Why Did Christ Die?
MANY difficulties concerning the death of
Christ have been due to the idea that he died instead of the sinner, like an
innocent man going to the gallows, and letting the murderer go free. This is
obviously unjust, and raises the question how God can be shown to be righteous
by such a means. Further, if the penalty due to men has been paid, why do men
still suffer it by dying?
A more modern view has seen in Christ's
death the supreme act of love which wins men's hearts by its example. While
this is less repugnant to one's sense of justice, it is by no means the whole
truth set forth in the Bible. What that truth is we may begin to discover by
asking a few questions, and answering them in the words of the Scripture.
1. Why did Christ die?
ANSWER: "Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8; 1 Thess.
5:10). "Christ died for the ungodly" (Rom. 5:6). "One died for
all" (2 Cor. 5:14).
2. But what does this mean? Does
"die for" mean "die instead of" or "die on account
of"? This is answered by the following citations, in which the original
word translated "for" is the same.
ANSWER: "Christ died for our sins" (1 Cor. 15:3).
"He gave himself for our sins" (Gal. 1:4). "He offered one
sacrifice for sins for ever" (Heb. 10:12). "He ever liveth to make
intercession for us" (Heb. 7:25).
3. But then comes the question, Why was
it necessary that Christ should die on account of our sins?
ANSWER: "To declare his righteousness for the remission
of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God. . . . that he might be
just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus" (Rom. 3:25).
Sin is "remitted" or forgiven
through the "forbearance" of God, and God exercises this forbearance
because His righteousness has been "declared" by means of Christ's
death: He can therefore forgive erring men while His own righteousness is
upheld, and He does not appear to condone the sin.
4. Why should God require the declaration
of His righteousness before He will exercise His kindness in pardoning our
offences with a view to granting eternal life?
ANSWER: "I will be sanctified in them that come nigh
me, and before all the people I will be glorified" (Lev. 10:3). "I am
a great King, saith the Lord of hosts; and my name is dreadful" (Mal.
1:14). He is "the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name
is Holy" (Isa. 57:15); He is "clothed with honour and majesty"
(Psa. 104 :1); "Holy and reverend is his name" (Psa. 111:9);
"Let all the earth keep silence before him" (Hab. 2:20).
5. In what way was the righteousness of
God, in His dealings with mankind, declared in the sacrifice of Jesus?
ANSWER: Death came upon all men through Adam (Rom. 5:12; 1
Cor. 15:21). Sentence of death was passed on Adam because of his disobedience
(Gen. 3:19). All who came from him suffered the consequence, although they had
not taken part in the original offence (Rom. 5:14). This is not unjust: it is
as inevitable as that a blackbird will breed blackbirds. A clean thing cannot
be brought out of an unclean (Job 14:4); and Adam's nature being corrupted as
the result of sin, those who are propagated from him necessarily share in the
corruption. So babes are mortal, though they never sinned. Yet God cannot
accept the "unclean thing", and give such a being eternal life.
Jesus, though Son of God, was also son of man, sharing in human nature in all
points. (Read carefully Heb. 2:9-18; 4:15; Rom. 8:3; 1:3; 1 Tim.2:3-6; Matt.
1:1).
Being one of the human race, Jesus could
represent all men. He could submit to death on their behalf in order to declare
publicly that death is due to them all.
6. But why could not the same declaration
of righteousness have taken place in the death of any other son of Adam?
ANSWER: Because, in the case of any other son of Adam, the
result would have been abortive. The righteousness of God is declared in the
death of every sinner, but stops short at the grave. The object in the case of
Christ was to go beyond the grave -- to abolish death, through or by means of
death, and this could only be done in one who was without sin, for only such a
one could rise from the dead to immortality.
"He hath abolished death" (2 Tim.
1:10). He took part in flesh and blood "that through death he might
destroy him that hath the power of death, that is the devil", that is sin
for he "put away sin by the sacrifice of himself" (Heb. 2:14; 9:26).
"He died unto sin once" (Rom. 6:10). "Death hath no more
dominion over him" (verse 9).
7. Would the sacrificial declaration of
the righteousness of God in the death of Christ have availed anything if Christ
had not risen from the dead?
ANSWER: "If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain;
ye are yet in your sins" (1 Cor. 15:14). "Then they also that are
fallen asleep in Christ are perished" (verse 18). "It is Christ that
died, yea, rather, that is risen again" (Rom. 8:34).
If Christ died merely as a substitute for
men, and so paid the price due from them, it would not be necessary for their
salvation that he should rise from the dead. Nor would it be if the only object
of his death was to influence them by a sublime example of love.
8. Why was the resurrection of Christ
necessary in order that his sacrifice might bring life?
ANSWER: Because the plan was to make one perfect, and give
him power as head, captain, and judge over all who come unto God by him (Heb. 2:10;
5:7-9; 7:25; John 5:22-27; 17:2).
9. Have we to be brought into contact
with the sacrificial declaration of the righteousness of God in the death of
Christ before we can approach God acceptably?
ANSWER: Yes,in baptism. God has appointed baptism as a taking
part in the death of Christ on the part of those who are baptized.
"We are baptized into his death" (Rom. 6:3).
"Buried with him in baptism" (Col. 2:12).
Remission of sins is offered through the
risen and glorified Christ to all who believe the gospel, and associate
themselves with his death through baptism (Acts 2:38; 13:38 ; Rom. 6:4-5).
Such put on the name of Christ in the act of baptism (Gal. 3:27) and stand
covered by him to whom God has given power to forgive sins, and to bestow
immortal life when he returns from heaven.