If wishes were fishes, I would have long since exceeded my limit.
I would like to write much. I have little opportunity to write.

Here is the link to a very good article by Orrel Steinkamp:

http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/orrel28.html

Here is an excerpt from the article:

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It was Palm Sunday in our local church. The focus of the whole service was the death and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. The pastor proceeded to verbally paint a picture of the holy week in Jerusalem. This included the agony in Gethsemane, the political and religious intrigue regarding the interaction between the Jewish authorities and the Roman government. Finally he gave a description of the crucifixion focusing on the crucifixion technique as it applied to the victim. If a picture is worth a 1000 words this pastor was painting a graphic picture with words. Especially the crucifixion event itself was so well done that I could almost hear the crowd crying out "give us "Barabbas" and I could almost feel the struggle of Jesus on the cross as he tried to get His breath. I knew the historical resources the pastor used that provided the palate he used to paint this spellbinding picture. And even though I have not seen Mel Gibson's "The Passion," still I felt I was there "when they crucified my Lord." Then the pastor abruptly pivoted toward his conclusion and appeal. He gave only a passing nod to Jesus death for our sins and providing eternal life. He launched into his application. Here are his actual words: "He died for you so you could approach Him today with whatever it is that is weighing you down. Maybe it is a relationship that is not right at home or school or work. Maybe it's a financial crisis. Maybe your kids are breaking your heart. Maybe you are disappointed in yourself. You can't get over the hump, or some behavior in your life. You are lonely, sick or grieving. The cross is where God's best meets man's worst as we see the cross with fresh eyes."

I have no idea what view this pastor holds regarding the atonement. It really doesn't fit any of the historical views. Maybe we could dub it the "life application atonement." This type of appeal becomes more significant in the current environment, for now there is an open and frontal attack on the cross as a propitiatory sacrifice and substitutionary death to pay the penalty for our sins Within evangelicalism, with its plethora of odd and often heretical teachings, we now have, if not a full fledged war, at least major skirmishes breaking out regarding the meaning of the death of Christ. There are many major voices identified and accepted as fellow evangelicals, who are chiming in to challenge and target the Penal Substitutionary Atonement, hereafter PSA.

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Steinkamp has put his finger on something I had long noticed. Whether in Baptist or Bible Church or Evangelical radio circles, we constantly hear that Jesus came to "give us healthy families", "restore relationships" and much other touchy, feely type things. Perhaps. Perhaps not. Remember that Christ said He would divide families.

The primary reason Christ suffered and died was to take my place and your place so we might escape the just wrath of God.