Everyone always says that heaven is this wonderful place. Streets lined with gold, etc... Better than here on earth. SO why is it then that everyone says that Jesus "sacrificed" himself for our sins. Exactly what did he/she "sacrifice"? His/her life on earth? To go to a better place? What kind of "sacrifice is that? Sounds more like a get out of jail free card to me.
Please help...I don't understand something
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wwjd_kilden
Guest
Eh.... Jesus experienced the most brutal torture of his time, and he was innocent. All to pay for our sins. Isn't that sacrifice?
Sacrifice is not the most applicable term. He actually paid the price of death for us... and the Jews knew death as the end of everything (not the idea of hellfire punishment that was picked up while in Egyptian captivity)
So, He accepted the end of existence for us, (in our place) and God rescued Him from that fate.
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coby2
Guest
He offered up who He was as a human. He gave over His own will to stay alive and live a nice life, so our sinful soul could die with Him and we could get a new one without sin and with eternal Life. And His body was sacrificed. He took all our sins and sicknesses in His body and experienced the wrath of God over sin so we don't have to.
God set up the sacrificial system as a means of pointing forward through time for when Jesus would come to be the perfect Lamb of God, and take the payment of sin upon Himself once and for all. If you had been a part of the Godhead, and incarnated for thirty plus years, you may have considered that a sacrifice in itself, let alone having to suffer a cruel death when He was blameless. Still, He did it for the joy that was set before Him in reconciling us to God.
Very interesting question you ask. I think it would be hard for me to understand if I am not a Christian. in Addition as a Christian I am free now today because of what Jesus did for me on the cross. I have a relationship with Jesus now I do not have to wait until I get to Heaven to know Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Heaven is a place prepared but Heaven is also where God is ... in the heart of the believer . I got my " get out of jail Set FREE" card amen ! but I have that now .
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coby2
Guest
It's also a get out of jail card here, not just for the afterlife. People who live a nice life may not understand, but when you were in a prison of mental disease, addiction, suicide thoughts, depression and you get out of that, that's freedom and heaven on earth already.
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phil112
Guest
Surprised that the obvious answer hasn't been offered yet.
Christ is in heaven now, as He was then. He volunteered to come here, live as a man, and suffer shame humiliation, torture, and, finally death. He didn't have to. He could have stayed where He was. He volunteered to die on earth as a man so that your sins could be paid. He didn't have to.
If you lived in the lap of luxury, as a rich man let's say, had all the finest things possible for a man to have. Had the nicest cars, the prettiest women, the best food, the most servants.....all the finest things a man could possibly have. Then someone you never heard of, in a country you've never been to, could have a life like yours if you left that luxury for a few years, and came and wallowed in a pig pen while people slapped you, spit on you, and humiliated you, would you do it? Would you make that sacrifice for someone else?
Christ did.
Jesus didn't have to be on this earth in the first place... he "sacrificed" his high position in Heaven with God, to come to earth to become the final "blood sacrifice" for sin... read Magenta's post on that...
So, his death was not a sacrifice... HE was the sacrifice.
Get out of jail free? He didn't have to even BE in jail.... he CHOSE to do that.. He could have left anytime He wanted. He chose to stay, and become the final sacrifice.
There are many types and shadows (as they are called) that point forward to the coming of Messiah Jesus for the Jewish nations, who were set aside by God to bring forth the savior of humanity, Whom God promised as a blessing for all peoples. Jesus actually fulfilled hundreds of prophesies concerning Him, and fulfilled the law for us, for the law brings death, while Jesus brings life for all who believe on Him. The prophesies concerning Him were deliberately designed that He be recognized for Who He is, and though innocent, He was numbered with the transgressors, mocked, rejected, and despised as prophesied, and crucified, and He resurrected as He prophesied about Himself. All this was accomplished for your sake. The way you have phrased your OP is very similar to how atheists deride the idea of sacrifice.
You see, the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23) and Jesus Christ loved us so much that He gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Eph 5:2) Because He did this, we don't have to pay the price of sin. He did this to give us this free gift of salvation by grace through faith; we don't work for this gift (Eph 2:8). All we have to do is accept what Jesus did for us. I know all that I've said up to this point, really doesn't answer your question, but this has to be known to see why He sacrificed Himself. He loved us so much that He wanted to offer us a free gift of salvation so we wouldn't have to pay for the wages of sin.
It was a sacrifice for Jesus. He came down, took on a flesh form, and lived among us (John 1:1-18) He lived a human life and knew what it was like to be tempted (Matt 4:1-11). He knew what it was like to be tired (John 4:6). He cried (John 11:35). He ate, drank, and partied during the different festivals (Matt, Mark, Luke, John). He entered this world as a baby and grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. (Luke 2:52). He knew what it was like to be abandoned, we see this when He cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matt 27:46). You see, He now knows what it's like to be human and He knew what it meant to go through such agonising pain just for us. Just so we could go directly to our heavenly Father through Him, Jesus Christ.
