Nick Batzig opens an excellent post with these sad, but true words:
18 years ago, I heard a sermon on Matthew 27:46 – Jesus’ cry of dereliction on the cross, “My God, My God, Why have You forsaken Me?” At one point, the minister who was preaching this message said, “Jesus wasn't really forsaken; he just felt forsaken by his Father in his soul.” I remember sensing anger welling up within me at those words. I thought to myself, “That’s a denial of the Gospel. If Jesus wasn’t really forsaken, then I have no grounds to believe that I will never be forsaken.” Sadly, I have subsequently come to discover that there are quite a number of Protestant theologians who have shied away from asserting that Jesus was really and truly forsaken by his Father when he hung on the cross.
The Old Testament is clear that when God forsakes, He hides His face from the one He forsakes, turns him over to his enemies, and burns in anger toward him. All of this happened to Jesus while He suffered for sinners on the cross. It was a real, objective forsakenness. And the salvation He won for us is a real, objective salvation.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
https://www.reformation21.org/blog/forsaken-or-felt-forsaken
18 years ago, I heard a sermon on Matthew 27:46 – Jesus’ cry of dereliction on the cross, “My God, My God, Why have You forsaken Me?” At one point, the minister who was preaching this message said, “Jesus wasn't really forsaken; he just felt forsaken by his Father in his soul.” I remember sensing anger welling up within me at those words. I thought to myself, “That’s a denial of the Gospel. If Jesus wasn’t really forsaken, then I have no grounds to believe that I will never be forsaken.” Sadly, I have subsequently come to discover that there are quite a number of Protestant theologians who have shied away from asserting that Jesus was really and truly forsaken by his Father when he hung on the cross.
The Old Testament is clear that when God forsakes, He hides His face from the one He forsakes, turns him over to his enemies, and burns in anger toward him. All of this happened to Jesus while He suffered for sinners on the cross. It was a real, objective forsakenness. And the salvation He won for us is a real, objective salvation.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
https://www.reformation21.org/blog/forsaken-or-felt-forsaken