People die every day. But when it's someone that we know and love, someone who has given their heart fully to us, it can be one of the most devastating experiences of our lives.
The first followers of Jesus understood this kind of pain. They were completely captivated by Jesus, their wise mentor and dear friend, and were certain that he had come to make everything in their broken world right again. But much to their dismay, after three years of growing close, sensing that God was about to do something amazing, their leader was executed as if he were a common criminal. All hope was lost. Or was it?
Why did Jesus have to die?
It must have gone over their heads, but Jesus himself had told his disciples multiple times that he was going to lay down his life on purpose, by his own authority. He could have chosen not to, but he knew that his death was part of God’s plan to rescue humanity, and everything that would be accomplished through it. Here’s what resulted from Jesus’ death:
1. Jesus died in our place
The apostle Paul put it this way: “Christ died for our sins” (1 Corinthians 15:3). The apostle Peter put it similarly, adding more to this subtle, but stunning, truth: “Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God” (1 Peter 3:18).
This is the language of substitution, or personal sacrifice on behalf of others. Jesus died for us, in our place, for our sins, taking on the punishment that we deserve, so that we can be forgiven and reconciled to God! Take a moment to let that sink in.
Paul also connects the dots for us, reminding us that “everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard,” and, sadly, “the wages of sin is death,” meaning eternal separation from God (Romans 3:23; 6:23). But “God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:21). How amazing is that?
Now, why would God do this? Jesus put it this way: “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13).
2. God's great love for us is revealed
When you think about it, it’s a big deal that Jesus calls us “friends.” After all, we break his heart day after day – whether we realize it or not – by pursuing our self-centeredness over obedience and relationship with him.
So Paul put it this way: “Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were sinners” (Romans 5:7-8).
“While we were sinners,” meaning, while we were breaking his heart, God still loved us! Paul experienced this personally when he marveled at one point that Christ “loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). The same is true for you: Jesus loves you and gave himself for you!
3. Our sin and guilt are removed
In dying “for our sins,” Jesus offers us the gift of complete and total forgiveness! Our rap sheet of failure and rebellion before God could be a mile long, but in one act of sacrificial love, our Lord made it possible for us to be declared “not guilty.” And for those who trust Jesus, that will never change! As the writer of Hebrews declared, Christ “offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time” (10:12).
Peter put this beautifully, nodding back to the prophet Isaiah: “[Christ] personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed” (1 Peter 2:24; Isaiah 53:5).
4. Our condemnation is reversed
The removal of our sin and guilt is truly a game changer. If our sin were to remain on our record, we would be “by nature deserving of [God’s] wrath” (Ephesians 2:3). In other words, we would be fully deserving of God’s judgment because he is fundamentally opposed to all sin and evil. But because this God of justice “sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:10), “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Because of Jesus, your record can be wiped clean!
5. We are freed from bondage
Apart from what Jesus did for us on the cross, our sin doesn’t just condemn us. It controls us. No matter how hard we fight against it, we find ourselves driven by our inborn selfishness and pride.
But Jesus died to break that bondage. The way he put it, “the Son of Man came...to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). According to Jesus, “everyone who sins is a slave to sin,” but “if the Son sets you free, you are truly free” (John 8:35-36). This is such good news. But it gets even better!
6. Evil is defeated
Yes, Christ “died for our sins,” but there’s more to it than that. His sacrificial death also delivered a quick, devastating blow to the spiritual forces that are ultimately behind the evil and brokenness in our world. In Colossians 2, Jesus is described as “disarming” these spiritual forces:
“You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross” (Colossians 2:13-15).
7. Our relationship with God is restored
All of these truths about what Jesus’ death accomplished ultimately lead us to this final truth: God, who loves you beyond measure, wants a relationship with you, so that you can enjoy his rule and blessing forever – together with all those who know and love him!
Once again, here is how Peter put it: “Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God” (1 Peter 3:18). And Paul added this: “And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:18).
Jesus died for you. Are you ready to follow him?
Jesus’ death is ultimately a gift – and one that you can receive today! Have you responded to the sacrificial death of Jesus, who loves you and gave himself for you? If you’re ready to trust Jesus, let us know! We’d love to pray with you and support you as you discover more about what it looks like to live a life changed by Christ!
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We know why Jesus had to die - but what happened after he returned? What did he do after he rose from the dead? Find out.
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LCBC stands for Lives Changed By Christ. We are one church in multiple locations across Pennsylvania. Find the location closest to you or join us for Church Online. We can’t wait to connect with you!