THE ANOINTED - Why did Jesus Die on the Cross

Why did Jesus Die on the Cross

WHAT IS THE MEANING OF JESUS’ SACRIFICE?

Jesus came to give himself as a sacrifice for all peoples so that we could escape our corruption and reconnect with God. Then the Jewish Passover sacrifice was a sign pointing to the day of the year when Jesus would be sacrificed.

Why is his sacrifice so important?

This is a question that summarizes the whole Bible – it is its main message. The Bible declares a Law when it states:

For the wages of sin is death… (Romans 6:23)

“Death” literally means ‘separation’. When our soul separates from our body we die physically. Similarly, we are even now separated from God spiritually. This is true because God is Holy (sinless) while we have become corrupted from our original creation and so we sin.

This can be pictured with two cliffs with God on the opposite side from us separated by a large gap. Just like a branch that has been cut from a tree is separated and dead, so we have cut ourselves off from God and become separated and spiritually dead.

We are separated from God by our sins like a chasm separating two cliffs. This separation causes guilt and fear. So what we naturally try to do is build bridges to take us from our side (of death) to God’s side. We do this in many different ways: going to church, temple or mosque, being religious, being good, helping the poor, meditation, trying to be more helpful, praying more, etc. These deeds are often through religion to gain merit and can be very difficult – and living them out can be very complicated.

This is illustrated in the next picture.

Religious Merit and Good Effort – useful as they may be – cannot bridge the separation between us and God. The problem is that our hard efforts, merits, and deeds, though not wrong, are insufficient because the payment required (the ‘wages’) for our sins is ‘death’. Our efforts are like a ‘bridge’ that tries to cross the gap separating us from God – but in the end, cannot do it. This is because good merit will not solve our root problem. It is like trying to heal cancer (which results in death) by eating vegetarian. Eating vegetarian is not bad, it may even be good – but it will not cure cancer. For a cancer cure, you need a totally different treatment.

This Law is Bad News – it is so bad we often do not even want to hear it and we fill our lives with activities and things hoping this Law will go away. But the Bible stresses this Law of sin and death to get our attention to focus on the cure that is simple and powerful.

For the wages of sin is death but… (Romans 6:23)

The small word ‘but’ shows that the direction of the message is about to change directions, to the Good News of the Gospel – the cure. It shows both the goodness and love of God.

For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23)

The good news of the gospel is that the sacrifice of Jesus’ death is sufficient to bridge this separation between us and God. We know this because three days after his death Jesus rose bodily, coming alive again in a physical resurrection. Most of us do not know about the evidence for his resurrection. Jesus’ sacrifice was prophetically acted out in Abraham’s sacrifice and the Passover sacrifice. These signs pointing to Jesus were put there to help us find the cure.

Jesus said about himself:

“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I AM!” (John 8:53)

When Jesus said he was ‘I Am’, he was using an Old Testament name for God. But Jesus was also a man.

As the Bible says:

For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 2:5)

Because he was both human and Divine, he is a mediator between God and mankind. Therefore he can ‘touch’ both sides of the chasm and span the gap separating God and people. He is a Bridge to Life which can be pictured like this:

Jesus is the Bridge that spans the chasm between God and mankind

Notice how this sacrifice of Jesus is given to us. It is offered as a … ‘gift’. Think about gifts. No matter what the gift is if it is really a gift it is something that you do not work for and that you do not earn by merit. If you earned it the gift would no longer be a gift – it would be a wage! In the same way, you cannot merit or earn the sacrifice of Jesus. It is given to you as a gift. It is that simple.

And what is the gift? It is 'eternal life'. That means that the sin which brought you and me death is now cancelled. Jesus’ bridge of life enables us to re-connect with God and receive life – which lasts forever. God loves you and me that much. It is that powerful.

So how do you and I ‘cross’ this Bridge of Life? Again, think of gifts. If someone wants to give you a gift you must ‘receive’ it. Anytime a gift is offered there are two alternatives. Either the gift is refused (“No thank you”) or it is received (“Thank you for your gift. I will take it”). So also this gift offered must be received. It cannot simply be mentally believed in, studied or understood. This is illustrated in the next figure where we ‘walk’ on the Bridge by turning to God and receiving the gift he offers to us.

Jesus sacrifice is a gift that each of us must choose to receive.

So how do we receive this gift? The Bible says that

Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:12)

Notice that this promise is for everyone. Since he rose from the dead Jesus is alive even now and he is ‘Lord’. So if you call on him he will hear and give his gift to you. You call out to him and ask him – by having a conversation with him. Perhaps you have never done this. Below is a prayer that can guide you. It is not a magic chant. It is not the specific words that give power. It is the trust like Abraham had that we place in him to give us this gift. As we trust him He will hear us and answer. The Gospel is powerful, and yet also so simple. Feel free to follow this guide if you find it helpful.

This message is what is known as the gospel – which literally means ‘good news’. The gospel does raise a lot of questions.

What does Jesus dying on the cross symbolize?

The cross and forgiveness

Jesus pays the penalty for each individual's sin in order to right the relationship between God and humanity, a relationship damaged by sin. Jesus's death is the penalty or "satisfaction" for sin.

Why did Jesus rise after 3 days?

To increase faith

They had to work through the despair of losing Him, and the questions of what would have happened if they had not followed Him, or if they had defended Him better, or if they had simply been duped. By waiting three days, Jesus allowed them time to work through some of these issues and questions.

