Wow!
I wonder what the real debate is here about the word ‘forsaken’? Certainly one’s view on this point to tied to one’s view of the substitutionary atonement, even the meaning of the word atonement, also the Old Testament type of Abraham and Isaac, yes and the idea of a sacrifice, oh also the idea that there is no remission of sins without the shedding of blood and even deeper still Christ willingly obeyed the Father’s command, yet did Christ perform the atonement himself or what was the God the Father’s role?
Actually the question of ‘forsaken’ with a Biblical definition is actually answered for you in Romans 3:25a. It was always hard for me to picture how Abraham got Isaac onto the Altar. Does the Scripture even say? It is hard to imagine that Abraham did not wrestle with Isaac or quickly tie his hands before Isaac knew what was happening. However, we do know that this is not the case at all with the anti-type, our Savior. Jesus willingly and obediently laid himself on the altar. However, Christ did not sacrifice himself, but he was God the Father’s sacrifice of atonement.
I think that you will find a solid answer to your debate about the language of ‘forsaken’ at the very heart of the gospel. 2 Corinthians 5:21 even further clarifies that both God the Father and God the Son played different roles in the crucifixion.
Jesus was made to be sin and God is the one who made him to be sin.
Perhaps the most offensive aspect of the gospel for the unbeliever is that Christ suffered and died the death that we deserve. Yet the unbeliever plays heads games with the gravity of their own sin and the holiness of God. They do not confess, they do not agree with God that our sin merits complete separation and eternal damnation away from Holy God, to be utterly forsaken by God. They reason that they are really not that bad, but in truth the unbeliever instead knows nothing of the magnificent holiness of God… for no sin, not the least blemish can stand in his presence. Yet because of Christ’s death for me and our standing of being hidden in Christ I can stand before holy God even as a sinner and will never be forsaken. Praise to God’s grace alone!
Curiously, but not coincidentally, the promise that God will never ‘forsake’ us in Hebrews 13:5, strong’s G1459, is the same word that Christ cried out, “my God my God why hast thou ‘forsaken’ me.” Christ obediently laid his life down as God the Father’s sacrifice of atonement, and was made to be sin and entirely forsaken so that we will never be forsaken. Of course the good news is that Christ was was raised from the dead. He was not merely revived from a swoon, but was raised from the dead and now is raised to the highest honor. Christ our sacrifice is now our redeemer and king! The forsaken Christ is no longer forsaken, but forever praised!
Of course the ignorant will continue to argue with the gospel because they will say all of this does not make sense or defies reason. However, we worship a God whose love extends beyond our ability to comprehend. After all, what does it really mean for the incarnate God to be made sin and to die? Can God really do that? Well, yes he did! So you decide, worship the ordinary god of your imagination or the extraordinary God who is!
Of course if you do not like the word ‘forsaken’ then what word would you use to describe a king who made his own son to be sin and then offered him as a human sacrifice and death on a cross? Though it was already noted that ‘forsaken’ is the word that Christ himself used.
Hey, an honest question… why the objection to the term ‘forsaken’?
