“WHY did Jesus die on the cross?”
This is an incredibly important and momentous question and how we respond to the answer and the offer of salvation (John 3:16) – will determine our eternal destiny. Let’s take a conscientious look at the honest and heartfelt question – the answers are found in God’s revealed word to mankind.
1. SIN
Death in Adam, Life in Christ.
Although God is all merciful, all gracious, all powerful, all forgiving and all loving; God is also holy, righteous and just. Sin separates us from God. Sin and Holiness are Incompatible. At the cross of Calvary, the love and justice of God met.
Sin entered the world through one man’s disobedience – Adam. When Adam sinned, sin entered the entire human race. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.
Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”
Romans 5:12-19 “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—(For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)
Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.”
Isaiah 59:2 “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.”
2. Sin’s Punishment is Eternal Death.
God’s holiness and justice demand that sin and rebellion be punished. The only penalty or payment for sin is eternal death.
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 5:21 “so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
3. Atoning Sacrifice
Atonement requires a perfect, spotless sacrifice. Jesus, the one perfect God-man, came to offer the pure, complete and everlasting sacrifice to remove, atone, and make eternal payment for our sin. Only through Jesus Christ can our sins be forgiven, thus restoring our relationship with God and removing the separation caused by sin.
1 Peter 1:18-19 “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.”
Hebrews 2:14-17 “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.”
2 Corinthians 5:21 “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
1 Corinthians 1:30 “But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—”
Romans 5:10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection in Mark 10:32-34 “Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed. And as they followed they were afraid. Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him: 33 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles; 34 and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.”
Acts 4:12 “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Only through Jesus Christ can our sins be forgiven, thus restoring our relationship with God and removing the separation caused by sin.
How must the Messiah- Saviour die?
Jesus said in John 3:14-17 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 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. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”
2 Corinthians 5:21 “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
In the Biblical account about Moses lifting up the serpent – the serpent is used as a symbol for “sin,” and bronze a symbol of “judgment,” because bronze could withstand fire. We find in this verse that once the people acknowledged their sin, they only needed to look upon the serpent on the pole to be healed and saved. We are told Jesus “became” sin, like that “fiery serpent” on the pole, for us .
So, as those who looked upon the fiery serpent in the wilderness were saved from their sins, so will all who believe in Jesus on the Cross be saved . . . and welcomed into His Kingdom of Heaven, forever.
[Numbers 21:4-9 Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became very discouraged on the way. And the people spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread.” So the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died.
Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord that He take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.]
It is noteworthy that after learning the story of the serpent in the wilderness, the ancient Greeks adopted this sign of the serpent on the pole as their symbol for healing. The symbol is still used by the medical profession. Note there is only one serpent on this ancient symbol, not two.
The Promise of the Cross is available to everybody. The offer is extended to all.
Briefly, when we are “in Christ Jesus” we are covered by His blood through his sacrificial death, our sins are paid for, and we no longer have to die an eternal death. Our faith in Christ saves us – which looks backward to His act of salvation. Once we accept Jesus’ payment for our sin, His perfect sacrifice washes away our sin and restores our right standing with God. God’s mercy and grace provided a way for our salvation.
We receive eternal life though Jesus Christ for He was the only one who has ever loved you enough to substitute Himself for you on the Cross. He shed His blood, suffered, and died on the Cross to save you from your sins and from the utter darkness and torment of eternal Hell, if you will accept it, believe it, and trust in it. That is why Jesus is called Saviour. He now lovingly and graciously offers you life in Heaven for eternity – the choice is yours to take it or leave it.
And this is how and why Jesus died for you, me and all of humanity. Jesus’ resurrection 3 days after His death proved that He is who He said He is – the great “I AM”.
Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” John 8:58
And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” Exodus 3:14
John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.
