The purpose of Jesus’s death
Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the nation was on a fast for the independence
of our nation. A few missionaries went to see him. He received them
courteously and was happy that they took pains to see him at the time of his
sacrifice for the freedom of the nation.
Gandhi wanted the missionaries to sing a song for him. So he requested them
to sing a Christian• hymn. They thought for a moment, and asked, “What
hymn do you want us to sing?” He replied, “The Christian hymn that expresses the deepest truth in Christianity.” They thought for a moment and
began to sing the following hymn:
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of Glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the cross of Christ, my God;
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.
See, from His head, His hand, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down.
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet?
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small.
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
The hymn truly expresses the deepest truth of Christianity. The death of Christ on
the cross is a basic and important truth of Christianity. Do you know why we
consider the death of Christ on the cross as the important truth?
This is because the main purpose of Jesus’ life and death was to deal with the
problem of sin in man. Man has sinned and is under the wrath of God. Man has
to die for his sin. By his efforts he cannot save himself. So God sent His only
begotten Son into the world to save mankind. This is because of His love for
mankind. By the death of Christ on the cross, God paved the way for man to go
back to God for forgiveness.
The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all our sins and gives us eternal life.
This happens the moment we put our faith on the finished work of Christ on the
cross.
The Bible gives the following purposes for the life and death of Jesus Christ.
1. To save sinners (Luke 19:10; 1 Tim.1:15).
2. To destroy Satan’s works (Heb.2:14; 1 John 3:8).
3. To fulfil the prophecy (Matt.5: 17).
4. To complete the revelation of God to mankind (Heb.1:1).
5. To give eternal life (John 10:10,28; 1 Pet.3:18).
6. To reconcile man with God (Eph.2: 14-18; Roni. 5: 10).
7. To make propitiation for our sin (Heb. 2: 17).
8. To make the new covenant with man (Jer.31:31; Luke 22:19,20).
9. To die as a ransom (Matt.20:28) in-our place for our sins (1 Pet.2:24;3:18).
10. To be our Mediator with God (Heb. 8:6; 9: 15; 12:24).
The supreme purpose of Jesus’ death was to settle the problem of sin in man. The
penalty of sin is death. Jesus paid the penalty for your sin. Are you willing to put
your trust on the finished work of Christ on the cross and get saved? You may ask
how this is possible? Let me explain this with an incident that happened in a court.
Once a young man was brought before a judge for a crime. The judge recognised
the convict as one of his close friends with whom he had studied in the high
school. The judge wanted to help his close friend. But the judge found that his
friend was guilty of a crime. He had to be punished under the law for his crime.
As per the law of the land the judge sentenced his friend to pay a certain amount
as fine for his crime. The accused pleaded his inability to pay. So the judge after
coming down from the judgment seat paid the fine for his friend and released him.
In the same way, you have committed sin and are guilty before God You must be
punished for your sins. So Jesus Christ came to this world and died on the cross
for your sins in your place.
He paid the penalty for your sins and so salvation is now offered to you free of
cost. He is the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except
through Him (John 14:6). Millions of people have put their trust on Christ and
have been saved from their sins. Like them, you can put your trust on the true way
of Jesus Christ, and offer the following prayer.
“’Lord Jesus, I have sinned and broken your commandments. I am under the wrath
of God and I deserve to go to hell. You are God’s Son and You died for my sins
on the cross in my place. You paid the price on the cross for my salvation. I
acknowledge that you can save from my sins. Be merciful to me a sinner. Forgive
all my sins and accept me as I am. Amen.”
(Dr. C. Barnabas, taken from True Discipleship, Mar-Apr 2000)