Thank you, Gregory, for such kind words and such a thoughtful reply. I know many would worry about devaluing Jesus' sacrifice if we don't view it as covering all of humanity, but such a devaluing is not a necessary result--as your response illustrates. I agree with you that there's something beautiful and transcendent in Jesus allowing himself to be killed in place of Jerusalem and/or his disciples. It's a model of profound, exceptional love that we could follow if we chose, and if we did, the world would change as a result. I think his death covers my sins to the extent that my sins aren't that different from humanity's perpetual struggles, yet he would have died for me, too, if I had lived and followed him back then. And his death and resurrection "save" us because if we believe in him and his teachings, then we experience the fullest revelation of God and escape our worst sins and their consequences. His death and resurrection don't save us because we mentally agreed with the doctrines represented by the Sinner's Prayer that one time we prayed it, i.e., there wasn't some magic in the crucifixion that negates loving and following God. I think most of the people who would worry about devaluing Jesus' death would also agree with that last statement, but they don't see how their language and thinking seems to reduce the crucifixion to a kind of magical absolution that allows people to live more or less unchanged. I didn't mean to write so much, but your response sparked something in me. Thank you!