Sacrifice for Sin
From the very beginning, God had a simple rule for
mankind:
“Sin = Death”
But, since He desired man to “multiply and fill the
earth,” and since sin had entered the world, there
was a (foreseen, Eph.1:4) need for a redemptive
system through which man could be saved.
Thus was the beginning of the sacrificial system.
Sacrifice for Sin
Adam and Eve sacrificed:
• Intimate fellowship with God,
Gen.3:8; 3:23-24
• God’s gracious provision,
Gen.2:8,15-16; 3:17-23
• Their lives, Gen.2:16-17; 3:19-24
Sacrifice for Sin
Cain and Abel sacrificed:
• Cain sacrificed of the “fruit of the ground,”
Gen.4:1-3
• Abel also sacrificed, but did so from “the
firstlings of the flock,” Gen.4:4
• Abel’s sacrifice was “by faith,” Heb.11:4;
Rom.10:17
• But Cain, by not acting by faith, and
refusing to repent, sacrificed fellowship
with God, Gen.4:5-12ff
Sacrifice for Sin
Abraham sacrificed:
• God tested him with the ultimate
sacrifice, Gen.22:1-2
• Abraham passed the sacrificial test,
Gen.4:3-10
• But, as Abraham predicted, God
provided the sacrificial lamb,
Gen.22:8,11-14
Sacrifice for Sin
This sacrificial system of life for
life redemption was eventually
codified:
• It was perhaps hinted at in Gen.9:3-6
• But more fully explained in the Law of
Moses, Lev.17:11-14
• However, these were but the mere
shadow of things to come, Heb.10:1-4
Sacrifice for Sin
John 1:29, John said of Jesus,
“Behold, the Lamb of God who
takes away the sin of the world!”
• He was the Sacrifice of all sacrifices, for
His blood cleansed the conscience rather
than just the flesh of man, Heb.9:8-14
• It was the blood of this perfect, firstborn
Lamb that provided complete redemption,
Eph.1:7
• So, there is really but one question left…
Sacrifice for Sin
How is the cleansing of that
redemptive sacrifice applied to us?
Romans 6
• Baptism puts us in contact with the blood of
Jesus’ sacrifice, v.3 (see also John 19:33-34
and Rev.1:5)
• But baptism also includes our death- we die
to sin, vv.4 (sin still = death)
• However, this is not the end for our death to
sin must continue after baptism, vv.2,5-13
Sacrifice for Sin
Now, the big questions:
1. Do you understand why and how
God’s sacrificial system works?
2. Have you offered the proper sacrifice
for your sins by dying and being
buried with Christ in baptism to
contact the saving blood of His
sacrifice?
3. Is there a continual putting to death /
crucifixion of your old self of sin?