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Why Did Jesus Have to Die?
by John BenzaRelated Reading: Experience true forgiveness
Why did Jesus have to die?
The Bible explains that this was the plan that God laid out from the initial sin of Adam—but it does not explain why God chose that specific method. One thing I surmise is that it certainly gets my attention to realize that the "penalty" of my sinful actions carries a very high price. Sometimes I think if it were as easy as just asking for forgiveness, many would take it for granted or "devalue" the benefit because the cost was too low.
Here is what we learn from the Bible:
Christ's death on the cross was not only his choice, but for our benefit, not God's. The Bible says that the wages of sin is death, eternal separation from God. Someone had to die for our sins. God knew this and also planned this, even before the incident in the garden where Adam and Eve sinned. Someone would have to make the sacrifice for our sins. It was God's solution to our eternal damnation. Even though we sinned, he didn't want us to be separated from him forever; rather, he wanted us to be fulfilled and have a relationship with him forever. So, he planned that the perfect sacrifice would die in our place. He gave his son to die in our place. That is his gift for us! The Gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus, his son.
Christ died for our sins so that we can spend eternity with God. But, just like any gift, it's not yours unless you accept it. There are four principles that govern our friendship with God. To find out how to live out your purpose, click here. I realize that some of these concepts can be difficult to grasp, but I trust that if you keep seeking, God will show you.