JESUS DIED FOR YOU

By Max Shimba, Servant of Jesus Christ, the Great God (Titus 2:13)

Originally published May 30, 2018

Jesus died so that humanity might receive forgiveness for their sins and obtain eternal life. The Apostle Paul affirms this in Romans 6:23 and Ephesians 1:7. The death of Jesus demonstrated clearly that human beings are capable of remaining faithful to God even in the face of the most severe trials — as the writer of Hebrews confirms:

"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet was without sin." (Hebrews 4:15)

Jesus died so that whoever believes in Him might not perish but have everlasting life:

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

This is precisely why Jesus came — and why He died — to be the ultimate, perfect, and final sacrifice for our sins:

"But now He has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation." (Colossians 1:22)

"But with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect." (1 Peter 1:19)

Through Him, the promise of eternal life with God becomes effectual through faith for those who believe in Jesus Christ. As Paul writes:

"But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised — being given through faith in Jesus Christ — might be given to those who believe." (Galatians 3:22)

It is important to observe that the two terms — faith and believing — are pivotal for our salvation. It is through faith in the shed blood of Christ, sacrificed for our sins, that we receive eternal life. Paul declares:

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)

The clearest answers regarding this redemptive mission of Christ can be found in Isaiah chapter 53, an extraordinary prophetic chapter penned nearly five centuries before the death of Jesus. As Christians, we hold firm to this conviction and to what the rest of Scripture teaches — that all these events were part of God's sovereign plan for our salvation.

Jesus died upon the cross for our sins. God sent His only begotten Son to suffer and die so that we would not have to endure eternal suffering; by His death, He reconciled our sins. The prophet Isaiah proclaims:

"But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:5-6)

Shalom,
Max Shimba, servant of Jesus Christ, the Great God (Titus 2:13)

---