One very important thing changed when Jesus died for our sins: we can now have personal relationships with God through our faith in Jesus’ death, cleansing us of our sins. This is why Jesus had to die for our sins.
But there are several more topics surrounding the change that occurred because of Jesus’ death, such as:
- When God planned for Jesus’ death
- The things that happened in Jerusalem in response to the death of Jesus
- Whether Jesus had to be resurrected or not after dying for our sins.
Let’s consider what we know about each of these questions and how each one impacts our understanding of that fateful day when Jesus died for our sins.
Why Did Jesus Have to Die for Our Sins?
To make us clean, there had to be a sacrifice to pay for our sins. Nothing on earth is a good enough, holy enough sacrifice to wash away our sins. Only something or someone perfect could do that. So, God himself had to die for our sins.
Hebrews 9:22 states, “The law says that almost everything must be made clean by blood. Sins cannot be forgiven without a blood sacrifice.” Our sins could not be forgiven without Jesus’ blood sacrifice.
1 Peter 2:24 says, “Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross. He did this so that we would stop living for sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you were healed.” Jesus had to die so we would stop living for sin and instead live for what is right.
Isaiah 53:5 states that Jesus had to die to bring us peace. According to this verse, Jesus also had to die in order to heal us.
1 Peter 3:18 says, “Christ himself suffered when he died for you, and with that one death he paid for your sins. He was not guilty. He did this to bring all of you to God. In his physical form he was killed, but he was made alive by the Spirit.” Jesus had to die in order to bring people to God.
Hebrews 10:14 states, “With one sacrifice Christ made his people perfect forever. They are the ones who are being made holy.” Jesus had to die in order to make his people perfect forever.
John 3:16 says, “Yes, God loves the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him would not be lost but have eternal life.” Jesus had to die so that we could have eternal life.
Did Jesus Follow God’s Plan When He Died for Our Sins?
Because God plans everything, he planned that Jesus would die for our sins.
It was prophesied hundreds of years before Jesus died. Isaiah 53:5 states, “But he was being punished for what we did. He was crushed because of our guilt. He took the punishment we deserved, and this brought us peace. We were healed because of his pain.” God had planned Jesus’ death, if not from the start, then at least centuries before it happened.
What Happened in Jerusalem When Jesus Died for Our Sins?
Many things happened in Jerusalem when Jesus died. Mark 15:38-39 explains some of these things, but Matthew 27:51–54 explains them in more detail. Matthew 27:51–54 states,
When Jesus died, the curtain in the Temple was torn into two pieces. The tear started at the top and tore all the way to the bottom. Also, the earth shook and rocks were broken. The graves opened, and many of God’s people who had died were raised from death. They came out of the graves. And after Jesus was raised from death, they went into the holy city, and many people saw them. The army officer and the soldiers guarding Jesus saw this earthquake and everything that happened. They were very afraid and said, “He really was the Son of God!”
When Jesus died for our sins, the curtain in the Temple in Jerusalem was torn into two pieces to symbolize that we can have personal relationships with God, like Adam and Eve did before sin entered the world. The earth itself trembled violently in reaction to Jesus’ death. Saints rose from death and went into Jerusalem. The army officer and the soldiers guarding Jesus acknowledged that Jesus truly was the Son of God. Many people witnessed God’s power when Jesus died, through the Temple tearing, the earthquake, and the people of God rising from their graves.
Greg Laurie provides an insight on what was perhaps the darkest moment of that day in Jerusalem, which the book of Matthew mentions a few verses earlier:
I would like for us to consider what I believe was God’s most painful moment, the most painful moment for our Lord when He was on this earth. Immediately our minds race to the crucifixion. We think of the Roman whip, that cat of nine tails that ripped into His skin and skeletal tissues, exposing vital organs. Was that it? That was a painful moment to say the least - extremely painful. It is one of the most horrific things that a person could go through. But as bad as that was, I don’t think it was God’s most painful moment. Was the crucifixion itself, where spikes were pounded into His hands and His feet, where He had to press His shredded back against the cross for a gulp of air? That was horrific as well. But as bad as that was, I don’t think that was His most painful moment.
I believe it is found in Matthew 27: “Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’ “(verses 45-46).
These words surprise us. They disarm us and cause us to wonder what He meant. It is hard for us as human beings to even fathom what was taking place here. To begin with, it was a fulfillment of the prophetic words of Psalm 22:1, which says, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” But these were not the delusions of a man in pain. His faith was not failing Him. I believe that as Christ hung there at this moment, He was bearing the sins of the world. He was dying as a substitute for us. To Him was imputed the guilt of all of our sins and He was suffering the necessary punishment for those sins on our behalf. And the essence of that punishment was the outpouring of God’s wrath against sinners.
In some mysterious way that we can never fully understand, during these awful hours on the cross, the Father was pouring out the full measure of His wrath against sin and the recipient of that wrath was His own beloved Son. God was punishing Jesus as though He had personally committed every wicked deed committed by every wicked sinner. And in doing so, He could treat and forgive those redeemed ones as if they had lived Christ’s perfect life of righteousness.
Taken from “God's Most Painful Moment" by Harvest Ministries (used by permission).
Did Jesus Have to be Resurrected After He Died for Our Sins?
After Jesus died for our sins, it would seem that he did not have to be resurrected. This is because God is omnipotent.
Hebrews 1:3 states, “The Son shows the glory of God. He is a perfect copy of God’s nature, and he holds everything together by his powerful command. The Son made people clean from their sins. Then he sat down at the right side of God, the Great One in heaven.”
Psalms 147:5 says, “Our Lord is great and powerful. There is no limit to what he knows.”
Several more Scripture passages speak of God’s omnipotence. God created space, time, and everything else.
While no one obligates an all-powerful God to do anything, choosing not to resurrect Jesus would have gone against his all-good, all-loving nature. Not resurrecting Jesus would be unloving both to Jesus and us.
Also, not being resurrected from death would present problems. In an article for the Gospel Coalition, Kevin DeYoung explains how statements like the Heidelberg Catechism show how theologians throughout history have explained Jesus’ resurrection mattered because it accomplished things he still needed to do. By being the victor over death, Jesus not only died for people’s sins; he made it possible for them to be saved, to find new life in him (the new life he had demonstrated).
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/kckate16
Jared Salomon is a writer and editor, with a Bachelor of Science in Professional Writing from Taylor University. He is an associate product developer for Childress Ink. He writes Christian fiction, realistic fiction, and fantasy. In his free time, Jared enjoys hanging out with his friends and playing sports (especially tennis).
Learn more about the meaning and significance behind the Easter holiday and Holy Week celebrations:
What is Lent? and When Does Lent Start?
What is Ash Wednesday? and When is Ash Wednesday?
What is Palm Sunday?
What is Maundy Thursday?
What is Good Friday? and When is Good Friday?
What is Holy Saturday?
What is Easter? and When is Easter Sunday?
Easter Bible Verses
The Resurrection of Jesus
Easter Prayers
