Why Jesus Came
Christmas is when we often hear the Nativity story—Jesus coming to earth, born of a virgin in a humble stable. We hear about the excitement of shepherds, angels, and wise men for His coming. But the question is: Why did Jesus come?
I wasn’t raised in church. Most of what I learned about the Bible came from movies and television, which often suggested that doing enough good things could get me into heaven. Some stories even gave people a second chance after death to make things right. If they completed their mission, they were “good enough” to be saved. It was a vague, works-based idea of salvation—and many religions teach something similar, which is probably why it shows up so often in movies and shows.
A few years after college, I became a Christian. I then wanted to help others come to know Jesus, and I stumbled upon Ray Comfort’s videos on YouTube. In them, he would interview people about God and then walk them through some of the Ten Commandments—including Jesus’ insights on them. He’d ask questions like: Have you ever lied? (Revelation 21:8) Ever looked at someone with lust? (Matthew 5:28) Ever stolen something, regardless of the size or value? (Exodus 20:15) Ever used God’s name as a curse word? (Exodus 20:7)
Who hasn’t done at least one of those?
Ray would then point out that by their own admission they were liars, adulterers at heart, thieves, and blasphemers—breaking the third, seventh, eighth, and ninth commandments. Then he’d ask: If God judged you by the Ten Commandments alone, would you be innocent or guilty? As I watched, I realized immediately: I would be guilty. And a guilty verdict brings punishment.
Ray went on to explain that God’s standard is moral perfection, and we have all missed that mark (Romans 3:23). But this is why Jesus came, and why the gospel is truly “good news.”
Jesus came into this world morally perfect and He lived a sinless life on earth. That made Him the only person in history able to pay for someone else’s sin. Jesus didn’t come for the perfect or the righteous; He came for us, the imperfect sinners who have all fallen short. Our sin created a debt we could never pay, but Jesus paid it with His own life because He was perfectly sinless (2 Corinthians 5:21).
We were lost because of our sin, but Jesus has redeemed us and has given us His perfect righteousness. He came to give us hope, purpose, and an abundant life worth living. “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10, NKJV)
He calls us to repentance—a term meaning to turn around and go the other way. God wants the best for us, so He calls us to leave our sinful ways of thinking and begin aligning our hearts and minds with Him.
We discover His will and His heart by reading the Bible. Jesus summed up God’s will when He said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27)
These changes don’t happen overnight, but when Jesus becomes part of your life, everything begins to change.
If this encouraged you, check out more articles from our Flatirons Spiritual Formation Team for practical tools, encouragement, and ways to grow in your faith and leadership. Click here.