WTKM Devotions Why did Jesus have to die?

Thursday:  April 1, 2010

Title:  That we might die to sin and live to righteousness

I’m sure most of us have begun our days with many good intentions of things we “intended” to do but at the end of the day never got them done.  The same is true in another area of our lives.  We “intend” to deal with some issues in our lives like becoming more patient with our spouse or kinder to our children.  Yet, we often find ourselves trapped in the same defeating behavior  again and again.

Hi, I’m Pastor Jeff Schimp of Glacier Hills Bible Church here in Hartford, Wisconsin.  During this week I am addressing the topic “Why did Jesus have to die?”  One of the reasons Jesus had to die was because you and I are powerless in ourselves over our sinful actions and patterns of life.  Now what I have said is a lot to grasp, but let me begin to explain with a Bible verse:

“He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.”

I Peter 2:24

Our defeating behavior is caused by our nature.  The Bible tells us that we are born with a sinful nature and that the outcome of that in our lives is our wrong behavior.  Now that’s not and excuse for our behavior.  That tells us that we have a problem which needs attention.  But try as I might to control my behavior I will still struggle against my sinful nature.

Now here is where the death of Jesus applies.  I refer again to the passage I read, “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin …” The Bible tells us that our old nature was in the mind of God hung upon the Cross (tree) with Jesus Christ and that it might die.  The result is that with the old nature dead we might live for righteousness (those things that are good).

This is what God applies to those who have trusted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord.  The believer in Jesus Christ is given a new nature and a new power, the power of Christ within to live a new life.  The Bible says it this way. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ , he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” II Corinthians 5:17

When I trust Jesus Christ and His death upon the Cross for the forgiveness of my sins I am given a new nature and with that new nature God places new desires within my heart.  I now desire to live a new life and am given power to carry it out.  Again the Bible says, “Present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from life to death, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.”

Romans 6:13 .

The springtime all around us speaks of new life.  With great energy some of the spring flowers are bursting through the soil.  The buds on the trees are preparing themselves to open.  It’s a time of new life.  How about for you?  If you have never trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior are you ready to trust Him and experience “New Life’?

I’d like to help you further.  You can find contact information on our web page www.Glacierhillschurch.org While you are there you will find an invite to our Easter Weekend Services at Glacier Hills Bible Church along with location and times.

My God bless you today as you remember that Jesus died so that you and I might have new life!