Did Jesus Have To Die?
That’s A Bit Much…
As we continue our study of Jesus this week, I want to open by asking a question that many atheists and non-believers ask when considering Christianity. That question, of course, is why did Jesus have to die? This seems so barbaric and unnatural for a God who is described as love so often. Many say that this sacrifice of Christ is one of the biggest reasons they don’t believe in God because it’s hard to imagine that a God who is love could do such a thing. And yet, not only is this sacrifice of Christ biblical, but it is the heart of God’s Word. All of scripture points us to the gospel where God predestined that Jesus would die for us. Genesis 3:15 tells us, “And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.” Ever since the first sin was committed, God has told us in His word that He had a plan to pay for the sins of humanity. The question that remains then is, ‘Why this?’ Why this plan? Couldn’t there be another way? On the exact topic of why Jesus had to die, The Bible Project mentions, “For some, it’s about a sacrifice related to human sin and God’s wrath, mercy, and forgiveness. For others, the focus might be on a cosmic victory, where Jesus’ death in some way defeats death itself. And others might say Jesus had to die, or was sent by God to die, or that Jesus’ death provides the ultimate example of selflessness—a tangible picture of his deep love for us.” All of these are great reasons that show why Christ had to die for mankind, but is there an ultimate reason? Let’s find out.
What If He Didn’t?
First, let’s ask ourselves what would happen if Jesus didn’t die. Immediately, we would understand that there is no permanent forgiveness of sin if Jesus didn’t die for sin once and for all. We would have to go back to the Mosaic covenant where animal sacrifices and the 613 laws would still have to be followed. Look at what Paul tells us about the Law in Romans 7:7-8 “7 What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “You shall not covet.” 8 But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for apart from the Law sin is dead.” It is clear that without the Law, we wouldn’t know what sin is or how many times we have sinned. On the contrary, without Christ, we wouldn’t have atonement for the sin that we have committed through the knowledge of the Law. So if Christ had not died, we would still be held under the Law and our righteousness would be determined on whether or not we could follow it. Even if you felt up to the task, whenever you failed to keep one of these laws, you would personally be responsible for sacrificing animals for the payment of your sin as well.
I don’t think I’m overreacting when I say that if all of mankind still needed to sacrifice animals for the payment of sin, there would be no animals left to sacrifice. It’s clear that if Jesus never came, then we would still be responsible for our own sins. However, what’s still in question is ‘why death?’ Why is death necessary for sin to be paid for, whether animal or human? That answer is found in Hebrews 9:22 “2 And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” God has made it clear that in order to pay and atone for sin, the shedding of blood must take place. This is why death is necessary. Whether we are under the old covenant or the new, death is a must to pay for our sins. Either Christ pays for our sin through His sacrifice, multiple animals pay for sin through the law, or we pay for our sin through eternal separation from God. This is why Jesus had to die.
Salvation & Love
We could not fulfill the law on our own, and God loves His children too much to not have an alternative to spending eternity separated from Him. This is why the Bible Project so beautifully says, “So many thoughts and questions about Jesus dying on the cross still linger. But whatever answers or theories we explore, we can remember that Jesus dies for us in more ways than one. Many interwoven, nuanced, and beautiful explanations develop throughout the biblical story, and we can remember from the Hebrew Bible’s backstory and Jesus’ story in the New Testament that Jesus is compelled to die for us because of his undying love.” Jesus died for us not just becasue He was our only hope for salvation, but because He loves us. You cannot separate the two. You can achieve salvation through Christ’s death because He loves you and because He loves you, salvation has been achieved for you through His death. In the end, this is the answer to this ongoing and difficult question. Jesus had to die because bloodshed is necessary for the payment of sin and animal sacrifices would no longer suffice. Without the option of other sacrifices, the only other way we could pay for our sins is through our own lives being separated from God for eternity. Therefore, because of God’s love for us, God made a permanent sacrifice by offering the perfect substitute for our sin once and for all. Understanding this concept, really makes the most famous passage in all the Bible come to life. John 3:16 “16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
Sources
[1] “Access Your Bible from Anywhere.” BibleGateway.Com: A Searchable Online Bible in over 150 Versions and 50 Languages., www.biblegateway.com/. Accessed 2023.
[2] Team, B. (2023, September 7). “Why did Jesus have to die?” (A question worth unpacking). BibleProject. https://bibleproject.com/articles/why-did-jesus-have-to-die-a-question-worth-unpacking/
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