Death of Jesus on the cross

by Nick Bibile

This is going to be a nutshell of a message, many people go to church today not even knowing the true meaning of the death of Christ.

Why did Jesus suffer and die on the cross? Common answer is, He died for our sins. Then why did Jesus have to suffer?

1 John 3:8 …….The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.

Galatians 4:4-5 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

The devil deceived our first parents at the garden of paradise and sin entered the entire human race, we are all born sinners. The first Adam failed and Jesus came as the last Adam, He too was born without sin, He too was tempted by the devil yet he was able to overcome the devil’s temptations.

Jesus came to represent His people

Matthew 1:1 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.

What is sin? Sin is violating the laws of God. (1 John 3:4)

We were not only born sinners but have sinned against God by violating his commandments in thought in our minds, in our hearts, with our mouths and in action.

Sin is a very serious matter to God

Today many go to church and listen to a sermon but sin is taken very lightly. But God takes it very seriously. Sin is not only breaking the law but an attack against the Lawgiver – God. It is a revolt against God. God will punish the sinner. You heard a saying that God loves the sinner but hates sin. This is from the pit of hell. God doesn’t punish sin in hell but the sinner in hell.

Jesus represented the believing sinner.

For us to be saved and to go to heaven we need to have righteousness. How does righteousness come? By obedience to all of God’s moral laws.

Active obedience of Christ

Jesus, representing us, actively obeyed all the requirements of the laws of God. He fully obeyed God.

Matthew 5:17 Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

Passive obedience of Christ

God requires punishment for sinners. Jesus representing us was severely punished for our sins. We deserved to be punished but Christ represented us, on our behalf took the punishment. Penalty of sin was poured upon the sinless Jesus and Jesus righteousness was transferred to the believing sinner.

2 Corinthians 5:21

 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

This is the message of the good news, why Jesus came and died on the cross and rose from the grave on Sunday. What is the effect?

That we who were unrighteous now made righteous in Christ. If we truly love Christ, we should live in obedience to him, we should avoid sin, run from sin and live a holy life before God. Not just having an outward religion and pretending to be Christians, but an inward change and ha