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Following is an excerpt of "Why Did Jesus Have to Die? (4 of 5)" by Keith Krell added on 10/23/2009.
This content is part of a series.
Why Did Jesus Have to Die? (4 of 5)
Series: Who is This Jesus?
Keith Krell
Romans 3:21-26

If you were given a choice, how would you choose to die? In front of a firing squad? The electric chair? Hanging? The gas chamber? I bet if you had a choice it wouldn't be any of these. You would likely choose something far less spectacular and traumatic. You might wish to die peacefully in your sleep at a ripe, old age, with a lucid mind. Better yet, if you are married, you'd probably choose to die simultaneously with your spouse. Wouldn't that be a perfect scenario?

Jesus Christ predetermined His death (Acts 4:28). Yet, the death He chose doesn't look like the perfect scenario I described. In fact, it was quite different. Speaking of a spectacular and traumatic death, Jesus' death was the epitome of drama. His death was by torture and crucifixion. The question is WHY? Couldn't Christ have accomplished more by living a full and happy life? Think of the people He could have healed, the teaching He could have done, the problems He could have solved. Wasn't it enough that He taught us to love others as God loves us? Wasn't the example of His life enough for us to follow? Why was He obsessed with dying? Why didn't He defend Himself in court for the sake of His family, His disciples, and all who admired Him? Why did He have to suffer and die? What was the point?

The best passage in the Bible that answers the question, "Why did Jesus have to die?" is Romans 3:21-26. This is the most critical passage in Romans. Not only is it the heart of Romans, it's been called the greatest paragraph in the entire Bible. Therefore, if we fail to understand this passage correctly, we'll be unable to grasp the central message of the Scriptures. For it's here that we see what we are, what God is, and what God had done for us.

Now you may be thinking to yourself, "I already know these things; can't we go back to our study through Revelation?" Yet, before you let your mind get the better of you, let me say something very important. A travesty in the American church is that we have heard about Jesus' death so many times that it no longer amazes us. Perhaps you recall that the famous Star Wars trilogy was released in 1997 with additional computer-generated footage that was not included in the original version. It was advertised with this slogan: "Star Wars: See it again for the first time." I hope something like that happens as we consider the deeper meaning of Jesus' death—that we will "see it again for the first time."

[Read Romans 3:21-26.] These six verses tell us that Jesus had to die to fulfill prophecy, rescue mankind, and satisfy God.

1. Jesus had to die to fulfill prophecy (3:21). In Romans 1:18-3:20, Paul constructed a case that every creature that has ever lived or will ever live is leveled under the weight of sin. The inescapable conclusion is that we're not only guilty; we're helpless and hopeless. This is the bad news. A great chasm lies bet ...

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