To read this article instead, click this link: https://flipflopfellowship.com/2020/08/30/why-jesus-didnt-die-for-your-sins/
Tag: passover
Why Jesus Didn’t Die For Your Sins
Christianity teaches that Jesus, the perfect sinless lamb-of-God had to die for people’s sins so they can be forgiven and make it to heaven. Christianity also touts that it is only through a blood sacrifice a person can receive atonement for any sin, whether intentional, unintentional, past or future sin. It is propagated to congregants that all of us, whether Jew or Gentile, are eternally doomed unless we believe Jesus is the Messiah who died and overcame sin and death through the resurrection. Guilt, condemnation, and fear are the key ingredients while dangling promises of heaven and eternal life to motivate people to believe. These beliefs come from various places throughout the New Testament, which just by cleverly labeling it the “New” Testament sends the message anything before it is old news, invalid, and irrelevant. Out with the old, in with God’s new and improved way of doing things. And yet, Malachi 3:6 and 1 Samuel 15:29 clearly state God is neither a human nor does God change. We do. With that said, let us explore what the “Old” Testament, or Hebrew Bible, has to say about sin, sacrifices, forgiveness, believing in the Messiah to be saved, etc.
While it is true that all of man sins eventually as the Apostle Paul writes in Romans 3:23 and it is true sin has consequences as he further explains in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death,” it is not necessarily death or blood of an animal or blood of a human in Jesus’ case that can make it right or to put in Biblical terms, make atonement. It can be confusing, however, when a Christian cherry-picks verses, as they (formerly we) seem to specialize in doing in order to propagate a doctrine. Christian missionaries and ministers often point to Leviticus 17:11 which in part states, “For it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.” That is their AH-HA GOTCHA moment. And yet, when studying sacrifices and other passages found in the Hebrew Bible, we see God provides a variety of methods to teach His people a tangible lesson about sin and forgiveness; moreover, He provides grace and mercy well before Jesus and still today regardless of Jesus.
First, understand, that there are many different types of sacrifices, most of which are a form of praise and worship and have nothing to do with sin such as the burnt offering, meal offering, the daily morning and evening offerings, various offerings during the feasts of the LORD, etc. In fact, the sin and trespass offerings, also known as the purification and guilt offerings, are only for unintentional sin, meaning you, your household, the congregation, or the nation accidentally violated God’s law without realizing He had a law against such a thing.
Second, please study and know there is no sacrifice for intentional sin only unintentional sin. Understanding this concept is critical. I encourage you to get a Strong’s Concordance or Google the terms unintentional and intentional in the Bible. You will not find any sacrifice for intentional sin for if you knowingly and purposely sinned, you went through God’s judicial process and would have been eventually stoned or cut off (same thing) should the account of two or three witnesses manifest. The sin or purification offering is for if a sin was unintentionally committed against the LORD whereas the trespass or guilt offering was if a person unintentionally sinned against another person and by default the LORD as well. You will notice Leviticus chapters 4-6 states that those who unintentionally sinned against their brother, neighbor, or another person had to make restitution to the person they accidentally sinned against. Hence, love God, love others concept taught in both the Hebrew and Christian Bibles. While reading about the trespass also known as the guilt offering, notice in Leviticus 5:6-13, that the Torah teaches if a person cannot afford to bring a lamb, goat, turtledoves, or a pigeon, they can instead simply bring flour for forgiveness. Flour for forgiveness?! And yet, there is no blood in flour so based on Christian theology, how could that person be forgiven? Nevertheless, Scripture reveals that a person shall be forgiven indeed (see vs. 13). The overall message, God is teaching His people is, yes, sin has consequences, and He uses the concept of sacrifices whether it be ideally a costly sacrifice of an animal or even flour to reveal even unintentional sin is not to be taken lightly (pun intended) and yet certainly forgivable upon repentance. Now learn your lesson and don’t let it happen again.
The Book of Hebrews, along with other New Testament books, replaced words from various Scriptures found in the Hebrew Bible. Consequently, Christians are led to believe God required a human sacrifice to put an end to animal sacrifices. Compare Hebrews 10:5-8 to the Psalm the author cited in Psalm 40:6-8. We can see in this example the anonymous author of Hebrews significantly revised the Psalm, making it seem like a human sacrifice was required.
Rather, the sin sacrifice of animals is simply a tangible physical means God uses to reveal the concept of consequences and accountability for ourselves and one another. God recognizes humans need physical, tangible memorials to help us remember Him and His instructions for living – see Numbers 15:37-41 as another tangible physical reminder. God commanded the Israelites to wear tzittzits, strings from the hem of their garments to remind them to obey God’s commands.
