Why did Jesus have to die?

According to the Bible, Jesus (the actual phisical body with no blood, holes where the nails were placed and a cut in His side) is at the right hand of the Father in heaven and will come to Earth at the time of the rapture.

I think we need to remember that we have only one God, in three persons. Sometimes I think we think of these persons as too separate.

It's beyond my understanding, but somehow God, while remaining God almighty and our Father in heaven, came and lived on earth as Jesus of Nazareth, fullu human and fully divine. Holy Spirit is another way God manifests himself in our lives. We are taught that each is a distinct person, but if we remember they are one God, God who can be everywhere at once, perhaps that will help.

Karin

Blood shed needs to happen. I don't know really why, neither does anyone else...it's something that was before Adam and Eve were...it just was...It was something that came along with the God who created us.

Don't say "neither does anyone else." and it was not from before Adam and Eve either. It was a covenent between God and man.

Sorry it's taken long for me to respond. I've been out of town. I want to thank everyone who has responded so far. I'm still not so sure I buy into it all, but some responses have given me food for thought. Thanks again.


Boomygrrl

Steve Chalke, a Bristish Baptist minister and author etc has raised a storm amongst evangelicals by saying that he thinks the idea that God sent Jesus to the cross to pay for our sins is tantamount to child abuse. The storm exists because he is identified as an evangelical. He has explained his thinking somewhat in an article here http://www.church.co.uk/ (you need to click on study for the lost message of Jesus).

Karin

Dear Boomygrrl,you had some good answers,may I try to give you one more reason"why Jesus had to die"Until Jesus`s death,the Israelites made animal-sacrifices for their sins to be forgiven.Then God told them:"I do not want your blood sacrifices anymore,I want your hearts".Jesus was the final sacrifice for all our past sins.While on earth,Jesus taught us to repent of our sins in prayer to God,and He also told us that He was always ready to intercede for us,when we truly repented of our sins.He promised that He would always be with us to help us.Sincere greetings from Emmy,a sister in Christ.

Boomygrrl said:

Sorry it's taken long for me to respond. I've been out of town. I want to thank everyone who has responded so far. I'm still not so sure I buy into it all, but some responses have given me food for thought. Thanks again.


Boomygrrl

Click to expand...

Here is some more food for thought. Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice for remission of our sins. If it had not been for the shedding of Jesus's blood we would all be on our way to hell. He died so that we might be saved. He loves us that much!!


THANK YOU LORD JESUS FOR YOUR SACRIFICE!!

Treasure the Questions said:

Steve Chalke, a Bristish Baptist minister and author etc has raised a storm amongst evangelicals by saying that he thinks the idea that God sent Jesus to the cross to pay for our sins is tantamount to child abuse. The storm exists because he is identified as an evangelical. He has explained his thinking somewhat in an article here http://www.church.co.uk/ (you need to click on study for the lost message of Jesus).

Karin

Click to expand...

Very interesting.
Thanks for the website.

Boomygrrl

Emmy said:

Dear Boomygrrl,you had some good answers,may I try to give you one more reason"why Jesus had to die"Until Jesus`s death,the Israelites made animal-sacrifices for their sins to be forgiven.Then God told them:"I do not want your blood sacrifices anymore,I want your hearts".Jesus was the final sacrifice for all our past sins.While on earth,Jesus taught us to repent of our sins in prayer to God,and He also told us that He was always ready to intercede for us,when we truly repented of our sins.He promised that He would always be with us to help us.Sincere greetings from Emmy,a sister in Christ.

Click to expand...

Why is any blood sacrifice appealing to God, animal or otherwise?
Why do we need Jesus to intercede for us, rather than praying to God directly?

