Thought for the Week
“Jesus died to save people from a blood-thirsty God!” That, says my friend Mac, an influential atheist “evangelist,” is the message of Christianity. “Then, in our place,” he goes on, “God sadistically tortured his own Son to death. If God really wants to forgive people, why doesn’t he just forgive them?”
Funny thing is, a few years back this same Mac was an influential Christian evangelist with pretty much the same message: “Jesus died to save us from God!” Only now he preaches against it.
Here’s why he was wrong, then and now: God isn’t an angry Judge anxious to punish the human race, but a loving Father anxious to rescue it. And Jesus didn’t die to save us from God — he died to save us from us (Matthew 1:21)!
So why can’t God simply forgive us and leave it at that? Look around: Is a world of forgiven-but-unchanged people–murderous dictators, enslaved addicts, abused abusers, angry narcissists–one you want to live in? A heaven full of forgiven but unchanged people would not be heaven.
It would be hell.
Our world is broken, according to the Bible: Earth long ago abandoned the Kingdom of God, a realm characterized by selfless love (1 John 4:8), for a realm characterized by lust for things, for power, for self (Genesis 3).
When a system—car, computer, or planet—is broken, you repair it by replacing the broken parts. The ancient prophets put it this way: “There is no forgiveness (repair) of sin (brokenness) without the shedding of blood (throwing away of broken parts)” (Hebrews 9:22). But what if you happen to love those “parts”? Well, then you have to find a way to repair them. Every single one. A tall order. If you’re human.
But not if you’re God.
Recognizing this dilemma, the ancient Hebrews established, under God’s direction, a temporary solution. By solemnly sacrificing animals, and later eating them (which they would have done anyway), i.e. by symbolically shedding the blood
of humans, they created a deep sense of consciousness of the brokenness of our world.
But that was “just a shadow of the good things to come,” a temporary fix, says Hebrews 10:1. Because “the sacrifices under that system, repeated again and again…were never able to make perfect (to repair) those who draw near.” In other words, it wasn’t the cure for cancer, just a way to live with it. But “in the fullness of time,” Galatians 4:4 tells us, “God sent his son.” The Cure.
Jesus’ death was, in one sense, the last official sacrifice of the old (temporary) plan. It was the offering of the ultimate unblemished Lamb to demonstrate God’s love and to fulfill Abraham’s prophecy: “God will provide Himself a lamb” (Genesis 22:8).
But His death was also the beginning of a new (permanent) plan to fix the system, to restore earth to its place in God’s Kingdom. Not merely a way to live with cancer, but the cure for it.
One morning, as a young believer struggling with Mac’s question, I shouted, “Why can’t you just forgive us, God?” The “still small voice” that answered stunned me: “Jesus didn’t die so I could forgive you, he died so you could receive my forgiveness, so you could be set free” (cf. Acts 26:18). (I later learned that the Greek word for “forgive” in the New Testament means to be “released” from the results or effects of something.)
Suddenly my mind was filled with the most hideous scene: Jesus hovered before me, his arms outstretched, his hands nailed to a rough oaken beam. Blood 
flowed from his wounds — while I piled rocks onto his shoulders and arms. Tears streamed from my eyes as I watched the weight of each stone push him further down, ripping at his wounds. The rocks were my sins—every thoughtless, cruel, self-serving thing I’d ever done, or would do—and they numbered in the millions. I finally stopped, too wracked with remorse to continue. Then Jesus raised his head, his eyes filled with love, and said, “Finish it!”
I grasped that day in a way I hadn’t before the participatory meaning of the cross. Yes, Jesus died for me. But I also died with him–and rose with him. He puts it this way: “Take up your cross daily and follow me. Anyone who wants to save their (old, unchanged) life, will lose it. But anyone who loses their life for my sake will save it.” (Luke 9:23-24)
It’s an inside job. The Apostle Paul calls it metamorphosis, like the death of a caterpillar and birth of a butterfly. Before a butterfly can be made, a caterpillar must die! “We have been buried with him,” Paul says in Romans 6:4-7. “Our old self was crucified with him…so that we might no longer be enslaved to sin.”
One by one, Jesus is repairing each broken part in our corrupted system, and telling us to pass it on: “Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness.” (Matthew 6:33). (“Righteousness” means to set things that are off-kilter “right” again.) And tell people “the good news,” he says, that “the Kingdom is near!” (Matthew 10:7)
One broken part at a time, God–not the angry Judge, but the loving Father–is restoring his children and reestablishing…
His Kingdom of love.
The perfect teaching as long as we get it right, which I felt you did a good job of it here, Mitch.
Thank you, Maria.
Great job, well said, I hope Mitch is still your friend.
Thank you, L.G. And, yes, I am still my friend. ;>) I’m Facebook friends with Mac (where he reguarly preaches his anti-gospel), but haven’t seen him in years.
