In our "Good Question" series exploring the basics of Christianity, we are grappling with the crucial question of why Jesus had to die. Building on the previous discussion of human sin and brokenness, this episode delves into the biblical concept of payment or atonement for sin.
The pastor explains that the Bible uses two main metaphors when discussing sin - missing the mark (falling short of God's glory), and accruing a moral debt that must be paid. Regarding the latter, he notes that the required "currency" for paying this debt is blood, representing life itself.
This explains the elaborate sacrificial system outlined in the Old Testament, where innocent animals would be sacrificed as a symbolic payment for the sins of guilty people. From the Passover lamb to Abraham's intended sacrifice of Isaac, the shedding of blood points towards the need for an ultimate atoning sacrifice.
The pastor recognizes that this notion of a bloody sacrifice seems jarring and even barbaric from a modern perspective. However, he argues that for God to simply overlook sin would violate His perfect justice, likening it to a judge letting a criminal go free without consequences.
Since human beings matter immensely to God, the consequences of our sin cannot simply be waved away. This sets the stage for God's solution - providing Himself the means of payment for human sin through a perfect, innocent sacrifice.
Join us next time as we continue unwrapping this central doctrine of Christianity and how it relates to Jesus' crucifixion in our "Good Question" series.
