Blood sacrifice...

[Inkfingers]

Is there a discernible reason behind requiring blood sacrifice to atone for sin?

We see it in the OT, with blood of all manner of animals being use as propitiation for sin, and in the NT with the idea of Jesus being a substitutional sacrifice on the cross, but....why? Is there are rational behind the use of blood which we can discern?

On the face of it, blood sacrifice looks pretty barbaric (especially when it uses the blood of an innocent to protect someone guilty - that is a strange definition of Justice at the very least) so I'm wondering if there is a rational behind the specific requirement for it that we can find in scripture...

And please, not "God said so" arguments. I'm not doubting what is written. I'm looking to understand the reasoning behind that choice of process.

 

[Dave L]

Is there a discernible reason behind requiring blood sacrifice to atone for sin?

We see it in the OT, with blood of all manner of animals being use as propitiation for sin, and in the NT with the idea of Jesus being a substitutional sacrifice on the cross, but....why? Is there are rational behind the use of blood which we can discern?

On the face of it, blood sacrifice looks pretty barbaric (especially when it uses the blood of an innocent to protect someone guilty - that is a strange definition of Justice at the very least) so I'm wondering if there is a rational behind the specific requirement for it that we can find in scripture...

And please, not "God said so" arguments. I'm not doubting what is written. I'm looking to understand the reasoning behind that choice of process.

One way I understand this is Jesus fulfilled the Law on the cross. Loving God and enemies with all of his body, soul, and strength. That is, he gave his body, soul, and strength over to torture and death in love for God and neighbor (enemy). This fully completed when his heart produced the last drop of blood and could provide no more.

 

[Inkfingers]

One way I understand this is Jesus fulfilled the Law on the cross. Loving God and enemies with all of his body, soul, and strength. That is, he gave his body, soul, and strength over to torture and death in love for God and neighbor (enemy). This fully completed when his heart produced the last drop of blood and could provide no more.

That's not what I'm asking.

I'm looking for the rationale behind blood being demanded in the first place.

 

[Dave L]

That's not what I'm asking.

I'm looking for the rationale behind blood being demanded in the first place.

As I see it, it is the sum total of physical life that if not fully shed until no more is available, does not fully atone.

 

[miamited]

Hi inkfingers,

The only reasoning that I could give is that according to God, blood is life. His word tells us that the life is in the blood as the reason that we should not eat animals with the blood still in their circulatory system. Since, for whatever reason, God sees 'life' as being contained in the blood, then a blood sacrifice would be equivalent to 'life for life' as God explains the law unto Israel.

However, let me be quick to point out that this is only what would appeal, on a human knowledge level, to a logical argument. Despite your not wanting to hear the 'because God says so' reason...that is often the best reason to go with for the born again believer.

God bless,
In Christ, ted

 

[Southernscotty]

Adam and Eve sinned and the price of sin is death, The blood of animals were required to clothe them so blood was therefore shed to cover the sin of mankind. The blood of the innocent covers the guilty.

 

[dqhall]

Is there a discernible reason behind requiring blood sacrifice to atone for sin?

We see it in the OT, with blood of all manner of animals being use as propitiation for sin, and in the NT with the idea of Jesus being a substitutional sacrifice on the cross, but....why? Is there are rational behind the use of blood which we can discern?

On the face of it, blood sacrifice looks pretty barbaric (especially when it uses the blood of an innocent to protect someone guilty - that is a strange definition of Justice at the very least) so I'm wondering if there is a rational behind the specific requirement for it that we can find in scripture...

And please, not "God said so" arguments. I'm not doubting what is written. I'm looking to understand the reasoning behind that choice of process.

Some of Israel's neighbors were sacrificing animals. The ancient Egyptians left food offerings in tombs for the dead. They paid large sums for temple construction and to maintain temple priests. Food was offered to idols. Israel was not perfect, but wrote some useful information about God.

PSALM 40 (KJV)

5 Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.

6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.

Hosea 6:6 (KJV)
For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

 

[συνείδησις]

GOD's holiness demands death for sin. Blood is the proof of death because the life is in the blood.

 

[Inkfingers]

Hi inkfingers,

The only reasoning that I could give is that according to God, blood is life. His word tells us that the life is in the blood as the reason that we should not eat animals with the blood still in their circulatory system. Since, for whatever reason, God sees 'life' as being contained in the blood, then a blood sacrifice would be equivalent to 'life for life' as God explains the law unto Israel.

