Spiritual guidance powered by AI and grounded in Scripture
Your Question:
Why am I being punished for something I didn't do?
Answer:
As a pastor, I've had my fair share of conversations with people who feel they're being punished for something they didn't do. But the question of why we're being punished is a complex one. It's not necessarily about God sending a punishment as a direct response to our actions. Instead, it's about the nature of sin and guilt. Our sinful nature means we're liable to punishment, but God has transferred that guilt to Christ, who voluntarily took it upon himself. Some might say that's not fair, that God should have just let us off. But that's not how it works. Think of it like a debt. If someone owes a debt, but they don't have the means to pay it, someone else might offer to pay it on their behalf. That's what Christ did for us. He took on the punishment for our sins, not because we deserved it, but because he loved us and wanted to correct our foolish ways. The idea of punishment is often misunderstood. It's not about retaliation or retribution, but about discipline. God disciplines us because he loves us and wants to teach us obedience. His judgments are meant to teach us the importance of following his laws, not to punish us for our sins. As the Bible says, "Take what yours is, and go your way; I will give unto this one that which is not due." God's ways are not our ways, and his justice is not always easy to understand. But ultimately, it's about his love for us and his desire to see us turn from sin and be forgiven.
Sources:
christian theology
millard erickson
systematic theology
wayne grudem
job
francis andersen
mere christianity
c s lewis
dogmatic theology
shedd
my utmost for his highest
oswald chambers
leviticus
jay slklar
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