In His atoning death, Jesus became our ____ in judgment.

• A. Mediator
• B. Substitute
• C. Representative
• D. Savior

Answer: (B)

Judicial substitution is the idea at play: in His death, Jesus stood in our place before God, taking the punishment our sins deserve. This means the penalty for sin was endured by Him so that divine justice could be satisfied while mercy is offered to us. He isn’t just interceding for us or delivering us from sin in general; He is bearing the judgment that rightly would fall on us. A mediator intercedes between parties, and a Savior rescues from sin, but the specific act described here is taking our place in judgment. A representative might act on our behalf in some capacity, yet substitution emphasizes that He bears the exact penalty in our stead. Therefore, substitution best expresses the role Jesus fulfills in the context of judgment.