Replies

OK, since you explained the Mary part so nicely, so that even I could understand, I herewith dare to ask a question that may seem silly to Christians but I truly would like to understand.

What does it mean that Jesus died for people's sins? Because people sinned, he died, or so that people would not sin? Or something entirely different? Thanks for not flaming me but simply explaining.

Ones sins is what seperates us from god. As sinners we are unworthy of the kingdom of heaven. Jesus was the perfect man and walked the earth without sin, yet in the end he gave up heaven and took upon himself all the sins of all people. He absolved us of our sins so that we may enter the kingdom of heaven, and all we have to do is accept his sacrifice to claim his prize.

When Adam and Eve sinned by eating the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, sin came into the world. God cannot accept sin.

Israel was given the Law, but it was not possible for people to follow it completely.

To save man, God sent his Son as a substitute for the massive blood sacrifice that would be needed to redeem us all. He did this becuse of His love for Mankind. It is a gift.

It is important to understand that our sinfulness and our separation from God was a rule as absolute as the law of gravity. God had set up the rules, and Satan enticed man to break them. God used Jesus to defeat Satan and reclaim Man for His own.

The other poster would probably have said it better, but this is one of my favorites: From Isaiah---the Dead Sea Scrolls don't vary by much.

Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He became the Paschal Lamb

What does it mean that Jesus died for people's sins?

In Catholicism it means that we were estranged from God the Father and God being benevolent, as well as stern when necessary, decided to give us sinners another chance through his only son Jesus Christ.

Because people sinned, he died, or so that people would not sin?

He died and suffered so that we might once again have a relationship with God and a path to His knee, heaven. Think of it to the lesser extent of a soldier dying that his brothers may live, except in Jesus' case we are given the option of eternal life. That is up to us all because another of Gods great gifts is free will and to sin or not to sin is up to us all.

Or something entirely different? Thanks for not flaming me but simply explaining.

LOL, no flames. I'm a Catholic but not the best of Catholics for sure. Many here are much more conversant than I in the scriptures and I have been a sinner in my life. I'm trying to do better but the liberals are entirely too much temptation at times which causes me to utter unChristian commentary :-}

Man was created in the image of God. Man is a spirit, man has a soul (his will and emotions), and man lives in a body.

In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve sinned (they disobeyed God) and permanently separated themselves from God. Their spirits died, but not their flesh or their minds.

Because of that sin, ALL MANKIND was born into a sinful nature. God came to the earth in the form of Jesus, with a human body and the blood of God in his veins. When Jesus died, he took upon himself, the sins OF ALL MANKIND. After Jesus had paid the penalty of our disobedience, God sent all His power into the bowels of Hell and Jesus was born again. The Apostle Paul called Jesus the "firstborn from among the dead".

The Book of Isaiah describes Jesus resurrection and his triumphant walk through Hell, where Jesus showed off a paralyzed and defeated satan.

Because of Jesus death and resurrection, God has made available a way for ALL MANKIND to be reconcilled back to God. Man can receive salvation by simply believing in his heart and confession with his mouth that Jesus died for his sins. That act of believing and confessing is found in Romans 10:9-10, and results in a person being born again.

While man can still do things in his body and mind which are not pleasing to God, man's spirit (by receiving Jesus) has been renewed and reconnected to God.