"WHY DID JESUS DIE ON THE CROSS?"
INTRODUCTION
- Movies like Mel Gibson's "The Passion Of The Christ" generate much
controversy...
- Regarding possible anti-Semitism
- Regarding graphic depiction of scourging and crucifixion
- Sometimes the controversy centers around the reason Jesus died...
- Was His death accidental, an unintended consequence of His
teachings?
- Was it God's will, recognized and accepted by Jesus in advance?
[The gospel message is quite clear as to why Jesus died for us, yet
there is a reason that is often overlooked. So let's review the
Biblical answer to the question...]
- WHY DID JESUS DIE ON THE CROSS?
- HE DIED TO ATONE FOR OUR SINS...
- This is the fundamental theme of the Gospel - 1Co 15:1-3
- His suffering for our sins was foretold - Isa 53:4-6,10-12
- He was the Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world - Jn
1:29
- In love, God offered Him as the propitiation for our sins
- 1Jn 4:9-10
- Through such suffering, to reconcile us back to God - 1Pe 3:18
- Providing redemption from sin through His precious blood - 1 Pe
1:18-19
-- His death was no accident, but part of God's predetermined plan
- Ac 2:22-23
- HE DIED THAT WE MIGHT DIE TO SIN...
- This reason for His death is often overlooked
- Yet it is clearly stated by Peter - 1Pe 2:24
- He died for our sins that we might die to sin (cf. ESV)
- He died for our sins that we might live for righteousness
- He died that we might die! And so we read such statements as:
- "if we died with Him..." - 2Ti 2:11
- "If with Christ you died..." - Col 2:20
- "For you have died..." - Col 3:3
- "I have been crucified with Christ..." - Ga 2:20
-- Jesus died, not only to atone for sin, but to provide a means
whereby we can die with Him to sin, and thereby live for
righteousness - 1Pe 2:24
[Unless we also 'die to sin', has Jesus' death on the cross fully
accomplished its purpose? He died for our sins, but have we died to
sin? In other words...]
- HAS JESUS DIED FOR YOU IN VAIN?
- HAVE YOU DIED TO SIN...?
- When does God view you as...
- Dying with Christ?
- Being crucified with Christ?
- Being united with Christ in His death?
- Dead to sin?
- Paul makes it very clear: when we are baptized!
- Writing to Christians who had died to sin - Ro 6:1-2
- Reminding them concerning their baptism into Christ...
- They were baptized into His death - Ro 6:3
- They were buried with Him through baptism into death - Ro
6:4
- Their old man was crucified with Him - Ro 6:6
- Their death freed them from sin, enabling them to live
with Christ - Ro 6:7-8
- They should therefore consider themselves dead to sin
- Ro 6:11
-- If we have not yet been baptized into Christ, then we have not
yet died to sin!
- ARE YOU LIVING FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS...?
- That is why you died to sin - cf. 1Pe 2:24
- That you might be alive to God - Ro 6:11
- That you might not let sin reign anymore - Ro 6:12
- That you might present your members as instruments of
righteousness - Ro 6:13
- That you might become slaves of righteousness - Ro 6:16-18
- Having died to sin, we are to mortify (kill) the flesh
- Aided by the Spirit of God - Ro 8:13; cf. Ep 3:16
- Seeking to bring the flesh under subjection - 1Co 9:27
- Abstaining from fleshly lusts - 1Pe 2:11
- Putting to death (i.e., putting off) the sinful deeds of the
flesh - Col 3:5-9
- Having died to sin, we are to live for righteousness
- Putting on the new man, renewed in the image of Christ - Co
3:10-14; Ep 4:22-32
- Growing in the true knowledge of Christ - cf. 2Pe 1:5-9
- How serious are we in this effort? As evidenced by:
- Our willingness to learn and grow in the knowledge of
Christ? - 2Pe 3:18
- Our efforts to put off sin and put on Christ in our lives?
- Ro 13:13-14
-- If we are not diligent in putting off sin and putting on
Christ, then His death for us was in vain!
CONCLUSION
- When we consider the death of Jesus on the cross...
- We should not just think of His death as an atonement for our sins
- But also providing the means whereby we might die to sin and live
for righteousness
- The grace of God in Jesus is not complete until we are living as we
should...
- Denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, living soberly,
righteously, and godly - Tit 2:11-12
- Redeemed from every lawless deed, purified and zealous for good
works - Tit 2:13-14
Those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh (Ga 5:24; cf. Ro 6:6).
Are you Christ's...?