Why did Jesus have to die for our sins? The answer lies at the heart of the good news of the gospel: God’s justice demands payment for sin, yet his mercy and grace provide a costly sacrifice to satisfy justice and offer forgiveness to all who receive it by faith in Christ.
- Jesus had to die for our sins because God demands justice. Although we desire justice, our sense of it is flawed. Our own righteousness cannot justify us before God.
- God, in his mercy, delayed punishing sin until Jesus could pay the penalty through his death and resurrection. Through grace, God himself paid the penalty.
- We receive forgiveness by faith in Jesus’ sacrifice, not by good works or keeping laws.
- Jesus’ death demonstrated both God’s righteousness in calling out sin and his role as the justifier through faith in Christ.
- Jesus’ death and resurrection are the true myth that explains everything. It is the good news of great joy for all people.
The good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection offers us the incredible gift of forgiveness and restored relationship with God. Though we may not fully understand it, we can receive it by faith and embrace the truth that changes everything.