This objection was recently posed to me in the comment section in another article in this sight. This fellow said “God is the one who set up this system of sacrificial atonement.
I would point out to him that in life, there are consequences for Sin. Not just to ourselves, but to those around us. When you steal from someone, this Sin sends a wave, like a ripple on water that continues far after you have satisfied the wicked desires of your own flesh. It influences many people in bad ways that you didn't consider when you decided to Steal what belonged to someone else. The man you steal from was saving money for their kids clothes, which cannot be acquired now, and the children suffer ridicule for old and shabby clothes, which influences the child in ways that is made manifest onto this person's children, long after the Sin. The son or brother who sees you steal, and follows your example, ends up in a gang of thieves, criminals who prey on others, as your stealing teaches. The son gets killed in a gang related shootout 5 years later, all the result of the ripple of your sin of first coveting, and then Stealing what was not yours. Just like the ripple of Eves Sin is still influencing others in a negative way centuries after it happens.
What would a Just God do? Place you in a room and let all those men who your selfish disregard for God and His Laws and Judgments have affected, have recompence? Or would HE offer His Own Immortal Life, for the truly repentant, and take the arrows for them? Showing by example true compassion and mercy is rooted in self denial.
This is where I began to have serious doubts about the authenticity of the Bible as the Word of God. I can see a primitive sect of people setting up a system this way since they were familiar with various tribes that thought sacrificing a baby or a virgin would appease the gods. But it is hard for me to accept that the real God of the universe who has all knowledge and power would ever resort to such a bloody, painful and grotesque practice.
First off, This guy is expressing the teaching of mainstream Christianity that exists in the world God placed us both in. The Jesus, "of the Bible", "Specifically" warns about being deceived by this "specific" religion.
Matt. 24:
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? 4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that "no man" deceive you. 5 For "many" shall come in my name, saying, I (Jesus) am Christ; and shall deceive many.
This is important to understand. Jesus doesn't warn against Islam, Atheists, Buddhists, etc. He warns HIS Disciples against a religious "Many",
who come in "His" Name, who call "HIM" Lord, Lord. Many who prophesy
in HIS Name, cast out devils
in HIS Name.
Paul too, warns of men who "Transform themselves into apostles of Christ". And men who "
profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate"
There is only one religion on this planet that fit's Jesus' description here.
A man who believes in this Christ, and accepts HIS Warnings, are more likely to follow HIS instruction on how to live and who to trust, as opposed to trusting the differring religious phiulosophies and traditions of this world's many different religious sects. "
It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
A man who believes in this Christ, would learn that the Law and Prophets are Spiritual, and that understanding them is reserved for those who are SEEKING God with all their hearts, not just with their lips.
He would learn that the "Blood" is actually the "LIFE" of a being. He would learn that the Lord's Christ, the Holy One of Israel, risked His Immortality, HIS "LIFE" to give me, a selfish self-centered self-exalted, stubborn man, a second chance to "Rule over the wicked Flesh", as it was written from the very beginning.
Gen. 4:7, "
If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
This man has not considered Every Word of God, because if HE had, He would understand that God "doesn't desire Sacrifice". That Israel had sinned a great sin and their ripple continued throughout the world, and they deserved to be cast off, like others who selfishly disregard the One True God, like Sodom. But God showed them Mercy, and didn't cast them off, Deut. 9:
28 Lest the land whence thou broughtest us out say, Because the LORD was not able to bring them into the land which he promised them, and because he hated them, he hath brought them out to slay them in the wilderness.
He needed to teach "US"
through them that wickedness, as Paul calls it, the "Exceedingly Sinful" wickedness of Sin, that every time they SIN, a righteous, innocent LIFE is influenced. Somewhere an innocent LIFE is broken. By commanding them to offer up the very best of their "OWN" possessions, and "Killing" it, their sin is brought before them in a way that stings. This brings "Godly Sorrow", that leads to repentance.
It makes no sense that he would require the death of someone to atone for the sins of the world.
The Blood is the LIFE of the being, not the death of the being. Jesus offered HIS LIFE for the remission of sins.
"
Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, (Life) to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
Lev.17:
11 For the "life" of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood (The LIFE) that maketh an atonement for the soul.
Because this man's religion is founded on the teaching of the "Many" who come in Christ's Name that Jesus warned about, he has been convinced that it is the Death of someone to atone for sins. As you can see, God teaches the opposite.
He could have set this system up anyway he wanted to. He could just forgive us like we forgive others.
But isn't Repentance required before forgiveness? Does God forgive the unrepentant? Again, God forgives the repentant. But he knows the heart, so HE knows if a man is truly sorry for disregarding, disrespecting and dishonoring God, or refusing to Glorify God "AS God", or if they are just honoring Him with their lips.
If your wife or husband is cheating on you, and they say they are sorry, but continue to cheat on you, are they really sorry? If they are truly sorry, they will stop cheating. As it is written, "Godly (Truthful) Sorrow, leadeth to repentance. (Change)
And as the Jesus of the Bible teaches. Luke 13:
3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
When someone wrongs me, I do not require a blood sacrifice. Generally a simple ‘I’m sorry, please forgive me’ will do. But that is not good enough for God. He requires death.”
No, EVEN you require honesty from the heart before forgiveness. True repentance. Even you would require a cheating wife to stop cheating. The cheating wife is destroyed, no longer exists. Replaced
by a New wife, "
which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness". A wife that "Goes and cheats no more". So then God, like you, would require more than the words "I'm sorry, please forgive me". You would both require what Paul taught both Jew and Gentile in Acts 26. "
that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
How should we answer this?
Matt. 10:
11 And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence.
12 And when ye come into an house, salute it.
13 And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.
14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
A man is either Called to SEEK the One True God, or he is not. Religious men have nothing to say about whether a man is SEEKING or not. This man above is either interested in what the Scriptures actually say, or he has already made up his mind against God. In the former case, he will listen to Scriptures and consider, in the latter he will not.
