Why Did Jesus Have to Die? (Why Can't God Just Forgive me?)

Why can't God just forgive us? Why does Jesus have to die on the cross to do it? What does that accomplish? Well, we know if we hit someone's car, we can ask them to forgive us, and they can say yes. But what about the car? Who pays for the damages? It is like that, Jesus died on the cross is about the damage we do.

[freespiritpearl]

If you truly love someone you will forgive without shedding blood.

[OurHumbleLife]

Because, there is no forgiveness without blood!
Hebrews 9:22
"...without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins."
Blessings

[marcusmuse]

We needed a mediator between man and God someone who knew the holiness and righteousness of God and one who knew what it was like to be a human and walk in our shoes to suffer how we suffer and to understand completely. Both living and dying as humans do and especially dying innocently a criminal's death it became the ultimate sacrifice.

[IngmarSweep]

It sure is something to think about. Why would MORE damage (the death of an innocent) solve the problem of the damage already done? Why wouldn't God forgive in the way the Bible SAYS that He does (see: Jonah 3:10, 4:2, Psalms 103:3, 10, Matthew 6:14, Proverbs 28:13) ...
And then, where does the Bible ever speak about "paying for" sin? Doesn't God explicitly say that he does NOT have any pleasure at all (even) in that the wicked should die, but that he should turn from his wicked ways and live? (Ezekiel 18:21).
Questions, questions...

[madelinebecka]

Many people have had near death experiences where they actually saw Jesus Christ with wounds in His hands, feet and side. Some of these people have never even heard of Jesus Christ before.

[gregslone]

I've watched several of these videos and they all end with some variation of "I don't know."

[MichaelGustavsonArchitect]

What's the point of a religion that makes you feel guilty from day one? We fall into this world and simply by existing as humans we already "owe" God? WTF? God put us here. God should owe us.

[anonymousjohnson]

I disagree. If this god can do anything and everything, then he made up the rules, right? So, there did not have to be all the blood shed, because he could have just "forgiven us". The bible states that "god finds the aroma of blood pleasing." Maybe this is the reason for all the blood.

[curiouscarpenter]

True forgiveness means that you have forgiven the debt as well, why must someone pay? If I have forgiven you, the debt is absolved. It is made right by my forgiveness you dolt! Why does someone have to die? That's ludicrous! Why must we have the debt be a death? Why can't the price be me changing my behavior forever? Why do we have to sacrifice another life 4 misbehaving and eating some fruit? How is this just?

[edgarmorales]

From the standpoint of God, redemption is not necessary; everyone is already forgiven from on high.

Jesus' teachings on forgiveness is about forgiving ourselves and others, so that we can move on and not remain stuck in a pain of the past.

Jesus did not come to redeem humanity from Satan, that would required Jesus to annihilate Satan; who is perfectly designed to do what he does.

Even if Satan could be annihilated, Jesus would not annihilate what God created.

Jesus came to teach humanity how to free themselves, to teach humanity how to conquer Satan and return to Love.

Satan, through the voice in our head, tempts us to go against our divine nature; to go against Love.

Satan, through the voice in our head, tempts us to act selfishly and short-sightedly to do what is in his self-interest; rather than what is best for the whole to which we are intimately and inextricably connected.

When we go against the whole and harm others, we also harm ourselves.

Sin is like hitting ourselves, because we also suffer when we cause others to suffer.

This is one of humanity's primary lessons. Which is why: do unto others as you would have them do unto you, work so well as a guideline.

[simonthompson]

Yes you may have done "damage" to others for which you need to make compensation to that other. BUT what has God got to do with it? How have you "damaged" God? Makes no sense!

[shawnvancecomedy]

Hmmm doesn’t make sense to me. for this analogy to work it would be like, imagine if Henry Ford gave a child a car with very little instructions then sent him on a errand on a street littered with pot holes and then when you crash and damage the car Henry’s like the only way to fix this car (even though originally I just made with my mind) is to kill my son. And we’re suppose to be like OMG this guys loves me so much

[jonnyw]

Garrett, there is a good reason that you don't know how Jesus' death could atone for sins.  The reason is that you are suffering from cognitive dissidence due to the fact that you are forcing yourself to adopt ancient concepts that are illogical and archaic.  The ancients believed that the gods could be appeased by human sacrifice and food offering.  The Israelites adopted this concept and when Jesus was executed his death was naturally seen as the ultimate sacrifice to God since it was thought that Jesus was in some way divine.  This made perfect sense to pre-enlightenment folks who never even thought to question why God would need or want a sacrifice or offering.  But those of us who are post-enlightenment naturally revolt at the idea that God needs or wants a burnt offering or a sacrifice.  
  You are not unsure of how Jesus' death paid for our sins, you are simply revolting at the idea of God needing a sacrifice, and rightfully so.

[davidmike]

Let's "think" about this: Jesus died on the cross to pay the "price" so we wouldn't have to; because somebody is going to have to pay the price for our "fender bender".  So, Jesus died (paid the price) so we wouldn't have to pay the price (die)—but, we do die.  We will “pay” the same price He did; so…?

Secondly, you ask at the beginning of the video: “Why couldn’t God just forgive us?”  Then, you go on to say that a price had to be paid—someone had to “make[s] it right again.”  This does not comport with the Gospels where Jesus often told people, “Your sins are forgiven.”  Evidently, God, and even His Son, can “just forgive us”.
The time of putting God in a box is coming to an end.