It was also a sacrifice for God our Father. He loved His Son so much and was so proud of Him that He announced His Son at His birth and when He was being baptised (Luke 2 & Matthew 3:17). God the Father and God the Son has a very close relationship (John 1:18). So, for Jesus to leave heaven to come down here, die and rise from the grave, just so we can go directly to God!? THAT was a sacrifice. A worthy sacrifice. A Holy Sacrifice. John the baptised said it best when he said, "He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie." (John 1:27) We are sinful people with human desires. We are not even worthy to untie His shoes. Who are we that He is mindful of us? (Psalm 8:4) We are His creation. He loved us so dearly that He wants a close relationship with us. The only way to do that is to cleans us from all unrighteousness so that we can boldly approach God's throne of Grace (Heb 4:16). We are able delight greatly in the Lord; our soul rejoices in our God. For He has clothed us with garments of salvation and arrayed us in a robe of His righteousness. (Isa 61:10).
I hope this helps.
.....It's funny how, after typing up a response, you're surprised to see a lot of other people responded before you were finished. ...hehe... I thought my #11 post was actually going to be post #4. ...LOL... I just HAD to say something.
...Okay, back to your originally scheduled program.
...Okay, back to your originally scheduled program.
The Bible says that without the shedding of blood,there is no remission of sins,which God had Israel in the Old Testament do animal sacrifices to cover their sins,but the animals did not go to waste,for God allowed the priests to eat the meat of that animal.
But the blood of bulls,and goats,cannot completely take away sins,but every year their sins came back up,and they had to sacrifice for everything in the past,and the next year,not only did they sacrifice for the sins they did that year,but they had to sacrifice for everything they did in the past again,so their sins would not be completely gone.
But the blood of Jesus is superior to animals,and animals blood cannot completely take away sins,for man is superior to animals,so the blood of the man Christ Jesus completely takes away sins,and everybody in the Old Testament,whose blood was covered by animals,and they died,their sins were completely washed away by Jesus,and everybody in the New Testament that confesses Christ.
This allows them to have a spiritual relationship with God,and dwell with Him for eternity,for their sins are removed,so they are not in offense to God,and not contrary to Him,in which they will have a glorified body,which can never wear away,or die,and the soul that will be in heaven in the glorified body,will live forever,for God breathed in to Adam,and He became a living soul,and since God is eternal,that soul became eternal,so the saints being a soul in a glorified body,can never wear away,or die.
Since Lucifer,the fallen angel,and the angels,that followed him,rebelled against God,heaven has been tainted with sin,which the elements we see in the sky is considered heaven,so they will have to pass away,which the Bible says they melt with fervent heat.
And since Adam,and Eve,sinned,which caused people to have a choice between good,and evil,which many people made the choice to sin,the earth has been tainted with sin,and will pass away.
Which God said He is making a new heaven,and a new earth,where sin has never been,and sin will never be,and rebellion will never rear its ugly head again,but the angels that stayed with God,and the saints,are not robots,for they do not have a choice anymore,for they already made the choice to be with God beforehand.
Also the only way man can be saved is if there is a sinless man to reconcile mankind back to God,which the Bible says the man Christ Jesus is our mediator,He is our savior,for only a sinless man can represent mankind back to God.
No man is sinless,so God manifest Himself in the flesh,which means He manifest all His attributes to the man Christ Jesus,which Jesus was born of a virgin,so God is the life force of the man Christ Jesus,so the man Christ Jesus is the personal human body of God Himself,which the Bible says God laid His life down,and purchased the Church with His own blood,and reconciled mankind to Himself in the person of Jesus Christ,fully God,and fully man,in harmony.
God did not cause anybody to suffer for humanity,but God according to His own human body suffered for humanity.
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Ugly
Guest
Jesus existed before the creation of the universe. He left heaven, became a human, experienced all the feelings and temptations we do. Betrayal. Fear. Hunger. Sadness. Etc... Then was beaten and whipped so badly he wasn't recognizable, mocked, a crown of thorns shoved into his skull, forced to carry a cross uphill, had nails pounded into his wrists and feet. Saw his family and friends watching him hang there dying. Basically having to hold the weight of his body up using the nails in his feet, otherwise he suffocated. And did all this despite the fact that he never once sinned. But because we sinned he did it to save us. Yeah. He got lucky.
But how would you like to be forsaken and betrayed, the way he was forsaken and betrayed, especially after living a sinless life?
So who is "everyone?" Certainly that is not in the Bible. Heaven is where God is. Streets of gold is a metaphor for a place that is so wonderful, we cannot imagine what it is like.
But the only reason it is "better" is because WHO is there, not what is there. Heaven is being with Jesus. That is the goal, it is the reason Christ voluntarily came to sacrifice himself for our sins. Jesus came and sacrificed himself so that we might be reconciled to God.
