Last week was ANZAC Day. In my blog someday-sometime-well-understand , I wrote about our visit to Adelaide River War Cemetery. A gravestone that caught my attention was that of twenty-five-year-old Flying Officer R.V. Ellyard. His family wrote, “He died that we may live.”
Just one week before ANZAC Day, was Good Friday, when we remember the death of Jesus, the one who died that we may live, forever.
He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.
1 Thessalonians 5:10 (NIV)
We are very thankful for R.V Ellyard, and all of his compatriots, past and present, who serve in our defence forces so that we can live in freedom.
So, what does it mean that Jesus died that we may live? Jesus didn’t fight in any earthly war for us, although there is a hymn that calls us to be “Christian soldiers.”
Why did Jesus die?
Why did Jesus die? Why did He choose to die? It doesn’t seem to make sense. Like the parents of Trooper J. Peterson (see previous blog), I’m hoping that someday, sometime, I’ll understand fully.
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:18
We are all sinful
In the beginning, God called everything “good.” But Adam and Eve chose to sin. We, their descendants, have inherited our sinful natures. We are sinners.
Some would say that little children are innocent and don’t sin. But the Bible says:
Surely, I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Psalm 51:5 (NIV)
As well as being born with a sinful nature, we have daily added our own sins. “Our sin makes us guilty before God so that we are under His just condemnation, and it makes us ugly in our behaviour so that we disfigure the image of God we were meant to display. It damns us with guilt, and it enslaves us to lovelessness,” John Piper.
God said that all sin must be punished by death and eternal separation from Him. The Bible calls this hell:
For everyone belongs to me, the parent as well as the child—both alike belong to me. The one who sins is the one who will die.
Ezekiel 18:4-5 (NIV)
They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.
2 Thessalonians 1:9 (NIV)
Eventually, we are all going to die. We all deserve to spend eternity in hell.
For the wages of sin is death.
Romans 6:23a (NIV)
Can I work my way to heaven?
I’m going to die. But surely, I don’t have to go to hell? Maybe I can work hard to be good enough, and then God will allow me into heaven?
All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Romans 3:23 (NIV)
For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:20 (NIV)
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 5:48 (NIV)
O.K. I can’t even pretend to be perfect. Even though our neighbours have called us saints, we know we aren’t perfect. Sounds like there’s no hope for us.
Is there any hope for us?
God is just. He made the rules and He sticks to them. If you sin, you will spend eternity in hell. There is a price to pay for sin. God doesn’t just turn a blind eye, change His mind and say it’s OK.
God is just AND He is merciful.
Even though He didn’t have to, God sent Jesus, His only Son, true God, yet true man, to pay the price for our sin.
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 (NIV)
Jesus, who had no sin, was punished for us. Jesus, who had no sin, was made to BE sin. For us.
God is holy and perfect, sinless and set apart.
On the cross, God turned away from Jesus. That was hell – separation from God. Bearing the price for my sin, your sin, ALL sin.
The only way we can come to holy God is to either have no sin (impossible) or to have someone pay for our sin. Only Jesus can pay for my sin.
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 14:6 (NIV)
Jesus’ death on the cross looked like a loss for Him, and a win for Satan. God says, however, that Jesus’ death and resurrection was a victory over death.
But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:57 (NLT)
“Evil could not triumph over Jesus. Neither will it have the last word over those who call Him Lord and Savior. This is why Jesus came to die. God meant to show the world that there is no sin and no evil too great, that God cannot bring from it everlasting righteousness and joy. The very suffering that we caused became the hope of our salvation,” https://billygraham.org/story/why-did-jesus-have-to-die/
Young Flying Officer, R.V Ellyard, died that we may live in Australia in freedom. Jesus died that we may live forever in heaven.
Prayer
Thank you, Father God, that you sent your Son Jesus to die for me, so that when I die, I can live with you forever.
Forgive me, Lord, when I make choices that are contrary to your word. Guide me through your scripture to know the paths I should choose.
Forgive me when I live as though I can save myself.
Thank you that I am forgiven because Jesus died for all my sins
Help me to forgive others as you have forgiven me. Amen.
For further reading: https://bibleproject.com/articles/why-did-jesus-have-to-die-a-question-worth-unpacking/