Why Did Jesus Have To Die?

 Most will say, "Because He loved us." It is true, that was His motivation for dying, but that answer does not explain why He had to die. Some will say "He died to forgive us." But why did He have to die to forgive us? It is because the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23). The soul who sins will die, which results in separation from God (Ezekiel 18:4; Isaiah 59:2). The Lord Jesus had to die to satisfy divine justice so that sinners could be reconciled to God. 

How Can Sinners Escape Divine Justice?

Divine justice is a central theme in the Bible because it reflects God's holy and righteous character and His commitment to uphold moral order. Justice is a foundational characteristic of God's relationship with humanity. His punishment of sin is necessary for justice to be upheld according to His perfect and righteous standards. Everyone needs to know that they are accountable to their Creator, who requires us to be perfect as He is perfect (Mat. 5:48). Since this is impossible, our only hope is to trust the crucified Savior, who died as a substitute for sinners to satisfy divine justice (Isaiah 53:4-11). His resurrection assures us that divine justice was satisfied (Rom. 4:25). There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1). His righteousness has been given as a gift to all who believe (Rom. 5:16-18).

Divine Justice Must Be Satisfied

Divine justice must be satisfied because our holy and righteous judge in heaven must punish every sin that has been committed by everyone who has ever lived. We know that any judge who pardons law-breakers and lets the guilty go free is not a righteous judge. But God, in His profound wisdom, provided one specific way to pardon sinners that would not violate His righteous and holy attributes. In His love and mercy, He graciously provided a sinless substitute to die in the place of sinners to satisfy divine justice. The same God whose justice demands satisfaction for our sin made satisfaction by offering Himself for those who trust Him. The world needs to know that divine justice for sin must be satisfied and there is only one way to escape it. 

How Can God Be Just and Justify the Unjust?

Jesus was born to die. "The Son of Man came...to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45). This was to demonstrate His righteousness so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Rom. 3:26). Since all have sinned and broken God's laws, divine justice had to be satisfied by Christ before forgiveness could be applied to sinners. By dying as a substitute for sinners, the Lord Jesus paid the eternal debt for sin and satisfied all the demands of divine justice so that He could extend mercy and grace to those who trust Him. Man can never DO what Christ has Done. He died "once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit" (1 Pet. 3:18).

Divine Justice at the Great White Throne

Those who reject the Lord Jesus as their substitute will come face to face with Him at the Great White Throne judgment (Rev. 20:11-15). Since they did not trust Him as a gracious and loving Savior, He will be their holy and righteous judge. Divine justice will be dispensed in the eternal fires of hell. The punishment and separation from God will be everlasting because every sin is committed against an infinitely holy and majestic God. There will be no escape because God is "a consuming fire" (Heb. 12:29). Anyone who rejects God's only provision for their sin is foolishly choosing to suffer God's eternal wrath.

Christ Made Us His Ambassadors

As new creatures in Christ, our Lord has given us the awesome responsibility to be ministers of reconciliation. He has also given us the royal privilege of being His ambassadors so that God can make His appeal to lost sinners through us. Since we know what awaits those who die without Christ, we must beg people on behalf of Christ to be reconciled to God. Let us proclaim the greatest news anyone will ever hear: God "made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor 5:21). 

Source: Mike Gendron