Jesus Paid It All

 

In early bible times no sin could be atoned for except by the shedding of blood.  The shedding of blood started way back in the early days when the Lord killed an animal to cover Adam and Eve because they sinned and were ashamed, so they hid in the garden from the Lord because they knew that they were naked.  Before their rebellion, which according to God’s Word is the same as witchcraft, they knew nothing about sin and they were not ashamed.  Because of Adam and Eve’s sin, as time went on there were people born and all of them were born with a sin nature and when the law was given they were required to atone for their sin by bringing a sacrifice; a first born animal from their flock without spot or blemish.

At the time, the shedding of blood was a requirement for the forgiveness of sins, and many animals were killed and their blood was taken into the Holy of Holies and sprinkled on the mercy seat where the Ark of the Covenant was, also where the presence of God was along with Moses staff that budded.  It has been many years since I have heard about these things from the pulpit and they are so important.  It seems like sin and godly sorrow and repentance and being broken over your sins and the Lord’s atonement are more for the past than they are for today, some people just seem to try to avoid them all together, but they are just as important today as they ever were and the people that just take them lightly or just ignore them altogether, will be accountable to God someday.  

I don’t say these things to lay a guilt trip on anybody, only the Lord can convict people of sins.  I do pray that the Lord will open people’s eyes and ears and remove the veil from the minds of those that need to preach and teach these things but are not doing so.  Getting back to the sacrifices, the problem with all the sacrifices of the animals and their shed blood was that they were like a covering over of the sins of the people, it could never wash their sins away, but they needed to be obedient to what the Lord told them to do. They were like shadow of the things to come.

Please read Hebrews 10:1-4, “For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.”

Jesus shed blood was a completely different; His shed blood was only needed once to cleanse sins, not like the animals which had to be sacrificed year after year.  Jesus was the spotless Lamb of God and even though our sin had left a crimson stain Jesus’ blood can wash them whiter than snow.

Please read Isaiah 1:16-18, “Wash and make yourselves clean. Put away the evil of your deeds from before My eyes. Cease to do evil. Learn to do good, seek justice, relieve the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow. ‘Come now, let us reason together,’ says Adonai. ‘Though your sins be like scarlet, they will be as white as snow. Though they be red like crimson, they will become like wool.’”

 

When Jesus was born His main purpose was to set the captive free from their bondage and sin.  He came to lay His life down for a ransom so that through His shed blood man could be put back in right standing with God.  Please read what it says in Hebrews 9:22, “And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.”

Now read Hebrews 9:24-28, “For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another— He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.”

When Jesus was crucified He said it is finished; at that point He accomplished everything He came to earth to do and paid the price for our sins so that we could be redeemed from the curse of the law and of sin.  Please read Galatians 3:13-14, “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”

Enough said, there you have it, Jesus paid it all and we could have never been made right with God any other way.  God’s Word says the righteous shall live by faith, no amount of works that you can do will do it.  You can’t buy it and you can’t steal it or get it any other way, that is why it is called grace, God’s unmerited favor towards us who chose to receive this free gift.

Please read what it says in Acts 2:36-41, “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?’ Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.’ And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, ‘Be saved from this perverse generation.’ Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.”  

We all should do the same!  I have given you something to think about.  The most important decision you will ever make is to turn away from your sins and receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior.  The choice is yours, may the good Lord bless you and yours and may you have a super day!!