Died for our sins?

Question

I hear it a lot, but I don't understand it. Someone who knows, please explain to me exactly what it means to say that "Jesus died for our sins." Why was it necessary? I am not trying to be mean to anyone with this; I just want to understand the logic. Best answer for the one who describes the real understanding of this for me.

Please answer plainly using a plain set of statements without quoting any scriptures.

for example here's my screwed up sense of it (correct this one if you want):
- God is omniscient and omnipotent
- God created humans
- thus, God intentionally created humans having temptations for certain behaviors that he doesn't like (which he called "sins")
- knowing that his creations were going to offend him, he sent his son/himself to Earth to be crucified
- God decided that this act directly exculpates his repentant creations from offending him in the ways he designed us to
- therefore, we should always be extremely grateful that Jesus died for our sins

This is going really well, thanks everyone so far. Please start as early in time as you can (before humans). When you bring Satan in, explain his beginning and motives (so the explanation stands entirely on its own)

I get really upset when people post "questions" or comments that criticize evolution but don't ask for an explanation for the parts they don't understand. I realize that there must be a good reason (or many) that so many people find the biblical account of Jesus' dying for our sins believable, and I am curious what it is.

Answer 1

God created humans with free will since He did not want puppets to walk around praising Him and obeying Him because they had no thoughts of their own. This free will however is a two edged sword. God gave us rules to abide by and we can choose to obey or not. These temptations were not God's idea. God does not create temptation but He does allow evil to tempt us. (The free will thing again). God knew His creation would offend Him so he created a way to reconcile us to Himself. In this "old covenant" exclusively between Himself and Israel (His chosen people) Sins would be covered by animal sacrifice. (Like a ram or a dove or a sheep). This however was not perfect because the sacrifice was still done by humans (Imperfect beings). God became man (Jesus) and Laid down His Human life to become the once and for all perfect sacrifice (God is perfect). This perfect act allows us to reconcile ourselves to God provided we repent and are truly sorry for our sinfulness.

Now you may say "Why didn't God just wave a hand and make it so? Why did He go through all the hassle?" Well, how important do you consider things that are easy and given to you. Most people have more respect and admiration for things that take great time and effort or pain and suffereing. Do admire Donald Trump or the guy who started out as a trash man and worked his way into becoming the owner of a waste management company and now makes millions. (I know kind of a lame example). The point is, If God just waved a hand, we would not be capable of appreciating how much He loves us. He went through what He did as a human to show us that there is nothing He wouldn't do out of love for us. I am grateful that God did what He did.

God is Omniscient and Omnipotent. He knew we would be jerks and screw it up but He made us anyway. Out of Love.

I hope I answered your questions. Heck I don't even have it all down straight. No one does. I just keep believing and hoping and praying that God will one day make me worthy to be with Him in His Kingdom.

By the way, Just because Jesus dies for our sins, doesn't give us the green light to screw up. We actually have to be sorry for the sins that we have commited. I know some people dont think like that. Some think "being saved" is a one time deal, but that is something we all have to work at for the rest of our human lives. Jesus just paved the way for us to get back in God's good grace if we so choose to do it. God Bless.

Answer 2

Spiritual things are foolishness to the carnal mind. That's just a plain fact. Logic is great but it won't solve this issue. Faith does. Faith is something that is personally revealed to you.

Now, human beings (whether we like it or not) are fallible, prone to error. It's just our nature. A bit like a person who may be strong in many things but has a weakness. Just as you can't safely work with electricity without protection so too man cannot approach or ever really conceive of the purity and holiness of God. Sin separates us from knowing Him. No matter how many things we do to make ourselves 'holy'. Christ died for the sins of the world (i.e. for the sins of his own creation - for his own people). To others it's nonsense. The atonement was the death of a sinless lamb - in this case the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. The mediator between mankind and God - none other.

All gurus look for God. Jesus revealed God in the flesh. We can approach God and commune with God simply because of the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The one final and perfect atonement for the sins of the world. We receive this by faith - and faith comes by hearing (receiving) the word of God. Simple. True religion has an atonement for sin. The true religion is therefore Christianity.

Answer 3

The debate about why Jesus died has been a part of Christianity since its beginning. In the 1300's theologians like Thomas Aquinas believed that Christ died because of the sin of Adam and Eve. And that God wanted retribution for this sin. So God sent His son to redeem us by dying for us.
This view was debated by Dunn Scotus who believed that Christ came because God wanted to live among us and to show us how to live. Christ died because of the sin of the people who killed him. He taught that if we say that sin was the reason God came to earth, then we can controll God.
Eventually, as the text books were written for future scholars, the Theology of Thomas Aquinas won out.
In recent times, with the realization that the Adam and Eve story is a myth, the question was still, then, "Why did Christ die if there was no Adam and Eve = no heaven's gates being closed, etc.?"
The answer has been an increased interest in the writings of Dunn Scotus and a rethinking of our old Theology books.
Remember our teachers can only teach what they have themselves been taught and what they have researched. With archiology and science working hand in hand with theologians, we now can understand the Bible in a more correct light and we can understand why the old theologians believed the way they did. The challenge for us is to keep the dialogue and research going. It will help us understand and come to a deeper appreciation for Christ and His life with us.

Answer 4

When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, we were eternally separated from God, so we needed a redeemer. In the old testament the people had to sacrifice animals to push their sins a head another year. When Jesus, the only perfect one to walk the earth came, he paid the price to but us back . The bible says a blood sacrifice was needed, Jesus was 100% God and !00% man and perfect, so He died for our sins. When we accept the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ we are saved and get to go to heaven.

