JESUS CAN NEVER BE A SACRIFICE FOR SIN (2)

On the Mount of Transfiguration, God the Father counsels that, henceforth, we should only listen to Jesus.  He puts this to dramatic effect by having Moses and Elijah, representing the law and the prophets, appear to speak to Jesus.  A bright cloud overshadows them and when it clears, only Jesus remains.  Then a voice comes from heaven, saying: “This is my beloved Son.  Listen to him.” (Mark 9:7).

Let me take the liberty to paraphrase what God declares in this live parable.  He says: “Jesus is my Son: Moses and Elijah are not.  Listen to my Son.  Don’t bother to listen to Moses and Elijah anymore.”  In short, Jesus the Son is God’s only true and faithful witness. (Revelation 1:5).  Listen only to him.

Jesus himself cautions that, as the Son of God, he is the only one who truly knows the Father. (Matthew 11:27).  He maintains servants are fundamentally ignorant about the master’s affairs. (John 15:15).  Moses, Elijah and others like them are only servants of God.  Nevertheless, Christians have this tendency to listen to everybody but Jesus.

House of prayer

When we listen to Jesus, we discover he would never offer any sacrifice for sins because he insists sacrifices are useless.  Jesus starts and ends his ministry by scattering the sacrificial implements in the Temple.  He overturns the tables of the money-changers and drives out those selling doves for the sacrifices.  Then he declares: “It is written, ‘my house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’” (Matthew 21:13).

By quoting Jeremiah 7:11, Jesus validates the prophet’s position that the sacrificial system is not of God.  Jeremiah writes: “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices and eat meat.  For I did not speak to your fathers, or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices.’” (Jeremiah 7:21-22).

Like Jeremiah before him, Jesus maintains the Temple is “a house of prayer;” as opposed to “a house of sacrifices.”  Indeed, the Temple was the only place where sacrifices could be offered.  However, even at its dedication, Solomon says nothing about sacrifices.  Instead, he emphasises the need for repentance prayers.  He maintains that in order to receive forgiveness, all that is needed is to repent and pray towards the Temple to God. (1 Kings 8:33-52).

He repeats this principle in Proverbs: “Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for.” (Proverbs 16:6).  “To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.” (Proverbs 21:3).  This position is repeated time-and-again in the prophets: “Take words with you, and return to the LORD.  Say to him, “Forgive all our sins; receive us graciously, for we will offer the sacrifices of our lips.” (Hosea 14:2).  The psalmist concurs: “The LORD is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18).

Jesus’ ministry

Accordingly, Jesus, “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), maintains sacrifices are not the means to salvation.   He says: “Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” (Matthew 9:12-13).  In order to be saved, Jesus insists we have to repent of sin.  Therefore, his ministry is devoted to calling sinners to repentance.

David has long declared this in the psalms.  He says to God in repenting for his adultery with Bathsheba: “You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; you do not delight in burnt offering.  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart- these, O God, you will not despise.” (Psalm 51:16-17).

However, God despises sacrifices.  He says: “I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.  I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine.  If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it.  Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?” (Psalm 50:9-13).

Micah is equally scathing about the sacrificial system: “Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?  He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:7-8).

Repent or perish

While some Galileans were offering sacrifices, Herod killed them all.  Many found this confusing.  They wondered why God did not protect them, seeing that they were offering the sacrifices to God.  The presumptive answer was that their sins must have been particularly great.  So they brought the matter to Jesus.  But Jesus insisted their sins were no greater than those of others.  Their mistake was in offering useless sacrifices instead of repenting of their sins.  When we ignore the will of God and insist on our own counsels, we cannot expect protection from God.

Jesus then enunciates a great salvation principle: “Repent or perish.”  He says to them: “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:2-3). If we sacrifice, we will perish.  If we repent, we will not.

Therefore, it is ludicrous to maintain Jesus is a sacrifice for sins.  Jesus will not offer to God the sacrifices he insists will not prevent people from perishing.  This position is affirmed in David’s messianic psalm: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced; burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require. Then I said, ‘Here I am, I have come- it is written about me in the scroll. I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.” (Psalm 40:6-8).

Christian dilemma

The same mistake these Galileans made is that which Christians are making today.  Quoting Isaiah 29:13-14; Jesus says of the Jews: “In vain they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” (Matthew 15:9).  Similarly, Christians today are still relying on sacrifices in order to obtain salvation, when we should focus on repentance.  But now our fallacy is even more heinous: we are relying on the sacrifice of a human-being.

Jesus sent his disciples to go and preach everywhere.  When they preached, they said absolutely nothing about the need for sacrifices.  Instead, “They went out and preached that men should repent.” (Mark 6:12).  When Jesus rose from the dead, this did not change.  He gave the same mandate to his disciples: “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” (Luke 24:46-47).

