Chapter Eleven – Why Is a Saviour Necessary?

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It is the most central tenet of Christianity: Jesus Christ died for the sins of mankind, was buried in a tomb, and was resurrected three days later (I Cor. 15:3-4). Of the more than two billion people who profess to be Christian, most agree with this biblical teaching.

In fact, most churches focus entirely on the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, and that He is the Saviour of the world. Of course, these points are true. Their ministers preach incessantly about Jesus’ shed blood for our sins. They tell the masses to “give their hearts to Jesus” and to accept Him as their personal Saviour. This, they say, is the only way to avoid roasting forever in hellfire. Once a person “accepts Jesus,” they believe he or she is guaranteed a “place in heaven.”

There is constant talk about God’s mercy and of His “free gift” of salvation through the death of Jesus to anyone who will accept it. To these preachers, no form of obedience is necessary—only that one accepts Jesus into his heart. After all, God is full of grace and mercy. Surely He will endlessly forgive all of my sins, the thinking goes.

Lost in all of this is the real reason Jesus died. Most simply do not understand the tremendous price that was paid—why it was necessary that someone pay it—and the intended goal.

Made Into Flesh

First, some review. The book of John begins, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God” (Jn 1:1-2). These verses reveal that two Beings existed “in the beginning.” One is the Word; the other is God. Just this background strips away certain myths in revealing the origin of the true Jesus Christ.

Further, we see that the Word was also God, meaning that the Word is an eternal Being, since He is God. But He (the Word) is separate from God, meaning the Father. He existed in the beginning with God. Thus, two eternal Beings—not one “triune” being, as most assume—are mentioned here. “The Word was with God” clearly shows this fact.

The Word is the same Being called YHVH in the Old Testament—the Being who interacted with ancient Israel, who thundered the Ten Commandments from Mt. Sinai. We do not know the pronunciation of this word. It was regarded as so sacred in ancient Judah that no one would utter it.

Yet we do know the word’s meaning: the “self-existent” One or “the Eternal.” In other words, the Being known as YHVH in ancient Israel has existed forever—for all eternity. He is an eternal Spirit Being, having neither beginning of days nor end of life. He was never brought into existence and cannot die. Life is inherent within Him, as seen in Jn 1:4: “In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.”

The Word was instrumental in re-creating the earth nearly 6,000 years ago. He is the One who “spoke, and it was done” (Psa. 33:9) and said, “Let there be light” (Gen. 1:3). Then, using the Holy Spirit (the power that emanates from God, not a third person of a trinity), “there was light.” Jn 1:3 of John reveals that the Word was the Being who created not just the earth, but all things, including the immense universe with its trillions of stars and planets: “All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made.”

Yet, long ago, it was determined that the Word—the ever-living One who created all things—must die (Matt. 25:34; Rev. 13:8). For this to happen, He had to divest Himself of His eternal life and become a flesh-and-blood human being, born of a woman.

This brings us to John 1:14: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” This verse has perplexed millions throughout the ages. How could God become a human being?, many wonder.

But there it is in plain English: “the Word was made flesh,” or became flesh. All one must do is believe it. Exactly how God was converted from Spirit into flesh is beyond human comprehension, but that He became a literal human being is not.

When He became flesh, the Word was named Jesus: “And she [Mary] shall bring forth a son, and you shall call His name JESUS” (Matt. 1:21).

The Greek word for Jesus comes from the Hebrew word yehoshua, which means “he will save” or “YHVH is salvation.” This name was not given by accident. It reveals that Jesus, formerly known as the Word, was born for a particular purpose: to save. We see this in the second part of Mt 1:21: “He shall save His people from their sins.” Jesus was born for the purpose of saving human beings.

Yes, Jesus was a human being. When He was changed into flesh, the life that kept Him alive resided in the blood, as is the case with all human beings (Lev. 17:11). When a person inhales, oxygen eventually enters the bloodstream and oxygenates the blood, thus making life possible. Like all fleshly humans and other creatures, Jesus relied on His blood for life. He no longer had eternal life residing within Himself. Without blood, Jesus would not have been able to exist. When He was crucified, Jesus’ life went out of Him in His blood. He shed blood, not spirit.

Jesus was also fully God—He was human (born of a woman) and divine (begotten by the Father). He was “God with us” (Matt. 1:23) in the flesh. The Word did not merely enter into a fleshly body and become God inside of, and separate from, His human body. He was God “manifest in the flesh” (I Tim. 3:16). “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same” (Heb. 2:14).

In other words, Jesus was flesh and blood, just like any other human being! Why? For the purpose of being subject to death! So “that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil…For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels [Jesus was not composed of spirit]; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham [became flesh and blood]. Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His brethren [flesh and blood]…to make reconciliation [through death] for the sins of the people” (Heb 2:14, 16-17).

At His birth, Jesus took on the nature of a human being (though He possessed the Holy Spirit without measure). He was tempted in all points just as we are (Heb. 4:15), and He suffered throughout His life, as we do. He was forced to endure and resist the pulls of the flesh. God became man so that He could live a perfect, sinless life and die. His shed blood—His sacrifice—would free us from eternal death (the penalty for sinning – Rom. 6:23) and allow the possibility of our receiving eternal life. Without Jesus’ death, there would be no hope for mankind beyond the grave—everyone would die in his sins, and remain dead for eternity.

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