“Why did God send Jesus?” Have you ever asked yourself this question? If you have, you’re not alone.
While Christian theology teaches us that God did send Jesus because he loved the world so much, it’s not as simple as that.
Could it be that Jesus was sent to reveal a fundamental truth about the nature of God and humanity?
In this article, we’ll delve deeper into the mystery of why God sent his only son to earth and try to uncover the reason behind the Christmas miracle.
To Atone for Our Sins
He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. (Hebrews 7:27)
One of the primary reasons why God did send Jesus to the world was for him to become an atoning sacrifice, a payment for our sins.
Of course, Jesus didn’t literally pay God the Father with his life so that we could be forgiven.
What this means is that Jesus became the atonement for us because we can never be able to atone for our own sins.
This is foreshadowed in the Old Testament, where unblemished lambs were slaughtered and offered to the temple regularly for the forgiveness of Israel’s sins.
In the same manner, Jesus, the unblemished lamb of God, offered himself so that we could be cleansed of all our unrighteousness.
Furthermore, in the Old Testament, God instituted animal sacrifices as a temporary means of atonement, but they were never enough to permanently erase sin’s stain.
Thus, Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was necessary to pay the penalty for humanity’s sins once and for all.
The death of Jesus by crucifixion fulfilled numerous Old Testament prophecies.
This includes Exodus 12 and Isaiah 53. Jesus willingly laid down his life so that we could be forgiven of all our sins, and his resurrection demonstrated that he had won over sin and death.
Through his death and resurrection, the power of sin over our lives has been removed. And through faith in Jesus, we can have forgiveness of sins and be reconciled to God.
To Bring Life
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16-17)
In John 10:10, Jesus says, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” Jesus came to bring life to a dead world. It’s Genesis 1 all over again.
Remember when God’s Spirit hovered over the waters of a world that was formless and void? And remember when God said, “Let there be light,” and the world was filled with life?
It’s the same exact manner that Jesus brought life to the world when he arrived.
The book of Ezekiel talks about a valley of dead bones and Ezekiel prophesying to them so that flesh grew on them and they began to live.
Likewise, we were once dead in our sins, but when Jesus came, he breathed his Spirit into us, and we are now alive.
An unbelieving person may seem happy and alive on the outside, but on the inside, they are dead.
They don’t have the life of Christ in them, and therefore, when difficulties come, they don’t have anything to hold on to.
They have no hope after this life. It’s not the same with Christians. As believers of God and Christ, we have hope and peace that the world will never be able to offer.
People may see us as dead and wasting, but inside, we are very much alive (2 Corinthians 4:16).
To Bring Light
Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” (John 9:39)
This generation may never be able to appreciate the light, but in biblical times, electricity didn’t exist, and the faintest spark of light is treasured when the evening comes.
The same is true with the light of Christ. With all the entertainment distracting the world today, it’s not easy to recognize the true light when it comes.
To us believers, however, Jesus is the only light. He is the light of the world, and because of him, we no longer walk in darkness.
We have been translated from darkness to light through faith in Christ.
The Bible teaches that humanity was in spiritual darkness, unable to see the truth about God and the world.
But through Jesus, God revealed the truth and offered a way to live in the light.
Also, through his teachings, he offered a new way of thinking, one that was focused on spiritual truth and wisdom.
He promised that whoever believed in him would not remain in darkness (John 12:46).
Not only that but as the light of the world, Jesus was an example of holiness and righteousness.
He lived a sinless life, always obedient to God’s will, and demonstrated the character of God through his actions and words.
He taught his disciples to love their enemies, to forgive those who wronged them, and to serve others with humility and compassion.
Through faith in Jesus, we receive the light of spiritual truth and are called to live a life of holiness and righteousness.
We are empowered by the Holy Spirit to follow Jesus’ example and to be a light to the world, shining the light of God’s love and truth to those around us.
To Reveal God’s Glory
Glorify your son that the son may glorify you. (John 17:1)
So, why did God send Jesus? In everything that God does, his ultimate goal is to reveal his glory. He sent Jesus for this very reason. Jesus himself said that his desire was to glorify the Father.
Throughout the Bible, God’s glory is described as his radiance, his majesty, and his presence.
But in the person of Jesus, God’s glory was revealed in a unique and profound way.
John wrote, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
Through Jesus’ life, teachings, miracles, death, and resurrection, the world saw the glory of God.
The miracles of Jesus, in particular, revealed God’s power and majesty. Jesus healed the sick, cast out demons, and even raised the dead.
These miracles were a sign of God’s kingdom breaking into the world. It demonstrated that God was present and at work in the world in a new way.
When Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, he further revealed the depths not only of God’s love and mercy but his glory.
Jesus willingly laid down his life so that those who would believe in Him may have life.
And through his resurrection, he conquered death and opened the way for all who believe in him to receive eternal life.
Finally, through faith in Jesus, believers are united with God and participate in his glory.
As the Apostle Paul wrote, “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).
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