Was the Substitutionary Death of Christ Cosmic Child Abuse?
This past Sunday I walked an old path with the folks in my church; the path of the death of Christ, by which He took the curse due to our sins upon Himself, by dying in our place. I meant to add a few thoughts regarding a perspective on the atonement that is gaining footing among some in the emergent church movement and other contexts.
It may be surprising to some that the teaching that God's Son was punished for the sins of others is not popular among many--even many who claim the name "Christian". In fact this teaching, which Christians have long called the substitutionary vicarious, atoning, propitiating death of Christ, is meeting with open horror and disdain.
Some suggest that the idea that God would punish His Son for our sins is equivalent to "cosmic child abuse". Friends, such a perspective reflects at the very least a woeful ignorance of basic Bible truth. For example, one fact that the Word repeats often is that while the death of Christ was God's way of punishing our sins without punishing us, it was not a unilateral act of the Father forced onto the Son. Philippians 2:7, 8 makes it clear that the Son humbled Himself and offered Himself for us. In John 10:17, 18 Jesus tells us that He laid down His life of His own accord.
This simple Bible observation--which any careful reader of the Word can see--makes the charge of "cosmic child abuse" patently absurd. The death of Christ for His people's sins was neither coerced nor forced nor imposed on the Son by the Father. It was a voluntary act of the Son in cooperation with the Father, born out of the Triune God's amazing love for His people. Any who miss this point simply are not reading their Bible's closely at all. Worse they are insulting God, insinuating things evil to the Almighty Father in heaven. At best those who make this charge are missing out on one of the sweeter truths of our faith; at worst they are slandering God out of ignorance.
O my friends: Jesus died for our sins means exactly what it means. We are sinners deserving to die under the eternal curse of God's judgment, but Jesus volunteered to take our place becoming a curse for us. Anything but cosmic child abuse, this is the ultimate expression of Divine love--from the Father to us, and from the Father to the Son in that the Son is now exalted in the place of highest honor to reward His high and infinite sacrifice of love for our sakes.
Let us not slander God with words ill-spoken. instead let us worship God for love beyond degree.
It may be surprising to some that the teaching that God's Son was punished for the sins of others is not popular among many--even many who claim the name "Christian". In fact this teaching, which Christians have long called the substitutionary vicarious, atoning, propitiating death of Christ, is meeting with open horror and disdain.
Some suggest that the idea that God would punish His Son for our sins is equivalent to "cosmic child abuse". Friends, such a perspective reflects at the very least a woeful ignorance of basic Bible truth. For example, one fact that the Word repeats often is that while the death of Christ was God's way of punishing our sins without punishing us, it was not a unilateral act of the Father forced onto the Son. Philippians 2:7, 8 makes it clear that the Son humbled Himself and offered Himself for us. In John 10:17, 18 Jesus tells us that He laid down His life of His own accord.
This simple Bible observation--which any careful reader of the Word can see--makes the charge of "cosmic child abuse" patently absurd. The death of Christ for His people's sins was neither coerced nor forced nor imposed on the Son by the Father. It was a voluntary act of the Son in cooperation with the Father, born out of the Triune God's amazing love for His people. Any who miss this point simply are not reading their Bible's closely at all. Worse they are insulting God, insinuating things evil to the Almighty Father in heaven. At best those who make this charge are missing out on one of the sweeter truths of our faith; at worst they are slandering God out of ignorance.
O my friends: Jesus died for our sins means exactly what it means. We are sinners deserving to die under the eternal curse of God's judgment, but Jesus volunteered to take our place becoming a curse for us. Anything but cosmic child abuse, this is the ultimate expression of Divine love--from the Father to us, and from the Father to the Son in that the Son is now exalted in the place of highest honor to reward His high and infinite sacrifice of love for our sakes.
Let us not slander God with words ill-spoken. instead let us worship God for love beyond degree.
Labels: Atonement, Emergent Church, Gospel
posted by Tim Shorey at
3:16 PM
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