The Purpose of Christ’s Death
Since death is the result of sin, why did Jesus die? If death was a punishment for sin and a curse upon our world, it should not have affected Jesus who was completely holy. John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. Indeed, John the Baptist objected to baptize Jesus. He understood they should trade places, but Jesus said He must do so to fulfill the righteousness of God. So the purpose of His baptism was different, just as the purpose of His death.
The first mention of any death in the Bible was the day that Adam and Eve sinned. God had prepared skins for them to wear for they saw they were naked and ashamed. That was more than a bodily condition of being without clothes. They wanted to cover up their sinful nature, their disobedience.
What if God would project on a screen all the thought and images that come into your mind, including the things you want to say to people, but politeness prevents you. What would you think if the wrong people overheard your private conversations and the sins of your heart were exposed? You would feel like Adam and Eve, naked and ashamed. You would want to hide. We are helpless to correct our situation and can do nothing to hide. We all are under condemnation of death physically and spiritually.
God demonstrated another important quality. It was grace. He provided a way to allow people to have a relationship with Himself. It came in a sacrificial system where the death, by the shedding of the blood of the animal, was accepted as a substitute for the death they deserved. "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls" Lev. 17:11.
The Law required that the sacrificial victims must be free from defect, and buying them always involved some cost to the sinner. Mankind was personally expected to recognize the seriousness of their sin. They must also identify themselves personally with the victim that died instead of themselves: "Then he shall put his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him" Lev. 1:4.
His divine/human nature Jesus is able to represent us before God: As Priest- carrying out the duties as one anointed to enter the Holy of Holies. He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. Heb. 9:12. He fulfilled the place of the sacrificial lamb without spot or blemish provided by God to take away our sins by His death forever since He is without sin. He fulfills the place of the mediator representing us before God. No believer who truly understands the awesome holiness of God's wrath and the terrible hopelessness that comes from personal sin can fail to be overwhelmed by the deep love of Jesus for each person. Our debt has been paid by grace through our faith in Jesus. Jesus will present us to God "faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy".
His purpose in dying is that we might be redeemed, purchased for God, set apart now with new holiness. This free gift is not to be taken lightly. Nor is it to be taken thinking that we must somehow pay some of the debt ourselves. That would be self-righteousness.
Praise the Lord He paid it all and we thank Him for the indescribable gift of salvation.
