Why did Jesus have to die?
There was a greater purpose for the death of Jesus than many people realize and I do not believe that the movie truly pointed to this enough. However, the first scene Satan tells Jesus that no man can bear the world’s sin. This was the purpose of Jesus coming to this world and it was the reason that He willingly chose to die.
1. Jesus came to bring the needed atonement to humanity.
The issue of atonement is the payment for the penalty of sin through the price of blood. In the Old Testament, the people made sacrifices for their sins to make themselves right with God. The work of Christ on the cross has been the payment for our atonement with God and it is only through His blood that we can gain forgiveness for sins.
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2:1-2
2. Jesus was the perfect sacrifice
The author of Hebrews writes that Jesus was the perfect sacrifice made for all people and that by accepting His sacrifice we can be made right with God. In essence, Jesus gave His life to do what no animal sacrifice could ever accomplish cleanse sin once and for all.
HEB 10:8 First he said, "Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them" (although the law required them to be made). 9 Then he said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will." He sets aside the first to establish the second. 10 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21
Jesus lived through His life without sin and He became the perfect offering for all of humanity. Why did Jesus have to die? Because it was the only way that He could win us back from the power of sin and death. He died so that you would be able to find true life.
3. Jesus died to secure life
Jesus said that He was the way and the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father except through me. Jesus is clearly stating that He is THE WAY and that there is no other. In other words, Jesus is making an exclusive claim that includes all people. He died to pay the price of our sin, He died because he was the only one who could pay the price and He died because He was the source of true life.
Jesus is the ultimate paradox. He was fully man and fully God, he was innocent and died a criminals death, He was perfect and was given up for sin and He died but lives today.
