Simply put – because of sin (defined as complete rebellion against a perfect, righteous and holy God) our relationship with God was broken and in need of redemption. Because sin separated us from God, the only way we could be reconciled to Him was through the atoning death on the cross by the perfect sacrifice which was Jesus Christ (John 1:1-18). Jesus Christ’s death on the cross was our atonement (making us “at one” with God) and something only Jesus could do given He was God in human flesh. He was not made God – He is God.

There is great disagreement, even among the other 2 monotheistic (One God) religions (Islam and Judaism) that exist in our world as to how we are reconciled to God. Like Islam and Judaism, many other “religions” fall short on answering the question of how our sins are atoned for and in some “humanistic” religions they just ignore than sin even exists. I call these religions or belief systems:

Christianity is based on faith and belief in Jesus Christ. It was His death on the cross that paid our “ransom” and delivered us from death and eternal separation from God. This is accomplished not by something we do but something that was done. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” John 3:16-18. Christianity differs from all other religions and belief systems because: