Why Did Jesus Die?

The Bible’s answer
Jesus died so that humans could have their sins forgiven and receive endless life. (Romans 6:​23; Ephesians 1:7) Jesus’ death also proved that a human can remain loyal to God even when faced with the severest of tests.​—Hebrews 4:​15.

Consider how the death of one man could accomplish so much.

Jesus died for “the forgiveness of our sins.”​—Colossians 1:​14.

The first human, Adam, was created perfect, without sin. However, he chose to disobey God. Adam’s disobedience, or sin, profoundly affected all his descendants. “Through the disobedience of the one man,” the Bible explains, “many were made sinners.”​—Romans 5:​19.

Jesus was also perfect, but he never sinned. Therefore, he could be “an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (1 John 2:2; footnote) Just as Adam’s disobedience contaminated the human family with sin, so Jesus’ death removed the stain of sin from all who exercise faith in him.

In a sense, Adam sold the human race into sin. Jesus, by willingly dying in our behalf, repurchased humankind as his own. As a result, “if anyone does commit a sin, we have a helper with the Father, Jesus Christ, a righteous one.”​—1 John 2:1.

Jesus died “so that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.”​—John 3:​16.

Although Adam was created to live forever, his sin brought upon him the penalty of death. Through Adam, “sin entered into the world and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because they had all sinned.”​—Romans 5:​12.

In contrast, Jesus’ death not only removed the blemish of sin but also canceled the death sentence for all who exercise faith in him. The Bible sums up matters this way: “Just as sin ruled as king with death, so also undeserved kindness might rule as king through righteousness leading to everlasting life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”​—Romans 5:​21.

Of course, humans today still have a limited life span. However, God promises that he will grant righteous humans everlasting life and resurrect the dead so that they too can benefit from Jesus’ sacrificial death.​—Psalm 37:29; 1 Corinthians 15:22.

Jesus “became obedient to the point of death,” thus proving that a human could be faithful to God under any test or trial.​—Philippians 2:8.

Despite having a perfect mind and body, Adam disobeyed God because he selfishly desired something that did not belong to him. (Genesis 2:​16, 17; 3:6) Later, God’s chief enemy, Satan, suggested that no human would unselfishly obey God, especially if his life were on the line. (Job 2:4) Yet, the perfect man Jesus obeyed God and remained loyal to him, even undergoing a disgraceful and painful death. (Hebrews 7:​26) This completely settled the matter: A human can remain faithful to God under whatever test or trial may be brought upon him.