Without blood there is no...whoops

[sojourner]

"Substitutionary Atonement" is one -- but not the only -- Christian perspective of salvation.

 

[CG Didymus]

Don't Christians believe that Jesus was sacrificed in ordered to cleanse the world of sins? That his blood had to be shed on the cross and die for the sins of others?

The quote from Hebrews implies that blood was always necessary for God to forgive someone of their sins. I hope God isn't like that. I hope that God would forgive a person that repented and asked for forgiveness. But then the questions becomes... Forgiven for what? The Jews have laws that they believe God gave them to follow. They do their best, but did anyone, ever, expect that anyone could have ever kept them perfectly? If not, then why would God expect it? Wouldn't God respect someone, like King David, that kept trying and kept repenting?

Obviously, the Christians need the Law to be something that can't be kept because they need us all to be rotten to the core and beyond hope without the blood of Jesus. But, nobody, even Christians, are perfect. All the religions I know of have rules and standards that are beyond our reach. So why would God punish those that break his rules, then punish them, then, when they repent, expect blood to be shed? IMO, the whole thing is a Christian construct to explain why Jesus had to shed his blood. And still, Christians go on sinning. A lot of them don't seem to repent much either. And, what do their Scriptures say about people that keep sinning? I know those of us that see them, and know how they live have a word for it, hypocrite. Some of them don't seem to like being called that. But, in some degree, all Christians are. Nobody's perfect.

Anyway, it's always good to read your comments. I hope you'll share more of your thoughts on this subject. Take care.

 

[crazyrussian]

Leviticus 5:11-13

And if his hand not reach to two turtle-doves or to two sons of doves; and he shall bring his sacrifice [for that] which he sinned, a tenth of an Eifah [of] fine flour. He shall not put on it oil and he shall not give on it frankincense for it is a sin-offering.
And he shall bring it to the priest. And the priest shall [take] a full fist-full of its reminder. And he shall sacrifice it on the alter on the fires of G-d. It is a sin-offering.
And atonement shall the priest make for his sin which he sinned from one of these (three forms) and he shall be forgiven. And it shall be for the priest as a meal-offering.

neither John the Baptist Nor Jesus taught bloodshed for the remission of sins.

Concerning John the Baptist:

And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for
the remission of sins. As it is written in the prophets, Behold I send my messenger before
thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee; the voice of one crying in the wilderness,
Prepare ye the way of the Holy One, make straight the paths of the Anointed.

Jesus teaching on the remission of sin:
By The Shedding Of Blood
Of Others Is No Remission Of Sins
1. JESUS was teaching his disciples in the outer court of the Temple and one of them said
unto him: Master, it is said by the priests that without shedding of blood there is no
remission. Can then the blood offering of the law take away sin?
2. And Jesus answered: No blood offering, of beast or bird, or man, can take away sin, for
how can the conscience be purged from sin by the shedding of innocent blood? Nay, it
will increase the condemnation.
3. The priests indeed receive such offering as a reconciliation of the worshippers for the
trespasses against the law of Moses, but for sins against the Law of God there can be no
remission, save by repentance and amendment.
4. Is it not written in the prophets, Put your blood sacrifices to your burnt offerings, and
away with them, and cease ye from the eating of flesh, for I spoke not to your fathers nor
commanded them, when I brought them out of Egypt, concerning these things? But this
thing I commanded saying:
5, Obey my voice and walk in the ways that I have commanded you, and ye shall be my
people, and it shall be well with you. But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear.
6. And what doth the Eternal command you but to do justice, love mercy and walk
humbly with your God? Is it not written that in the beginning God ordained the fruits of
the trees and the seeds and the herbs to be food for all flesh?
7. But they have made the House of Prayer a den of thieves, and for the pure Oblation
with Incense, they have polluted my altars with blood, and eaten of the flesh of the slain.
8. But I say unto you: Shed no innocent blood nor eat ye flesh. Walk uprightly, love
mercy, and do justly, and your days shall be long in the land.
9. The corn that groweth from the earth with the other grain, is it not transmuted by the
Spirit into my flesh? The grapes of the vineyard, with the other fruits are they not
transmuted by the Spirit into my blood? Let these, with your bodies and souls be your
Memorial to the Eternal.
10. In these is the presence of God manifest as the Substance and as the Life of the world.
Of these shall ye eat and drink for the remission of sins, and for eternal life, to all who
obey my words