Was asked a question that has completely stumped me

[Paul Hazelwood]

Hi,
I had pretty much become a believer of universal salvation.  However, my friend asked me a question  that I can't really find a logical explanation for.
He said, "If everyone is going to be saved and there is no hell, then why did Jesus have to take the excruciating punishment that he did?"
It took me aback, because I had come to believe that there is no hell (the bible had been misinterpreted) and now I can not think of a good explanation except that there will be a "separating the goats from the sheep".
Any thoughts?
Thanks.

All are saved because of Jesus.  So if Jesus had not did what he did, no one would be saved.

[fullarmor2]

        I like how that Jesus did not just subject us to this futility down here.  Jesus came down here and experienced it also like a true leader.    Jesus didn't require us to do something that he was not willing to do himself.   Sort of like a military officer who not only orders his soldiers to take a certain hill,  he leads the charge up the hill!

[Beloved Servant]

It was all a demonstration truth.

[Pierac]

Hi,
I had pretty much become a believer of universal salvation.  However, my friend asked me a question  that I can't really find a logical explanation for.
He said, "If everyone is going to be saved and there is no hell, then why did Jesus have to take the excruciating punishment that he did?"
It took me aback, because I had come to believe that there is no hell (the bible had been misinterpreted) and now I can not think of a good explanation except that there will be a "separating the goats from the sheep".
Any thoughts?
Thanks.

The key to your question is the resurrection!  With out Jesus' death on the cross there would be no resurrection from the dead. The wages of Sin is death, and it had to be paid or no one could live again.

[jabcat]

        I like how that Jesus did not just subject us to this futility down here.  Jesus came down here and experienced it also like a true leader.    Jesus didn't require us to do something that he was not willing to do himself.   Sort of like a military officer who not only orders his soldiers to take a certain hill,  he leads the charge up the hill!

Amen.  He suffered the same things (and worse) and can be touched with the feelings of our infirmities.

[jabcat]

He's not afar off.  He's right there, involved.  I recently ran across an old post by Byron that said in essence, "God falls with the sparrow - He hurts with the hungry child in Africa"...

[reFORMer]

"Does God Suffer" by Hans Kaser and "The Suffering God" by Donald G. Hayter:

http://www.gtft.org/Library/miscellaneous/godsuffr.htm