Board index ‹ Salvation

[September 3]

Jesus died for our sins—I know that and I am grateful. But why do we hold that in such high regard? I do consider myself a Christian. I know God exists and I do see him working in my life. I feel horrible for thinking this way, but usually in my doubting moments I always go back to the thought of: millions of people die everyday and some in horrible and painful ways. Some deaths happen because people are choosing to risk their lives to protect others (Soldiers, police, etc...). So while I do understand Jesus died for our sins and I'm grateful, sometimes I don't understand why we hold his death in such high regard when great people die brutally everyday and we barely care....It's significant because of who he is and what it meant for us, but I don't think I truly understand the impact sometimes in the context of the world we live in today. And I'm not implying that I think I'm right in my thinking, I'm asking this question to get rid of this ugly thought in my head.

[jimwalton]

Thanks for asking. It's not death itself that is so noble, but the death of the innocent Son of God that makes us hold Jesus' death in such high regard. We hold it in high regard because our sin separates us from God, and without God we are cut off from our source of life and meaning. If we are just dead in our sins, there is no hope of life or redemption. Only the death of one who did not deserve to die (which excludes all humans) can bridge the gap between sin and God. Therefore the death of Christ is the seminal event in history capable of restoring our relationship with our Creator.

Millions of people die every day as evidence that sin results in death. Jesus' death was the only death capable of breaking the power of sin and death and setting us free from its grip. Because of His death, death no longer has a hold on any of us who believe. Its impact is earth-shaking.