Paragraph beginning ONE MORNING expresses it perfectly.
Thank you, Carl.
Great introspection, i think Jesus was probably real but the concept of god is a big bang in my imagination. I was out running yesterday and the lines for a little church were around the corner. It was like record store day at the record store.
Beautiful truth. Thank you for your words today, Mitch!
My privilege, Lisa.
As I struggle with doubt these days, (note that I mean “as” and not “since”), reading your words today may have finally provided an answer. I’m not sure; I’m going to have to read them again. And again. When I stop crying. Thank you, my friend.🙏
I’m so glad to hear that, Gail.
Wow.
“Jesus didn’t die so I could forgive you, he died so you could receive my forgiveness, so you could be set free” (cf. Acts 26:18)
Wow
acts 51:43 create thee a clean heart & acts 39: thou shall fall on to the mountains of israel
Thanks, Erie.
John MacArthur (spelling?) was talking about justice and mercy just this morning on my way to work. Double hitter!
A stellar explanation of what it means to be forgiven and restored into right relationship with God. Well done, Mitch! I am SO glad I invited God into my life, to set me free from the consequence of my sins.
Thank you, Nancy, and I’m so glad you did too, dear friend.
Great explanation, Mitch. It saddens me that so many young people are “deconstructing” their faith. You gave us some good answers to their twisted perspective. I had a dream similar to yours, when I saw Jesus suffering and tried to help Him but only made it worse. 💔 But He looked at me and said, “It’s alright.” We can’t make it right, we can only accept His sacrifice for us. THEN it’s alright – “It is finished.”
Happy Resurrection Day.
“We can’t make it right, we can only accept His sacrifice for us. THEN it’s alright – “It is finished.” Yes! And Happy Resurrection Day to you, Annie.
“A heaven full of forgiven but unchanged people would not be heaven. It would be hell.” This was all so beautifully expressed.
I grew up in the church but never really understood the “why” until a couple years ago. The way it was explained to me is that all that sin, all those horrible, wretched things, had to go somewhere, so Jesus shouldered that burden and took it all. He was the final, ultimate sacrifice. Humanity no longer had to be separated from God, and that is not only beautiful, but the most loving, merciful thing God could have done for us. So yes, you’re exactly right—Jesus never saved us from God, He provided us a bridge to be reunited with God, washed clean (1 Timothy 2:5)!
“All those horrible, wretched things had to go somewhere, so Jesus shouldered that burden and took it all.” Exactly. That in itself is a sentence worthy pondering at great length, Jodi.
Magnificent! Father loves us just as much as He loves Jesus! And WOW! How He loves HIM!🤠
So true, C.A.
Loved this heartfelt Post!
So glad to hear that, Wenda.
Well said.
Thank you, Suzanne.
Beautiful. Powerful. Convicting. Thought-and-heart provoking. In just a few well-chosen words, you have passionately dissected one of the most divisive and long-standing debates in Christianity. I love it a LOT! With your permission, Mitch, I would like to link to this post in a post I am currently working on.
You have my permission. And thank you, my Anonymous friend.
Without Jesus we can do nothing
Mitch as I’m sure you’ll agree.
I certainly do, Cora.
Love this. Beautiful and true.
Thank you, Nora.
Beautifully written, Mitch, may we all spend time this Holy Week pondering all that Jesus willingly did for each of us.
Amen, Peggy.
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Repairing the broken parts……or maybe replacing them with a modified vision?
I can’t stop thinking about this:
http://2transform.us/2025/05/06/did-christ-die-to-cause-or-transmit-forgiveness/
Read it. Well said, my friend!
I even made a podcast about it!
https://thegreatreset.transistor.fm/s3/bonus42
Doh! Wrong link. This podcast:
https://thegreatreset.transistor.fm/s3/bonus43
❤️❤️❤️
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“A heaven full of forgiven but unchanged people would not be heaven. It would be hell.” – That is a powerful statement to show that forgiveness is a big factor, but without the humility, transformation and awe of realizing Gods goodness and that we dont deserve it, that He really loves us and gives His mercy and grace freely. And without that understanding, the notion of joining Him in heaven is lost.
Exactly.
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Hi!! I love my beautiful King Jesus, the Almighty, the Holy One whom I love and adore! He is King of kings and Lord of lords; I love Him, I adore Him!
I cherish my beautiful King Jesus Christ, God of Armies, God of Galaxies, God of gods! He is mighty and strong; He upholds the galaxies with the power of His Word!
King Jesus is the all-knowing God; He is the King of Glory whom I love, the King of Righteousness whom I adore! He is the Lord of Salvation, rich in mercy and grace, patience and kindness!
I love my precious King Jesus Christ! He makes me so happy, He means the world to me! He is infinitely beautiful, He is my everything! I love Him with all of my heart!
Thank you for letting me comment. God bless you!
Thank you, Allen, and God bless you.
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