This is an important question that many people wrestle with as they seek to understand the meaning and significance of Jesus’ death on the cross. The Bible teaches that the penalty for our sins is eternal separation from God in hell (Romans 6:23). Yet Jesus, though completely innocent, suffered death on a cross and was buried in a tomb. He did not descend into hell or suffer eternally. So how could His death pay the penalty for our sins?
To properly understand this, we need to first recognize that the penalty for sin is not just duration in hell, but separation from God. Hell is the destination and consequence of separation from God. When Jesus died on the cross, He experienced separation from the Father as He took the sins of the world upon Himself. As He hung on the cross, Jesus cried out “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). This separation, even though temporary, was excruciating for Jesus. It involved unfathomable spiritual and emotional anguish. The innocent Son of God took our sins and alienation from God upon Himself so that we could be reconciled and have eternal life with God (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Additionally, we must remember that Jesus is an infinite being. As the eternal Son of God in human flesh, His death had infinite value and worth. Jesus said, “I lay down my life for the sheep” (John 10:15) and “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). Though Jesus’ time on the cross was finite, He offered Himself as an infinite sacrifice on our behalf. His divine nature gave infinite value to His suffering and death.
The penalty for our sins was spiritual death—separation from God. That is what Jesus experienced for us on the cross when He bore our sins. Though He did not suffer endlessly, He offered Himself once as a perfect, infinite payment for the debt of sin we could never pay ourselves (Hebrews 7:27). Jesus satisfied the justice and wrath of God against sin, redeeming us from the penalty of eternal death (Romans 3:25-26). The Bible says, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God” (1 Peter 3:18). Though His suffering was temporary, it was enough to atone for our sin before God.
In addition, Jesus’ resurrection is proof that God accepted His sacrifice. 1 Corinthians 15:17 says, “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.” When God raised Jesus from the dead, it was a demonstration that the Father was pleased with the Son’s payment for our sins. The resurrection sealed the redemptive work of Christ and “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification” (Romans 4:25).
So in summary, Jesus’ death was sufficient payment for our sins because of the infinite value of His deity, His experiencing the agony of separation from God, and God’s acceptance and vindication of His work through the resurrection. The duration of His suffering was not what atoned for our sins. It was the perfection of His sacrificial payment, followed by the Father’s response in resurrecting Him from the dead. This is why the Bible says, “God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith” (Romans 3:25). If we place our faith and trust in Jesus Christ, His death fully paid the penalty of our sins before God.
Some key verses that support this biblical explanation include:
- 2 Corinthians 5:21 – God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
- 1 Peter 2:24 – He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
- 1 John 2:2 – He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
- Isaiah 53:5 – But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.
- Romans 5:8 – But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross fully accomplished salvation for sinners who put their faith in Him. Though His suffering was not eternal, His sacrifice was perfect and complete. He took the full weight of separation from God on our behalf, offered Himself as an infinite payment for sin, and was vindicated by the Father through the resurrection. This is the biblical basis for understanding how His death could pay the penalty for our sins even though He did not suffer eternally in hell.
The good news is that for those who repent and believe in Christ, their penalty has been paid fully. There is no need for those in Christ to suffer eternal separation from God because Jesus experienced that separation for us. God’s justice was satisfied by Christ’s death on our behalf. We can receive total forgiveness and reconciling peace with God, not because of any good in ourselves, but because of the infinite value and sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice for all who trust in Him.
Word count: 901
