WHY DID CHRIST HAVE TO DIE?
The Atonement is without any shadow or doubt the most important subject that any man or woman can consider. It is the bedrock and basis of our Christian faith. It is said by our Lord Jesus in (Luke 6:48) "He is like a man buildings house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. So when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock" [RAV]. It is an applied fact that if a building has not got solid foundations then it is a danger to all who go in it. It is the same with our Christian faith, unless we understand that our blessed Lord Jesus not only died for our sins, but "Atoned for our sins". He as Paul tells us in (1 Cor. 5:21) "For he made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him". We must be clear about our foundation truths, and know them as a practical living experience day by day.
At-one-ment! This is the act of bringing God and man together. In the Old Testament suggested covering. Many people today have nothing more then the Old Testament idea of the Atonement. The New Testament idea of the Atonement embraces a thorough and radical change of being, standing, doing and serving; resulting in the linking back of man back to God.
To get therefore, a correct view of the Atonement we must start by asking the question "Why was it necessary that Christ should have to die to Atone for our sins?" to answer this question we must go back to the Old Testament and look for the Cross.