WHY HE DIED

Jesus died so we could live. His death on the cross was not an accident or a surprise to God. It was His plan for our salvation. And it had always been His plan (EPHESIANS 1:4).

From the very first moment that people rebelled against Him, God said that death is the consequence for sin (GENESIS 2:17). And every person since Adam and Eve has sinned (ROMANS 3:23). Yet, in love He made a way for us to be rescued. God could not simply say, “I feel sorry for you. I love you. I will just save you, ignore your sin and forget about it.” No, an absolutely holy and perfect God could not treat rejection of His love and goodness so lightly. The penalty for sin must be paid; guilt must be removed.

Here’s what is so amazing: Jesus Christ, God’s Son, took our sin, carried it to the cross, paid the penalty in full and came back to life on the third day. Jesus, who was completely perfect, took on the guilt of our sin, as promised by the prophet Isaiah (ISAIAH 53). His resurrection was the proof that the Father accepted His sacrifice in our place and that justice had been done.

That was 2,000 years ago, long before you and I were born. It was all prepared by God. It was all because of His love. It is His gift to us. All we have to do is accept it by trusting Jesus for ourselves. God’s offer today is “whoever believes in [Jesus] shall not perish but have eternal life” (JOHN 3:16).