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.
2007-11-02 06:56:22 · 10 answers · asked by hamad 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
This misconception was started by Paul. He was getting nowhere fast making converts in tarsus. There they believed in the idea of blood sacrifices.
Paul borrowed this idea and applied it to Jesus and people started to pay attention to what he was saying. It's all history from there on out.
Love and blessings Don
2007-11-02 07:02:55 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 3⤋
God is just and merciful. Just because he gives laws. Where he gives a law there must be a punishment or reward according to disobedience or obedience, otherwise, the law itself would become meaningless and void. If we realize that God is just, then we would realize we all fall short and make mistakes and are therefore subject to the law. God, however, is also merciful and so appointed his son to suffer the punishment for the law on our behalf in order to satisfy the demands of justice and the law. In order for this sacrifice to be effective for us, we have to recognize what we have done wrong and accept his suffering for us. This is called repentence. Without it, the law has full justice upon us and mercy is denied. If we accept, the law is satisfied and mercy is given. God is both just and merciful. God will forgive us when we ask for it because the demands of the law and justice and mercy are all satisfied. That is why a sacrifice was necessary.
2007-11-02 14:09:05 · answer #2 · answered by Someone who cares 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
When we ask a question such as this, we must be careful that we are not calling God into question. To wonder why God couldn’t find “another way” to do something is to imply that the way He has chosen is not the best course of action and that some other method would be better. Usually what we perceive as a “better” method is one that seems right to us. Before we can come to grips with anything God does, we have to first acknowledge that His ways are not our ways, His thoughts are not our thoughts—they are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8). In addition, Deuteronomy 32:4 reminds us that “He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.” Therefore, the plan of salvation He has designed is perfect, just, and upright, and no one could have come up with anything better.
The Scripture says, “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Evidence affirms that the sinless Jesus bled and died on a cross. Most importantly, the Bible explains why Jesus’ death and resurrection provide the only entrance to heaven.
Although God banished Adam and Eve from the garden, He didn’t leave them without hope of heaven. He promised He would send a sinless Sacrifice to take the punishment they deserved (Genesis 3:15). Until then, men would sacrifice innocent lambs, showing their repentance from sin and faith in the future Sacrifice from God who would bear their penalty. God reaffirmed His promise of the Sacrifice with men such as Abraham and Moses. Herein lies the beauty of God’s perfect plan: God Himself provided the only sacrifice (Jesus) who could atone for the sins of His people. God’s perfect Son fulfilled God’s perfect requirement of God’s perfect law. It is perfectly brilliant in its simplicity. “God made Him (Christ), who knew no sin, to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Remember, the holy God cannot let sin go unpunished. To bear our own sins would be to suffer God’s judgment in the flames of hell. Praise God, He kept His promise to send and sacrifice the perfect Lamb to bear the sins of those who trust in Him.
Jesus had to die because He is the only one who can pay the penalty for our sins
2007-11-02 14:06:29 · answer #3 · answered by amber_lanae28 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
You mean according to the Bible Jesus died for our sins, the Bible is very clear, Jesus opened up a new covenant and did away with the old mosiac covenant. He was born of a virgin prophesied in Isaiah and came to take away the sins of the world, Praise be to the lamb of God, Did you ever notice how when you see a Cross it reminded you of Jesus? Why is that? Hebrews 10:16 says that Jesus wrote in our hearts and minds. Have you had all your sins washed away by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the way the truth and the life, no man comes to the Father but by him. If you would like to be saved and born again and have your sins forgiven you can right now, just pray this sinners pray believing in the Bible and Jesus Christ, it is the only way to Heaven, just pray Dear Jesus, I know and confess that I am sinner in need of salvation. I believe you died on a cross at calvery and arose from the grave to wash away my sins, I ask you right now to come into my heart and save me, I pray this Prayer believing in the name of Jesus Amen. If you prayed this prayer with a sincere heart you are now a child of God, rejoice that your name is written in the Lambs book of Life. Jesus will now send his Holy Spirit to come and live in your heart and guide you into all truth. If you have any questions just send me an email, God Bless YOU!!
2007-11-02 15:15:42 · answer #4 · answered by victor 7707 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Let me guess.
You're a Muslim trying to validate the contention that Judas, not Jesus, died on the Cross.
Unfortunately, aziz, there are too many Testaments, which are eye-witness accounts of the Crucifixion for one to give credence to Mohammad's version which [1] came over 600 years after the event and [2] had no other basis for this claim except for the alleged "Revelation" given to him by the invisible to everybody else - Archangel Gabriel.
Was it fair for Allah[God] to allow Isa [Jesus] to die on the Cross?
I don't know. The Ways of the Lord are truly mysterious.
As to the other things like Jesus died to wash out our sins, this is a symbolization given by the Church, not to be taken literally.
However, I think you Muslims really need to question the veracity of Mohammad's claims, because they have a hard time standing up to the Test of Truth.
Wa'akum deena'kum wa'aliya deeni, aziz.
Ma salamah.
ST
2007-11-02 14:09:10 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
sins are not nullified but now we have an advocate to help us with them ....Sin is something that has to be overcome by repentance and the process of relationship and obedience to him... Otherwise you anything can happen a shorter life chaos and misery in your life can become a product of it if there's some things you don't want to change..It is us being obedient and serving His will that he cares about....
