Why Would God Punish Jesus for My Sins?

You're in a conversation and someone says, "Why would God punish Jesus for what I did? It’s barbaric and abusive for God to require a blood sacrifice from his own son for sins Jesus didn’t even commit. It sounds like ‘cosmic child abuse’.”

What would you say?

The next time someone says, “The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross sounds like ‘cosmic child abuse’,” here are three things to remember:

Number 1: Jesus was not a mere human.
Number 2: Jesus went to the cross voluntarily.
Number 3: The sacrifice of Jesus is not an act of abuse, but a gift of God.

Comment Policy: We encourage civil discussions. Please keep bad language, personal attacks, off-topic comments, and general bad behavior off our site.

Sources and Recommended Reading:
 
“Person of Interest,” by J. Warner Wallace
 
For additional resources related to this topic, consider reading the following articles:
  
 

[DanielApologetics]

Jesus says about His life in John 10:18 -
NO ONE TAKES IT from me, but I lay it down of MY OWN ACCORD. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to TAKE IT UP AGAIN. This charge I have received from my Father.”

[danielromani]

Another point that should’ve been added was that if we were responsible for paying for our own sins, none of us would succeed and get into heaven. We are human, and therefore prone to sin. No matter how hard we try and be good, lead a pure life, we will all fall short. Jesus is the only one who could do it, and the only one who could absorb our sins and pay the punishment on our behalf

[scillyautomatic]

Well done. The analogy of the judge stepping down is a very good explanation. Thanks. Keep up the good work.

[jzoopmd]

At the beginning you could see cartoon images of people smiling at the idea of Jesus dying for their sins 😂

[sharpy]

But why did god need to punish himself? Instead of just saying I forgive you all? Like god is punishing himself for rules that he himself made up.

[Kramer-tt]

The problem i have with it is that it teaches kids they always have a scapegoat, and they never have to fave consequences for their actions. They have been stripped of their responsibilities. This is immoral.

Much more moral system would be god keeping a count of the sins you commit in your life, and you serve time in hell, and once you have faced your responsibilities, you are let out into heaven.

[abuchai]

God in a human form is like having a square circle. It’s a contradiction.

[tr]

James Warner Wallace is great! check out his books and videos

[IaMD.B.]

I just don't understand why the fact that we're flawed and sometimes do bad things, means that we deserve to suffer in eternal torment. I understand really bad people like murderers, rapists, child abusers, but why me? A generally decent person who tries to do good, even if sometimes I fall short? Why do I deserve the same fate as the murderer?
Either A) I don't actually deserve such a terrible fate, and therefore there's a sense of injustice in god's judgment.
Or B) I do deserve it, and if that's the case, then shouldn't I accept the punishment and serve my sentence with dignity, instead of scurrying to safety under Jesus' wing?

If someone can explain to me where I'm wrong and what I'm missing, I'd really really appreciate it. This is the one logical problem that I can't seem to wrap my head around, and the major reason why I'm not yet a Christian. If someone can help me understand this, I'd convert.

[acmpleteunknwn]

How is it fair to punish a child for the crimes of their parents?

[mintoocool]

why did god create laws in the first place that require god to do this to himself ? i.e seems moot to create laws along with defining the punishments for breaking those laws .. and then proceeding to completely circumventing the entire legal framework by punishing himself, i.e the creator of the laws. seems totally unnecessary. why have such laws in the first place ?

[Lighthouse]

None of this makes sense and none of it is just because we are NOT guilty for the sins of past humans.

[Maryam]

Thank you for explaining it in a way I could understand it

[phuakiangee]

Thank you Lord Jesus for dying for my and your sins... there is nothing we can do to repay what Lord Jesus has done for us.

[lme]

A completely irrational story about a god who unnecessarily sacrificed himself to himself on a cross in order to exploit his own loophole and spare humanity from his own wrath all because a clone woman was convinced by a talking snake into eating magic fruit. And somehow we’re all guilty of this “crime” for some reason?

[aprilleak]

The people in the comments have opened my eyes. They do not wish to receive the gift of forgiveness. They would rather die for their sins. 🤷🏾

[pacman]

If Jesus was really just God, then the story makes even less sense. So God looked at the state of the world, understood it was full of much sin and thus he had to punish the world for it, but at the same time he wanted to do anything and everything he could so that he could forgive everybody. Thus, his plan was to manifest himself in another form on his own planet, then go and get himself killed so he could sacrifice himself to himself to save humanity from the punishment he was going to dish out? Why is it this so complicated, and what about this is really a moral sacrifice? If he wanted to forgive humanity for all the bad shit they did, and if he does really have all the power of the universe and do what he wants, why couldn't he have just decided and tell everybody he's going to wipe their records clean and introduce a new rule where people have to ask him for forgiveness? Why was the part where he jumped into a underaged low-class girl's stomach, only to be born then go on a suicide mission necessary, and why did he need a blood sacrifice? He doesn't need to do anything, keep in mind, he's God. He's all-knowing and all powerful and can do anything he wants.

I think this is the problem with apologetics in general. They need to frame God as both an all-powerful being who can do anything he wants, whenever he wants, and is not bound by any limitations of power in any field. Yet at the same time he unfortunately has to make some tough calls and do some rough things because that's just what he has to do given his circumstances. Despite the fact the previous narrative was the fact he is able to do anything no matter what. Doesn't make sense as a genuine moral way of life, BUT does make sense if you know all these stories were written by so many people, translated multiple times over, and smushed together into one big collection which changed over time as governments and societies evolved over millennia.

[xtjwgto]

That's exactly the Orthodox Church's view of the crucifixion.

[JohnMartim-syyf]

Very good question! Man has nothing to do for his salvation? Is it «forbiden»??

[RoseSharon]

If Jesus paid the debt for my sins (death) then he should still be dead. Thats the price. If the debt was only death for only 3 days, then everyone wouldn't mind paying for my own sins. Which is exactly what we must do. How? By consequences for our sins. Or Repenting. No one can pay for your inquity.
The prodigal son and Zacheus received salvation by repentance not a human sacrifice. Ezekiel 18. Thats ALL thats ever been required. Repentance is HARD WORK. Its not saying a one sentence prayer.