Answer 5

Here is my version of your question. When Adam and Eve were in the garden they were in relationship with God. Then in came satan and tempted them to sin. So in the bible you here about sacrifice of animals for atonement of sin. Well God actually made the first sacrifice when he killed the animal to make them covers. But throughout the old testament they were always sacrificing animals but there came a time when the sin was so great God decided that animals would no longer do the job. So then the concept of sacrifice was a lamb without spot or blemish. So here comes Jesus he came to this world born of a virgin, obedient to God never sinning so he was the ultimate sacrifice. He knew when he came to earth that he was going to die. Actually when the wise men came to visit him as a child among the things they brought as gifts were frankincense and mire which are for burial. So Jesus was obedient to his father even until death. He also became sin so you and I don't have to die for our sin. And also in his dying he reconciled us back to the father.

You were somewhat correct in your assumptions, he did not create us with temptations but he did give us free will. Satan did the tempting. And yes we should always be grateful to Jesus but unfortunately some of us are not.

Answer 6

Jesus sacrificed his right to judge, and forgave instead. He did this out of Divine love for his creations. The worst thing about sin is not just that it offends God, but that it destroys us.( Just look at the mess we have because of sin)
Jesus forgave those who murdered Him and in effect forgave every sin that can ever be committed. God did not intend to create us to offend Him, but quite the opposite. He created us to love and worship Him and to love each other. But He gave us free will to choose to do so. Then he forgave all our wrong choices with His loving sacrifice. That is why we should be grateful. God is not some cosmic puppeteer controlling us in ways we don't want to be controlled. He showed us all the extreme example of love, forgiveness, and sacrifice. and He told us that by following His example, we can all help one another.

Answer 7

I'm glad you asked and I hope I can explain this to you clearly (I'm not doing this to try to get "best answer"). Here I go:

Jesus died on the cross for our sins so that we can go to heaven and spend eternity with Him and other believers. All men are born as sinners. It was not always like this. The first man and woman, Adam and Eve, were given the choice to sin or to obey God. When they chose to disobey, sin entered the world (through them). God cannot live with sin because he is perfect. Because we fall short of God's standard, we cannot live in heaven with Him when we die (because He is perfect). BUT, God is a merciful God and He doesn't want to punish us for our sins by sending us to hell. At the same time, He is a just God and he cannot let sins go unpunished. So there's sort of a problem. Well, this is solved in the person of Jesus Christ.

Christ, God's Son, was sent to earth to die on the cross for our sins and to take the punishment that WE deserve. Christ's death on the cross bridged that gap between God and humans. Waaaay back in time, people used to have to sacrifice animals as atonement for their sins. The reason we don't need to do that anymore is because God sent Jesus to shed his blood as our perfect sacrifice. This illustration might clarify: (it's a little silly, but bear with me) Stick out your hand and place a book on top of it. Now pretend that your hand is you. The book is a record book of all your sins. Heaven is the ceiling above you. Now, without touching the book, try to get your hand to touch the ceiling. Impossible, right? There's no way your hand (you) can touch the ceiling (heaven) without removing the book (your sins). Christ's death removes that book (the barrier) for us so we can have the FREE gift of eternal life by accepting His offer. And THAT is why we should be grateful.

I really hope I answered your question and that you get what I'm trying to say. If you have questions or need me to clarify, feel free to send me a message.

Answer 8

Jesus dies for the sins of ALL mankind for one reason.
since the fall of Adam and Eve, every human is born with an evil nature. This nature is abhorant to the sinless God and no evil/sin is permitted in Heaven. Thus, all mankind would be destined for Hell, something God did not want.
So God devised a plan to make it possible for humans to enter His Kingdom.
He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the sin debt of the entire human race in full on the cross at Calgary.
With that accomplished, humans now could repent of their sins and claim the promise of eternal salvation, if they believe in what God did for them and in the diety of Jesus Christ. Under those conditions, God could replace the evil natures of His believers with one more acceptable to God and His children can now spend an eternity with God by His Grace.
on the other hand, Satan will do everything he can to decieve humans with his great Lie.....that there is no God and humans do not need God for they can be their own god and worship their own earthly gods.
and yes, we should be ETERNALLY grateful to Jesus for what He did for us.
without Him, there would be NO salvation.

Answer 9

In the Old Testament, people had to make sacrifices to God as a way of showing your believe in him. Then God sent his son Jesus. Jesus died on a cross for our sins, and paid the ultimate sacrifice. Now all you have to do is belief and trust in Jesus and you will live eternally in peace. God bless you.

Answer 10

God created Adam and Eve and put them in a beautiful garden. He gave them one admonition, not to eat of one certain tree in the garden. They disobeyed, and sin came into the world. Each of us is born with a sin nature, that's why it's so easy for all of us to sin.

God creates us with choice. But we choose to sin. A sinful person cannot enter the presence of a holy God. So God sent His own son to be a blood sacrifice for our sins. Why? I don't know why God needed a blood sacrifice, but He did. In the Old Testament, His people used animals as sacrifices, but they had to keep making those sacrifices over and over. Jesus was the perfect and final sacrifice.

Those who believe in Him, their sins are washed clean and forgiven.

Once again, choice. To choose God's plan of salvation through His son, or to reject Jesus and have to stand before God at judgment, all alone.