God forgave (past tense) long before Jesus died. Many texts could be listed. The following are just a few:
“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and WILL FORGIVE their sin.” 2 Chronicles 7:14
“I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and YOU FORGAVE the iniquity of my sin.” Psalm 32:5
“Their heart was not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his covenant. But he, being full of compassion, FORGAVE their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath. For he remembered that they were but flesh.” Psalm 78:37-39
“YOU FORGAVE the iniquity of your people; you covered all their sin.” Psalm 85:2
“LORD our God, you answered them; you were to Israel a FORGIVING God, though you punished their misdeeds.” Psalm 99:8 NIV
“Who is a God like you, PARDONING iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.” Micah 7:18
“Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly PARDON.” Isaiah 55:7
Jesus taught, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 6:14-15
The Bible explicitly lists numerous reasons for Christ's death and resurrection. Paying off sins is not one of those, because God is a righteous Father who forgives. He does not need to be bribed into forgiving.
I came here to say something very similar. It always gives me pause when people say Christ died for our sins (which is widely preached in our churches today and believed by many) because to me when I read the Bible, God has been forgiving our sins since the beginning of time. It’s all throughout the Old Testament, as you note above.
Yes. I dedicated several years to studying the topic of atonement to figure out what the original view was. Primarily for myself, because questions like this kept telling me that something was off. In the end, I compiled my answers into a book titled Atonement and Reconciliation. I don't claim to have all the answers, but I found enough to satisfy myself and many others who have thanked me.
Beau, I usually love your writing (still do really). This piece is a bit shallow though IMHO. Jesus death did more than just prove God's love and man's fear/hate. There is a greater purpose, and it is a mystery, but death, sin and the devil were defeated by Jesus' work on the cross. Here is a quote from Bradley Jersak: In his book A More Christlike God, Bradley Jersak puts it this way: “…Jesus himself absorbs the curse of sin and death for all of us, sucking the darkness of the world into himself, where his own blood is the all-powerful, spiritual anti-venom that cleanses sin and overcomes death. Assuming the likeness of fallen humanity, he is able to heal it.”
Of course Jesus’ death was more than this. If I were to write a piece that fully explains the cross, it would have been much much longer. I was just sharing my quick answer to this question.
God forgave (past tense) long before Jesus died. Many texts could be listed. The following are just a few:
“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and WILL FORGIVE their sin.” 2 Chronicles 7:14
“I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and YOU FORGAVE the iniquity of my sin.” Psalm 32:5
“Their heart was not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his covenant. But he, being full of compassion, FORGAVE their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath. For he remembered that they were but flesh.” Psalm 78:37-39
“YOU FORGAVE the iniquity of your people; you covered all their sin.” Psalm 85:2
“LORD our God, you answered them; you were to Israel a FORGIVING God, though you punished their misdeeds.” Psalm 99:8 NIV
“Who is a God like you, PARDONING iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.” Micah 7:18
“Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly PARDON.” Isaiah 55:7
Jesus taught, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 6:14-15
The Bible explicitly lists numerous reasons for Christ's death and resurrection. Paying off sins is not one of those, because God is a righteous Father who forgives. He does not need to be bribed into forgiving.
I came here to say something very similar. It always gives me pause when people say Christ died for our sins (which is widely preached in our churches today and believed by many) because to me when I read the Bible, God has been forgiving our sins since the beginning of time. It’s all throughout the Old Testament, as you note above.
Yes. I dedicated several years to studying the topic of atonement to figure out what the original view was. Primarily for myself, because questions like this kept telling me that something was off. In the end, I compiled my answers into a book titled Atonement and Reconciliation. I don't claim to have all the answers, but I found enough to satisfy myself and many others who have thanked me.
Beau, I usually love your writing (still do really). This piece is a bit shallow though IMHO. Jesus death did more than just prove God's love and man's fear/hate. There is a greater purpose, and it is a mystery, but death, sin and the devil were defeated by Jesus' work on the cross. Here is a quote from Bradley Jersak: In his book A More Christlike God, Bradley Jersak puts it this way: “…Jesus himself absorbs the curse of sin and death for all of us, sucking the darkness of the world into himself, where his own blood is the all-powerful, spiritual anti-venom that cleanses sin and overcomes death. Assuming the likeness of fallen humanity, he is able to heal it.”
Of course Jesus’ death was more than this. If I were to write a piece that fully explains the cross, it would have been much much longer. I was just sharing my quick answer to this question.