Sep 246 min read

Did God Send Jesus to Die?

When God sent His Son, did God want Jesus to die?

I am going to blow your mind with a few questions. Then we will look at how Christians have viewed Jesus's death and resurrection through history. How are we reconciled with God?

These questions come from asking what it means when Christians say that Jesus died "for our sins". In fact, Luke's Gospel and the book of Acts never indicate that Jesus died "for you".

God loved the world so much that he gave us his Son so that whoever believes will have everlasting life (John 3:16). God sent his Son; God gave his Son. God sent Jesus as the world's Saviour. It doesn't say that God sacrificed his Son. In fact, God opposes child sacrifice (Leviticus 20:2-5, Deuteronomy 12:31).
Jesus says that he and the Father are one (John 10:30). Jesus is God incarnate, God in the flesh. Did God send Himself? Jesus says that he lay down his own life of his own accord; he is the good shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep and takes it up again (John 10:14-17). Did God lay aside his divinity to become human? Does laying down your life mean giving it as an example?
Jesus is The Word, Jesus, was with God from the beginning, and in him is life. Jesus gives light to everyone in the world. The world did not recognize him, yet he gave them the right to become children of God (John 1:1-13). Is Jesus's death essential to Jesus being the Word and giving light and life to us?
Jesus was chosen before the creation of the world to make us righteous, without blemish (1 Peter 1:18). It doesn't say how - by a human sacrifice? by example? by forgiveness freely given? by love?
Since God is just and all-powerful, why couldn't God make rules about grace and forgiveness without requiring sacrifice? Jesus forgave people without them making a sacrifice. God does not want our sacrifices but our love (Hosea 6:6). God opposes child sacrifice (Leviticus 18:21, Deuteronomy 12:31,18:10-12, 2 Kings 16:3, 2 Chronicles 33:6).
Since God is Love, why would atonement show God as angry and abusive?

Did God send Jesus to Die?

Here are ten theories on why Jesus died. All were believed in Christian tradition and history, and each has biblical backing. Your view on atonement does not determine whether you are a Christian. The one you cling to may reveal which of God's characteristics you emphasize.

mended hearts — Atonement brings reconciliation between God and humans

1. Christus Victor. Do you see God as leaving all people by Jesus going to death and conquering death and evil in his resurrection? The Orthodox belief is that Jesus's death was to expose the evil of the present world and his resurrection triumphed over evil and freed us from sin and death (Phil 2:11, Luke 20:43, Acts 2:35). Jesus came not to judge the world but to save it (John 12:47).

2. Satisfaction of Christ. Do you see God as being just and requiring justice to be satisfied to make us at one with God? Christ satisfies God's need for justice. (2 Corinthians 5:19). In Roman Catholic theology, "atonement" is where God and the world are reconciled or made "at one". The Anglican and Episcopalian churches, derivatives of the Catholic church, see atonement as being fulfilled when Christ is united with the church. Jesus paid the bride price (in blood) to make the church his own; he died to bring the church to life. The church anticipates the consummation between the bride (the church) and Christ, when we are fully united as one (Ephesians 5:25-27, Revelations 19:7-9).

3. Ransom Theory. Do you see God as fighting against Satan? Was Satan holding humans in bondage until Christ paid Satan the ransom? Since the 3rd century, some theologians have taught that Jesus died to pay the ransom to Satan to free humans from Satan's bondage.

4. Restore God's Honour. Do you see God as a Lord, offended by the wrongs done by his surfs and demanding satisfaction to restore his honour? Early Christians believed our sins dishonoured God but Jesus atoned for human sin and restored God's honour. God demands satisfaction in a way that is similar to how surfs owed loyalty to their lord (Romans 3:25-26).

5. Recapitulation. Do you see God as a story teller or dramatist, recapping the story of Adam's fall bringing death in showing Christ's resurrection bringing us life? A 2nd-century view that the Word became flesh and Christ was God incarnate. As Adam brought death, Christ brought life (Romans 5:12, 1 Corinthians 15:21-22). Jesus brings to life a beautiful picture of God's redeeming love. We are atoned by Christ coming to earth and being the Way to God.

6. Penal Substitutionary Atonement. Do you see God primarily as a judge, angry at our offences and requiring that offenders be punished? Humans inherit the original sin of Adam and deserve to be punished for our sins and pay the legal penalty. Christ substituted himself in our place and took the punishment to satisfy God's wrath. Many Calvinists, Reformed, and evangelicals believe in Penal Substitutionary Atonement.

7. Government Theory. Do you see God as a distant, fair governor who sees the enemy as sin, not people? Humans have sin, but we are not made of sin. God's wrath is against sin, not humans. Jesus's death appeased God so that God can forgive the world's sins. Jesus conqueres evil and makes us righteous. Jesus continues to work on our sanctification to perfect us and make us blameless (1 Thessalonians 3:10, 5:23). This belief is held in the Methodist tradition.

8. Expression of Love. Do you see God as a peacemaker, constantly loving, expressing love in Jesus's life, death, and resurrection? Jesus's death shows God's love and mercy and provides an example showing us how to love. Jesus came to forgive and make us righteous, without sin or fault. We are saved by faith. God freely forgives, removes sin, transforms a believer, and makes us righteous. Anabaptists generally hold this view.

9. Moral Influence (Example). Do you see God as a friend, walking beside us, becoming human to provide an example of how to live as loving people? Do you see Jesus as model showing us God's love, for no one has greater love than to lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13). As we turn to Jesus, the light of the world, God's great love changes us into a loving people. Christ's light enlightens us and allows us to experience atonement: unity with God and others. Jesus made the sacrifice to "transform" us, so we "abide in Christ's love" and "keep his commandments". God freely forgives our sins without Christ needing to satisfy divine justice. Quakers (the Religious Society of Friends) hold this view.

10. Scapegoat. Do you see Jesus not as a sacrifice but as a victim? Jesus died because evil people did not like his message overturning their power structures and lifting the lowly. Those who were evil blamed Jesus and he accepted unfair punishment. Because humans did not know what they were doing, God freely forgave them (Acts 2:22-39, Acts 13:26-39). Jesus showed us how to live a life of love, even when threatened by evil. God is on the side of the innocent victims, suffering with them. God does not want sacrifice (Hosea 6:6, Psalm 51:16, Psalm 40:6, Isaiah 1:11, Hebrews 10:4-10). Jesus's death reminds us of our own guilt and drives us to ask forgiveness, resulting in our reconciliation with God. We are made blameless and free by faith in Jesus. Jesus rose from the dead, defeating evil and death and bringing us freedom from the law and its penalties. Liberation theology presents this non-violent view of atonement.

Elaine Ricker Kelly Author is empowering women with historical fiction about women in the Bible and early church and Christian blogs about women in leadership, church history and doctrine. Her books include:

Forgotten Followers from Broken to Bold, Book 1
The Sword A Fun Way to Engage in Healthy Debate on What the Bible Says About a Woman's Role
Because She Was Called: from Broken to Bold, Book 2, A Novel of the Early Church, imagines Mary Magdalene's trip to testify before the emperor
Walk with Mara on Her Healing Journey: 21 Steps to Emotional Resilience