The Son of God Was Destined to Be Sacrificed Even Before the Creation of the World
“Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you” (1 Pet. 1:19-20)
The Blessing of Abraham
“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” (Gal. 3:13-14)
Redemption
“knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Pet. 1:18-19)
“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’)” (Gal. 3:13)
“so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation” (Heb. 9:28)
Reconciliation
“For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity” (Eph. 2:14-16)
“For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life” (Rom. 5:10)
“Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:18)
“that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:19)
“and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross” (Col. 1:20)
“he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him” (Col. 1:22)
Union with God
“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Pet. 3:18)
The Eucharist (Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ)
“We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate” (Heb. 13:10-12)
“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body.’ Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins’” (Matt. 26:26-28)
“and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood’” (1 Cor. 11:24-25)
The New Covenant
“and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood’” (1 Cor. 11:24-25)
The Kingdom
“For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living” (Rom. 14:9)
Fulfilling the will of the Father, the prophecies and the promises
“Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers” (Rom. 15:8)
An Example
“For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps” (1 Pet. 2:21)
“and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again” (2 Cor. 5:15)
Questions from Muslims
Why is a sacrifice needed, if a merciful God can simply forgive?
The God in whom Christians believe is called love:
“He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. <...> And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him” (1 John. 4:8,16)
God shows His love for His creation precisely by offering Himself as a sacrifice for their salvation, for God Himself said:
“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John. 15:13)
In this way, by sacrificial love He draws to Himself those whom He wishes to save:
“And I, if I am lifted up from the earth [on the cross], will draw all peoples to Myself. This He said, signifying by what death He would die” (John. 12:32-33)
But the All-Wise God arranges salvation wisely. Besides love, we can also speak of satisfying divine justice, for God is not only merciful but also just. He knows how to combine everything at once: wisdom, mercy, justice and love.