The Answerer

The death of Jesus was the central ‘core’ of God’s plan to enable us to get into heaven.

When Jesus left His home in heaven, He knew that He was going to later die, for us all.

In all His time on earth, He knew that crucifixion lay ahead. Wow!

His death and suffering are prophesied in Isaiah chapter 53.

Right through the Bible is what is called A Crimson Thread that starts in Paradise with Adam and Eve and ends in the triumph of good over evil in Revelation. (God counts a thousand years as a day and a day as a thousand years.)

The ‘Crimson Thread’ is shed blood.

First, it was animals’ blood to cover our sins and later, the blood of Jesus to ‘wash away’ our sins.

The ‘Christian cross’ is the most universally recognised symbol of Jesus, the Christian message of ‘Good news’ that God loves us. Further, that Jesus paid the price of our sin, in blood, to invite us into heaven. Jesus was willing to do it for us. That is ‘Good news’ indeed.

This hymn sums it up very well:

There is a green hill far away

Outside a city wall,

Where the dear Lord was crucified

Who died to save us all.

We may not know, we cannot tell

What pains He had to bear.

But we believe it was for us,

He hung and suffered there.

He died that we might be forgiven

He died to make us good.

That we might go at last to heaven,

Saved by His precious blood.

There was no other good enough

To pay the price of sin.

He only could unlock the gate

Of heaven and let us in.

Oh dearly, dearly has He loved,

And we must love Him too.

And trust in His redeeming blood.

And try His works to do.

Cecil Alexander. 1848.

William Horsley has put a lovely melody to sing it to.

‘Religion’ where you cannot pay for, work for, do good deeds for or pay for later. Your heart (& mind & spirit) is what Jesus asks for. You want to please, and work for Him, after you learn to know Him. Once you understand what it is all about…you want to give your all! Your talents, skills, money and in many cases the best years of your life helping others in your work as doctors, nurses, teachers, health care, farming, etc.

It is a life-changing event, but not all Christians discover this and that is sad.