"Of course not," you say. 

Yet, many people wear a cross. 

As forms of execution go, the cross was one of the cruelest known. It was abolished in 315 AD because it was so cruel.  Nevertheless, the cross is very symbolic of the Christian walk; Jesus, His teaching, His actions, His crucifixion, and resurrection all constitute the greatest happening the world has ever known.

Why did he have to die? 

When we read in the paper about child molestation, old people attacked in the home, and babies being battered, we want to see the guilty caught and punished.

The new testament tells us He died for our sins. Romans 6:23 says, "All have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God."

In the Old testament, the tradition of a scape goat was used, the sinner would lay hands on the animal confessing his sins. Then the goat was killed. 

However, Hebrews 10:4 says that it was, "impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins." 

Christ alone is able to substitute for us and wipe away our sins, and he did it freely, out of both love for us and  love for God.

Want to know more?  Read on

Why Did Jesus Die?

Robbie L. Rogers

I’ve always been a good person, you may be saying. Comparing to the dregs of society, that may be true. God, however uses and different measuring stick, Jesus, His boy. In doing so we all fall short. 

What if everything you ever did wrong was displayed before your best friends and family, or the people in you church?  We would all fail the test of righteousness. 

"Ah ha," you say. "But, Jesus died for our sins." 

Yes! You've got the point!

Genesis 3 indicates that sin caused a separation between us an God. This broken relationship has caused a multitude of problems for us and the world. 

In Mark 7:20-23, Jesus said, "What comes out of man is what makes him ‘unclean.’ For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thought, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly. All of these evils come from inside and make a man ‘unclean.’"

James 2:10 indicates that if we break any of God’s laws we are guilty of breaking them all.  John 8:34, tell us anyone who sins is a slave to sin.

Obviously we all fall short with respect to that of being sin free, and it is that same sinful nature that keeps us from having a right relationship with God. We all deserve to be punished for or sins.

During WWII, in a POW camp a Japanese guard became very angry when a shovel used in a work project came up missing. He asked for a return of the shovel. When is was not the entire camp was threatened that if the guilty party did not step forward he would kill everyone. One man stepped forward to take the blame. While silently standing at attention the man was clubbed to death.  Later that night the tools were again counted, they found no shovels were missing. Yet the man went forward as a substitute to save the others.

Paul tells us in Romans 6:23, "the wages of sin is death." The death he is speaking of concern not only a physical death, but spiritual death. The good news of Christianity is that God loves us and did not leave us in the mess we made of our lives. He came into the earth, in the person of Jesus Christ to die instead of us. II Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13.

Jesus came to earth as a substitute. To die for our sins. Jesus was killed in the most hideous way. Stripped and tied to a whipping post.  He was flogged with a whip with four or five thronged leather strips interwoven with jagged and sharp bones and lead on the end of it. His very muscles and sinews were laid bare and exposed to the elements. A crown of thorns was forced down upon his head. He was mocked by a battalion of 600 Roman soldiers who spat and beat him around the face and head. He was forced to carry a heavy cross bar on his bleeding shoulders until he collapsed. He was stripped naked and six nails were driven into him at His forearms, just above his wrists; his knees were twisted sideways and nails were driven in his ankles. He was lifted up on the cross and dropped into a socket in the ground to hold the cross upright. He was left to hang in the intense heat and unbearable thirst, exposed and ridiculed by the crowds. After six hours he died. But not before a soldier pierced his side with a sword, which released water and blood, fully indicating his sure death.

The worst part, was the agony of His being separated form God for the first time in His life. 

The best part is "we have been justified." Romans 5:1 J

Justification is a legal term, sort of like being acquitted of your crimes. Much like the story of two classmates. One went on to become a judge while the other fell on hard times ending up in court presided over by the Judge. The judge sentenced him with probation and a fine. The man had no money to pay the fine. The judge then stepped down from his bench and proceeded to pay the fine and greet his old friend.

This is right much what Jesus has done for us. He continues to deal out justice because we are guilty but he paid the price for our sins. 

Romans 3:24, "redemption... came by way of Jesus." Jesus by way of the cross paid the ransom price (Mark 10:45)  We are free indeed from the power of sin. John 8:36, "If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."

 Not that we won’t sin again, for we will, yet, the hold sin had over us is broken, now we can have true fellowship with God!

If you desire to know more about this Jesus Christ who loves you, and you want to ask Him  into your heart, receiving His Saving Grace please click on this Salvation Prayer