why did Jesus have to die?

The main crux of the christian faith is that we sinful humans are released from all our wrongs because of the death and resurrection of the son of God, Jesus. Jesus repaired the rift between us and God, caused by sin, by being beaten and crucified.

Have you ever wondered though - why did Jesus have to die? 

Why did human blood have to be shed in order for the relationship between God and man to be fixed?

I have been a christian for many years and just simply accepted that God knows what He is doing even if I don’t understand it. So, I confess, I never really understood why it had to be that Jesus was required to die. I understand the symmetry between his death and the death of sin, yet even then It seems extreme and cruel. Also, the whole Earthly life of Jesus was about his death. That was the purpose of his time on this world, to  be the perfect heavenly man, and then be killed. Doesn’t that sound like a tragedy rather than the event we celebrate it to be?

So, why did Jesus have to die? I know, as you may do too, that the Jews offered animals as sacrifices throughout the Old Testament to atone for sin, they had to give regularly. When Jesus came, he was the ultimate sacrifice - once for all - he has covered all sin once through his death. As he died no more animal sacrifices are required, his one offering was enough for all eternity, which is pretty incredible!

Yet, still, why did Jesus have to die? What was it that made it necessary? Surely the measures outlined above are not it? They don’t seem a big enough issue to change the whole of the faith system let alone justify the torture and murder of an innocent, perfect, holy man.

Well, you see, God does see and know more than us, and we are right to trust Him, because He is not cruel nor unjust, He always had a plan and a purpose, this is it;

‘he (Jesus) is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. *16*For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. *17*For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive.’
Hebrews 9:15-17

Now, that makes sense - God had made a will. His  promise was for a new way, a gift of freedom from sin forever, and just lie a will - this promise can only come into effect when the one who has made the assurances within it dies. Therefore Jesus had to die.

Jesus, the son of God, was involved in the creation of all things; the universe, people, animals, the Old Covenant. So, in order for that way of doing things to be changed, ‘the death of the one who made it must be established.’ That is Jesus. He was around at the formation of the world as well as at the formation of the covenant, ‘without him (Jesus) nothing was made that has been made’ (John 1).

Jesus saw that the Old Covenant did not give a finality or full restoration to God, so there was a greater plan, a will that was formed. A promise for the future generations to benefit by, everlasting restoration. Yet it cannot come into being until, ‘the death of the one who made it’.

Therefore, Jesus had to die. He couldn’t of just died naturally either, where would the sacrifice of been in that? Jesus had to die in order for the will to be fulfilled and come into effect, yet the atonement for sin requires sacrifice. Jesus had to endure the weight of the world’s sin on his shoulders and suffer separation from God for a time in order to be able to restore our broken relationship with God.

Jesus had to die. He had made a will, a promise, a covenant and assurance to all humanity. Jesus passed onto us a rich inheritance, and he was tortured, beaten, murdered to give it to us. Jesus died so that his promises could be realised.
Without Jesus horrific death nothing would have changed. The will, the promises made throughout the Scriptures would not yet be realised because the ‘will’ would not be in effect.

You have the privilege of freedom, you have the gift of eternal life, you have a relationship waiting for you - do you accept it?

Old and New Covenant

Chapter 8 of Hebrews sums up some of what has been discussed about the two covenants God made with His people -  the first  (Old) covenant, and the New covenant made through Jesus.

This chapter reiterates that the Old covenant is basically worn out. From it’s inception it was becoming obsolete.
The way of the Old covenant was never intended to last forever. For a start there had been many High Priests who served for a time and then expired. Therefore the High Priest’s office is in itself a temporary thing. Temporary people can only serve a temporary system. The service of the High Priest  is finite, just like the Old Covenant. The Old covenant also required constant renewal, just like the renewal of the High Priest -when one died another would take his place - so too the offerings needed to be re-given. They were continually required, because people continually sin. Yet, before the High Priest could bring an offering to God, he first had to cleanse and atone for his own sin before he could give the offerings for the sins of the people.
These aspects clearly show that the Old covenant system was not perfect. The priests lived, served and died showing their temporal nature and the offerings that were given had to be provided again and again and again. There was no long-term solution to the problem of sin in the Old covenant, Even those working within the priestly system had faults as they had their own sin to atone for - they, although elected to godly duties, they in themselves were not innocent or pure, therefore their offerings could not be either. Even the best intentioned offerings were faulty because all of humanity have sinned. Sinful people cannot offer pure sacrifices no matter how hard they try. Therefore the estrangement between God and man could not be resolved through any of our own means. There could be no pure, eternal solution provided by sinful, temporal man.

A New way was needed and promised, God says through Jeremiah, ‘I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel’. God knew the need for a greater resolution, and he had another way planned, a way where sinful man and holy God can be united.
So a different way, a New covenant was required. One which established a final, eternal solution to deal with the destruction of sin.
A perfectly pure, blameless,  everlasting willing sacrifice was needed.

That’s where Jesus comes in.

He alone could do it and has done it.
He lived a perfect, blameless, pure and holy life, and died a perfect, willing, holy, blameless death.
He went through the most horrendous experience of becoming the ultimate pure, spotless sacrifice for all sin.
As Jesus was sinless, his sin offering on our behalf brought a complete end to sin - a holy sacrifice given to eradicate all impurity. His one offering is enough. Enough for all eternity. Jesus has brought a New covenant that is living, complete and eternal.

Jesus, our High Priest still lives and is continually mediating on our behalf before God. Jesus rule is not wearing out and will never become obsolete because he lives for all eternity, so there will be no end to his office. Jesus will not vanish or wear out. The New covenant he has created will not die out. The New way Jesus has brought is forever. Jesus has made away for you to be with him and have relationship with God no matter what you do. No sin can separate you from God now, no matter how much or how often you mess up. Jesus has sorted it. He is eternally standing before the Father petitioning on your behalf.

Do you believe and trust in this Jesus? Do you know that you are given a sin-free life? Are you living it?

Jesus has given a way for you to have a new life - you don't have to continually make amends - Jesus has done it. Are you living with the security of that? Are you taking into your own life the reality of the New covenant and your freedom from sin, and your freedom in relationship with God? What has this New covenant given you that you didn't have before?