesson 10 in the 1st quarter 2021 bible study classs on Isaiah. I want to thank you for your intellectual spirituality; it’s not an oxymoron! From the point of view of a teacher I also enjoy seeing how much personal pleasure you clearly take in not just tasting, but feasting on God’s word – it reminds me of Jeremiah not being able to hold it in! It makes me smile that your cup is so full and overflowing that you make it to Tuesday’s lesson (on a good day). It just goes to show the richness of God’s Word.

God bless the Come and Reason Team from our church here in Great Britain.

Andrew H., Great Britain

 

Testimony 9

I really enjoy with you the view of a gracious God. Thank you for sharing the work you are allowing the Lord to do in you.

L., Queensland, Australia

 

Testimony 63

I’ve been very blessed by “The God Shaped Brain” and this ministry, through video and podcast, over the last few years. It’s truly opened up my eyes more to the truth about God and the importance of that truth in the present world. The message is so inviting, freeing and enlightening and MORE people need to know about it. I believe it is the last message that can truly, not only prepare a people for salvation and translation, but vindicate the character of God.

Michael V., Yonkers, NY, USA

 

Testimony 27

Your teachings about our heavenly Father have changed my life. Thank you sooooooo very very much! I know He’s doing some serious healing in my heart and life and I look forward to each new day to learn something new about Him and to just hear you speak about Him. Thank you, forever.

Nancy S.

 

Testimony 55

I was born [into the church], then I left it for many years. 10 years ago, I came back, but I could not take the hypocrisy and the lack of answers to the missing pieces. I struggled, but I did not abandon my commitment to know the truth. God is leading me to the simple understanding of his relevance and I am relearning what the church taught me as a youth… that he loves me, that he has led me to a knowledge of him such as I have never known. He is using Dr. Jennings to connect the dots that are now so apparent and hiding in plain sight!

Dean P., Arlington, TX, USA

 

Testimony 34

I was introduced to Come and Reason Ministries by accident, via a passing comment made in a bible study class we were visiting. I checked this website out and my life was changed. The understanding of the truth of God’s character, and how we apply it, is so right. The tricky part is consistently applying which “lens” to look through. As I began to understand, I started sharing the basics of this understanding with a discussion group I was leading and, suddenly, a lot of things started to make sense that never used to. At the same time, I enjoyed an amazing opportunity. I was able to conduct a full bible study at WORK! What an amazing experience! It is such a joy to share the truth about God and to share how it all fits in the war between God and Satan. So many people benefit when we have a correct understanding about how God works and who He really is! Thank you for this transformational understanding. Keep up the good work! God Bless you!

Tony P., CA, USA

 

Testimony 71

When I was 9 years old, I remember setting at our devotional table with a hunger and thirst for God that wanted more, deeper, BETTER. I can remember literally crying and pounding on the table, “I know these teachers didn’t mean to give us error. They taught what THEY had been TAUGHT, but didn’t ANYBODY READ THE BOOK?!?!?” It mattered to me then. It mattered to me as a teenager. It matters now as I teach bible classes. It didn’t have to be so hard as I watched so many give up and lay God’s great plan and gift of salvation aside as being “impossible.” Then, a friend sent me a link to Come And Reason’s website. I grew excited. YES! FINALLY! Then another friend told me to stay away, saying her son had just broken up with a girl because she was involved with Come And Reason and that “Tim Jennings preaches a false gospel.” But, AFTER many years of developing an authentic and, dare I say FUN relationship with Jesus, through the Holy Spirit I see this message has been around a LONG time, since the apostle Paul, Ellen White, Graham Maxwell, Ray Foucher, and yourself (though I admit, you’ve made me back up, rewind and replay the clips, and get out my well-worn Bible on a few things.) I’m so thankful I have found LIGHT during these DARK days. I am not alone.

Vicki DiNitto

Testimony 50

After coming into contact with Come And Reason Ministries, I can finally say that many of my unanswered questions have fallen into place. I discovered that my view of God’s Law was “imposed laws and rules” with “imposed punishments” and that this was the major culprit of my many unanswered questions. Thanks be to God for using you and those around you to help us who have struggled with this “infection” of thought. I have now rejected the “imposed law” concept to fully embrace “Design Law”… to look thru “Design Law,” instead of “imposed law,” is a relief.

Viliami L., Australia

 

Testimony 57

You have helped make sense of thirty two years of confusion. The material you freely provide reorganized so much of my life into such a beautiful pattern that has always been hinted at from within, but misguided with my training and what I was experiencing externally. My filipno parents, who were converted from Catholicism to SDA, were sincere and did their best to raise me the right way and I have deep respect for them. However, being immigrants and not understanding the language made for a difficult transition as I was growing up, which also applied to my spiritual growth as I learned the patterns of religion. I have been listening to as many bible study classes and reading blog posts as my time in a work truck will allow, searching for the practical applications of where spirituality and reality meet, and I thank you for helping me find that. You have helped me reach a point in which I can truly say that I love God, that I believe He loves me, and, like David, I delight in His law. God bless.

Emmanuel V., Calgary, AB Canada

Testimony 1

Thank you! I love listening to the Come And Reason Ministries Bible study classes and am using some of your notes to get the lessons together that I will be teaching. You always have such good quotes and Bible texts and pull things together to make good sense.

T. C., IN, USA

 

Testimony 16

Your seminars are still inspiring and changing our lives and we continue to share the principles we have learned from you. Your ministry has changed our lives!

E.W.

 

Testimony 66

I am incredibly grateful for the transformative impact you’ve had on my life, and words cannot fully express my appreciation. Over the years, I have been an avid listener and follower of C&R and extend my heartfelt thanks for creating the C&R mobile app. It has allowed me to immerse myself in your lessons repeatedly, enabling me to grasp the profound significance about the Character of God, Design Law, the protocols for life, the reasons behind the current chaos, and Christ’s mission to restore everything. They have deeply touched me. Having studied with various churches, I came away with the perception that God is no different from the deities of ancient Greek or Roman mythology—demanding sacrifices and taking pleasure in bloodshed. Thanks to your transformative teachings, I have experienced a profound awakening to the true nature of God and the immense power of His love. It is truly a remarkable and liberating sensation to finally grasp the truth and embrace the empowering nature of God’s laws. My self-perception has become brighter and more infused with love. My journey of growth continues on a daily basis.

Chris P., Lake Mary, FL, USA