Why did Jesus have to die?
Paul wanted the church in Rome to help sponsor his planned missionary trip to Spain. Instead of sending them his CV, he sent them a breakdown of the gospel he preached so that they could see that he was "legit".In Romans 1-4 Paul has argued that the world and humanity are broken: "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Rom3:23) And in ch.4 he has shown how Abraham had righteousness credited to his account because of faith and not because of his works. Now in ch.5 he explains the "mechanics" of the faith.
In the "first Adam" all of humankind have sinned and are thus far from God. So, we needed a "second Adam" (fully human but untainted by the first Adam's fall) to open a new way. God's incredible gift is Jesus who is the "second Adam".
When we were in trouble because of the First Adam's legacy and his traits in us, God made a plan: while we were helpless and while we were trapped in unrighteousness, He sent Christ who died for us while we were still sinners!
God sent a Second Adam to redeem the legacy of the first one. Adam, in his brokenness, represented all of broken humankind. Now Jesus in sinless righteousness offers Himself as a sacrifice for our brokenness.
Whereas Satan tempted Adam and Eve try to become like God, Jesus resisted the temptation to usurp God the Father and said: "Not my will, but Yours be done." This act of righteousness and the subsequent sacrifice of His life resulted in His righteousness being imputed by faith to all those who trust in Him.
This is the good news of Easter!
| You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! ... For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. (Romans5:6-19) |
