Why Did Jesus Have to Die?
Why Did Jesus Have to Die?
One of the greatest yet strangest stories in all the Bible is when God became a man, living life as we do, yet dying as a common criminal, nailed to a cross. Have you ever asked yourself, “Why did Jesus have to die?”
Imagine, in eternity past, God saying to His Son, the Lord Jesus, “Because I love mankind so much I want you to go down to the Earth and die in their place, paying my penalty for their sins on a cross, and while you are dying, you will suffer terribly, and while this is happening I am going to desert you.” Now I know why Jesus was sweating blood in the Garden of Gethsemane; from a human standpoint, what God was asking of Him seemed absolutely horrendous! This could be accomplished not by just anyone; it required the life of a King, the life of God Himself. King Jesus embraced His heavenly commission, saying, “not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).
John 3:16 tells us, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” If you really want to grasp just how deeply God loves you, then I challenge you to put your name in that verse. For God so loved YOU that he gave His one and only Son, that if YOU would believe in Him, YOU will not perish, but YOU will have eternal life.
Beloved, in obedience to the Father’s will, Jesus gave up everything, including the glory He had in Heaven, to demonstrate God’s great love to those who need Him the most. In obedience to the Father’s will, Jesus gave up all His “rights” to achieve a greater purpose – the salvation of all who will believe in Him. In obedience to the Father’s will, Jesus gave His life for you, so that you could have real life now and life everlasting. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved,” (Acts 16:31). This is why Jesus had to die!
This is Laine Wilder for Carry the Light Ministries, bringing you Insights From an Elder.
by Laine Wilder
author of “Insights From an Elder” for
Carry the Light Ministries