Jesus paid the price. But there are so many other things that that Jesus did on the cross.
"Jesus died on the cross for our sins so that we might be forgiven when we trust in what Christ has done there. When we by faith receive the sacrifice He offered, we can then have eternal life and escape the righteous judgment of God the Father. On the cross, Jesus voluntarily bore our sins. He allowed people to lie about Him and kill Him. He used the evil done to Him to bring good to others. He sacrificed Himself and demonstrated the greatest love of all. On the cross is where we are redeemed, and it is where our sin debt to God is canceled.Following is a list of Scriptures that tell us what Jesus did on the cross.
- He laid his life down for us, John 10:11, "I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep."
- Demonstrated the greatest act of love, John 15:13, "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends."
- Reconciled to God, Rom. 5:10, "For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life."
- Justified us, Rom. 5:18, "So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men."
- He died to sin, Rom. 6:10, "For the death that He died, He died to sin, once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God."
- Died for our sins, 1 Cor. 15:3, "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures."
- He became sin, 2 Cor. 5:21, "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."
- He finished the atonement, John 19:30, "When Jesus therefore had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head, and gave up His spirit."
- Reconciled Jew and Gentile, Eph. 2:16, "and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity."
- Humbled himself, Phil. 2:8, "And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."
- Reconciled all things, Col. 1:20, "and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven."
- Canceled out our sin debt, Col. 2:14, "having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross."
- Rendered the Devil Powerless, Heb. 2:14, "Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil."
- Brought in the New Covenant, Heb. 9:15-16, "And for this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, in order that since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. 16 For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it."
- He redeemed us, 1 Pet. 1:18-19, "knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ."
- Bore our sin, 1 Pet. 2:24, "and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed."
- Died for sins, 1 Pet. 3:18, "For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit."
- Propitiated our sins, 1 John 2:2, "and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world."
- He fulfilled prophecy, Psalm 22:14-18, "I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It is melted within me. 15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaves to my jaws. And you lay me in the dust of death. 16 For dogs have surrounded me. A band of evildoers has encompassed me; They pierced my hands and my feet. 17 I can count all my bones. They look, they stare at me; 18 They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots."
- He fulfilled prophecy, Isaiah 53:4-7, "Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried. Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. 6 All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him. 7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth."
- He fulfilled prophecy, Zech. 12:10, "And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him, like the bitter weeping over a first-born."
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Mitspa
Guest
I'm glad we have folks come on with the typical insults against our faith... I'm guessing this is not going to end well 
The reference to God as a "she" is very common among internet bigots who attack Christians... hope I'm worng
The reference to God as a "she" is very common among internet bigots who attack Christians... hope I'm worng
I'm glad we have folks come on with the typical insults against our faith... I'm guessing this is not going to end well
The reference to God as a "she" is very common among internet bigots who attack Christians... hope I'm worng
Good catch!
So why did Jesus have to die on the cross for our sins?
1. Because our sin separates us from God.
"Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear." Is a. 59:1-2
2. Because there is no one who has not sinned:
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," Romans 3:23
3. What happens to a sinner? And what happens to someone who received the free gift of God?
"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23
"But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." Romans 12:1
4. How do we get this gift of eternal life in Jesus Christ? (Hint: through faith!)
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Eph. 2:8-10
5. How do we make our committment to Christ known?
"because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved." Romans 10:9-10
6. You too, can have the gift of eternal life. You just to confess you are a sinner; believe by faith that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, was raised from the dead; and then follow Christ!
"23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." Luke 9:23
Please feel free to pm me if you want to know more about how to have eternal life. But if you are just here to try and destroy people's faith, then don't bother. I think most people here have a strong enough faith that your mistaken and confused words will not affect them in any way, shape or form.
I will pray that all the words that people have spoken in this thread will open up your heart to the hope we have in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
1. Because our sin separates us from God.
"Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear." Is a. 59:1-2
2. Because there is no one who has not sinned:
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," Romans 3:23
3. What happens to a sinner? And what happens to someone who received the free gift of God?
"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23
"But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." Romans 12:1
4. How do we get this gift of eternal life in Jesus Christ? (Hint: through faith!)
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Eph. 2:8-10
5. How do we make our committment to Christ known?
"because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved." Romans 10:9-10
6. You too, can have the gift of eternal life. You just to confess you are a sinner; believe by faith that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, was raised from the dead; and then follow Christ!
"23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." Luke 9:23
Please feel free to pm me if you want to know more about how to have eternal life. But if you are just here to try and destroy people's faith, then don't bother. I think most people here have a strong enough faith that your mistaken and confused words will not affect them in any way, shape or form.
I will pray that all the words that people have spoken in this thread will open up your heart to the hope we have in the gospel of Jesus Christ.