
Rom 3:25,26 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.Under God's system of justice, unjust suffering incurs reward as compensation.1Jo 2:2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
1Jo 4:10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
Eph 5:2 Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Matt 5:10-12 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heavenThe Bible speaks of Jesus' death as an example of unjust suffering2Cor 4:17 our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
2Peter 3:17,18 It is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit
1Peter 2:19-24 For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.The Bible indicates that while God ordained the death of his Son, and Jesus also agreed to it, the act itself of killing Christ was unjust. Notice how it speaks of those who killed Christ:
Acts 2:23 "This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross."Not even his enemies reckoned Jesus to be guiltyAc 2:36 "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."
Ac 1:18 With the reward he got for his wickedness, Judas bought a field;
Acts 7:52 Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him—
Some have been mislead into believing that everyone killed Christ, but such is not the case. Notice above that the apostle Peter and Stephen, who themselves were Jewish, did not use the word "we" when assigning responsibility, but "you". The fact that Christ died for the sins of the world does not mean that everyone killed Christ. Rather he was murdered by a multitude of Jews and some Romans.
If Christ was imputed with the guilt of sin and his death was for that imputed guilt, then his death would have been just. Indeed he could have had his own apostles put him to death in Levitical fashion as a judical act. But rather Christ' death was portrayed as an unjust act committed by wicked men. Indeed if it were just then what did Judas do wrong. Yet Jesus said of him, "The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born." Mr 14:21
Matt 27:4 Judas, "I have betrayed innocent blood."In fact if his enemies understood the gospel would they have crucified Christ?Matt 27:19 Pilate's wife: "Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man,
Luke 23: 14,15 Pilate and Herod: I have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him; "no, neither did Herod, for I sent you back to him; and indeed nothing deserving of death has been done by Him.
1Cor 2:8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.So also the Scriptures declare Jesus sinless
Heb 9:14 Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God,God did not crucify Christ, though it was God's will for him to go through such suffer so as to be a sacrifice of atonement.Heb 4:15 just as we are— yet was without sin.
2Cor 5:21 He had no sin
1John 3:5 in him is no sin.
1Peter 2:22 He committed no sin
Is 53:4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.Jesus was essentially sent by His Father on a suicide mission. Not that he killed himself. But rather he allowed himself to be killed by wicked men carrying out their unjust act but which resulted in a greater good. One is reminded of Joseph who, in Genesis, was betrayed by his brothers and sold into slavery. But who in the end recognized the fact that, "you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people" Gen 50:20Heb 7:27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.
Ex 23:7 "Have nothing to do with a false charge and do not put an innocent or honest person to death, for I will not acquit the guilty."
Some may point out Rom 5:18 "the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men." However Christ being put to death was a wicked act. But Christ's part in that act was righteous.God tolerating sin and Jesus tolerating the cross does not mean they condone injustice. If one recompenses unjust suffering it doesn't mean they condone the acts of injustice. If one compensates the persecuted with rewards, it doesn't logically follow that they need also to reward the persecutor.
Why was Judas punished for handing him over?The imputation of guilt theory ultimately portrays God as unjust. It doesn't apply with respect to "original sin" nor with respect to Christ's atoning sacrifice.
Why were the people torturing Christ considered wicked in doing so, if in fact God was one of them?
Why was Jesus spoken of being innocent and unblemished, having no sin?
In fact why in the Old Testament were unblemished animals required, if in fact they were supposed to represent sinners?
Also in contrast to the Biblical view is the Catholic practice of symbolically recrucifying Christ on a weekly (or even daily) basis. For the Catholic communion service is modeled after a Levitical sacrifice in which the priest recrucifies Christ again and again with the words, "accept this sacrifice made by our hands".
Heb 6:6 "to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace."Heb 9:25-28 Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people;
The Boston Christian Bible Study Resources
Apr 12,2004