Bible Question:
Are we ready to answer questions surrounding Mel Gibson's film, "The Passion of the Christ"? Assuming we all agree that each of us had a role in His death and ignoring the worldly controversy over "who kiied Jesus", let's consider these questions: Why did Jesus die? And also, did Jesus HAVE to die? Please support your answers! As this film impacts our society, I trust that we, as believers, will be prepared to give an answer to all who ask about the hope that we have in the Lord. (1 Peter 3:15) |
Bible Answer: I really don't want to take the time to dig up all the scriptures but I'm thinking most of them have already been posted on this Forum previously. I think all of us (with any maturity at all w/the Lord) know and appreciate the scriptures to which I'll be referring. First of all, from the very beginning, in the Garden of Eden, our God knew and cited the fact that there would be need of the perfect sacrifice, His Son coming to our rescue. He cursed the serpent and told him, "he would bruise His Son's heel but Christ would bruise the serpent's head." I know everyone has heard of and maybe even studied the 300 plus prophecies in the OT concerning the coming of Christ, His ministry, his death and resurrection. All of this and a few scriptures in the NT make it very, very clear, at least in my mind that the Godhead knew and planned on His coming to this earth for that specific purpose. YES, our Lord was compelled to come and die for our sins. He was our only hope. He knew it, His Father knew it and the Holy Ghost. The only ones who don't know it don't know God's Word very well. God's Plan of Salvation is the main theme throughout His Word. God's perfect sense of justice DEMANDS payment for the sins in our lives. There's no possible way, we (you and I) could ever hope to pay for our sins successfully. These 2 statements being absolutely true pose an extreme problem for an ordinary mortal. But thanks be to God, He knew what we needed and He sacrified His Son just like Abraham did as a foreshadow of things to come. So did Christ have to die? You bet. You and I are counting on it, along with everyone else in God's Family. Jesus is also the only one that has already "blazed a trail" back to His Father, from this earth. His way is the only Way, the only Truth and the only Life. I do hope you'll forgive me in not citing all the specific "book, chapter and verse" for the scriptures referenced above. God bless you for having the courage to bring up this topic in connection with the film. My wife and I are looking forward to checking it out. |