Agreed. Nonetheless, God didn't need the cross to forgive anyone. Paul argues that the cross demonstrated God's righteousness. It was not the means to forgiveness. God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in HIM shall have eternal life.
If Christ's sacrifice was not necessary to forgive anyone, then why did God have His Son sacrificed for our sins?
Matthew 26:28 for this is my
blood of the new covenant, which is
poured out for many
for the remission/forgiveness [Gk: aphesis] of sins.
Strong's Concordance: #895 aphesis
aphesis: dismissal, release, pardon, complete forgiveness
Hebrews 9:26-28 (WEB) But now once at the end of the ages, he has been revealed
to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Hebrews 13:11-12 (WEB) 11 For the bodies of those animals,
whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as
an offering for sin, are burned outside of the camp. [
Leviticus 16:27] 12
Therefore Jesus also, that he might
sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered outside of the gate.
Hebrews 9:22 (WEB)
without the shedding of blood there is
no forgiveness.
1 John 1:7 (WEB) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the
blood of Jesus Christ, his Son,
cleanses us from
all sin.
In other words, if someone is seeking eternal life, they must deal with Jesus Christ. God has granted Him the authority to forgive sins.
Matthew 9:5-7
Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—then He *said to the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your bed and go home.” And he got up and went home.
The son of man forgives our sins. How does this happen? Jesus entered the Heavenly temple and he intercedes for the saints. He is our high priest. And The Father grants the Son's request because the Father's delight toward Jesus overshadows his wrath toward us.
Lord Jesus came to shed his blood for our sins, so that, sins can be forgiven. That is why Lord Jesus was given authority to forgive sins.
Matthew 26:28 for this is my
blood of the new covenant, which is
poured out for many
for the remission/forgiveness [Gk: aphesis] of sins.
Before Lord Jesus came to sacrifice himself for our sins, God left the sins, in past times, go unpunished.
Romans 3:25 God presented Christ as a
sacrifice of atonement, through the
shedding of his blood — to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because
in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished
The cross is the means to our propitiation, not the means to satisfy justice.
The cross is the means to propitiation (atonement) for believers
because Christ shed
blood satisfied God's justice.
Romans 5:9 (WEB) 9 Much more then, being now
justified by his blood, we will be
saved from God’s wrath through him.
Romans 3:25 God presented Christ as a
sacrifice of atonement, through the
shedding of his blood — to be received by faith
Hebrews 2:17 (WEB) 17 Therefore he was obligated in all things to be made like his brothers, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to
make atonement for the
sins of the people.
According to the teaching of some denominations, Jesus' death was a necessary act to satisfy God's justice.
That is what the Scriptures teach.
Romans 5:9 (WEB) 9 Much more then, being now
justified by his blood, we will be
saved from God’s wrath through him.
Romans 3:23-24 (WEB)
23 for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;
24 being
justified freely by his grace
through [Greek: dia] the redemption [
payment] that is
in Christ Jesus
Strong's Concordance #1223
dia:
through, on account of, because of
Titus 2:14 (WEB) 14 who
gave himself for us [
believers], that he might
redeem (
make payment for) us
from all iniquity, and purify
for himself a people for his
own possession, zealous for good works.
Jesus' death satisfied God's by paying the penalty for human sin. It views sin as a debt owed to God, and Christ's sacrifice serves as the payment to settle that debt.
That is what the Scriptures teach.
Before Christ came, all mankind was legally indebted to the Law of God for every sin committed, and Lord Jesus shed his blood to cancel the charge of our legal indebtedness so we can now be forgiven.
Colossians 2:13-14 (WEB) 13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having
canceled the
charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away,
nailing it to the cross.
Lord Jesus redeems all sinners who repent and believe from all iniquity by His shed blood on the cross.
All sinners who repent and believe may be forgiven of all sins committed against God's Law because of that redemption by Christ.
Matthew 26:28 for this is my
blood of the new covenant, which is
poured out for many
for the remission/forgiveness [Gk: aphesis] of sins.
Hebrews 9:26-28 (WEB) But now once at the end of the ages, he has been revealed
to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Hebrews 9:22 (WEB)
without the shedding of blood there is
no forgiveness.
That is the simple Gospel Message that many cannot grasp.
John 3:16 (WEB) 16 For God so
loved the world, that he
gave his only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in him should
not perish, but have
eternal life.
Matthew 26:28 for this is my
blood of the new covenant, which is
poured out for many
for the remission/forgiveness [Gk: aphesis] of sins.
Yes, redemption, not justice.
Christ's blood redeemed believers to satisfy God's justice and save us from His wrath.
Romans 5:9 (WEB) 9 Much more then, being now
justified by his blood, we will be
saved from God’s wrath through him.
Romans 3:23-24 (WEB)
23 for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;
24 being
justified freely by his grace
through [Greek: dia] the redemption that is
in Christ Jesus
Strong's Concordance #1223
dia:
through, on account of, because of
Your statement is contradictory. Either God accepted payment for our sins or he forgave our sins. It can't be both.
No contradiction, except in your own mind.
Matthew 26:28 for this is my
blood of the new covenant, which is
poured out for many
for the remission/forgiveness [Gk: aphesis] of sins.
Hebrews 9:22 (WEB)
without the shedding of blood there is
no forgiveness.
Titus 2:14 (WEB) 14 who
gave himself for us [
believers], that he might
redeem (
pay for) us
from all iniquity, and purify
for himself a people for his
own possession, zealous for good works.
Acts 20:28 (WEB) the assembly [believers] of the Lord and God which he
purchased with
his own blood.
Romans 5:9 (WEB) 9 Much more then, being now
justified by his blood, we will be
saved from God’s wrath through him.
