Christians, will you please explain to me exactly why Jesus died?

Question

I thought he died for our sins? But how? Right now it seems to me that he just died for others. And can't anyone do that?

Yes, I could look it up, but you all make this so much more pleasant.. (:

Answer 1

Jesus died for anyone willing to repent of their sins and try to be better and live their lives for him...he died because he loves you and created you and wants a relationship with you

Answer 2

The belief was that you are born with sin. In the old days, you'd make animal sacrifice to God for those sins and any sins you've committed in your life. Jesus' coming put an end to that, by offering his own life as sacrifice.
The story of a man/god being sacrificed for others is not new, however. The Norse god Odin hung in a tree and lost his eye to gain the power of Runes for his people. Many Harvest Gods also fulfill the role of having their deaths so that others may live.

Answer 3

Well, it has to do with the mistaken idea that only blood can wipe away sins. Christians believe this because Paul told them to believe this. Paul claimed to be a Pharisee - which is a whole other can of worms.

Christians believe that it says in Lev 17:11 that only blood can atone for sin. Notice that this part isn't in any of the sections actually describing what blood sacrifice was for.

If you flash forward to the early chapters of Lev you will see that blood sacrifices were for UNINTENTIONAL sins only. You did something wrong without realizing it was wrong.

If you sinned with will, then they only way you got forgiveness was by repentance to G-d. Look at David, when Nathan revealed his sin of adultery and murder. David didn't drag an ox down for sacrifice at the local temple. Instead he cried out to G-d and G-d heard him.

A lot of Pagan deities died and rose from the dead for people's sins and for eternal life. Mithras would be a good example of this.

He did die for others - for sins. Namely, the concept of original sin which didn't exist until after the death of Jesus - thanks to St. Augustine who fine tuned the idea. The idea of Adam's sin tarnishing our souls and keeping us from G-d. He also believed that women did not have souls, by the way - thankfully the chuch didn't add that one to the dogma.

It is this concept of Original Sin, that we are born bad that Jesus died. To wipe this away and allow the follower to know G-d by Jesus acting as the go-between. Christians believe that a real relationship with G-d was impossible before Jesus. And G-d only sees his followers through the blood of Jesus.

Hopefully that makes a little more sense. If you have questions let me know.

Answer 4

Jesus died for the sins of His people, His sheep.

Joh 10:11 I am the Good Shepherd! The Good Shepherd lays down His life on behalf of the sheep.

Joh 10:15 Even as the Father knows Me, I also know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.

Mat 1:21 And she will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins.

Not all people are His sheep.

Joh 10:26 But you do not believe for you are not of My sheep, as I said to you.
Joh 10:27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

He was the only One who could accomplish this since He Himself was spotless, had no sin. The only acceptable sacrifice had to be a perfect, unblemished "lamb", which was Christ.

Answer 5

God is perfect but He still wants relationship with us. We are sinful, so God cannot tolerate our presence, in Him there is only good. In the OT, He required that animals be sacrificed, the spilling of blood would cover their sins for that time. Eventually, in the fullness of time, Jesus came to earth in order to become the once and for all perfect spotless lamb. He lived a sinless life, therefore He did not deserve death. His death was then able to serve as the atonement for all our sins, for all time.

He died so that we could be united with God, and now He sits as a direct line between us and our Father. When we accept this free gift of substitution, God sees His Son when He looks at us, and so He sees perfection. It was the only way to restore us to right relationship to God.

Answer 6

The way I can partially understand it is that the love of God for us is not how we love. We always want something back for our love, even if it is only good feelings. God's love, what the New Testament called agape, is a love without motive. Jesus death on the cross shows us a glimpse of the relationship of agape love that God would have with us. It also shows us the seriousness of His desire to have that relationship with us yet still allow us free will to accept or reject Him.

We seek God to find such love for ourselves and we reject God because we don't want the authority of God over us.

Answer 7

For exactly the same reason David koresh and his followers died for, Jesus was a rebel, and he went against the grain of the times so the Sanhedrin's had him taken out,

Answer 8

Anyone cant do what Jesus did. Only he could. This is because Jesus was selfless and sinless in dying for us. Anyone else who tried to die for the rest of the world would be futile in their efforts 1. because they are sinful and 2. because they are selfish. Jesus did die for sinners so that they might be redeemed. No one, not anyone could do what he did and it possibly vouche the same meaning.

Answer 9

If Jesus died for the sins of the whole world then he should be in hell. That would be a proper sacrifice. As it is (according to Christian mythology), he's hanging around in heaven and angels are servicing him cocktails. Hey I wouldn't mind making such a great sacrifice myself.

Answer 10

When Chernobyl blew up, one of the workers sacrificed his life by going into nuclear chamber to try to clear the cooling system. Then he suffered a painful death. thats like what jesus did. same thing.