Jesus routinely announced God’s forgiveness without requiring punishment. Again and again, he tells people their sins are forgiven. And he teaches his followers to freely forgive. We don’t say to those who have wronged us, “I’ll forgive you, but justice requires that first I have to punish you.” Forgiveness freely given is called grace or mercy in Scripture.
Did God need Jesus to die in order to forgive us? Did Jesus die in order to placate God’s wrath? Asked another way, Did Jesus die for God? Did Jesus’ death change God’s heart, or did it, rather, reflect God’s heart?
I believe it is we who needed Jesus’ death, not God. It was to change our hearts, not to change God’s heart. God can forgive anyone God chooses and does not require God’s Son’s torturous death in order to appease his anger.
— Adam Hamilton, Why Did Jesus Have to Die?, p. 27-28
Photo: South Riding, Virginia, October 30, 2026