The Sacrifice of Jesus Christ

We believe God so loved the world of helpless sinners that He gave His only begotten Son, who, though in all points tempted as we are, lived without sin in the human flesh. That Son, Jesus Christ, died as a sacrifice for the sins of humanity. His life, because He is the creator of all humanity, is of greater value than the sum total of all human life. His death is, therefore, sufficient to pay the penalty for every human being's sins. In paying this penalty He has made it possible, according to God's plan for each person and for humanity as a whole, for us to have our sins forgiven and to be released from the death penalty (Hebrews 4:15For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
See All...; 9:15; 10:12; John 1:18No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
See All...; 3:16; Colossians 1:16-17 [16] For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
[17] And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

See All..., 22; 1 John 2:2And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
See All...; 4:10; Ephesians 1:11In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
See All...; Revelation 13:8And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
See All...).

Jesus Christ is the focal point of Christianity. As Acts 4:12Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
See All... states, "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." Forgiveness of sin and ultimately the gift of eternal life are available only through His sacrifice. We are reconciled to God by Christ's death but saved by His life (Romans 5:9-10 [9] Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
[10] For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

See All...).

The Scriptures refer to Jesus Christ with several distinctive titles, including the Word of God (John 1:1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
See All..., 14; Revelation 19:13And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
See All...), our Savior (1 John 4:14And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
See All...), our High Priest (Hebrews 9:11But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
See All...), our Lord (Revelation 22:21The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
See All...), the Son of God (Revelation 2:18And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;
See All...; 1 John 5:5Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
See All...), our Passover (1 Corinthians 5:7Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
See All...), the Son of Man (Revelation 14:14And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.
See All...), and King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 19:16And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
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Christ is our Savior and the ultimate sacrifice for sin. Even though He was divine, Jesus became a human being to suffer and die for the sins of mankind (Philippians 2:5-7; Hebrews 2:9But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
See All...). As the Son of Man, He was human in the fullest sense, able to experience the trials of human life (Hebrews 4:15For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
See All...) to better empathize with us as our merciful High Priest (Hebrews 2:17Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
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Christ as our Savior gave His life that we might live. He died a horrible death, as our Passover (foreshadowed in the sacrificed Passover lamb in the Old Testament), that we might understand the magnitude of sin and the monumental significance of His sacrifice, which was made for every human being. He was "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
See All...; compare Revelation 5:6And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
See All..., 12; 7:14; 12:11). 

Sin, the transgression of God's law (1 John 3:4Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
See All...), is truly horrible. Disobedience to God's law has brought untold pain and misery as well as its ultimate penalty, death (Romans 6:23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
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Jesus lived a perfect life and therefore did not deserve the excruciating agony He experienced or the death penalty inflicted on Him. However, He was preordained from the foundation of the world to suffer and die for the sins of humanity. Even though Christ was accused of violating God's law on more than one occasion, He, as the perfect sacrifice for sin, never broke God's law.

We accept Christ's sacrifice as essential to our salvation. As we model our lives after His, we figuratively "take up our cross" and follow Him (Luke 14:27And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
See All...), which includes a willingness to suffer and be persecuted as He set the example (1 Peter 2:19-23 [19] For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
[20] For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
[21] For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
[22] Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
[23] Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

See All...). We thank God the Father for giving up His Son Jesus Christ to be that perfect sacrifice for all mankind (John 3:16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
See All...; Romans 8:32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
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All sin is forgiven upon repentance and the acceptance of Christ's sacrifice. Forgiveness of sin requires the supreme sacrifice—the death of Jesus Christ. His crucifixion almost 2,000 years ago was essential to God's plan of redemption and salvation.

Through His sacrifice, Jesus took the ultimate penalty of sin—death—upon Himself, freeing us, if we accept His sacrifice in continuing repentance, from death being our final fate (Hebrews 2:9But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
See All...; 9:15). And by giving of Himself in life to care for others and finally through the agonizing torment He experienced at the end, Jesus also bore the other consequences of sin—pain and suffering.

As Isaiah 53:4Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
See All... begins, "Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows." Matthew 8:17That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.
See All... renders this, "He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses." And Isaiah 53:5But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
See All... concludes, "The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed." So Jesus endured brutality and misery as the basis for our release from suffering, including through healing.

While God does not remove all suffering now, just as He has not yet removed death from us, at times He will alleviate some of it now if we faithfully rely on Him—such as being physically healed of illness through anointing (James 5:13-16 [13] Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
[14] Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
[15] And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
[16] Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

See All...). And we have God's promise that one day both death and suffering will be no more (1 Corinthians 15:54So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
See All...; Romans 8:18For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
See All...; Revelation 21:4And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
See All...).

By understanding and accepting Jesus Christ's sacrifice in repentance and faith, we can be assured that our sins are blotted out. We can go forward in our Christian lives with confidence, knowing that through that sacrifice we can be reconciled to the Father.

As a result of this reconciliation, we can develop a relationship with our Father that provides hope and assurance for our future. We can experience healing today. We can also look forward to eternal life in the Kingdom of God as a gift of God's grace because of this tremendous sacrifice that Jesus and the Father willingly gave for every one of us.