“It’s Not What You Think” - A Radical Re-Examination of the Cross Challenges Centuries of Assumptions

“Why Did Jesus Have to Die?” by Chris Conrad, A Mind Stirring, Faith-Deepening Exploration of God’s Character, the Cross, and the Greatest Question in Christian History.

Why did Jesus really have to die?
It is one of the most asked—and most misunderstood—questions in Christianity. For generations, believers have accepted familiar explanations without realizing how deeply those interpretations shape their view of God, justice, love, and salvation.

In “Why Did Jesus Have to Die?” author Chris Conrad boldly invites readers to pause, look again, and reconsider everything they thought they knew about the cross.

This is not a book of easy answers or shallow theology. It is a sweeping, carefully reasoned journey through Scripture, history, and human experience—designed to restore trust in a God who has too often been portrayed as arbitrary, severe, or unforgiving.

A Question That Demands an Honest Answer

• Why would a loving God require the death of His own Son?
  
• Why does Christianity teach substitutionary punishment when no human court would accept an innocent person dying in place of the guilty?
  
• Why does Scripture repeatedly emphasize knowing God rather than merely obeying Him?

Chris Conrad confronts these questions head-on, challenging traditional assumptions while remaining deeply rooted in the biblical narrative. Drawing from the Great Controversy / Demonstration Model, the book presents the cross not as a legal transaction, but as God’s ultimate revelation of truth, love, and trustworthiness

“Why Did Jesus Have to Die?”

What Makes This Book Different
Unlike many theological works, “Why Did Jesus Have to Die?” is intentionally structured to guide readers step-by-step:

• Part One: Chronology – Traces the biblical story from Creation to the Cross, restoring context often lost through proof-texting.
  
• Part Two: Train Wrecks – Uses powerful metaphors to contrast competing atonement models and expose where theology derails.
  
• Part Three: Clarification – Carefully rebuilds a coherent, faith-affirming understanding of law, judgment, faith, healing, and rest.

Throughout the book, Conrad demonstrates that sin is not merely rule-breaking, but relational rupture—rooted in distorted beliefs about who God truly is. The cross, then, becomes God’s clearest evidence that He governs not by force, fear, or coercion, but by self-giving love and truth “Why Did Jesus Have to Die?”

A God Worth Trusting
One of the book’s most compelling contributions is its insistence that God Himself is on trial in the cosmic conflict described in Scripture. Satan’s accusations—that God is controlling, deceptive, and dangerous—are not answered by power, but by demonstration.

Jesus’ life and death reveal:

• That sin carries its own destructive consequences
• That God does not impose death as punishment
• That divine justice is restorative, not retaliatory
• That salvation is rooted in healing truth, not legal fiction

As the book emphasizes, “eternal life” is defined by Jesus Himself as knowing the Father—not merely escaping punishment or earning reward Why Did Jesus Have to Die.

Who Should Read This Book

• Christians struggling with doubt about God’s character
• Pastors, teachers, and Bible study leaders seeking deeper theological clarity
• Readers hurt by fear-based religion and legalistic teaching
• Seekers and skeptics who have rejected Christianity because of distorted portrayals of God
• Anyone asking honest questions about justice, suffering, and love

This book does not tear down faith—it rescues it.

Why This Book Is a Must-Have

• Challenges shallow explanations without dismissing Scripture
• Restores the Bible’s grand narrative and internal coherence
• Reframes the cross as God’s ultimate act of love and transparency
• Encourages faith grounded in understanding, not fear
• Invites readers into a mature, trusting relationship with God

In a world weary of simplistic answers, “Why Did Jesus Have to Die?” offers something rare: intellectual honesty, biblical depth, and spiritual healing.

If you have ever wondered whether the God you were taught to fear is actually the God revealed in Jesus…
If you have struggled with traditional atonement explanations that never quite made sense…
If you long for a faith rooted in truth, trust, and love rather than obligation…
This book is for you.

“Why Did Jesus Have to Die?” by Chris Conrad is an essential addition to personal libraries, church study groups, and theological discussions.

Read it. Question boldly. Discover a God worth trusting.

Contact Information

April Andrews

FulFillment Officer

The Ewings Publishing

Contact via E-mail