For those that do not follow Jesus Christ, it can be confusing about why someone would sacrifice their lives for the world. Questions circling around Jesus Christ and the reality behind Jesus' death will be a part of this world forever because so many people do not take the time to get to know Him.

The topic of constant discussion and several controversial theories is not the cause behind Jesus' death but the meaning. It isn’t clear why Jesus’ death had to be on a cross, although crucifixion was the cruelest manner of execution in Roman times, a fitting penalty for the sins of all humanity. It is clear that crucifixion was the only death that would fulfill the Old Testament prophecies, the predictions, of what would happen to the Messiah.

Here are the seven reasons we believe Jesus had to die.

To End Hatred Between Races

"For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in His flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in Himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which He put to death their hostility." (Ephesians 2:14-16)

Jesus' death was His ultimate sacrifice for Jews and non-Jews to end racial and ethnic hostilities. He wanted to reconcile the hatred that conflicted the two groups and longed for them to live as brothers and sisters. Jesus believed if they were about to reconcile then they would then find a way to love each other and live without a dividing wall that would in the end kill them.

The Union of Marriage

"Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her." (Ephesians 5:25)

Marriage was always meant to be a union that would empower a couple for the rest of their lives. Jesus knew that His death would help set the foundation of marriage and prove the power of devotion and love. God wanted marriage to be about a husband loving His wife the way Christ loves His people and for the wife to respond in Christ like way. In our marriages, we can make our bonds stronger by following Jesus’ examples of love. Jesus showed love unconditionally, no matter what mistakes the person made or what sins they committed. He was patient, kind, and kept a level head. In our marriages, that can be easier said than done, but it can make the marriage that much stronger.

To Escape the Curse

"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us." (Galatians 3:13)

Jesus' death was the only way to be free - someone had to pay the penalty and instead of us all suffering, He decided to step up. He paid the penalty in full by sacrificing His own life for our sins, regardless if we ever accepted Him or not. Thus the Bible teaches us that getting right with God is not based on the law-keeping process, instead you must view God as all forgiving and then your redemption will be granted. We are free from the curse of sin because of the price that Jesus paid for us. We are redeemed, and can one day go to heaven to enjoy out our lives in the perfect paradise.

Reconcile With God

"While we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son." (Romans 5:10)

Reconciliation between man and God flows in both directions. God made amends with us by removing the guilt of our personal sins. He was able to forgive us for our terrible sins that go against Him. Our act of reconciliation is to receive God as we already have as Christians and to value God's amazing gift. We are to accept His gift with our heart and ask for forgiveness. Jesus suffered in our place up on that cross and for that we are eternally grateful. He did something that no one else could have ever done. We can have a deep, loving, caring relationship with God because of Jesus’ actions.

Sinners

"God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

God's love is displayed by His degree of sacrifice in saving us from the outcome of our sins. We would be suffering in hell if God hadn’t given us a way to be forgiven for our wrongdoings. God gave up His only child in order for this to happen. John 3:16 reiterates this by staying, "He gave His Only Son." The crucifixion that Christ had to endure is a symbol of His love for us and reveals how enormous our debt was. The world sins were so strong, that Jesus had to go through such a tragic and incredible pain in order to have it forgiven. We cannot ever thank Him enough for that gift to us.

To Bring Us to God

"Christ...suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God." (1 Peter 3:18)

Jesus' sacrifice was a gesture that no words can describe. The magnitude of His death certified, for an eternity, our thankfulness and hope for His spirit to live on. We will forever hold His sacrifice near and dear to our hearts and in turn we will embody Him as Christ. Even if you are not a follower of Christ, or no someone who has rejected Him, that person still had Jesus die for their sins. How incredible is that? Jesus knew that some people would never follow Him, but still gave up His life so that they could live in a free world. We can only dream about the day where we get to go to Heaven and meet our creator.

Take Away Condemnation

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1)

To be in Christ simply means that you vow to have a relationship with Him through faith. It means that you choose to dedicate your life to Him, and build that relationship to be something meaningful. His death secured freedom for all of us that believe that Christ died upon the cross. His sacrifice will stand for anyone who believes in His existence and mission. This sacrifice from the Lord allows us to enter into Heaven, and we will not suffer with Satan in hell. What an amazing gift that the Lord has given us. We will never be able to truly understand on earth just how great His love for us is. It’s completely out of this world.

There were many reasons that Jesus had to die, and they all made the world a much better place. Through His actions of the ultimate sacrifice, Jesus gave us an opportunity to flourish in this world and one day reunite with Him in heaven. It was the sign of unconditional and powerful love!