website
Skip to content

Apologetics

Expert Answer Forum

by Catherine Frakas 31 Dec 2001

Why did God have to send his son? QUESTION from Verla May 4, 2000 What was happening at the time, that God had to send his son, to suffer and die for us.What was wrong with the jewish religion, that had to change..Did they not believe in eternal life?? Some one asked me this..I quoted John 3-16, but didn't seem to of answered the questions......I'm stuck for an answer..please help
ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius, O.L.S.M. on June 7, 2000 Dear Mrs. Verla:
Israel was suppose to accept Jesus, but instead they rejected him. Even if they had accepted him he still would have died on the Cross.
Jesus was the ultimate LAMB OF GOD. He was the ultimate sacrifice. All of the sacrifices of the Old Testament were temporary -- they all looked forward to the ultimate sacrifice of Christ on the Cross.
Jesus died for us to pay the cost of the sin of the whole world. He was obedience unto death which was the opposite of the rebellion of Adam. Adam rebelled, Jesus obeyed.
Jesus death pay the penalty of sin; Jesus resurrection defeated death and gave us the possibility of life. We die with him in our sin, we rise again with him to new life.
Here is the Cathecism:
Jesus substitutes his obedience for our disobedience.
615 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by one man's obedience many will be made righteous. By his obedience unto death, Jesus accomplished the substitution of the suffering Servant, who makes himself an offering for sin, when he bore the sin of many, and who shall make many to be accounted righteous, for he shall bear their iniquities. Jesus atoned for our faults and made satisfaction for our sins to the Father.
Jesus consummates his sacrifice on the cross
616 It is love to the end that confers on Christ's sacrifice its value as redemption and reparation, as atonement and satisfaction. He knew and loved us all when he offered his life. Now the love of Christ controls us, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died. No man, not even the holiest, was ever able to take on himself the sins of all men and offer himself as a sacrifice for all. The existence in Christ of the divine person of the Son, who at once surpasses and embraces all human persons, and constitutes himself as the Head of all mankind, makes possible his redemptive sacrifice for all.
617 The Council of Trent emphasizes the unique character of Christ's sacrifice as the source of eternal salvation and teaches that his most holy Passion on the wood of the cross merited justification for us. And the Church venerates his cross as she sings: Hail, O Cross, our only hope.
Our participation in Christ's sacrifice
618 The cross is the unique sacrifice of Christ, the one mediator between God and men. But because in his incarnate divine person he has in some way united himself to every man, the possibility of being made partners, in a way known to God, in the paschal mystery is offered to all men. He calls his disciples to take up [their] cross and follow [him], for Christ also suffered for [us], leaving [us] an example so that [we] should follow in his steps. In fact Jesus desires to associate with his redeeming sacrifice those who were to be its first beneficiaries. This is achieved supremely in the case of his mother, who was associated more intimately than any other person in the mystery of his redemptive suffering.
Apart from the cross there is no other ladder by which we may get to heaven.
IN BRIEF
619 Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures (I Cor 15:3).
620 Our salvation flows from God's initiative of love for us, because he loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins (I Jn 4:10). God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself (2 Cor 5:19).
621 Jesus freely offered himself for our salvation. Beforehand, during the Last Supper, he both symbolized this offering and made it really present: This is my body which is given for you (Lk 22:19).
622 The redemption won by Christ consists in this, that he came to give his life as a ransom for many (Mt 20:28), that is, he loved [his own] to the end (Jn 13:1), so that they might be ransomed from the futile ways inherited from [their] fathers (I Pt 1:18).
623 By his loving obedience to the Father, unto death, even death on a cross (Phil 2:8), Jesus fulfils the atoning mission (cf. Is 53:10) of the suffering Servant, who will make many righteous; and he shall bear their iniquities (Is 53:11; cf. Rom 5:19).

Back to Index Page

930 x 520px

SPRING SUMMER LOOKBOOK

Sample Block Quote

Praesent vestibulum congue tellus at fringilla. Curabitur vitae semper sem, eu convallis est. Cras felis nunc commodo eu convallis vitae interdum non nisl. Maecenas ac est sit amet augue pharetra convallis.

Sample Paragraph Text

Praesent vestibulum congue tellus at fringilla. Curabitur vitae semper sem, eu convallis est. Cras felis nunc commodo eu convallis vitae interdum non nisl. Maecenas ac est sit amet augue pharetra convallis nec danos dui. Cras suscipit quam et turpis eleifend vitae malesuada magna congue. Damus id ullamcorper neque. Sed vitae mi a mi pretium aliquet ac sed elitos. Pellentesque nulla eros accumsan quis justo at tincidunt lobortis deli denimes, suspendisse vestibulum lectus in lectus volutpate.
Prev Post
Next Post
Someone recently bought a
[time] minutes ago, from [location]

Thanks for subscribing!

This email has been registered!

Shop the look

Choose Options

Recently Viewed

Edit Option
Back In Stock Notification
this is just a warning
Shopping Cart
0 items