Substitute for Sin

Substitute for Sin

 Jesus was and is the perfect substitute for the sin of mankind. It’s called propitiation. Hebrews 10:11-12 says, “Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties, again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest [referring to Jesus the Messiah] had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of GOD.” Before Jesus, who is the ultimate and eternal priest, the Jews had priests who would offer various sacrifices to GOD to cover the sins of those who presented an animal without blemish. Unfortunately, this process was temporary as it only covered the sin and did not “take away sins.” Fortunately, this process was temporary as Jesus the Messiah took away the sins of the world – for those who believe in him (John 3:16) – for all eternity.

Why is this significant? Why a sacrifice? Why a substitution? Because GOD is perfect, and mankind failed to remain perfect (Genesis 3). Habakkuk 1:13 states, referring to GOD, “Your eyes are too pure to look at evil; you cannot tolerate wrong.” In essence, imperfect mankind could not and cannot be in the presence of perfection – the Almighty GOD. The only remedy, the only punishment for sin is death. GOD told the first two humans the same thing – that is spiritual death. The Apostle Paul stated when writing from a Roman prison, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of GOD.” (Romans 3:23)

Prior to the time of Jesus the Messiah, sin was only covered by imperfect animals as all creation was affected by sin. Leviticus is riddled with various types of sacrifice – a list too lengthy for this article – which temporality covered various types of sin. From the blood of cows, sheep to doves, these animals were used in this process. The blood which the Israelites used to cover the “top and sides of the doorframe” while in Egypt represented their saving moment of destruction, but again it was only temporary relative to the millennia of history. Centuries prior, Abraham was commanded by GOD to take his only son, Isaac, to Mount Moriah and sacrifice him (Genesis 22). Fortunately, GOD stopped him and provided a ram as a sacrifice. Since GOD cannot be in the presence of sin, sin must perish, as the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 6, “the wages of sin is death,” mankind’s spiritual death. Fortunately, GOD stopped this from happening for anyone who believes in the one who provided the ultimate sacrifice, the supreme substitution – Jesus the Messiah.

Even before the Levitical commands of temporary sacrifice, GOD intervened with sacrifice – with a substitution for sin (Genesis 8:20-21). He provided for Noah. After the waters of the Great Flood receded, “… Noah built an altar to the LORD and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma …” and made a covenant with mankind not to destroy the earth as he had done – with water. (This water was a precursor to the baptism all followers of Jesus the Messiah are blessed to experience.)

Before Noah, GOD covered the sin of Adam and Eve. Genesis 3 tells us, “The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.” In order for the provision of the “skin” to cover Adam and Eve’s nakedness and sin, GOD sacrificed an animal. This was the first sacrifice, the first substitution which covered the sin of mankind. Unfortunately, this process was temporary as it only covered the sin and did not take away the sin. Fortunately, this process was temporary as Jesus the Messiah took away the sins of the world once and for all, the perfect propitiation. According to many scholars, the place where Jesus the Messiah was crucified, Golgotha, is the same location of, or near, Mount Moriah as previously mentioned – which indicates that Abraham’s son Isaac and the ram were inadequate sacrifices. Jesus the Messiah, GOD’s only Son, was the last sacrifice and is the ultimate sacrifice for all of mankind’s sin, for all eternity for those who believe in him (John 3:16).