We have all been created to have a relationship with God - the kind of relationship that Abraham enjoyed (e.g: talking to God like a man talks to his friend) - a relationship that is similar to the relationship your kids would have with you.
However, this relationship isn't automatic because our sin, and our sinful nature gets in the way.
The things we've done to hurt someone, the dark, violent, perverse thoughts that we have... those things get in the way of a relationship with God.
Nothing we can do can take account for our sins and our sinful nature.
And why should we take our sins and our sinful nature into account..? Not to appease and curry favour with God, but to maintain a good relationship with God.
Sure there was the rules and regulations listed in the book of the Law and sacrifices - however, they weren't effective - these things only dealt with the "outside of the dish", God is also interested in the inside.
And so that's why God created Jesus - a reflection of God's love, power, and righteousness in a way we can understand.
And that's why Jesus had to die - to take our sin and our sinful nature out of the way, so that we can be free to have a relationship with God.
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What if we sin after accepting Jesus Christ, repenting, and surrendering to God?
Sin is to be avoided and accounted for with God - because they get in the way between us and God...
When you hurt your spouse, that gets in the way between your relationship with him/her right?
We're still in the relationship with God, however - unless we forget about Him, and steal back our life, our priorities from Him.
That means that we have to confess that we've done wrong by Him, and commit to avoid doing it again.
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So, in closing - Jesus died, not to appease the angry gods, but to take away the things that get between a loving God.
And having a relationship with this loving God, is why we were created, and what we live for.
It's not about merely being cleansed from sin, nor to make the standard for Jesus' (temporary) kingdom on Earth, nor just to guarantee a place in a perfect afterlife.
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My apologies for not using appropriate terminolgy...
I'm merely a curious non-denominational Christian who got door-knocked one morning by a Jehovah's Witness and his young padawan learner - and who decided to return the favour the best way I know how: on the web.
I hope y'all don't mind.