say as to the possibility of God's forgiving a sinner on his repentance without an Atonement is
contrary to our innate feeling of Justice. If a human judge were to do so, it would be said that he
was unjust, for justice must be satisfied: but God does not do what is unjust, for He is
Just (
Al'Adil), and does not therefore forgive without an Atonement. Nor can a sinner truly
repent if he does not realize the guilt he has incurred. Christ's Atonement was needed to make us
realize the guilt of sin.
170. M. How can one man's death atone for the sin of many?
C. One diamond may pay a debt of many thousands of rupees1. But the true reason
why Christ's death has atoned for the sins of the whole world (1 John ii. 2) is that He died as
the Head of the human race and as its representative (1 Cor. xv. 22, 45-49)2.
171. M. Where is the justice of the innocent suffering for the guilty?
C. The substitution3 of the innocent for the guilty in the case of human justice
could not be admitted. But much of the difficulty which is often found in accepting the Christian
Doctrine of the Atonement of Christ arises from the fact