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Why was the sacrifice of Jesus Christ needed?

I asked many Christians this question: “Is it possible for those who never heard of Jesus Christ to be saved?” and many of them told me that God will judge the Gentiles according to their conscience, citing Rom. 2:15. Some of them would also refer me to these verses in the Bible:

Rom. 2:5-8: “(…) God, who will render to each according to His works: to those who by endurance in good work seek glory and incorruptibility, life eternal; but to those who (…)” If so, then I just don’t understand why God needed to sacrifice His Son, if He could judge people by the accordance of their works with their conscience, and, therefore, give eternal life to those of them, whose works corresponded with their conscience.

10 Answers

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  • Anonymous
    2 decades ago
    Favorite Answer

    When using Rom. 2:5-8 as your reference, you need to be very careful to keep something in complete understanding. Salvation is NEVER earned by good works. However, after salvation, works count for reward. If you are NOT saved via the cross, you will be judged by your works, yet still cast into the lake of fire. You will see this at the end of the book of Revelation when the books are opened.

    Was the cross necessary for salvation? Jesus asked, "If there be ANY other way, let this cup pass from me." Well, the cup did not pass, so the answer was, "There is NO other way."

    A rule of thumb is this... Salvation can ONLY come by the sacrifice of Jesus. All of the works you have done in the spirit are added as reward. Without the cross, you are judged by the works of the flesh--which will condemn you.

    With this in mind, compare the above with 1 Corinthians 3

    For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

  • 2 decades ago

    I am not sure how old you are, and I hope I am not over-simplifying this. I have kids, and as a good parent I think I have to follow thru on any discipline I give out, otherwise how will they learn to respect and trust me? How will I keep them safe if they don't listen? You get the idea. I think that is what happened with us and God, I think He very clearly spelled out the rules and told us that if we broke them, it would mean our death. Well, sure enough, that's what we have done from Adam and Eve on. So how does God follow thru on the discipline He handed out and still spare us? He loves us so much He doesn't really want us to die.....so He sacrifices His Son. What an awesome choice.....think about it, He has said someone has to die for this sin, and face it, the world was perfect before we came along, and He chose His Son to die instead of us. I know, God created us right? So why would he be upset if we made a mistake? Well, we have a choice....just like our kids do. Sure, we want them to do everything right and perfect, but sometimes, they just make the wrong choices. Sometimes the consequences are very severe, and yes sometimes it could even mean their death. What about those who don't know God? I believe that we serve a just God and will not punish them for not knowing, just as I don't think he would punish an infant who dies. As for works....if there were something we could do, don't you think we would and Jesus would have never had to die? I think the "works" mentioned are the oppurtunities God gives you on this earth, and He will judge you according to what you did with those chances. Did you use them to further His kingdom and be a blessing to others? Or did you throw them away? I hope this helps some and I hope it didn't sound like I was preaching to you. Take care.....

  • X
    Lv 7
    2 decades ago

    When Adam (and Eve) sinned, what was brought into the world was imperfection, sin, and ultimately death because of the sin. Mankind became enslaved to death, so to speak. Since it was God's will and purpose that man enjoy perfect life on earth forever, the events in Eden would not be permitted to continue forever. Immediately, God set into motion events leading to the creation of the nation of Israel, and their looking forward to a redeemer, a Messiah, Jesus Christ. This Messiah was to give his perfect human life in exchange, an even ransom exchange, for the perfect life that Adam lost for us. By exercising faith in that sacrifice on the torture stake and maintaining strict obedience to God, a person would then have the hope of everlasting life when God has his Son, Jesus, execute vengeance against this Satan-controlled system of things.

    Those who don't know God or don't obey Him will meet their final end along with Satan by being completely destroyed for all time with no hope of a resurrection, this being symbolized in the book of Revelation as the "lake of fire" or the "second death". Obviously it wouldn't be a judgment of eternal hellfire and torture, as such a notion conflicts with God's nature and with God's word the Bible, which tells us the true state of the dead.

    Salvation is based on endurance, faith, and good works. And even then, it isn't something that can be earned, but is a 'gift' bestowed upon those judged worthy and faithful when the time comes.

    But, in short, Jesus' sacrifice was needed in order to undo the effects of Adamic sin upon mankind and to open the way for humans to become reconciled to God and have the hope of entertaining the life that God meant for us to have.

  • 2 decades ago

    Hey, thats just a kind of show off or what we call marketing these days. Just a way to attract people and sell the product, ie Christanity. He did it so that people might come and follow him. After all, what more can one ask for, if almost 3 billion of people follow you?

    Think, if Jesus wouldent have been crusified, then what would have todays Christians worshipped?

    According to Christians, Jesus sacrificed for goodness of humanity, and forgive the sins of mortal men.

    My question is that, can we find a Christ today, who can sacrifice himself for rest ou us?