I get that when its the guilty party, but when its the innocent sheep, or dove, or cow, or Christ, how then?

However, let me be quick to point out that this is only what would appeal, on a human knowledge level, to a logical argument. Despite your not wanting to hear the 'because God says so' reason...that is often the best reason to go with for the born again believer.

I work on the idea though that God gave us complex brains, as far as we know the most complex system in the known universe, to figure things out at a deeper level...hence wanting to understand what it is about blood that makes it the thing to use.

 

[Inkfingers]

Adam and Eve sinned and the price of sin is death, The blood of animals were required to clothe them so blood was therefore shed to cover the sin of mankind. The blood of the innocent covers the guilty.

Doesn't that strike you as just a little unjust - that the innocent are destroyed to protect the guilty.

 

[Inkfingers]

Some of Israel's neighbors were sacrificing animals. The ancient Egyptians left food offerings in tombs for the dead. They paid large sums for temple construction and to maintain temple priests. Food was offered to idols. Israel was not perfect, but wrote some useful information about God.

PSALM 40 (KJV)

5 Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.

6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.

Hosea 6:6 (KJV)
For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

Are you saying that blood sacrifice was an error by Israel?

 

[Southernscotty]

Doesn't that strike you as just a little unjust - that the innocent are destroyed to protect the guilty.

Yes and you see, It is pointing to just how much Jesus loves us and how much He paid to redeem us.

 

[Inkfingers]

Yes and you see, It is pointing to just how much Jesus loves us and how much He paid to redeem us.

Or its further pointing out our depravity that we would happily accept, and even celebrate, that an innocent man would step forward and take our punishment.

Imagine you have a criminal before you who has done all manner of heinous things. He's about to be executed and another steps forward and says take me instead. The man then leaps for joy as the innocent is taken to the scaffold and the guilty is released. That is every Christian who ever leaps for joy at their salvation if Christ is a substitution sacrifice...

Makes you stop and think doesn't it:
1) on the character of the one celebrating
2) on the definition of Justice being applied by the judge

 

[Southernscotty]

Or its further pointing out our depravity that we would happily accept, and even celebrate, that an innocent man would step forward and take our punishment.

Imagine you have a criminal before you who has done all manner of heinous things. He's about to be executed and another steps forward and says take me instead. The man then leaps for joy as the innocent is taken to the scaffold and the guilty is released. That is every Christian who ever leaps for joy at their salvation if Christ is a substitution sacrifice...

Makes you stop and think doesn't it:
1) on the character of the one celebrating
2) on the definition of Justice being applied by the judge

Yes it does. That is AGAPE LOVE, the purest form of love known :]

 

[Inkfingers]

Yes it does. That is AGAPE LOVE, the purest form of love known :]

I think you may have misunderstood what I said...

 

[Southernscotty]

Or its further pointing out our depravity

I said NO

Imagine you have a criminal before you who has done all manner of heinous things. He's about to be executed and another steps forward and says take me instead. The man then leaps for joy as the innocent is taken to the scaffold and the guilty is released. That is every Christian who ever leaps for joy at their salvation if Christ is a substitution sacrifice...

I said that takes AGAPE LOVE :]

 

[Southernscotty]

I said NO

I meant yes lol

 

[Southernscotty]

Agape love is what Christ has to have loved us so much that he died for us sinners.
So that is a special kind of love to save a criminal like us :]

 

[Inkfingers]

I said NO

I said that takes AGAPE LOVE :]

What do you think it says of someone if, guilty of heinous deeds, they celebrate when an innocent is (even if willingly) taken off for execution instead.

That is EVERY Christian who whoops and hollas and cheers and dances for Christ "taking my punishment".

And what do you say of a Judge who deems it Just to kill an innocent for the sins of the guilty?

Such is not justice, it is depravity. These things, the celebrating and the use of innocents to rescue the guilty look more to me like the court of Satan than the court of God.

 

[Southernscotty]

What do you think it says of someone if, guilty of heinous deeds, they celebrate when an innocent is (even if willingly) taken off for execution instead.

That is EVERY Christian who whoops and hollas and cheers and dances for Christ "taking my punishment".

And what do you say of a Judge who deems it Just to kill an innocent for the sins of the guilty?

I was speaking of what Christ does FOR the sinner. I think you were referring to the Christian themselves?
The Christians who do not realize His atoning sacrifice is really missing what He done for them. He became death to save us from it, He is our mediator and like Barabbas we are guilty and yet freed from the consequence.