Christ’s death is the central theme of both Old and New Testaments. The cross is the primary symbol of Christianity and the central fact of human history. Without the cross we all remain mired in our sins. In every other world religion men must do something to qualify for heaven without any way of knowing if it was enough. Only with Christianity can you be assured of salvation because it is based on something God Himself, through His Son, has already done. Only in Christianity are we guaranteed forgiveness of sin and eternal life through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross simply by asking.
Luke 19:10 – The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.
Mark 10:45 – The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.
Isaiah 53:6 – And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
In the Old Testament God established with the Israelites the sacrificial system of blood sacrifice for the covering of sin because God is holy and cannot abide sin. The blood of animals could only cover sin temporarily which is why animals had to be sacrificed continually. The only way to permanently remove sin from man was to sacrifice another man who was without blemish, without sin. Since all men are born with a sin nature from Adam no man alive could ever qualify to be that perfect sacrifice.
The only way for God to redeem man was to come to earth Himself as Jesus, fully human and fully God, in order to be that sinless sacrifice on the cross to save us from our sins. The penalty for sin is death and Christ’s death on the cross was the final and only sacrifice required to redeem man from their sins once and for all. Jesus, as the perfect man, the lamb without blemish, shed His blood on the cross in our place to atone for the sins of all men past, present and future. Christ’s work on the cross completed our redemption before God.
Jesus was also fully God and His death caused the Triune Godhead great anguish. Jesus endured the shame of a horrifying death on the cross for our sake, out of love for us. By His redemptive work on the cross Jesus proved Himself worthy to receive glory from God and our praise and worship as our Lord and Savior.
Hebrews 10:12 – But this Man after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God.
Genesis 12:3 – I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.
Isaiah 59:2 – But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He will not hear.