The Bible teaches that all people have sinned and fall short of God’s glorious standard (Romans 3:23). Sin separates us from God and leads to spiritual death (Romans 6:23). No matter how hard we try, we can never earn our way back to God. But God loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross in our place and pay the penalty for our sins (John 3:16). Jesus took the punishment that we deserve so that through faith in Him, we could be forgiven and have eternal life with God. Here is a more in-depth look at what it means when the Bible says Jesus died for our sins:
Why did Jesus have to die?
According to the Bible, the wages or consequence of sin is death (Romans 6:23). God is perfectly holy and righteous, meaning He cannot tolerate sin or overlook it. His justice and wrath demand that sin be punished. Even a single sin makes us guilty before God and deserving of death and separation from Him for eternity (Ezekiel 18:4; Romans 6:23). No amount of good works or religious rituals can earn salvation or bridge the gap between sinful humanity and a holy God (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5). There was no way for us to pay the penalty for our sins on our own. But God in His mercy provided a way of salvation through His Son.
Jesus died in our place
The Bible says that God demonstrated His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Jesus willingly took our place and bore the punishment that was meant for us. He became the atoning sacrifice for our sins, satisfying God’s wrath against sin (1 John 2:2; 1 John 4:10). Jesus paid the price to redeem us from sin, death, and the power of the devil. The death Jesus died, He died to sin once for all (Romans 6:10). He who knew no sin became sin for us so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). On the cross, Jesus took the burden and judgment of sin upon Himself, thereby releasing those who trust in Him from sin’s power and penalty.
Jesus’ sacrifice makes forgiveness and salvation possible
Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 9:22). Animal sacrifices under the Old Covenant sacrificial system only covered over sins year after year. But Jesus’ sacrifice was once for all time and for all sin (Hebrews 10:10-14). His sacrifice makes forgiveness and eternal life possible. When we repent and place our faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross, we can be declared righteous before God. There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). Jesus condemned sin in human flesh so that the righteousness of God might be fulfilled in us (Romans 8:3-4). The sacrificial death of Jesus opened the way for sinners to be forgiven and have restored fellowship with God.
Jesus died to defeat the power of sin in our lives
Not only did Jesus’ death pay the penalty for sin, but it also broke sin’s power over our lives. When Jesus died, He died to sin once for all; the life He lives, He lives to God (Romans 6:10). Even though we may still struggle with sin, it no longer has mastery over us. Sin’s dominion and control over us was defeated through the cross. As believers united with Christ in His death and resurrection, we have been set free from bondage to sin. The Holy Spirit empowers us to say no to sin and walk in newness of life (Romans 6:1-14). Jesus died to liberate us from slavery to sin so that we can serve God and pursue righteousness (Romans 6:18-22).
Faith in Christ’s sacrifice is required
Even though Jesus died for the sins of the world, the benefits of His sacrificial death must be appropriated by faith. We must repent of sin and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved (Acts 16:31). It is by grace we have been saved through faith; it is not our own working but the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8-9). Jesus said He is the way, the truth, and the life and no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). There is salvation in no other name but Jesus (Acts 4:12). Eternal life comes through believing in Christ, the Son of God (John 3:16; John 20:31). Those who hear the gospel and respond in faith are credited with righteousness and receive regeneration and eternal life. We can only be justified and redeemed through faith in what Jesus accomplished for us on the cross.
Jesus’ resurrection proves God accepted His sacrifice
The good news is that three days after dying for our sins, Jesus rose from the dead, conquering sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)! His bodily resurrection is proof that God was satisfied with Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice for sins. Jesus appeared alive to His disciples and over 500 witnesses after rising from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:5-8). Because Jesus lives forever as our great High Priest and intercessor, we can be fully assured that His death was accepted for our justification (Romans 4:25; Hebrews 7:25). The resurrection gives us hope that all who believe in Him will overcome sin and death and live for eternity with God.
We must repent and believe to receive forgiveness
In order for Christ’s death to count for us personally, we must admit we are sinners, confess our sins, and turn to God in faith, believing Jesus died for our sins and rose from the dead (Acts 3:19; Romans 10:9-10). As we repent and trust in the redemptive work of Jesus, we are forgiven, justified, reconciled, adopted into God’s family, and given new life in Christ (Acts 2:38; Romans 5:1; Ephesians 1:5). When we turn to Jesus in repentant faith, we can experience freedom from the burden and power of sin. His grace enables us to live a new life that honors God.
Jesus’ sacrifice enables us to die to sin and live for righteousness
Not only are we justified by faith in Christ, but we are also sanctified as we identify with Jesus’ death and resurrection (1 Corinthians 1:30). Our old self was crucified with Christ so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin, for one who has died is freed from sin (Romans 6:6-7). Now we have power through the Spirit to renew our minds, put sin to death, and live in obedience to God (Romans 8:1-14). The cross of Christ motivates us to die to selfishness, take up our cross, and follow Jesus day by day (Luke 9:23). His love compels us to live no longer for ourselves but for Him who died for us (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).
Jesus bore God’s wrath in our place
An important aspect of Christ’s death is that He bore the wrath of God in our place. We were under God’s wrath because as sinners we were His enemies (Romans 5:6-10). Jesus absorbed the righteous anger of God toward sin – anger we deserved as lawbreakers. The agonizing sufferings Jesus endured on the cross, especially His cry of abandonment by the Father (Matthew 27:46), reflect Him bearing divine wrath to make atonement for our sins. God’s wrath was satisfied by Christ’s substitutionary sacrifice on our behalf, sparing us from eternal punishment (Romans 3:25; Hebrews 2:17; 1 John 4:10).