What did Jesus do for us through his death and resurrection?

Jesus "was raised because of our justification." Jesus' bodily resurrection on the third day proves that God the Father accepted the sacrifice of His Son as full payment for our sins and the sins of the whole world. ... Instead of being enemies of God, we are reconciled to God (Romans 4:10-11)

Jesus Was The Lamb Of God

At His baptism, when John the Baptist saw Jesus coming, He said.

Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29).

Jesus had come into the world for the purpose of dying on the cross. His death accomplished several things.

Jesus Paid The Penalty For Sin

The death of Christ was the payment for sin-the ransom paid to God to satisfy His holy demands. The Bible pictures humans as sinners who had rebelled against God. Christ's death on the cross paid the penalty for the sin of humankind. Jesus died in our place as our substitute, receiving the punishment that was due to us.

The Bible says.

[Jesus Christ] was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification (Romans 4:25).

Jesus' Death Was Necessary

The Bible makes it clear that the death of Christ was necessary.

And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up (John 3:14).

Scripture says Christ's death was part of God's eternal purpose.

Then I said, 'Here I am - it is written about me in the scroll - I have come to do your will, O God." First he said, "Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them" (although the law required them to be made). Then he said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will." He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all (Hebrews 10:7-10).

So Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many (Hebrews 9:28).

Paul wrote.

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3).

Because of Christ's death, believers will not have to suffer eternally for their sins.The penalty that Jesus paid for sin was not only for the human race; it was also for everything in the universe that had been marred by sin.

Because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God (Romans 8:21).

The demands of a holy God were satisfied by Jesus' death on the cross.

His Death Brought About Redemption For Humanity

As we study the life of Christ we often come into contact with the term, "redemption." The word, "redeem" means "to purchase." When Christ died for our sins He paid the price for them with His own blood. Peter wrote,

Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot (1 Peter 1:18,19).

The Bible also speaks of Christ redeeming us from the curse of the law.

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (Galatians 3:13).

Jesus Bought Humanity Out Of The Slave Market

The price Jesus paid, with His own blood, was sufficient to buy every slave out of the market. His purchase also means that slave would never be sold again. We have all been slaves to sin, and if we allow Him to be our Master, then we need never be sold again, for He becomes our eternal Master.

Jesus Provided Freedom from Sin

When Christ bought us from the marketplace of the world, he not only gave us our freedom, he made us part of His family. Those who receive by faith the benefits of the sacrifice Christ has provided become children of God, part of His eternal family.

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs-heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together (Romans 8:16,17).

Jesus' Death Showed The Love Of God

The death of Christ upon the cross also demonstrated that God loves sinful humanity. The Scripture speaks of His death as an act of love toward humankind.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16).

Paul wrote.

But God demonstrates his own love toward us, in that while we were sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).

It was love that motivated Jesus to come to earth and die on the cross and take the punishment as our substitute.

He Was An Example To The Believer

The Bible tells us the love of God that was demonstrated by Jesus should serve as an example for how we should treat one another.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:34,35).

Why did Jesus die?

Historically, from a human perspective, the answer is straightforward enough. The Jewish leaders plotted against him, Judas betrayed him, Herod and Pilate tried him, and the Roman soldiers executed him.

A number of individuals and groups were responsible for his death. As Luke puts it, “Wicked men put him to death by nailing him to the cross” (Acts 2:23).

But there’s another angle to consider. As Acts 2:23 also says, Jesus was “handed over by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge.” To get to the heart of the question of why Jesus died, we have to think from God’s point of view. Theologically, from God’s perspective, we may mention two main reasons.

1. Jesus Died to Bring Us Near to God

Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. (1 Pet. 3:18)

The purpose of bringing us to God implies that, prior to Jesus dying, we were far away. On this score, the apostles Paul and Peter agree: “You who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ” (Eph. 2:13).

Our sin needed to be dealt with to bring us near: “Christ died for sins” (1 Pet. 3:18). Jesus can describe his disciples as evil (Matt. 7:11), and Paul says in Romans 6:23 that “the wages of sin is death

The substitutionary nature of Jesus’s death is the key idea for understanding how God deals with sin and offers us forgiveness. To bring us near, “Christ died for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous” (1 Pet. 3:18). If “the unrighteous” is all of us, “the righteous” is Jesus himself. The one who “knew no sin, became sin” (2 Cor. 5:21)—our sin—so that we might receive mercy.

The New Testament uses several vivid images to expound the truth that Jesus died in our place. For example, Jesus paid the price for our redemption when he “gave his life as a ransom in the place of many” (Mark 10:45). Jesus reconciled us to God by bearing our sins himself (1 Pet. 2:24). “God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement through the shedding of his blood” (Rom. 3:25), exhausting God’s wrath against our unrighteousness.

2. Jesus Died to Reveal God’s Character

It isn’t that we knew nothing of God before Christ’s death. His providential care for creation reveals his love. And His promises to Abraham show His concern for the whole world. But at the cross, we see the climax of his covenants with Israel, and we witness the final and dramatic proof of his love and justice.

Two texts from Romans make this clear: “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). Christ’s death puts beyond all doubt the fact that God loves us. It assures us that no matter what life throws at us, we can trust that “He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all . . . will also graciously give us all things” (Rom. 8:32).

Jesus also died to prove the justice of God: “God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement . . . to demonstrate his justice” (Rom. 3:25–26).