March 2021 – Why would a loving Father require the death of his beloved Son?

[Robert Wilson]

How would you respond if someone asked you why God’s plan was for Jesus to be crucified? Wouldn’t a good God redeem the world without anybody having to die?

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[Robert Wilson]

Here’s the best responses from the SPSE – Catholic Apologetics Facebook group

Because God was very clear in the Old Testament as to how the Jews could offer atonement and sacrifice for their sins. Jesus is the fulfillment of all Old Testament prophecies. If a perfect, spotless, blameless lamb was needed for atonement and sacrifice, who could be more blameless, spotless, and perfect than God’s own Son. Who else could atone for the sins of ALL mankind? There could be no human perfect enough for this; only God Himself could do it. And, how lucky and thankful we are for His mercy and generosity. He showed us what true love and sacrifice looks like; we have seen the face of God. And, His son not only died for us, He gave us His body and blood! What a gift!
Suzanne C

Our sins are grievously ugly, and our sins cause great suffering in the world. What kind of father would we have if he didn’t teach us the ugliness of our actions while remaining outside of our own suffering in order to teach us something?
God doesn’t want to remain outside of His children’s lives: including the suffering that we have brought upon ourselves brought about by our own sins. He wants to share in our lives in every way possible including human suffering so that we may understand how to conquer sin and death in our own lives—by uniting our suffering to His, which is REDEMPTIVE. Then to put icing on the redemptive cake: Christ resurrected from the dead to teach us that we, too, will share in His Resurrection and glory one day. This is so very beautiful : God is our Father who teaches us and loves us SO MUCH that He is willing to do absolutely anything so that we can have perfect Union with Him in heaven.
Toni A

God is good and merciful. But what we don’t hear said often enough nowadays is that God is also JUST. He doesn’t mince words: The wages of sin is death. There’s no two ways about it. Nothing impure can stand in the presence of a holy God. Therefore Christ, the sinless one, willingly laid down his life and took the full punishment for our sins, thus fulfilling the demands of divine justice and rendering true honor to the absolute holiness of God. It is at Calvary where “…justice and mercy have embraced…” Ps. 85:11 and the wondrous thing theology calls the “Divine Exchange” occurred.
Steve K

I am not sure that we should say God required it. Let’s say Jesus freely, voluntarily offered His life on behalf of us to His Father. The Father and the Son are one God, therefore, in complete harmony and union so I would think the Father is not requiring anything. Jesus reconciles us with the Father’s love. God has always had a plan.
Clarence B

[Jerome Lackner]

He doesn’t. Catholics don’t believe in “Penal Substitution” as taught by Luther and Calvin so the question should be directed to Protestants. A good book on this subject, but extremely difficult, is “The Atoning Death of Christ,” St. Thomas’s Doctrine of Vicarious Satisfaction, by John P. Joy.

[Robert Wilson]

well, Catholics say Jesus died on the cross to atone for our sins, don’t we?

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