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New Testament Sacrifice & Old Testament Sin Introduction: Our goal in this lesson is to understand the nature of sin, the relationship of Jesus' sacrifice to the Old Testament, and the relationship of Jesus' sacrifice to our forgiveness. I) Defining Sin A) Sin can only be understood in relation to God's Law. 1. There have been attempts to make sin something other than what it is; a violation of God's word. 2. God has always revealed His will to mankind. Hebrews 1.1-2 a. Garden of Eden, God spoke to Adam and Eve. b. Patriarchal Dispensation, God spoke to the fathers. c. Mosaic Dispensation, God spoke to Moses and the prophets. d. Christian Dispensation, God spoke through His Son. We understand Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to the apostles. B) Sin is-- 1. A failure to hit the mark, Romans 3.9 2. State of being non-complaint with God's law, Acts 19.15 3. Transgression, overstepping, or breaking God's law, 1 Timothy 2.14 4. Doing that which we have no authority, Matthew 7.23 5. Not doing what the law demands, James 4.17 a. Some are sins of omission, simply not doing what God commands. b. Same are sings of commission, aggressively breaking God's law. II) The Punishment for Sin A) In the Garden of Eden we have the first pronouncement of sin and its consequences, Genesis 2.15,17 1. What does it mean to die? 2. Death can be in two spheres. It can refer to physical death, or spiritual death. 3. In this case they were separated from God and from the tree of life. B) The Law of Moses, Exodus 19.16,20 1. Acts of rebellion were punished by death, Deuteronomy 21.23; Numbers 15.20-21. a. rebellion is intentional disobedience b. King Saul rebellion by not killing King Agag; Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire. 2. Acts of ignorance which required sacrifices, Lev. 4.2 3. Sin spiritually separated one from God, Isaiah 55.1-2 4. The soul who sins shall die, Ezekiel 18.4, 20-22 III) The Sacrifice For Sin A) Patriarchal Dispensation 1. First sacrifice mentioned, Genesis 4.3-4 a. Both had sinned against God and both offered sacrifices. b. One was pleasing and the other was not. 2. Abraham's altars and sacrifices were a sign of his need for forgiveness. 3. The nature of the sacrifices, Genesis 4.3 "firstlings of his flock" 4. Abraham offered a ram, Genesis 22.13. B) Mosaic Dispensation 1. The Covenant was ratified by the blood of oxen, half of the blood was put on the altar and half of the blood was sprinkled on the people, Exodus 24.3-8 2. Sins of ignorance -- daily sacrifices a. When a priest sinned unintentionally, Lev. 4.3-12 b. When the whole congregation sinned unintentionally, vv. 13-21 c. When a ruler sinned unintentionally, vv. 22-26 d. When a common person sinned unintentionally, vv. 27-31 3. The sacrifices resulted in God promising to "forgive their sins" vv. 20, 26, 31, 35. 4. There was a yearly sacrifice for sins, Exodus 30.10. a. Described in Leviticus 16.20-22ff, 34. b. The yearly sacrifice showed there was a constant remembrance of sins, Hebrews 9.7 5. The Law condemned them of sin but could not grant them total forgiveness, Jeremiah 31.31,32, 34. 6. The Law of Moses held them in bondage to sin, Galatians 3.13; Acts 15.10 7. Why were they in bondage? Hebrews 10.1-4, 11 C) The Christian Dispensation 1. Jesus died on the cross shedding His blood, John 19.34; John 1.29 2. Look at what began at Jerusalem, Luke 24.46-47; Acts 2.38 a. His sacrifice, His blood redeems us from sin, Ephesians 1.7 b. Washes away our sins, Acts 22.16 3. "We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all" Hebrews 10.10 4. God's promise of forgiveness was based on the sacrifice of Jesus. 5. The blood of Christ flowed both ways; to those who offered their sacrifices in the earlier Dispensations, and to us who obey His commandments today. Conclusion: We today cannot be saved by Old Testament sacrifices but by faith in Christ being the Son of God; confessing Him, repenting of our sins, being baptized for the forgiveness of our sins, and living a life of obedience.
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