Why was Jesus born?

Jesus came into the world to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15).

Christmas is about God sending His Son into our world. But why was it necessary for Jesus to be born?

Some think that Jesus came to lay down the law. The earth can be an ugly place, full of thieves and liars, kidnappers and terrorists. Corruption results in a few getting rich at the expense of the poor. The Son of God confronted sinners about their wickedness, warning that evil ways lead to hell. But that’s not the main reason for Jesus’ birth.

Some think that Jesus came to teach about love. Our world doesn’t understand love. People are selfish and demanding, when they should be giving of themselves. Some look on others with prejudice, instead of treating everyone as fellow children of God. Christ explained that love puts others first, and that being judgmental prevents relationships from growing. But that’s not the main reason for Jesus’ birth.

The main reason that Jesus was born was so He could die—die for our sins. God expects us to love Him whole-heartedly and treat our fellow man with respect. But we fail to satisfy the God of love. We disobey our parents. We use threats and violence to get our way. We go back on promises and break commitments. We shade the truth and tell outright lies. Worst of all, we disrespect God—we don’t make time for Him in our schedules, we ignore His laws, and we act as if He doesn’t about us.

In more ways than can be counted, we make God mad every single day. Provoking God’s anger is foolish in the extreme—He warns that sinners will be sent to hell. There is only one way to escape the punishment for our sins—we need forgiveness. That’s why Jesus was born—when He grew up, He suffered for our sins and died the death that we deserved. By taking responsibility for our misdeeds, Jesus changed our situation—if we ask, He will take away our guilt and make us worthy of heaven.

Jesus tells us about sin, so we can see what miserable failures we are. Jesus forgives our sins, so we can lay the past to rest and face tomorrow with a heart at peace. Jesus teaches us about love, so we can honor Him with lives of service. That’s the reason for Jesus’ birth.