Jesus' death atoned for our sins and Jesus is GOD

Thank you TJ for such a swift and interesting post. I should say at the end of your comments I find myself confused as to your standpoint. Maybe I need some clarification whether you are saying that the death of Jesus was a valid and appropriate sacrifice for our sins or otherwise. However, I have a few worries with a couple of thinks you said, starting with your quoting of Psalms 49:7&8 which you interpret to mean Jesus was a normal human being. I sincerely think your interpretation of that bible verse is, should I say, misplaced. I do not think Jesus was just a normal human being; he was God. In Phillipians 2:5-11, the bible says:

5"Your attitude should be the same as that of Jesus Christ: 6Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-even death on a cross! 9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10that at the mention of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father"

Furthermore, Romans 14:9&10 says:
"9For every reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. 10...'As surely as I live', says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; and every tongue will confess to God"

and 1Corinthians 1:18 says "for the message of the cross is foolishness for those who are perishing..." The whole chapter and chapter 2 are also informative. 

If you and I believe in the above biblical messages, is the magnitude of Jesus' death to mankind still questionable or is his status as God? I think not. The bible says God is a merciful and just God. He loves man so much but his justice also provided that he punished man for his sins and Jesus was the only rightful propitiation because he was pure and sinless.

The second thing I differ in opinion in is your idea of God's standard for justice. Of course the standard you portray here was in the Old Testament, in the time of Moses. The coming of Jesus brought a new dawn, a new order and a new beginning. This is not to say the Old Testament is invalid today though, it simply means some of the practices of the Old Testament, e.g. burnt offerings, teeth for tat, an eye for an eye rules become obsolete and unchristian with the coming and death of Jesus Christ. The shattering of the temple alter blind when Jesus died and resurrected clearly indicated a break from the past and the break of a new dawn where there were no longer any barriers between man and God; the link between man and God was reestablished and all those who were willing to live a Godly live could now make heaven.

I hope I did understand your comments well; else, would you mind clarifications if necessary? Thanks a million TJ. I am actually writing this post at 2:15 am because I just find reading your comments and posting an immediate reply irresistible. I was reading. Thanks a million.