S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

The Bible makes it quite clear that God hates human sacrifice. The pagan nations that surrounded the Israelites practiced human sacrifice as part of the worship of false gods. God declared that suc...

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July 01 2013 • 6 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

lorna froese Supporter

I find it interesting that Adam and Eve sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons when their eyes were opened to the knowledge of good and evil and yet God clothed them in coats of skins. It doesn't say God made an animal sacrifice.

He did accept the sacrifice of Abel because it says he brought the best of his lambs. I understand that Cain was not in right relationship with God and that sin was lurking ready to devour. He could have overcome his rage with acceptance of God's mercy but it turns out that he had a hate and jealousy that turned into bitterness and murder of his brother. God still had mercy but Cain's sin had consequences. 

God's mercy and grace is shown throughout the O.T. and his promise of sending a once for all sacrifice that will be the ultimate sacrifice for sin. The O.T. shows us that animal sacrifice was repetitive and never satisfied in making people right with God. God showed Himself through His Son who made the payment of sin through His shed blood. Sinless Jesus is the only sacrifice that leads us to a Holy God. Jesus voluntarily gave His life in obedience to God the Father. The veil has been torn so we have direct access through Jesus; no longer needing the rituals of animal sacrifices to be acceptable to God.

June 21 2020 • 3 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jeffrey Johnson Supporter

If God hates human sacrifice, how could Jesus' sacrifice be the payment for our sins?

The breadth of Christ's atoning work is further shown in the way Scripture portrays His mission as reaching every corner of humanity's condition. 

Isaiah prophesies that the Servant of the Lord would become "a light to the Gentiles" so that God's salvation would reach "unto the end of the earth" (Isa. 49:6), revealing an intention that transcends national or covenant boundaries. 

Paul echoes this when he declares that God "was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself" (2 Cor. 5:19), presenting reconciliation as a divine act extended toward the entire world order. 

The universal summons of the gospel rests on this foundation, for Christ commands that repentance and forgiveness "be preached in His name among all nations" (Luke 24:47), a commission that presupposes an atonement wide enough to be proclaimed without restriction. 

The writer of Hebrews affirms that Christ's priesthood involves offering Himself "once for all" (Heb. 7:27), indicating a single, sufficient sacrifice whose value is not confined to any predetermined group. 

The prophetic vision of Revelation shows the redeemed drawn "out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation" (Rev. 5:9), demonstrating that the scope of Christ's blood is not narrow but expansive, capable of reaching every human category. 

These passages collectively present an atonement whose provision is unlimited, extending its saving reach to the entire human race and forming the basis for a gospel that can be preached freely to all.

Conclusion

The witness of Scripture portrays Christ's atoning work as a divine act whose reach extends across the full breadth of humanity, revealing a provision that is not confined to any predetermined class or spiritual category. Jesus declares that He came not for the righteous but "to call sinners to repentance" (Matt. 9:13), identifying His mission with the entire fallen condition rather than a selective subset. 

The apostolic proclamation affirms that God's saving initiative is directed toward humanity as a whole, for "the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men" (Titus 2:11), indicating a manifestation of saving grace that is universally extended. 

Paul further teaches that Christ's redemptive act carries implications for the entire human race, stating that "as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive" (1 Cor. 15:22), showing that the scope of Christ's work mirrors the universality of human mortality. 

The gospel's open invitation rests on this foundation, for Scripture proclaims that "whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely" (Rev. 22:17), a summons that presupposes an atonement broad enough to make such an unrestricted offer meaningful. 

The prophetic vision of the redeemed reveals a multitude drawn from "all nations" (Matt. 28:19) and gathered into one people through the blood of Christ, demonstrating that His sacrifice possesses a reach capable of embracing every human division. 

Together these passages form a coherent biblical conclusion: Christ's atonement is unlimited in its provision, extending a genuine saving possibility to all humanity, establishing the foundation for a gospel that can be proclaimed without hesitation, without restriction, and without narrowing the scope of those who may come.

3 days ago • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report