You wrote:
“So you are forgiven, but must still be punished (”required by Divine justice”). That is a very odd idea of forgiveness.”
Not to God it isn’t. See 2 Samuel 12:13-14.
“I must start applying it to others. “I forgive you for what you have done to me. Show up at my house on Saturday and pull weeds for 2 hours.””
We do apply it to others all the time. It’s called “prison”. Even when we as individuals may forgive criminals for theri acts, we still send them to prison for the sake of satisfying justice. When our kids misbehave and we forgive them, that doesn’t mean they aren’t still grounded for two weeks.
We as individuals do not send anyone to prison. In a nation-state model of justice (as opposed to tribal), the State is the one offended and punishing.
On one occasion, when my son went into debt, after much discussion, I paid the bill for him. He did not pay me back. Had I insisted on repayment, it would not have been forgiveness, but a business arrangement.
And if I grounded my kids, it was punishment. THEY were paying the price, not me.