NCC 24

Question 24 Why was it necessary for Christ, the Redeemer, to die?

Since death is the punishment for sin, Christ died willingly in our place to deliver us from the power and penalty of sin and bring us back to God. By his substitutionary atoning death, he alone redeems us from hell and gains for us forgiveness of sin, righteousness, and everlasting life.

Who here has ever taken punishment for something you didn’t do? How did that feel? Did you volunteer for it?

Injustice.

Jesus volunteered for to endure punishment he didn’t deserve.

Why? Did he have to? Not obligated.

Why did it have to be death? Couldn’t he have done it some other way?

Theories of Atonement....why did Jesus have to die?

Moral Influence Theory

bring positive change to humanity. that be seeing him we would be motivated to self sacrifice as well

Ransom Theory

God has to pay off Satan so he could save us. We belonged to the devil and we had to be purchased

Christus Victor: (Victory of Christ)

he dies to defeat the powers of evil such as sin death and the devil

related to ransom theory

Satisfaction Theory

Dies to satisfy the justice of God

Governmental Theory.

Similar to penal substitution, but in this theory Jesus Christ does not take the exact punishment we deserve, He takes a punishment. Jesus dies on the cross therefore to demonstrate the displeasure of God towards sin. He died to display God’s wrath against sin and the high price which must be paid, but not to specifically satisfy that particular wrath.

Scapegoat theory.

What is a scapegoat?

Jesus is killed by a violent crowd.

The violent crowd kills him believing tht he is guilty.

Jesus is proven innocent, as the true Son of God

The crowd is therefore deemed guilty.

Thus Jesus was not a sacrifice, but rather a victim who overcomes our violence and paves the way toward life.

Penal Substitution Theory

Jesus is punished in the place of sinners

Was there any other way?

Col 1:15ff

Colossians 1:21–22 ESV

21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,

Romans 3:21–26 ESV

21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.