“He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.”
— 1 Peter 2:24

One of the most common questions people ask when they first hear the gospel of Jesus Christ is:
“Why would Jesus do that?” or “Why would He die on the cross?”

This question has always excited me because it opens the door to understanding the revelation of God’s unconditional love for His people.

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Why the Cross?

In the Old Testament, the cross—or being hung on a tree—was a symbol of curse and death due to sin. We see this in Deuteronomy 21, where God’s people were instructed to hang anyone guilty of a capital offense on a tree. This connects with what Romans 6:23 tells us:
“The wages of sin is death.”

Even though sin leads to death, God has always longed for His children to be with Him. He desires us to return to His presence and walk in His ways.

But here’s the tension: God is holy, and sin cannot coexist with His holiness.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
— Romans 3:23

From the beginning of time, people have tried to make things right with God through good works and sacrifices. But no matter how hard we try, our efforts can’t break the bondage of sin. Only God Himself could save us from that curse.

We see a foreshadowing of this in Numbers 21:8–9:

“The Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.’ So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.”

This moment is more than just a miracle—it’s a prophetic picture. The people had been bitten because they rebelled, yet healing came not through medicine or effort, but by looking at what was lifted up.

Jesus became what was killing us—sin—and took it upon Himself on the cross. Just like the bronze snake, when we look to Him and believe, we are healed from the poison of sin and restored to God.

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Unconditional Love Revealed Through Sacrifice

At some point in our walk with Christ, many of us have wrestled with this thought:
“Why would God send His only Son to die for me?”

Not because we aren’t thankful, but because deep down we know we didn’t deserve it.

We’ve grown up in a world where love often has conditions. We’re taught that love must be earned—that we’re only lovable when we do something worthy. But God flips that mindset completely.

“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
— 1 John 4:10

God is love. His love for us was never based on what we did, but on who He is.
That love cost Him everything—His only Son, Jesus Christ.

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The Resurrection

“And declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.”
— Romans 1:4

Jesus gave up His life on the cross and was buried—but on the third day, He rose again! The empty tomb was seen by Mary, the disciples, and many others. His resurrection was not just a miracle; it was the declaration of who He truly is: the Son of God.

His resurrection is power. The same power that raised Christ from the dead now lives in us (Romans 8:11). This power enables us to die to our old selves—our sinful nature inherited from Adam—and live as the righteousness of God.

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What Now?

It’s easy to take the cross lightly when we realize we did nothing to earn this righteous identity. But we must never forget:

A price was paid for our freedom.
**Blood was shed to pay our debt—**the blood of Jesus, the sinless Son of God, who became sin for us.

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
— Galatians 2:20

We are called to live out the life that Christ died to give us.
A life that chases after the heart of God.
A life that delights in His presence.
A life that reflects His light and love.

We are called to share this good news with those who haven’t heard it yet—the truth we have seen, tasted, and believed:
Jesus Christ!