What if Christ had not died on the cross?
The writers of the New Testament answer this question by stating clearly why Jesus had to die on the cross. Yes, it is true that Pontius Pilate sent Jesus to the cross to be crucified. But that is only part of the answer. Scripture says that all of us sent Him to the cross. He died because of us.
The apostle Peter declared that “Christ died for sins, once for all” (1 Peter 3:18). The apostle Paul observed that “Christ died for our sins, according to Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3). Why did Jesus have to die for our sins? We all have sinned (Romans 3:23) and the consequence is death (6:23). We are all headed for judgement, condemnation, and eternal death, unless God himself intervened. And God did intervene—that is how we are to understand the coming of Jesus into this world and His death on the cross.
The writer of Hebrews explained to his Jewish readers that Jesus made a “sacrifice of himself” (Hebrews 9:26, 28). The Jewish readers would have understood the author’s point. Centuries of animal sacrifices in the Jewish tabernacles and temples, performed to atone for the sins of the people, all poured to the one sacrifice that really matters, the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus when He died on the cross to atone for our sins.
The crucifixion of Jesus was not a historical accident. It was a carefully planned event, as indicated by Paul when he points out that Christ’s death was “according to Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3). God had already revealed to His prophets how and why the Son of God would die.
Neither was Jesus the unwilling victim of Pilate’s command. John said as much when he wrote that “Jesus laid down his life for us” (1 John 3:16). Jesus died willingly because He loved us, even while we were yet sinners (Romans 5:8).
What if Christ had not died on the cross? Then there would be no atonement for our sins. We would still be headed for eternal damnation. All the little pleasures on earth would only be a momentary distraction from certain and ultimate doom for every member of the human race.
And what if Christ had not risen from the dead? Paul wrote, “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith… your faith is futile; you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:14, 17). While the cross provides atonement for sins, the resurrection points to the divine power that gives new life and to our future in eternity. Without Easter, Good Friday would neither be “good” nor complete. Our hope would be “only for this life” (v. 19).
If Christ had not risen from the dead, we have nothing much to look forward to beyond this life, beyond our deaths, beyond the injustices of this world, and beyond our present comforts and discomforts. You have probably experienced waking up from a nightmare, terribly disturbed, sweating profusely, with racing pulse and terror. For a brief moment you are confused and disturbed. Then it dawns on you. It was only a nightmare. All is well.
What if Jesus did not die on the cross? What if He had not risen from the dead? Such speculation is only a bad dream. Thank God it did not happen that way! Christ did die on the cross. He did rise from the dead. And He is coming again. Sometimes, nightmares help us to appreciate what we have and have been given. May we learn to be filled with gratitude and awe as once again we walk by the cross and empty tomb.
Consider this:
How should the knowledge of what Jesus has done for you change your life?
Excerpted and adapted from A Feast for the Soul: Growing in Holiness by Robert M. Solomon. © 2005 by Robert M. Solomon. Used by permission of Armour Publishing. All rights reserved.
Related Resources:
A Rumor of Hope: The Good News of Easter. Journey through the crucifixion and resurrection from the biblical narrative of those who were there. Be convinced of the news that otherwise seems too good to be true. Find out more here.
