Why Would Jesus Have to Die on the Cross?

Question

According to the Christian doctrine, Jesus died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins. The idea here is that every human is born with sins, or that all humans will sin, and therefore it was necessary that someone as pure as Jesus would be the crucified to nullify these sins. The question is: Why does anyone have to die for our sins when God, the All-Merciful, could as easily give us forgiveness if we ask for it? Isn't God the one who makes the rules? Why does He have to make someone suffer for our sins or for someone else's sins? Isn't that unjust of Him? According to the Bible the way to redemption could be obtained without the need for sacrifice.

The Bible says:
- Ezekiel 18: 20" The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him."
- Ezekiel18 : 21" But if the wicked will turn from all

his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die."

Clearly the soul that sins shall die. Clearly that no one shall bear the iniquity (sins) of others. So Jesus cannot bear the sins of others either. If one is righteous then it shall be upon him, and if one commits a sin then it shall be upon him, and not on Jesus. Finally, the way to repentance and forgiveness is by turning from all sins, doing what is right, and keeping the commandments.

Also, we see the same message given by Solomon. He says in the book of Ecclesiastes 12:13, "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man." This is the whole message, and this is the conclusion of messages. It is that one should fear God, and keep the commandments, and nothing else.

Again in 2 Chronicles7 :14, "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, an

Answer 1

This is a very plausible question

Imho, first we have to understand that the "All-Merciful" God, who "could as easily give us forgiveness if we ask for it" because "Isn't God the one who makes the rules?", is also an All-Just one. Since he said that the wages of sin is death, death must occur to satisfy his righteousness.

Now, Jesus died because he took our place. That is what the Scripture announces. He was not merely a substitute. It is always difficult for us to understand how an innocent person can die for a guilty one, and set him free. But the Scriptures do not really teach that he was only a substitute, in that sense. There is an identity involved. What Scripture says is that he actually became us: "He who knew no sin, was made sin for us," {cf, 2 Cor 5:21}. And when he became what we are, God put him to death, because that is what we deserve. Scripture honestly faces right up to the fact of our guilt.

Answer 2

Jesus had to die in order to rise again. If God just abrakadabra no more sins, that would completly destroy the purpose of even having sins in the first place.

But, it really gets to the point where you over-interperate the bible. Forget about the stories. Being a Christian isn't about all that crap; it's about being a good person to others. Once you start letting it all get out of hand, the idea of being a good person disapears. The bible for all I care could be fake. But it isn't the stories that matter, it's the message you get from the stories that matters.

Answer 3

Michael Baigent (I think) is writing a book about the theory that Christ didn't actually die on the cross.

Answer 4

You misunderstand the nature of God. God cannot do all things in that He cannot sin, or lie, or do things that not logically possible. Everything He does must agree with His nature in every respect.
One aspect of His nature is that He is Holy. The nature of God is to be absolute and absolutely perfect in all His aspects. Now holiness means "One who is perfect in goodness and righteousness" which means that He cannot allow those who rebel against Him to be in His presence. Man rebelled (sinned)against God so man had to be removed from His presence.
However, God loved His creation "Man" and He wanted to have them with Him in Heaven. Now, besides being Holy, God is also Just. This means that everyone must receive the punishment or payment that his actions merit. For man, and for as long as man is in a state of rebellion against God, that payment is separation from God forever (Hell).
In order for His loved creation to be with Him, He needed a substitute sacrifice to take the punishment that man deserved. (The reason God required a substitute rather than just deciding that He would forgive man is because of His nature. He is absolutely perfect in all aspects of His nature, as I said, which means that He cannot, ever, go against one aspect because of another aspect. His entire being must be perfect at all times. If His aspect of Justice requires a price be paid for rebellion then IT MUST BE PAID. If His aspects of Love and Mercy wish for man to be forgiven then man will be forgiven. A substitute to receive the punishment that man deserves is the only answer.)
The reason why Jesus was selected to come to earth and pay the price is because He always was and always is, God. There was no one else in all creation who could take this punishment because all of Creation was in a state of rebellion against God. In other words, everyone had to pay their own penalty for their rebellion (sin), to God.
So, that substitute sacrifice had to be God Himself. Jesus, even though God, came to make that sacrifice by His death on the cross. With His death he took on Himself the rebelliousness of those who would spend eternity with God and paid the penalty for it.
Those who wish to accept this sacrifice as their "atonement" (atonement means repartion for an offense or injury) may do so by believing that God did this for them and then telling God that believe and accept it.
They also need to ask God to forgive them for their rebelliousness (sin) that caused God to have to come and take their punishment.
Simple but very, very hard to do because people really, really want to go their own way.

Answer 5

MY FRIEND... YOU HAVE JUST REALIZED THAT RELIGION IS ALL ABOUT CONTRADICTIONS... THIS IS WHEN YOU START TO FORGET ALL YOU WERE BRAINWASHED WITH AND START TO BECOME AN INTELLIGENT SELF THINKING PERSON... KEEP UP ON THE RIGHT TRACK....

WHAT KIND OF AN ANSWER IS THAT "HE LOVES YOU"??? THAT BULL S H I T IN IT'S MOST OBVIOUS FORMS....