Originally posted by titan
I don't know if you will seriously consider it or not, but IMO here's why your statement above is wrong.
Jesus is not a man or a god but God himself. It is more accurate to imagine the crucifixion as God suffering for his children than as God torturing one child to satisfy his justice for his other children.
God cannot abide sin or injustice. So in the Garden of Eden he warned Adam not to eat the fruit or he would surely die. This is spiritual death, that is separation from God. When we sin we are separated from God. I think of the crucifixion as God bringing us back to Him despite our sin. Due to our sin this reunification was painful for God. We observed this pain when Jesus was crucified.
I do not claim to understand the trinity fully, but it seems to me that Jesus is that part (person?) of God which can unite with (condescend to) mankind despite our sinfulness. God made a very real and painful sacrifice for us in extending his grace to us sinners. I suppose he could have done this quietly on the sly without giving us the crucufixion so we could see that suffering for ourselves. However, I think it is good for us to know that our sins have consequences, and God was correct to let us see how he suffered to redeem us.
titan
