(October 17, 2011 at 8:53 am)DeistPaladin Wrote:(October 16, 2011 at 11:59 pm)Godschild Wrote: Yes, Christ did have to shed His blood to pay our price for sin, He was the next in line so to speak and the last, after His resurrection there were no more blood sacrifices.
Yes, I'm familiar with the Christian claim that Jesus' sacrifice on the cross atoned for our sins and did away with the animal sacrifices for atonement in the OT.
My question is WHY does blood sacrifice bring any atonement for our sins?
Just to be clear, a great alternative I see is that Yahweh just forgive us without the need of having his son, who was also himself, bleed on a cross. I'm capable of forgiving without sacrificing something. Why not Yahweh?
God is fully pure and holy by his ways all things are judged. All decisions that are in harmony with God's way are good decisions, all decisions that are contrary to God's way are bad decisions also known as sinful decisions. All thoughts in harmony with God's way are good thoughts all thoughts that are contrary to God's way are sinful thoughts, and so on..to actions and to words.
Atonement was created for all people that are not satisfied disobeying God. Atonement (to God) is for something innocent to take the place of something guilty and to make the ultimate sacrifice by giving its lifeblood, which will restore purity to the guilty party. Someone that is guilty laying their life down for someone that is guilty doesn't cut it, that's why Jesus had to be sinless and had to be tempted so that he had the opportunity to prove he was able to choose innocence.
When people are aware of God's ways and believe that they have done wrong and they would like to seek forgiveness for the sinful decisions (thoughts or actions or words) they have made they can make an atonement offering, which is what was done before Jesus came.
When Adam & Eve sinned it became a part of their nature and was passed on to all their children. God declares all people of the earth offspring of Adam & Eve, therefore all having this inclination to choose sinful things, things that are contrary to God's will and his ways.
Animals on the otherhand do not have the mind to sin, nor are they given the priority that humans are given, nor are they given the same punishments that humans are given, for example if a dog mauls a child it's killed, it's not given a trial etc.
Since animals do not have the ability to sin, they are sinless therefore a perfect atonement for someone that has sin. The person that kills and sacrifices a sinless creature, offering its purity in the place of their impurity will be forgiven on the condition that they do this ceremony with true remorse and with the intention to embrace the ways of the Lord and not continue on their former path. Therefore, the blood of a sinless creature, such as a lamb, is offered to God, a holy being because a holy being cannot accept the blood of a sinful creature, like a human and this blood is used as a way to regain righteousness and purity where there is evil and sin.
Christ was the perfect sacrifice because he was the opposite of Adam, Jesus was the man that came to undo the ban of sin that was placed on us by the first man. Jesus resisted Satan's temptation which Adam failed, he followed all of God's commandments, which Adam failed. Jesus keept himself pure and sinless, so that he would be an abundant offering and worthy to be the scapegoat for all of humnity, which Adam failed in the beginning.
Sorry, if this question has already been answered. I've been away on vacation, but now I'm back! I hope this clarifies why blood is used.
"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Hebrews 11:6