When I think about the rules and regulations in God’s Word, i.e. Lev, etc. , and the rites of sacrifice and atonement specificities, I feel overwhelmed. Each type of sin required a specific animal, to be prepared in a specific way, by the sinner and the priest. Even unintentional, accidental, and unknowingly committed sins pronounced the person guilty.
Then, thinking of the many more tools and pathways to sin that we have today: internet, cell phone, tv, entertainment choices, games played, what/how we chose to eat or drink, types of work we do, things we think about….. are so much more available and vast. Just think how busy we’d be and how many animals would lose their lives on a daily basis because of us/me IF Jesus had not died and risen to atone for my/our sins!
That doesn’t include how we would perceive one another with much more judgment and condemnation than we do already--- because we would be responsible for confronting the sin and the sinner as a family, a community. Ugh! That’s a frightful responsibility! (Following this thought deserves much deeper and fuller pursuit because we are indeed responsible in the body of our Lord, but that’s for another time.)
Jesus paid for all of that: all of our sins- known and unknown, with His sacrifice and fulfillment of all the rules and duties and the darkness of separation from the Father and all that is good, through His life, crucifixion, death, and resurrection.
Now, how do I/we respond to our sins typically? Sometimes honestly and remorsefully and with gratitude for God’s grace….. Sometimes sloughing off with a “my bad”….sometimes completely thoughtless and uncaring of Jesus WONDROUS GIFT!
My/our sins are no less detestable today than sin was before Jesus came to the earth. God still hates them. In our blasé acceptance of God’s Grace, have we forgotten how rotten we are at time? Are we forgetting to be remorseful, to repent, to appreciate what God and Jesus have and are doing for us on a daily basis by forgiving our sins? I’m guilty. I am so sorry LORD for taking Your love, Your sacrifice, Your hard work for granted. Help me to recognize and repent and Your love and will deserve.
In His Most Precious Name, Amen.
great blog sis, I am so glad God's grace abounds and equally glad we don't live in the times of the Israelites as I would have been stoned a long time ago. Thank you for this inspiration.
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