This seems to neglect God's holiness.
If a offender were to stand before a judge and the judge said, "I forgive you because I love you" and them let the offender go free, that would be an unjust judge. The person committed a crime and the penalty must be paid.
But, if the judge were to say what the penalty was, and them pay the penalty himself, and then say, "You are forgiven, you are free". That would be a just judge.
This is what Christ did on our behalf. We were the offender and God the Judge. We were guilty of a crime and were unable to pay the penalty, so God gave His only begotten Son to pay our penalty.
You are making this out to be like a traffic ticket where the Judge pays it and lets you go.
The first thing to realize is the “crime” is an unbelievable huge
offence against the Almighty Judge. It is not some crime against society or some “Law”, but directly against the Judge Himself.
The “penalty” (punishment) is forever separation from the Judge.
What could possibly be “done” in the
positive to offset this crime directly against an infinitely Powerful Judge?
I would suggest nothing, it is beyond being paid for, even any portion of it.
The main thing to realize is the Judge you gravely offended is also your Loving Father. Some appointed judge or a judge sworn to preside over some “Law” is controlled by that Law created by others, but that is not the case with God. God our Father is like the father in the prodigal son story, yes, He will be totally fair/just, consistent and Loving. As the very best Parent, God can forgive His children of anything, but if at all possible He also needs to see to our Loving just disciplining which is not the same as the punishment given to those not accepting the disciplining.
Think about this:
There is a, one of a kind, Tiffany vase on your parent’s mantel that has been handed down by your great grandmother. You, as a young person, get angry with your parents and smash the vase. You are later sorry about it and repent and your loving parent can easily forgive you. Since this was not your first rebellious action your father, in an act of Love, collects every little piece of the vase and you willingly work together with your father hours each night for a month painstakingly gluing the vase back together. The vase is returned to the mantel to be kept as a show piece, but according to Antique Road Show, it is worthless. Working with your father helped you develop a much stronger relationship, comfort in being around him and appreciation for his Love.
Was your father fair/just and would others see this as being fair treatment? Did this “punishment” help resolve the issue?
Was restitution made or was reconciliation made and would you feel comfortable/ justified standing by your father in the future?
Suppose after smashing the vase, repenting and forgiveness, your older brother says he will work with your father putting the vase together, so you can keep up with your social life. Would this scenario allow you to stand comfortable and justified by your father?
Suppose Jesus the magician waved his hands over the smashed vase and restored it perfectly to the previous condition, so there is really very little for you to be forgiven of or for you to do. Would this scenario allow you to stand comfortable and justified by your father?
What are the benefits of being lovingly disciplined?
Suppose it is not you that breaks the vase but your neighbor breaks into your house because he does not like your family being so nice and smashes the Tiffany vase, but he is caught on a security camera. Your father goes to your neighbor with the box of pieces and offers to do the same thing with him as he offered to do with you, but the neighbor refuses. Your father explains: everything is caught on camera and he will be fined and go to jail, but the neighbor, although sorry about being caught, still refuses. The neighbor loses all he has and spends 10 years in jail. So was the neighbor fairly disciplined or fairly punished?
How does the neighbor’s punishment equal your discipline and how is it not equal?
Was the neighbor forgiven and if not why not?