So you would have God using different standards for his application of justice?
That's not justice.
God is totally consistent and is not a hypocrite (giving us one standard and applying a different standard of justice to Himself). That is being just.
Why do you not agree with Jesus' reality in Matthew 20:28?
Matt. 20: 28 even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
I am very much totally in agreement with that verse, the question is: “Who did Christ offer this ransom to which many accepted?”
You are very right since, “the process of atonement” is something much easier experienced, then it is explained intellectually. When the nonbelieving sinner comes to the realization his personal sins caused Christ to be tortured, humiliated and murdered on the cross, he has that death blow to his heart (the worst feeling he can have and live) as did those on Pentecost (Acts 2:37) and will cry out in sorrow for help. He is experience empathically being crucified with Christ, which is fair, just, loving discipline for him as a sinner.
It is not at all hard for the nonbelieving sinner to personally experience Christ in human flesh, listening to him, teaching him, spending time with him, seeing wonderful things happening with Christ in front of him, and Christ Loving on him all through a Christian having Christ in them and living through them. It is thus up to the nonbelieving sinner to accept Christ (the ransom payment). If he rejects the ransom payment a child is kept out of the kingdom.
And when the sinner begins to question why Jesus was crucified, what say ye?
That is the question I love to be asked and now we have a wonderful learning experience!
I have been asked this many times by nonbelieving sinners, but I try to let the Spirit lead me to the very best answer for that individual at this particular point in their spiritual growth. I have a hard time knowing where you are at, so I might not give the best answer for you.
Generally, and being very logical:
Jesus was crucified because of your sins and to benefit you. (I should have already explained the objective in life and how God is doing everything possible to help them in their completing that objective.)
(If they knew what a good parent is), I can talk about God being the very best parent who can easily forgive His rebellious disobedient children, but will also if at all possible, see to His children’s fair, just loving disciplining. (I might go over the benefits of fair, just loving discipline and being a good child that willingly accepts correct discipline even though it is hard at the time.)
God and Christ are personally going through your disciplining with you (like wonderful parent do), so it can be a relationship growing experience.
Christ willingly forced himself to spent the time needed on the cross to complete all prophecies concerning Him and allow us to experience the pain of being crucified with Him.
I personally need all the help I can get to feel, experience, know how unbelievably hugely sin’s hurt is and thus how much I have been forgiven of (this is all so I will Love like God Loves “he that is forgiven much Loves much”). I need to really experience being Loved beyond believe, God is my Loving parent, and Jesus Loves me.
I would use further questions to go deeper.
Some have, Christ going to the cross as being God’s fault for not being able to forgive us without a sacrifice, but what is your reason?
And when he begins to probe the reasons you give, what say ye then?
Sooner or later, you're going to have to deal with the NT presentation of Jesus saving from God's condemnation to eternal death.
I must let you know this feels like parlaying with the devil, "Hath God said?" (Genesis 3:1), and is most egregious to me, this kind of unbelief and complete re-arranging of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
(2 Timothy 4:3-4; Galatians 1:9)
God’s forgiveness saves people, not some actions.
No, they were simply unpunished at the time, punishment was not removed, it was only delayed until the cross.
The Greek word does not mean “delayed, rolled forward or postponed” but does mean “not punished’.
If it did mean “delayed” there would be no contrast between the way sins were handled before and after the cross, making Paul’s argument worthless.
None who believed in the Promise (of Christ--Genesis 15:5), or who are in Christ (the Promise) through belief, have to go through any punishment at all. Jesus did it for them.
“for” is rarely used to convey the idea of, “instead of”. There are at least four Greek words that are sometimes translated in the English, “for”, but only one “anti” is used only sometimes to mean “instead of”. The Greek “anti” is use once in the context of atonement when Jesus talked about being a ransom for many, but there it could mean because of many or to benefit many or as a gift to many and does not have to mean instead of many equaling the “ransom”. All the other times “anti” is not used.
That's my cue. . .is this a troll job by an anti-Christian? . .sorry, done here.
How can I see that as a kind question?