Why Did Jesus Die?

When asked “What are you depending on to get into Heaven?”, the vast majority of people here in Ireland say that they are depending on being a good person, honesty, treating other people kindly, etc. These, obviously, are commendable and worth aspirations but will they get us into Heaven? Don’t most religions teach these same principles? And even more importantly, if I can get to Heaven by good works, why did Jesus die?

The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are essential to true Christian faith. The apostle Paul, speaking of the gospel says: “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” ¹ This is the good news Paul preached.

Now while most people know that Jesus died on the cross, some don’t realise the main purpose for His death. But the verse just quoted explains it: Christ died for our sins. This is a vitally important truth, because the Bible teaches that it is our sins that have separated us from God. The prophet Isaiah said: “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you”. ² We know that Adam and Eve were separated from God because of their sin, a sin which most people would consider insignificant. But not only does sin result in separation from God, it results in death: “For the wages of sin is death.”³

God must punish sin with death, but He will accept the death of another in the place of the one who sinned. When Jesus died on the cross, His death was accepted by God as sufficient payment for our sin. “But now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many.”⁴

When the apostle Paul was speaking with Jewish people in his day, they thought that although Christ died on the cross, they still had to earn the right to be in Heaven by keeping the Law, the Ten Commandments, and the ceremonial laws. But he plainly tells them: “a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ.” ⁵ He then reinforces this by saying: “for if righteousness comes through the law then Christ died in vain.”⁶ In other words, if we could get to Heaven by keeping the Commandments (or by being a good person, treating other people kindly, etc.) then there was no reason for Jesus to die on the cross. The Scriptures do teach that we must strive to be good, but we know that we all fail and sin, and those sins, however small, must be dealt with.

“But,” you say, “God is merciful!” That is true. And so God in His mercy sent His unique Son to die a horrible death so that we can be forgiven. The Scriptures say that “without the shedding of blood there is no remission” ⁷ [i.e. forgiveness for sin]. But, “In Him [Christ] we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” ⁸

So the good news is that forgiveness is possible. The bad news is that not everyone has been forgiven. Paul says that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes. ⁹ Note, however, that it is only the power of God unto salvation for those who believe, for those who are depending upon Christ alone for their salvation.

If you are depending on your own good works (or living a good life, or doing your best), then you are saying that the work of Christ was not necessary. But if you accept that you are a sinner who doesn’t deserve to be in Heaven, that the death of Christ on the cross was full payment for your sins, and depending only on the Lord Jesus Christ, God will forgive your sins. The promise offered by the apostle Paul 2,000 years ago, is just as true for you today:

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” ¹⁰

¹1Corinthians 15:3-4; ²Isaiah 59-2; ³Romans 6:23; ⁴Hebrews 9:26-57; ⁵Galatians 2:16; ⁶Galatians 2:21; ⁷Hebrews 9:22; ⁸Ephesians 1:7; ⁹Romans 1:16; ¹⁰Acts 16:31

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