WHY DID JESUS CHRIST DIE

ON THE CROSS?

That which distinguishes Christianity from all the religions of the world is the message of the gospel, the message of redemption through the death of Jesus Christ the Son of God. We believe in blood atonement. "Without shedding of blood is no remission!" Salvation comes to sinners through the merits of Christ's death as the sinners' Substitute. Yet, very few people who profess to believe in Christ know why he died upon the cross. Do you? The Word of God attributes the death of Christ to four things specifically.

1. THE LOVE OF GOD (I John 4:10). The cause of redemption, the cause of all grace is the everlasting love of God for his people. He chose us, purposed to save us, and gave his Son to redeem us because He loved us!

2. DIVINE PREDESTINATION (Acts 2:23). The Son of God did not die by accident, but by the eternal, unalterable purpose of God. He was "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Rev. 13:8).

3. THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD (Rom. 3:24-26). God could never justify sinners until the sinners' Substitute had established perfect righteousness and satisfied all the demands of justice in the place of his people. Christ died, the just for the unjust, because there was no other way for him to bring us to God.

4. HIS OWN WILL (John 10:11, 15). The Son of God loved and laid down his life for his sheep. He gave himself for his sheep because he must bring his sheep to glory (John 10:16). His death guarantees their salvation!

Donald S. Fortner, Pastor

GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH OF DANVILLE

2734 Old Stanford Road - Danville, Kentucky 40422

Telephone 606-236-8235