It is true that Jesus died for us as Christians have always claimed. But his reason was not to pay God for human sin, to remove eternal punishment, or to repair God's honor. It was God's sacrifice for us through Jesus. Both his life and death were to make God's love visible and real in a human and unforgettable way. God was present through Jesus, even in the depths of human pain and death. God went as far as possible through Jesus on the Cross, offering us deep and eternal healing, for that is what the word salvation means. We are offered healing in soul, mind, and body. We are loved, forgiven, and freed. We are claimed, included, and reconciled. Thus we experience atonement which is to be at one with God, with each other, and within ourselves, simply by opening our hearts to receive God's fully offered Gift, then, as Jesus did, giving it away. Grace Adolphsen Brame, Author