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Before reading this article, the writer of this article fully believes in the Christ and is one of his followers and also all of the prophets sent by God. The writer believes that the Christ is ‘a word of God conveyed to Mary’ who miraculously conceived him. He is ‘Spirit from God’, ‘Son of man’, ‘a messenger of God’ and ‘a man of Peace’.

So, let’s start…

The story begins when God Almighty created Adam and Eve and let them stay in the Garden of Eden, and after that they disobeyed God by eating from the forbidden tree. From a Christian point of view, I know that the original sin committed by Adam and Eve is eating from the Forbidden tree. Then God Chooses his son, Jesus, the perfect sacrifice for all of our sins. Jesus, was the only sacrifice that could make up for a fallen human nature.

we need to know what the term “original sin” means. This is a term used in Christianity to describe the effect of Adam’s sin on his descendants. Original Sin is the sin inherited by all humankind from Adam in his disobedience of God’s command not to eat from the fruit of the “Tree of Knowledge.” The Original Sin event is referred to as “The Fall of Man.”

But I have serious questions:

Does God have to do a sacrifice? Is it hard for God, the Most Merciful, to forgive our sins without any sacrifices? God can simply forgive them right? So, why do you think it is hard to forgive the sin of Adam and Eve and that a sacrifice has to be made? When Jesus left the earth, he ascended to God in Heavens. So, where’s the sacrifice?

We all believe that God is the Most just, then how can Jesus be responsible for the acts of disobedience committed by Adam and all his descendants? Didn’t the Lord command, “Fathers shall not be put to death because of their children, nor shall children be put to death because of their fathers. But each one shall die for his own sin.” (2 Kings 14:6)?

It is also clearly mentioned in the Bible that:

“The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them.” (Ezekiel 18:20)

What does it mean that Jesus died for my sins?

Christians basically believe that they are created sinful and unclean and, therefore, need a Redeemer, Jesus, to take the sins of believers on himself so that they may come to God’s Kingdom when they pass away. Christians also believe that they are able to receive the Holy Spirit and that the Holy Spirit directs their lives and brings them to a true belief in God through Christ.

We’ve been told that Jesus died for our sins. What does that mean exactly? How does one person’s suffering abdicate another person from responsibility for his sins?

To explain that, let’s imagine a courtroom scene in which we are on trial for our sins and God is the judge. Our sins against God are capital crimes. God Himself is our judge, according to divine law which is the ultimate justice, is it fair for another man to take the punishment that we deserve?

Did Jesus Himself believe in the original sin?

That’s a critical question:

Jesus death for our sins makes no sense at all. If we inherit our sinful nature from our parents, then Jesus, who had Mary as a parent, must have had a sin nature. Right? Assuming that most of the Christians, or almost all of them believe in the original sin, did Jesus himself believe in it and bleed his blood for your sins, my sins, and the sins of the whole world?

I can answer this question, from a Christian point of view. Let’s have a close observation of what is written in the gospels.

The Christ Resisted All Attempts to Kill Him:

In his book, “The Christ As Seen In The Sources Of The Christian Beliefs”, Ahmed Abdel-Wahab asserts that “the gospels show that in the last hours, the Christ felt that he was overwhelmed by a terrible nightmare, whenever he thought of being killed.”

This is evident from the following:

1. At the end of the period just before the arrest, the last prayer of the Christ was:

“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (John 17:3)

This monotheistic prayer was directly followed by the words meaning that the mission has been accomplished:

“I have glorified thee on the earth; I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.” (John 17:4)

So, The mission of the Christ was complete before crucifixion. Who can deny, this clear testimony?!

1. In the garden, every scene asserts his refusal to be killed, and shows clearly how he was terrified when he felt that he was about to be hunted.

“And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, ‘My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.’ And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, ‘My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me’..And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” (Mt 26:37-39, LK 22:43-44)

1. After the Christ had left the approaching danger, his cry to his disciples was: “Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.” (MK 14:42) He had asked his disciples to rise and help him in getting away from the approaching disaster, but they failed to help him as they were sleeping “for their eyes were heavy.”.
2. When Judas came with the evil power and went up to the Christ and kissed him, “Jesus said to him. “Friend why are you here?”.
3. In the trail “the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes. And they led him away to their council, and they said, “If you are the Christ, tell us.” But he said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe, and if I ask, you will not answer (me, or let me go: A.V.).” LK 22:66-68.

On considering this passage, one can very well imagine that the answer of the man whom the elders of people has asked could not be other than the following:

(a) Yes, I am the Christ, or (b) No, I am not the Christ. Every traditional belief in the crucified Christ will not accept answer (b). The plausible answer (a), can be put in the following form:

“He said to them: Yes I am the Christ but you will not believe; and if I ask you, you will not answer me, nor let me go.”

Whatever the form of the answer is, the inevitable result follows:

Assuming that the Christ was the man whom the Jewish elders were questing, it is quite clear that the man was asking for letting him get away, so there is no place for all such saying that the Christ had come “to give his life as a ransom for many.”.

Again, if we consider answer (b) it can be put in the following Form:

“He said to them: No I am not the Christ whom you seek, but you will not believe; and if I ask you to release me, you will not answer me nor let me go.” This also negatives the “ransom” theory.

All that can be said, whatever the case, about the trail, cancels all theories put to justify the crucifixion and to make it look like a voluntary action of the Christ.

1. Coming to the last testimony, the gospels attribute to the crucified, in his last breath, his saying:

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Can anyone hearing this cry of despair, censure and blame, claim that the crucified “Gave himself as a ransom for all” and “became obedient unto death even death on a cross?” As Paul says in his letter. About 2000 years ago the Christ stood teaching the Jewish priesthood, the will of God. He said to them: “Go and learn what this means,” I desire mercy and not sacrifice.” (Mt 9:13) But even today, there are those who ignore the truth and refuse the mercy and insist on the sacrifice.

References:

Abdel-Wahab, A. (1985). The Christ as seen in the sources of the Christian beliefs: a comment on Gospel commentaries and studies of some distinguished scholars of Christianity – Cairo: Wahba Book Shop.

1. (2011, October 08). Retrieved May 18, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHF5evfPwmc