“Also, God seems merciless and relentless in pursuit of justice and honor -- or if not merciless, helpless by being fenced in by the divine law"

Hi! John,
Part of my own personal understanding of atonement is that our Father gave of Himself in the incarnation to save that which was lost (Prisoners of sin/evil) All of us. The essence of His love is Truth or put another way Truth and Love are one and the same.

 The essence of love in His Son is Truth, and He bears witness to it, Jesus teaches us not to resist the evil doer and is true to His own Word, he can do no other but submits to His own essence which is Truth and bearing witness to the Truth permits the evil in man to murder him, He is lifted up by mankind for mankind’s redemption, we see a reflection of the evil within ourselves (own actions) as He submits to the Will of our Father bearing witness to the Truth (their own essence).
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