 

By Femi Aribisala

 

JESUS CAN NEVER BE A SACRIFICE FOR SIN (1)

If Jesus’ death was a sacrifice, it can only atone for sins committed before his death.  High priests don’t atone for future sins.

I often ask fellow Christians if our sins are forgiven or if they are paid for.  Did Jesus die for our sins or do we need to repent?  Most say it is both, but it cannot be.  If our sins are forgiven, nobody needs to pay for them.  But if our sins are paid for, then we don’t need to be forgiven.  If I owe a man one thousand naira and Jesus pays my debt, then I was not forgiven the debt.  Indeed, if Jesus died for our sins then God never forgave anyone.

Jesus teaches about repentance and the forgiveness of sins.  But Paul talks about blood payment for sins.  Whose report should we believe?  Most Christians disagree with Jesus.  Jesus says God does not desire sacrifices. (Matthew 9:13).  But Paul says Jesus sacrificed himself to God for us. (Ephesians 5:2).  Whose report should we believe?  Most Christians disagree with Jesus.  Nevertheless, we say Jesus is “the author and finisher of our faith.” (Hebrews 12:2).

Good Shepherd

Jesus says: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11).  This statement is often mistaken as indicating that Jesus will die as a sacrifice for sins.  However, since the ways of God are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8); the good shepherd must not be confused with the typical shepherd.  Indeed, the life of the good shepherd is a deliberate anti-type of the Mosaic sin-sacrifice.

In the typical sacrifice, the life of the sheep is sacrificed for the shepherd.  But Jesus contradicts this by saying he is the shepherd who gives his life for the sheep.  Obviously, this cannot be about dying for the sheep for the simple reason that a dead shepherd is of no use to his sheep.  On the contrary, Jesus is talking about living for the sheep.  The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep by devoting his eternal life to taking care of them.  Without a doubt, it is far more difficult to live for the sheep than to die for them.  Indeed, when you give your life for someone, you don’t have to die.

Jesus’ crucifixion was a one-time event, but his priesthood as our shepherd is everlasting.  Jesus did not say “the good shepherd will give his life for the sheep.”  Instead, he talks in the present continuous because he is “the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8).  “The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.”  This shows Jesus is not talking about Calvary.  Jesus remains our shepherd today and he is still giving his life for us.  The enemy decided to kill the shepherd so that the sheep would scatter. (Zechariah 13:7).  However, God countered this by raising him from the dead, showing that this shepherd cannot be sacrificed or killed.

Surrendered life

Jesus teaches that physical life is inconsequential.  He says: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.” (Matthew10:28).  Therefore, the life he lays down cannot be the inconsequential life.  It must surely be the spiritual life.  Hear him: “My Father loves me because I lay down my life that I may take it again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.” (John 10:17-18).

This shows the life Jesus laid down is not his physical life, as many Christians presume in the sacrificial atonement fallacy.  The physical life was taken from Jesus against his will.  When he was to be crucified by men, he said to God: “Not my will, but yours be done.”(Luke 22:42).  However, no one took his divine (eternal) life from him.  He voluntarily relinquished this in order to take up a mortal life on earth.

This shows the cross of Jesus was fundamentally his incarnation.  His cross was in laying down his life in heaven in order to come to earth as a man to show us the way of salvation.  After his earthly death and resurrection, he took up again his heavenly life.

Ransom not sacrifice

Before Jesus went to the cross, he says to his disciples: “Love each other as I have loved you.”  He then describes his love for them as laying down his life: “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:12-13).  This love was expressed in the past; before his crucifixion.  Therefore, Jesus’ definition of laying down his life has nothing to do with dying on the cross.  It is about loving others and living a life of service for them.

The laying down of life that Jesus talks about cannot be about Calvary because he asks his disciples to lay down their lives also.  Surely, it cannot be said that he was requiring them to die also as sacrifices for sins, especially since misguided Christian doctrine says Jesus laid down his life once for all. (Hebrews 10:10).

Furthermore, Jesus says to his disciples: “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:25-28).

This injunction is further proof that the doctrine of Jesus has nothing to do with sacrifices for sins.  Jesus says he gives his life as a ransom.  However, a ransom is fundamentally different from a sacrifice.  A ransom is not paid as atonement for sins but for the release of captives.  It is not given to God but to kidnappers.  Kidnappers are evil, but God is righteous.  Ransoms are paid by the innocent, but sacrifices are given by the guilty.

If Jesus’ death was a sacrifice, it can only atone for sins committed before his death.  High priests don’t atone for future sins.  However, if Jesus’ life is seen correctly as a ransom, its lessons remain relevant even to those of us born after his death.

Fear of death

Satan holds men captive through our love of life.  We sin as we try to save our lives.  Therefore, Jesus warns: “Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.” (Matthew16:25).  Jesus ransomed captives with his life by allowing himself to be killed; only to rise from the dead.  Thereby, he exposed the counterfeit of death by demonstrating that our fear of death is baseless.