John 3:16 is why the believer has eternal life....
2007-11-02 14:07:35 · answer #6 · answered by blahblah 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
The problem is that you don't see sin as seriously as God does.
God, being Holy, has zero tolerance for sin, and can not allow ANY sin into heaven.
Sin MUST be punished!
An illustration might help.
Let's just say, for instance, that you were born in the United States, but don't want to live in here. You don't want to abide by the Laws, and you don't want the government's authority hanging over you.
Now, in this hypothetical situation, you decide that you will move somewhere in which you will not be obligated to the Laws of this country.
Do you understand that when you say "no" to the Laws and the government's authority, you also say "no" to all the benefits that come from living in this country?
Well, the same thing applies to God's Kingdom.
All his life, a person tells God by word, action, or attitude, that he doesn't want God's authority in his life.
When he dies, that decision is finalized and sealed.
The only other option, since he refuses to live by GOD'S Laws and authority, is to live elsewhere.
However, by doing so, he loses all the benefits and priviledges that come to submitting to God's authority.
The key benefit is "good". The Bible says that "ALL good things come from God."
That means that when this person "moves away", so to speak, he will lose all that is good.
That would include such things as light, comfort, love, joy, peace, friends, and anything else that is good, since ALL good things come from God. When God withdraws His very presence, all good things also are withdrawn. Oh, did I mention hope? Hope is a good thing. (Can you imagine living for all eternity without hope???)
Well, since God MUST judge sin, and since He can NOT allow sin to enter heaven (otherwise, heaven would become just as corrupt as earth), and since ALL have sinned and broken God's Laws, the Bible declares that even though we have rebelled against Him, He still loves us. After all, He DID make us in His own image.
Either WE must carry the full weight of the penalty for breaking His Laws, OR we must find a substitute - one who has NEVER sinned. Otherwise, he would have to pay the penalty for his OWN crimes!
So, seeing the situation as hopeless, and loving us as He does, He came to earth as Jesus Christ, the Son of God; and having never sinned, when He died on the cross, it was in payment for OUR sins.
God can not just simply forgive sins. It violates His Holy nature. Like I said, sin MUST be punished.
And, again, like I pointed out, if we insist on rebelling against God's authority, even though He gives us an entire lifetime to turn to Him, He has no choice but to judge us.
Imagine a judge who lets a proven murderer go free just because he has fond feelings for the murderer! That would NOT be a good judge. Especially if you personally witnessed him murder your entire family! For God to be good, He MUST punish sin.
The ONLY way God can forgive sins is if the penalty is payed for by someone else.
If you are arrested and your fine is $10,000.00, can the judge simply ignore that and let you go scott free? Of course not. But if someone else comes in and pays the fine, the judge no longer has anything against you.
Jesus paid the penalty for OUR sins so that WE wouldn't have to.
To receive this unmerited pardon, He wants us to acknowledge our guilt and turn from living in rebellion and start obeying Him, and putting our trust in the vicarious death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Keep in mind, that doing this does not earn us a pardon. We're already guilty. Doing this frees up God so that He can grant us the unmerited pardon, without which His hands are tied, so to speak.
Imagine if you are a judge, and for some reason you want to pardon a convicted murderer, so you send a messenger to the prison to ask him what he would do if he were released. Now, the messenger comes back and tells you that the murderer would put a contract out on everybody involved in the case. Or at least, he would keep on murdering as he did before. As the judge, COULD you let him go free?
But even if he says he's sorry, and promises never to do it again, are you obligated to release him? NO!
If for some reason you WANT to release him, he must meet certain prerequisits, but those prerequisits do NOT earn him his freedom.
In the same way, if we are willing to repent, that doesn't earn us God's pardon, but without our repentance, God can NOT pardon us.
So, if you feel the need to pay the penalty for your own sins (crimes against God), it will truly break God's heart, for He declared that He does NOT take pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked would repent and turn to Him.
The difference between YOU paying the penalty and accepting Jesus' , is that Jesus had the power and authority to leave hell after the debt was paid in full, but you have neither. Once in hell, you're stuck there, but Jesus, under His OWN power and authority, having never sinned or disobeyed God, freed himself from hell and the grave.
Ultimately, the choice is up to you - He payed the ultimate sacrifice, but you can accept or reject it.
2007-11-02 14:24:42 · answer #7 · answered by no1home2day 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
The theology of the cross is sick, evil, twisted and destructive.
As you point out, it rests on the assertion that all people deserve eternal horror and suffering simply for the crime of existing.
It also requires one to accept the idea that the "crimes" of a guilty person can be "washed away" by punishing an innocent person.
It's utter trash, one of the most backwards crap-based ideas ever to darken the lives of mankind.
2007-11-02 14:01:39 · answer #8 · answered by Matthew O 5 · 0⤊ 6⤋
No. Jesus Christ did not die on the cross to remove the sins of humankind. Jesus died on the cross to show you, me, and everyone else what we are capable of achieving!
2007-11-02 14:02:26 · answer #9 · answered by Starte Christ 4 · 2⤊ 5⤋
God set it up that way. you can challenge him and go to hell or accept his free gift
2007-11-02 14:04:31 · answer #10 · answered by jesussaves 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