This is something I have never understood, so I am wondering if anyone can help me. There are plenty of glib answers, such as "it was part of God's plan", but that just raises the question of why it was part of God's plan. Why did God engineer the world so that Jesus' death did what it did? Many web sites purport to address this, but none I have found give any illumination.
https://www.gci.org/disc/07-whydie
Jesus said, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). He came to give his life, to die, and his death would result in salvation for others. This was the reason he came to earth. His blood was poured out for others (Matthew 26:28).
Okay... But who was this ransom paid to? To God! So God sacrificed himself to pay a ransom that God demanded from himself. Does that actually make sense to anyone?
https://carm.org/christianity/christ...e-die-our-sins
The reason Jesus had to die for our sins was so that we could be forgiven and go to be with the Lord. Jesus is God in flesh (John 1:1 ,14; Col. 2:9), and only God can satisfy the Law requirements of a perfect life and perfect sacrifice that cleanses us of our sins.
According to this web page, God was only able to forgive us if he first sacrificed himself. I can forgive people without anyone dying, but apparently God cannot. And he is the one who is all-powerful. If you are going to assert that it is different for God, do please say how. And why!
I will add this one too as a great illustration of not answering the question.
http://www.bethinking.org/jesus/why-...e-on-the-cross
https://www.gci.org/disc/07-whydie
Jesus said, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). He came to give his life, to die, and his death would result in salvation for others. This was the reason he came to earth. His blood was poured out for others (Matthew 26:28).
Okay... But who was this ransom paid to? To God! So God sacrificed himself to pay a ransom that God demanded from himself. Does that actually make sense to anyone?
https://carm.org/christianity/christ...e-die-our-sins
The reason Jesus had to die for our sins was so that we could be forgiven and go to be with the Lord. Jesus is God in flesh (John 1:1 ,14; Col. 2:9), and only God can satisfy the Law requirements of a perfect life and perfect sacrifice that cleanses us of our sins.
According to this web page, God was only able to forgive us if he first sacrificed himself. I can forgive people without anyone dying, but apparently God cannot. And he is the one who is all-powerful. If you are going to assert that it is different for God, do please say how. And why!
I will add this one too as a great illustration of not answering the question.
http://www.bethinking.org/jesus/why-...e-on-the-cross
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