As an Evangelical Christian, I believe that God did not forsake Jesus on the cross. In fact, the Bible tells us that Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). This has led to some confusion among Christians, but I believe it is important to understand the context of this statement.
Firstly, we need to remember that Jesus was fully human as well as fully divine. He experienced the physical and emotional pain of the cross, just as any human would. In that moment, he was feeling the weight of the sin of the world upon him. This was a moment of great turmoil and anguish, and it is understandable that Jesus would express his feelings of abandonment.
However, I believe that God did not actually forsake Jesus. The Bible tells us in Isaiah 53:4-6 that Jesus was “stricken by God, and afflicted,” and that “the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” In other words, Jesus was taking on the punishment that we deserved for our sins. He was bearing the weight of God’s wrath against sin. But even in that moment, God was with him.
Furthermore, we know from other parts of the Bible that God did not abandon Jesus. In John 16:32, Jesus tells his disciples that “I am not alone, for the Father is with me.” And in Hebrews 13:5, we are told that God will never leave us or forsake us.
In conclusion, while Jesus may have felt abandoned in that moment on the cross, I believe that God did not actually forsake him. He was with him, even as he bore the weight of our sin and suffered for our sake. This is a powerful reminder of God’s love for us, and the depth of sacrifice that he was willing to make for our salvation.