    Answer is NO.

    So, again I say, it was just a big marketing gimmick.

    In marketing, if you create a hype and all suter fatter, you tend to sell out fast, with good profits. This policy has been true science first human civilization in Ancient India.

    Source(s): Atharva ved , an Ancient Indian text, which condemmed commercialization, and laid stress on equeal distribution of every thing. Read it carefully.The meaning is hidden in deep somewhere.
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  • 2 decades ago

    God made a Covenant with Abraham that He would send His Salvation.

    Yeshua the Messiah was God's Word Incarnate. Yeshua means "God's Salvation."

    All the sins of the world were placed upon The Redeemer on the stake. That sacrifice paid the price in full for all time.

    All that is required to receive the free gift of His Salvation is to accept it with faith & love God & His Law. [If you don't like the Torah, you wouldn't like Paradise - but don't worry, those who prefer iniquity will not be forced to be under God's Rule in Heaven. Divine Justice :-) ]

    True Faith + God's Grace = His Salvation

  • 2 decades ago

    The only way to enter the kingdom of heaven is by accepting Jesus Christ into your heart. Jesus came not to condem but to save. before he came people had to sacrifice lambs or sheep etc.. so called blood sacrifices. People cannot go to heaven with sin on them. we would burn up but we are all born sinners so we would be condemed to hell essentially. but God sent his son to live his life perfectly and free from sin and to die because by him dying a "sinners" death when he was perfect gave him the right to get the "keys back from satan" thats why he rose from the dead on the third day he had to go to the pit of hell and take back the keys so that we could have the chance to go to heaven. He was the ultimate sacrifice. thats why he is referred to as the "Lamb of God" there are many "good people in this world but no matter how good they are they cant go to heaven if they havent accepted Jesus christ as their savior. and there are many "bad" people that supposedly have accepted christ and they will be judged acording to the sins they have commited unless they have asked for forgivenss for them.

  • Anonymous
    2 decades ago

    they don't know the whole bible pertaining to God! I myself have lots learn of God!

    we sinners need a way to escape the righteous judgment of God. Since we are stained by sin and cannot keep the Law of God. His sacrifice to God the Father or dieing on our behalf is of infinite value and is sufficient to cleanse all people from their sins and undo the offense to God. Jesus came to deliver us from sin and its consequences. God sent Jesus as our Savior and Lord. Jesus makes the importance of his coming clear: those who die in their sins will not come to be with Jesus in heaven (because they don't believe in him (Jesus)..The person that believes in the Son has life forever, and will be with God!

    To sfederow it also states..>> Rom. 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

    dolempap James 1:24-25

    24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

    25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

    Source(s): He sent His only Son; Jesus to earth as a human being to die for our sins. He could die once and in the process pay for all our sins, because he was holy and without sin. We should praise Jesus' Name everyday because he paid that price for us
  • inin
    Lv 6
    2 decades ago

    Followers of Jesus during the lifetime of Jesus did'nt believe Jesus Christ died for their sins, since he was'nt yet crucified. He did'nt state that he will be crucified for everybody's sin.

    See the question and answers here

    http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=100602...

  • 2 decades ago

    The sacrifice of Jesus was no sacrifice, and Jesus cant die for anyone else's sins:

    We are taught in our Torah that no one can die for the sins of another. In Deuteronomy 24:16 it specifically says this:

    Deuteronomy 24:16 The fathers shall not

    be put to death for the children, neither

    shall the children be put to death for

    the fathers:

    every man shall be put to death for his

    own sin (eesh b’chet-o yumatu).

    In Exodus 32:30-35, Moses tries to offer himself to atone for the sins of the people. To be written out of Gd's book, means to be written out of the Book of Life, which means Moses was asking to die for the sins of the People. Gd's response is No, it does not work that way, each man dies for his own sin:

    Exodus 32:30-35 And it came to pass on the

    morrow, that Moses said unto the people,

    Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will

    go up unto the Etrnl; perhaps I shall make

    an atonement for your sin. And Moses

    returned unto the Etrnl, and said, Oh,

    this people have sinned a great sin, and

    have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if

    thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not,

    blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book

    which thou hast written. And the Etrnl

    said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned

    against me, him will I blot out of my

    book.

    The whole of chapter 18 of the book of Ezekiel is about this idea, that no one can die for someone else's sin. Further, this chapter of Ezekiel teaches us that all we have to do for Gd's forgiveness is to stop doing the Bad and start doing the Good, and Gd will forgive us.

    So, the Bible is clear, no one can die for the sins of another, and this means that Jesus cannot die for anyone else's sins.

  • 2 decades ago

    hi the sacrifice of jesus was needed to set the people free from bondage, thats why we have the new and old testiment. the people basically just died when they died. Jesus died on calvary to saVe a rench like you and me and thats love. he did not want us to die in the fiery pits of hell.

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