Part 2

Adam's disobedience offended God and outlawed him and his posterity. Humans could not fix the fault because their inferior status was worsened by sin. It would not be fitting for God to forgive the offense, for then sin would go unpunished. This, Anselm said, is unseemly, for it puts sinners and the innocent on an equal footing before God. Further, reparations must be made to the divine honor; otherwise justice is not served.

Thus Anselm builds the case for the Incarnation: On one hand, because sinners are human, a human must make satisfaction; on the other, because God is offended, no one less than God can make amends. Justice is served and God’s love is shown in sending the Son to earth to suffer and die as a human for sinners. Since Jesus was sinless, his death was above anything required of him. His willingness to die to establish solidarity with us  made satisfaction for the sins of Adam and all Adam’s descendants. Jesus suffered the consequences of sin out of love for us