The theory teaches that the death of Christ was a ransom sacrifice, usually said to have been paid to Satan, in satisfaction for the bondage and debt on the souls of humanity as a result of inherited sin.
Once the Devil accepted Christ's death as a ransom, this theory concluded, justice was satisfied and God was able to free us from Satan's grip.St.
[5] "Redeeming" in this case literally means "buying back," and the ransoming of war captives from slavery was a common practice in the era.
The theory was also based in part on Mark 10:45 and 1 Timothy 2:5–6, where Jesus and Paul mentioned the word "ransom" in the context of atonement.
Presently the "ransom-to-Satan" view of atonement, literally interpreted, is not widely accepted in the West, except by some Anabaptist peace churches and a few figures in the Word of Faith movement, such as Kenneth Copeland.
[citation needed] The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops comments on Matthew 20:28 that the word ransom "does not necessarily express the idea of liberation by payment of some price.
"[9] Origen of Alexandria, Gregory of Nyssa, and Augustine of Hippo taught views in line with the standard Ransom theory and the Liturgy of St.
In this view, God's divine law requires that only the sacrificial death of a perfect human can atone for Adamic sin.