Jesus’ sacrifice redeems us from the curse of sin
Christ’s death on the cross accomplished deliverance from the curse of sin for all who believe (Galatians 3:13). The law’s just penalty for disobedience is death and cursing. But Jesus became a curse for us by hanging on the tree to pay sin’s penalty in full. His shed blood redeems us from the curse of sin and reconciles us to God. The blessing of Abraham now comes upon even the Gentiles through faith in Jesus, the promised Redeemer (Galatians 3:14). On the cross, Jesus canceled our debt of sin by nailing it to the cross (Colossians 2:14). His death redeems us from the curse of sin and the Old Covenant law.
The sacrificial system could only foreshadow Christ’s sacrifice
The whole Old Testament sacrificial system with its burnt and sin offerings pointed forward to the final, perfect sacrifice of Christ (Hebrews 10:1-4). Animal sacrifices could only temporarily atone for sins and cover over guilt. But Christ’s death takes away sin once for all (Hebrews 10:11-12). Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29)! His blood purifies us from all sin (1 John 1:7). The old sacrifices are obsolete now that Jesus has come as the ultimate sin offering (Hebrews 8:13). His death accomplished what the Old Testament sacrifices could only foreshadow.
Believers are crucified and resurrected with Christ
Not only did Jesus die for our sins as our substitute, but in God’s eyes, when Jesus died and rose again, all those who believe in Him also died and rose again with Him. Our old self was crucified with Christ so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin, for one who has died is freed from sin (Romans 6:6). If we have been united with Christ in His death, we will also be raised to life as He was (Romans 6:5). We have been buried and raised up with Christ through faith in His powerful resurrection (Colossians 2:12). Believers have spiritually died and resurrected with Christ to new life.
Jesus’ blood redeems, justifies, sanctifies, and cleanses us
There are several key benefits that the Bible attaches to the blood Jesus shed on the cross for us:
– We are redeemed, bought back from sin, through Jesus’ blood (Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:18-19).
– His blood justifies us, declaring us righteous before God (Romans 5:9).
– His blood sanctifies us, setting us apart as holy to God (Hebrews 13:12).
– His blood cleanses our conscience from dead works to serve God (Hebrews 9:14).
– His blood gives us confidence to enter God’s presence (Hebrews 10:19).
Every spiritual blessing believers have is based on the atoning power of Jesus’ shed blood for us.
The Lord’s Supper reminds us of Christ’s sacrifice
Jesus commanded His followers to regularly celebrate the Lord’s Supper, or Communion, in remembrance of His sacrificial death (Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:24-26). The broken bread represents Christ’s body given for us, and the cup represents His blood shed for us. Partaking reminds us of the high cost of our salvation – the blood Jesus poured out so we could be cleansed and restored to fellowship with God. It gives us an ongoing way to celebrate, proclaim, and reflect on Jesus’ sacrifice for us that brings so great a salvation.
Jesus rose again, conquering sin and death
The resurrection of Jesus is just as essential to the gospel message as His death for our sins. Three days after Jesus died, God raised Him from the dead, defeating the power of sin and death (Romans 6:4-9). Death could not keep Jesus held in its grip (Acts 2:24). His resurrection is proof that God accepted His sacrifice for our sins and that through faith in Christ, we have eternal life. The risen Christ appeared to His disciples, assuring them He had conquered the grave (Matthew 28:5-9; John 20:19-20). One day all believers will experience a resurrected life in glorified bodies free from sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:12-57). The resurrection of Jesus confirms that His atoning death provides resurrection life to all who believe.
Old Testament prophecy was fulfilled
The death of the Messiah for sins was foretold centuries before Jesus was born. The prophet Isaiah described the Messiah as one who would be pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities, and chastised to bring us peace with God (Isaiah 53:5). God revealed that the means of atonement would be the Messiah’s life poured out unto death for sinners (Isaiah 53:12). Zechariah prophesied the Messiah would be pierced (Zechariah 12:10). Jesus explained how the Old Testament Scriptures spoke of His death and resurrection (Luke 24:25-27, 46). Even the details of Jesus’ crucifixion were foretold (Psalm 22; Psalm 69:21). What seemed like defeat was actually the fulfillment of God’s sovereign plan of redemption.
Christ’s blood is the only remedy for sin
The sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross is the only sufficient remedy for mankind’s sin sickness. Without the shedding of Christ’s blood, there is no forgiveness or cleansing from sin (Hebrews 9:22). Acts 4:12 says “There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” Jesus declared He is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). It is only through faith in Christ’s redeeming work that we can be forgiven, saved from God’s wrath, reconciled to God, and given eternal life. Apart from receiving Jesus as Savior and Lord, people remain under condemnation and alienation from God.
Conclusion
What an amazing gift Jesus gave through His sacrificial death! He willingly took the punishment we deserve for our sins upon Himself so that whoever believes in Him could be spared from eternal death. His shed blood cleanses us from all our sins and reconciles us to God the Father. He died and rose again as the only acceptable sacrifice for sin. When we trust in Him alone for salvation, turn from our sins, and seek to live for His glory, we experience forgiveness of sins, new spiritual life, and restored relationship with God. This is the incredibly good news that comes through what Jesus accomplished in dying for the sins of the world!