Hebrews says: “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death-  that is, the devil- and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.” (Hebrews 2:14-15).

The Good Shepherd lays down his life and takes it up again.  Therefore, we can now confidently lay down our lives, without fear of losing our lives.  Thanks to Jesus: “Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped.” (Psalms 124:7).

 

By Femi Aribisala

GOD DOES NOT DESIRE ANY SACRIFICE FOR SIN

Since God does not desire any sacrifice, Jesus cannot be a sacrifice for sins.

Quoting Hosea, Jesus says: “Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’” (Matthew 9:13). One of the tragedies of contemporary Christianity is that Christians have refused to follow this injunction of Jesus. If we did, we would understand that God desires our love and not our sacrifice and we would not insist that Jesus was sacrificed for our sins.

Formulaic sacrifices

When the Israelites sinned, they made sacrifices to atone for their sins. As long as they made these sacrifices, they believed they were pleasing God and that their sins were forgiven. This became a routine formula. It led to a situation where instead of endeavouring not to sin, they simply made sure they sacrificed to cover their sins. Instead of obeying God’s commandments, they simply offered ritual sacrifices. This showed they really did not love God.

Jesus says: “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” (John 14:15). If we truly love God we would not even get to the situation of having to offer any sacrifices whatsoever because we would not disobey God. He who truly loves never has to make a sacrifice. He who sacrifices does not really love. He who truly loves God, does not sin. John says: “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.” (1 John 3:9). The psalmist echoes this: “You who love the LORD, hate evil!” (Psalm 97:10). If we hate evil, we would not sin.

As a result, God sent his prophets to tell the Israelites he was not interested in their ritual sacrifices. He was far more interested in them obeying his commandments and not committing sin. Thus Samuel said to Saul: “What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Obedience is far better than sacrifice. Listening to him is much better than offering the fat of rams.” (1 Samuel 15:22).

Routine repentance

The same applies to us today. God is far more interested in our not sinning than in our repenting of sin. Some people foolishly put their trust in the alleged human sacrifice of Jesus Christ, when all God asks is that we obey him. In all cases, prevention is better than cure. It is better not to sin than to repent of sin.

Therefore, God maintained that the whole sacrificial system was not his idea: “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices and eat meat. For I did not speak to your fathers, or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices. But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people.” (Jeremiah 7:21-22).

Since God does not desire any sacrifice, Jesus cannot be a sacrifice for sins. Speaking through David, Jesus said to God: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire; my ears you have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering you did not require. Then I said, ‘Behold, I come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me. I delight to do your will, O my God, and your law is within my heart” (Psalm 40:6-8). God really needs to open our ears the same way he opened that of David. Since God does not desire any sacrifice, Jesus will not offer to God what he neither desires nor requires.

Every time a wife caught her husband in the act of adultery with his mistress, the husband went home with sacrificial flowers for his wife. Does his wife desire the flowers? Does she require them? The answer is NO. She neither desires nor requires flowers. She desires a faithful husband. She is likely to throw his flowers in the dustbin. What she needs and wants is a husband who will be faithful to her. Sacrifices are brought after a man has sinned. God has no use for them. God wants children who don’t sin.

New Covenant love

Instead of looking for people who rely on sacrifices, Jesus says God is looking for people who love God and delight in doing his will. These people will be distinguished by having the law of God inscribed in their heart. In this manner, they would fulfil God’s promise of the New Covenant (Testament):

“Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah- not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD.”

“But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No more shall every man teach his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” (Jeremiah 31:31-34).

Holy Spirit bible

This promise is fulfilled today through the process whereby the Holy Spirit in-dwells believers. Instead of the earlier reliance on laws written on tablets of stone or even today’s reliance on laws written in the bible; the Holy Spirit writes the laws of God in the hearts and minds of children of God on a daily systematic basis. We no longer need a high priest offering vain sacrifices. Neither should we continue to fool themselves that we are made righteous by the sacrifices of Jesus Christ. We are only made righteous by obeying the voice of the Lord.

Jesus says: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27). The voice of the Lord we hear is the voice of the Holy Spirit which comes from within. In this way, the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: “(The Lord) will be with you to teach you- with your own eyes you will see your Teacher. And if you leave God’s paths and go astray, you will hear a Voice behind you say, ‘No, this is the way; walk here.’ And you will destroy all your silver idols and gold images and cast them out like filthy things you hate to touch. ‘Ugh!’ you’ll say to them. ‘Be gone!’” (Isaiah 30:20-22).

Therefore, we no longer need human pastors like those still populating the churches; distorting the word of God. Jesus says: “There shall be one flock and one pastor.” (John 10:16). That one pastor is the Spirit of the Lord. (John 14:26). This is what David declares in his most famous psalm: “The LORD is my pastor; I have everything I need.” (Psalm 23:1). 

 

By Femi Aribisala