What Did the Cross Achieve? (Crossway Short Classics)

In this classic essay, theologian J. I. Packer explores the concept of penal substitutionary atonement—a cornerstone of the Christian faith that posits Jesus's death on the cross as satisfying God's wrath against sin. This belief is fundamental yet often debated within theological circles. Packer addresses key questions: Is it just to punish an innocent person in place of the guilty? How can the temporary death of one substitute for the eternal death of many? Why doesn’t the cross grant Christians unlimited permission to sin? Drawing deeply from Scripture and the writings of early Reformers, Packer meticulously defends the truth of Christ’s substitutionary suffering and death, which lies at the heart of the Christian gospel. His essay, originally delivered as a Tyndale Biblical Theology Lecture, is revered as one of the most significant works on this topic in the 20th century. It has profoundly influenced theologians and remains essential reading for students, pastors, and laypeople al