Why Did Jesus Have to Die?
Jesus Received Our Penalty
When Jesus died on Calvary (Golgotha), he was experiencing the judgment of God upon the sins of the world. He died in our place as our substitute. “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree” (Gal. 3:13). The cross was a criminal judgment by God upon the sins of the world.
He Took On Punishment For The Crime
The judicial charge bringing about the judgment was sin against God. Every man is a sinner because of a threefold reason.
First, because of Adam’s transgression everyone has been born with a sin nature (Ps. 51:2). Second, we have also committed personal sins against God. “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). In the third place, we have had sin imputed to our account in heaven (Rom. 5:19). Since man is a sinner, God is his enemy (Eph. 2:3).
This is strong language, but sin is a violation of the nature of God. The crime of sin is so great that it brought about the judgment of Calvary.
He Was Treated as a Criminal
Everyone is guilty of the crime of sin. A popular gospel song reflects on this subject, “I should have been crucified.” This is also the conclusion of the apostle Paul, who said “Christ … being made a curse for us ” (Gal. 3:13). Some have commented on the significance of the circumstances surrounding the death of Christ.
When given a choice by Pontius Pilate, the people decided Christ should die in the place of Barabbas, the one who was guilty of a crime that deserved death. Barabbas’s name means “a father’s son.” The people had chosen that Christ should die for a guilty son of a father; God had long before agreed Christ would die for every guilty son and daughter of every father.
He Received Our Sentence
“The wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). Nothing could be more clearly taught in the Bible than the eternal consequences of sin. Its path leads to ultimate destruction both in this life and in the life to come. Sin involves the anger of God against it.
Thus the Giver of life will judge sin with death-physical and eternal death. That sentence will someday be read over all those who do not accept Jesus as their Substitute (Rev. 20:11-15).