The Reason for Christ's Death

“…and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” 2 Corinthians 5:15

Why did Christ die? What was God’s purpose in his bloody, awful crucifixion? For what reason was the Son of God crushed on the cross? Certainly the Christian may rejoice in that Christ died to secure the forgiveness of our sins and our reconciliation to the Godhead. No other fount we know to provide such cleansing and restoration. But here, Paul fixes our attention on something else that our Lord’s death accomplished. Namely, by virtue of his cross-work, Christ not only redirects the eternal destiny of every believer, but also radically transforms the believer’s daily focus. In what way? The essence is this: Christ’s death makes it possible that believers “might no longer live for themselves but for him.” That is, Christ’s death makes it possible for a saint to live for and be preoccupied with those things that concern Christ and his Kingdom. We may now be “done with lesser things,” as the old hymn teaches. Even further, not only does it make it possible for a Christian to live in this way, it makes it a certainty. For, we died with Christ and have “crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

What glorious liberation is this effect of the cross! How many pains are at root the results of a self-centered lifestyle? How many sins are in essence the bitter fruit of pursuing the kingdom of me rather than the Kingdom of I Am? But, thanks be to God, what a Savior we have who provides for us (and at so great a price it should be added) freedom from the vanity we are born to and toward which we tend!

So, may it be that today, Christian, you see clearly the connection between the death of your Lord and the death of your self, and may such awareness encourage you to live for him who for your sake died and was raised!