Why Was It Necessary for Him to Die?

Why was it necessary for Christ to humble Himself even unto death?

Before someone is put to death, 

• a very serious crime must have been committed. 
• Not all criminals are executed. 
• The Bible directs that this punishment is exercised where the life of another has been taken, 
• or the sanctity of life is destroyed. 
• In our penal system, many criminals receive a sentence of a number of years in prison, and are then released. 

Now the question that we ask is, ‘Why was it necessary for Christ to humble Himself even to death? 

• Why could Jesus not have borne a lighter punishment? 
• We confess that Christ suffered throughout His whole life on earth.
• Was that not sufficient as a payment? 
• Why did He have to go all the way to the cross and to death? 
• Why is the judgment of God so harsh?

Let's respond by referring to the justice and truth of God. 

• We should remember what we learned about the justice of God in relation to sin. 
• We learned not only about the severe judgment of God, but also about the severity of sin. 
• The sin which man committed was not like a wrong done between you and your friend, who are two equals. 
• No, this sin is one that is committed against the most high majesty of God. 

If I committed wrong against my neighbor, 

• I would not receive as severe a judgment as I would if I committed wrong against a U.S. President.
• Therefore sin committed against the most high majesty of God must be punished with extreme punishment, 
• that is, with everlasting punishment of body and soul. 
• God’s justice demands this.

It is not just a matter of the justice of God, 

• it is also a matter of the truth of God. 
• God will not break His Word. 
• God warned Adam and Eve in Paradise that if they disobeyed Him, they would surely die. 
• Thus the payment for sin was firmly established as death. 

Either we pay for our own sins by way of death (a payment which we would never complete in all eternity) 

• or we must turn to Christ by true faith 
• in order to receive the payment which He rendered 
• by way of His death. 

This much is true: 

• whoever makes payment for sin 
• must make payment by giving up his life. 
• Thus it was necessary for Christ to die.

Adapted Excerpt From Only By True Faith by Van Delden

From the Heidelberg Catechism Lord's Day 16

Q. Why was it necessary for Christ to humble Himself even unto death? 

A. Because of the justice and truth of God satisfaction for our sins could be made in no other way than by the death of the Son of God.

For the Bible tells me so...

Hebrews 2:14,15 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.