Our Sacrifice

Our Sacrifice

A very frightening verse is found in the Bible that reveals unto humankind an awful truth; “all things are cleansed with blood, and apart from shedding of blood there is no remission”, Hebrews 9:22. Because “all have sinned”, Romans 3:23, and “the wages of sin is death”, Romans 6:23, blood is required of everyone that has and will ever live to cleanse from sin. The Bible teaches that because of sin, something or someone must die. Justice demands that the one to die should be the very one that committed the sin. Paul, by inspiration, informs us that once we sin, we are already dead, claiming in both Ephesians and Colossians that at one time “ye were dead through your trespasses and sins”, Eph. 2:1, Col. 2:13. This fact is a terrifying one to contemplate on; I deserve death because of my sin.

Sin and disobedience have brought about death from the beginning of creation. In Genesis the Bible records the very first law given by God to his creation; Genesis 2:16-17 “And Jehovah God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Adam and Eve were given this law by God himself, which law they broke when they fell to temptation by satan in the garden. Because of this very first sin, something had to die. We read in Genesis 3:21 “And Jehovah God made for Adam and for his wife coats of skins, and clothed them.” The first death brought about because of sin was the death of the animals that gave their lives to clothe Adam and Eve. From that moment on, blood was required to remove sin. The Old Testament is filled with commands to kill and use blood to push back the remembrance of sin year after year. The blood used in this process could never remove sin, as the Hebrew writer says in 10:4: “For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins.” For 1500 years the Children of Israel offered sacrifice over and over again to push back sin and keep death away. The Hebrew writer again says in Hebrews 10:3 “But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance made of sins year by year.” Likewise, in Hebrews 10:11 “And every priest indeed standeth day by day ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, the which can never take away sins.”

Just as the blood of animals cannot take away sins, neither can the blood of humans take away sins. The shedding of blood for the remission of sins is a precious blessing. It is clear that a creature that is lesser in importance cannot bless humanity, such as bulls and goats. Neither can this blessing flow between those that are created equal, from man to man or woman to woman. How can a person, guilty of sin and deserving of death, take away that condemnation from another person? The Bible clearly states in Hebrews 7:7 “And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.” Because every person is guilty of sin, and sin cannot be taken away by something equal or lesser, is clear that humanity is doomed, because nothing we could do can take away sins. Nothing we can do can justify us with the God whom we separated ourselves from because of our sin (Isaiah 59:1-2). Surely humanity has never seen such utter darkness.

However, a blinding light has pierced that darkness! Matthew 4:16 “The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.” What glorious, wonderful news! We have hope because of the precious blood of Christ. We no longer live in darkness if we have been washed in the blood of Christ. Our sin offering to God has been made, not yearly time and again for the same sins, but once for all eternity. Note these wonderful words found in Hebrews 10:10-13 “By which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest indeed standeth day by day ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, the which can never take away sins: but he, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.” Therefore, those dooming words of Paul, found in Ephesians 2:1 and Colossians 2:13 become great words of hope, Ephesians 2:1 “And you did he make alive, when ye were dead through your trespasses and sins”, Colossians 2:13 “And you, being dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, you, I say, did he make alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses.” We were once dead because of our sins, but now we are alive because of Christ and his sacrifice; if we are obedient to the things that Christ demands of us. Therefore, let us all hold fast these words, and never forsake them, Philippians 1:21 “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” How wonderful is our redeemer!

Have you been forgiven your sins? The Bible teaches that it is our responsibility to call upon God for forgivness of sins. No one can partake of this great blessing without submitting to God. Repent of your sins, and confess the name of Jesus, Acts 2:38, Romans 10:9-10. Believe the word of God, and respond as the eunich from Ethiopia did in Acts 8:36, "Behold, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?" Ananias once asked Paul an extremely important question in Acts 22:16, "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on his name." Why? Because, as Peter explains in I Peter 3:21, "
The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ."