Substitutionary Atonement

Substitutionary atonement (also called "penal substitutionary atonement") is a Christian teaching that Jesus Christ died as the penalty for the sins of all humanity (due to all people having sinned per Romans 3:23), so that a person can place his/her trust in Christ's work for salvation, and ultimately enter Heaven upon death as a result.

Although there are disagreements as to particulars (mainly between Calvinists and non-Calvinists), it is universally agreed that, had every person who ever lived (or will live) on Earth trusted in Christ for salvation, His atonement would have sufficed.

Compare Intercession.