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The ProblemIn early human history, people offered animal sacrifices to honor God. Though God was pleased with such sacrifices when they were offered for the right motive in the correct way, they were not permanent solutions. Regarding such sacrifices, Hebrews 10:4 says, For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Still later God made a covenant or agreement with Israel called the Law of Moses. In it the Jewish people were commanded to offer animal sacrifices at a specific place at a specific time. Those sacrifices included the sacrifice of atonement. Yet, not even it could permanently destroy sin for all people. Animal blood was still not a permanent solution. Mosaical animal sacrifices were just a shadow of the real solution that would permanently solve the problem of sin. Those animal sacrifices did not have the ability to make Israelite lives spiritually complete. Instead, those animal sacrifices served as a constant reminder that the problem of sin was not permanently resolved. When the situation was correct, God introduced the permanent solution to sin. God's permanent solution to the problem of sin was not haphazard nor "spur of the moment." God worked on this permanent solution from the moment sin became a part of human existence in this world. God planned and worked throughout human history to make this permanent solution a reality. To all who would accept God's solution, it was a permanent solution to the problem of sin, a permanent end to the problem. God provided that solution at enormous cost to Himself. Before we can appreciate the solution, we must understand the problem: Justice had to be satisfied. Romans 3:21-26, "But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith." This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Sin in its rebellion against God was an injustice. To restore relationship with God, that injustice had to be addressed. Someone had to satisfy the penalty for the injustice of rebellion. The necessity of satisfying the injustice of sin created a real problem for God and humanity. Humanity was not capable of producing a solution--all humanity could do was face the consequences of individual injustices. The problem for God was that He could not rightfully extend mercy until the injustice of rebellion was satisfied. God could not ignore sin, pretend it did not exist, and remain true to Himself. The problem of injustice could be solved if someone without sin paid the consequences of those who sinned.
The SolutionHebrews 4:14,15 "Since then we have a great High Priest who has passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted just as we are, yet without sin." 1 Peter 2:21-24 "For you were not called to this? For Christ also suffered on our behalf, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps, He who did no sin, nor was guile found in His mouth, who when He was reviled did not revile in return. When He suffered, He did not threaten, but gave Himself up to Him who judges righteously. He Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that dying to sins, we might live to righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed." 2 Corinthians 5:21 "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." Jesus encountered the tests of temptation without sinning. He sinlessly gave his life for our failures. He actually had our sins placed on his body as he died. If we accept his sacrifice, we are freed from our sins because Jesus paid for them. The evening before his death, Jesus made this statement: John 14:6, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. Shortly after Jesus was presented to the Jews as the resurrected Christ, Peter made this statement: Acts 4:12, "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved." Much later, Paul wrote: 1 Timothy 2:5, For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" We also must understand that the only existing power that can permanently destroy human sin is Jesus' blood. Jesus' blood atones for human sin by satisfying the demands of justice. Paul made several statements about the power of Jesus' blood: Ephesians 1:7, "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace". Ephesians 2:13, "But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ". Colossians 1:14, "... in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." Romans 5:9, "Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him." Without Jesus' blood there is no power to make human salvation possible. Jesus' blood: Redeems us or buys us back for the injustices against God that we commit. Gives all people the right to come near God. Justifies us. Makes us sanctified or holy. Frees us from our sins. Permits us to live under God's eternal commitment. There is no way to bypass the essential blood of Jesus! Those who appropriate Jesus' blood to their lives are saved. Those who reject Jesus' blood are not. The power of salvation lies in the atonement of Jesus' blood. |