Boomeister

The sacrifice of animals back then signified the people's love for God more then there most prized posetions. Animals were a sign of wealth then and were key to their survival. For that reason, God made the first covenent. Then Jesus came to teach us to sacrifice ourselves daily (not a blood sacrifice) but give up our time to devote ourselves to Him. So Jesus fulfilled and ended the first covenent with His sacrifice in order for us not to be required to sacrifice in that way anymore. God still wants the same thing. Our devotion and love.
We can and do pray to God directly, though the reason we can is because of Jesus who is still God.
But to answer the deeper question. God's true power is just so great that if we were to talk directly to Him without Jesus' blood to cover our sin, we would be destroyed. Not because God would want to kill us but because our physical sinful bodies can not handle His full power. Now with the Holy Spirit, a few people have had visions being caught up into heaven and seeing the throne room and God. Some have seen it very detailed, and some have only seen a great cloud or mist behind which is the Light of God which they couldn't handle seeing fully at that time in their lives.
Revalations gives us a description of that throne room. And others have seen it more recently. I have heard their testimony and it fits in with the description in the Bible, yet some more modern ways of describing it were used.

The thing is that without the resurrection Jesus' life and death would have meant nothing, but with it both become of great significance.

Jesus did redeem us all on the cross, but we have been set free to live as he lived and taught us to live. We have been redeemed for a purpose.

Let us never forget that although everything points to it being Friday...

...SUNDAY'S COMING!

To protect you from Satan. He died so that he could Rise again, and bring to pass the ressurection of the dead. Being resurrected is part of your salvation. He gave his mortal life for your eternal life, in exchange for the demands of justice, imposed by the natural laws that govern the universe. He was the only pefect mortal that ever lived, the only one who had the spiritual capaciy to bear all the suffereing of all the heavenly hosts who inherit a mortal life. He bled and suffered for the sins you commit, in order to prevent your suffering. If Jesus suffered in your stead, why would an All-loving God require you to suffer for yourself? It is a natural law of the universe that sin causes pain. That's just how it is. So really, it would not be God imposing punishments upon your head, but rather, the self-inflicted pains of sin, and guilt that keep us from God. so Jesus did something on our behalf, o that we could look to that act, and be relieved of our guilt.

Thanks for your responses. I feel like I'm getting the same answers over and over again. I wanted to delve deeper into this, as on a superficial level it just doesn't make sense to me. I was hoping by asking why to your answers, I'd get a better understanding. That doesn't seem to be the case.
There's nothing wrong with your beliefs or your responses. Again, my intention isn't for you to feel like you have to defend yourselves. I wish I had a strong belief, one way or the other, and didn't have to struggle with this, but that's not the case.
I thank you all for making attempts.
Some of you have given me some things to think about. Although I'm still confused about it all, I can definitely understand the beauty and serenity your beliefs give you. I guess that makes it frustrating. I sometimes wish I could just say "I believe" and be done with that. But my brain won't let me.
Let me be clear. It's not what you're telling me. Youdon't have to defend yourself. It's just I can't...it that makes sense. It doesn't make enough sense for me to say "this is it...this is what I need to believe." Feel free to send me private messages for further discussion.

Boomygrrl

Hi Boomy,

With the thinking and logic of man, God cannot be understood. The thoughts of man are foolishness to God. I appreciate your curiosity and questions concerning the Good News. I believe the only way you can truly understand is if the Holy Spirit opens your eyes to the truth. Sin covers us in a cloak of darkness that blinds us to the realities of God. This may sound extraordinarily wierd or whatever, but when you become a Christian, it really is as if the blinders have been pulled away from your eyes.

I have a friend who sought the answers of God as you do. He prayed that God would reveal himself to him. It took some time, but he said one day as he was reading the Bible (he had read it many times before without understanding any of it [more questions than answers]), it was as if a light had come on and everything suddenly became clear. The Holy Spirit had revealed the truth of God to him and he believed --truly believed . . . as in obedience and supplication to the saving grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ and God. He said it was the most amazing thing ever in his life. Now, he is one of the most outspoken, staunch supporters and witnesses for Jesus Christ (where once before he was a despiser of "the way").

This does not directly answer your questions, but I believe this is the only way for you to come to an understanding of Christianity. I know it sounds wrong (by our thinking) that God should allow us to (indeed, to actively give us over to our sinful selves and thoughts) wallow in our blindness, but that is one of the myriad mysteries of God.