Expert: Pastor Don Carpenter - 9/16/2006

Question
Why couldn't God just forgive people without requiring the death of Jesus to pay for their sins. After all, Jesus forgave some people their sins while he was still alive. Thank you.

Answer
Hello

Thank you for this great question.  Jesus had to die for sins because God is just and the punishment for sin is death...He could not fulfill His Holy rewuirements without someone paying the price for sin.

Isaiah 53:10-12
10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.  11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

Hebrews 9:22
22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

There is no PAYMENT for sin without the shedding of blood.  Jesus could forgive because he knew that He would be paying for sin on the cross.

Notice Paul's explanation....the law served only to expose sin, it could not make one holy so salvation had to come apart from works, it had to come through the payment Jesus offered on the cross.

Romans 3:19-31
19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.  20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;   26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. 27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. 29 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: 30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. 31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

I hope that this helps you.

In Christ
Pastor Don