There a two theories of justice. Consequentialist theories and retributive theories. It would only be unjust to punish the innocent in certain circumstances if one holds to a retributive theory of justice. Consequentialist theories say that the punishment of the innocent can be justified in certain circumstances because of the benefits that can be accrued like deterring crimes or reforming people. But even the staunchest of contemporary retributivists, Michael Moore, recognizes that the demands of retributive justice are prima facie demands that can be and are overridden in specific cases. This is why Moore is not committed to moral legalism Moore says that we must not confuse the intrinsic goodness of retribution with the categorical duty to carry out retributive justice on every possible occasion. He calls himself a threshold deontologist, that is to say, he abides by the categorical norm of morality until doing so produces sufficiently bad consequences to pass some threshold. So in the extreme case where one must punish an innocent person or else the whole world would be tortured forever one should punish the innocent person. By waiving the prima facie demands of retributive justice and punishing the innocent person he has mercifully saved the whole world from being tortured forever and was therefore acting compatibly with moral goodness. Nonetheless, Iâm convinced that the justice at the cross was consequentialist as well as retributive. The Bible says Christ learned obedience through what He suffered. Thomas Aquinas held that at the cross Jesus suffered and bore the punishment for our sins. But this punishment was medicinal punishment. We know it was disciplinary because of Isaiah 53:5 -
The chastening for our well being fell upon Him.
The Hebrew word here is musar
musar:
discipline, chastening, correction
The punishment is one of medicine and well being. Therefore, Godâs justice is consequentialist as well as retributive in nature at the cross. Punishing Christ for our sins is justified because it gives eternal life to the world. Punishing Christ prevents the lost from suffering forever and Christ learned obedience through what He suffered. Therefore the punishment was just on Godâs part. Evil on mans part because of the evil intentions of man. But Godâs intentions were holy and good. What Satan meant for evil God meant for good. Hereâs 50 morally sufficient and justifiable reasons God had for the death of Christ. Seeing that logical explanations are infinite in number and God is infinite in wisdom and knowledge there are and infinite number. Nonetheless, hereâs 50:
1 To remove the wrath of God
2 To free us from the slavery of sin
3 That we may die to sin and live for righteousness
4 To please His heavenly Father
5 To achieve His own resurrection from the dead
6 To show Godâs love and grace to sinners
7 To cancel the legal demands of the law against us
8 To become a ransom for many
9 For the forgiveness of our sins
10 To provide the basis for our justification
11 To complete the obedience that becomes our righteousness
12 To take away our condemnation
13 To abolish circumcision and all rituals as the basis for salvation
14 To bring us to faith and keep us faithful
15 To give us a clear conscious
16 To make us holy
17 To obtain for us all things that are good for us
18 To heal us from moral sickness
19 To give eternal life to the world
21 To deliver us from the past evil age
22 To reconcile us to God
23 To bring us to God
24 So that we might belong to Him
25 To give us confident access to the holy place
26 To become for us the place where we meet God
27 To bring the Old Testament priesthood to an end
28 Become our High Priest
29 Free us from the futility of our ancestry
30 So that we would die to the law and bear fruit for God
31 To enable us to live for Christ and not ourselves
32 To make His cross the ground of all our boasting
33 To enable us to live by faith in Him
34 To give marriage itâs deepest meaning
35 To create people passionate for good works
36 To call us to follow His example of lowliness and love
37 To create crucified followers
38 To free us from the fear of death
39 So that we will be with Him after death
40 To secure our resurrection from the dead
41 To disarm the rulers and authorities
42 To unleash the power of God in the Gospel
43 To destroy hostility between the races
44 Ransom people from every tribe and nation
45 Gather His sheep from around the world
46 Rescue us from eternal torment
47 Gain His joy and ours
48 So that He would be crowned with glory
49 To show the worst evil in human history was meant by God for good.
50 To learn obedience and be perfected
I donât claim rational certainty for the argument from Christs glory. Only plausibility. Itâs reasonable. It can be rationally resisted. It only holds within a retributive model. But this is the most reasonable explanation from scripture. Penal. It doesnât say everything though. Since mortal sin belittles and scorns Godâs infinite worth and value then committing a mortal sin has the consequences of paying an infinite price. This is why Christ could atone for the sins of His people because He is infinite in value. He payed the infinite price. The old identity (self) is tormented forever and ever in hell while the new self (spirit) is reborn. The Greek word for soul in the New Testament is psyche. The Bible defines it as the mind, will, and emotions (self). The Bible also tells us that as a baby up to and through the time He was a man Jesus had to learn and grow. He didnât know everything as a man. This was His human soul. This is the soul that would die and be tormented forever as Jesus was nailed to the cross and descended into hell. The Bible is pretty clear that Jesus died for sinners. As God, Jesus didnât have to learn and grow. He was infinite in wisdom and knowledge. This is His Divine Spirit. This is what entered His new body when He was resurrected. On the cross He said to the Father, âInto Your hands I commit my spirit.â The human soul is tormented forever. The Divine Spirit lives forever in Godâs glory. Man is body soul and spirit. Soulish (natural) is the Biblical Greek psyche. A natural body is transformed into a spiritual one. Our true inner self is the spirit. We put to death the soulish or natural man (false self) and walk in the spirit (True Self). The psyche (natural man) is tormented forever in hell - The soulish (soul body).