Similar to the lesson of the sin sacrifices, as a parent, at times you take away your kid’s electronics or TV time when they sin. Upon doing so, it’s not because you need their electronics, rather you are insisting they sacrifice something with the hopes of teaching them what they did is not permissible in your eyes and they ought not to do it again. You, like our Heavenly Parent, hopefully, are fair and just upon deciding what they must sacrifice on an age-appropriate and offense-appropriate level or affordability level. Flour.
Third, understand sacrifices cannot be made in your backyard or just anywhere you please, but rather can only be made in the place the LORD chooses being in the Temple in Jerusalem (see Exodus 20:24; Leviticus 17:3-6; Deuteronomy 12:13-14, 16:5-6), which at this point in time does not exist. This is the only reason sacrifices are not currently happening. Nevertheless, notice what King Solomon proclaims in a prophetic prayer as he dedicates the first temple. In 1 Kings 8:22-53, but especially highlight verses 44-50 for it is there we see Solomon describes a variety of scenarios for both Jew and Gentile to receive forgiveness including when Jews are dispersed in various lands, taken captive, etc. with no capability of accessing the Temple, all they must do is repent and God will forgive them! Lamentations 3:22-26 as does Psalm 50-51, Psalm 103, Isaiah 1:16-20, and numerous other passages throughout the Hebrew Bible clearly state all one must do is pray to God and repent for their sin and He will gladly forgive them! I implore you to search this out for yourself. Explore terms like sin, forgiveness, salvation, etc. in the Hebrew Bible – an enlightening picture will unfold.
Fourth, did you know that Torah, God’s teachings, will be taught to the entire world from Jerusalem? Several passages such as Isaiah 2; Micah 4; and Ezekiel 44 reveal Torah will be taught. Moreover, the nations must also comply with Torah, God’s voice, His law one day INCLUDING worshipping God on the Jewish Sabbath according to Isaiah 66:22-24 AND bring sacrifices, according to Zechariah 14:16-21.
Fifth, please study the future prophecies found in Ezekiel 36-48, which include the resurrection, regathering, and restoration of all twelve tribes of Israel to the land of Israel. Within those incredible chapters notice the prophet Ezekiel shares that not only will God’s Torah be willingly obeyed by the House of Judah and the House of Israel, but that sacrifices will once again resume. What’s fascinating is these sacrifices are being led by the prince, presumably what some refer to as the Messiah, or an anointed ruler (see Ezekiel 44-46). Notice in Ezekiel 45:15-25, that the “prince” makes sin or purification offerings as well as all the other offerings on behalf of himself and the people, but only for unintentional sins as discussed previously. If Jesus is the one and only Messiah or “prince,” the perfect sinless lamb of God who made a sacrifice once and for all as the anonymous author of Hebrews proclaims, why does the Hebrew Bible prove otherwise?
Also, you will find there is no sinless Messiah described in the Hebrew Bible for it clearly states there is no one without sin according to 1 Kings 8:46 and Ecclesiastes 7:20.
Lastly, in Jeremiah 31, the chapter that predicts the new covenant, notice verse 30 says, “But everyone shall die for his own iniquity.” That’s strange don’t you think? Why doesn’t it say that Jesus will be the final sacrifice as he will die for everyone’s iniquity and the world will live happily or heavenly ever after? Why doesn’t it say this here in Jeremiah 31 particularly when it is discussing the New Covenant? The entire chapter of Jeremiah 31 is revealing the future full regathering and restoration of Israel one fine day in the New Covenant and yet, is still speaking of people dying for their own sin – being responsible for their own sin not trusting in Jesus to do it for them.
The law and prophets clearly speak to this several times as if giving plenty of advance warning of a future religion that will teach such concepts – most likely because this concept of human sacrifices has been a pagan practice since before ancient Israel even existed! Please review Deuteronomy 24:16; 2 Kings 14:6; Psalm 49:7; Ezekiel 18 and 33, all of which speak to the fact that a human cannot die for another human’s sins. Everyone is accountable to God for themselves. So why do we think Jesus, a human, can die for our sins?
Also, now knowing the law and prophets speak nothing towards such concepts of a Messiah dying for our sins, nor do we need to believe in a Messiah to be saved, and we now understand human sacrifice for the atonement of sin is forbidden, plus forgiveness is granted simply by repenting when a temple is not in place, and when it is in place, flour can be used as a substitute for blood, and if God does nothing without revealing it to His prophets first as Amos 3:7 states, why would we suddenly think God changed not only His pure language (see Zephaniah 3:9) from Hebrew to Greek, did away with His instructions found in Torah, and yet didn’t reveal it to His prophets of such dramatic changes or that a person must believe in His one and only son, the Messiah, in order to be forgiven and saved?
Ironically, I discovered this and so much more when I attempted to write an article proving Jesus is the Messiah using only the Old Testament. Needless to say, upon doing so, over many astonishing and grievous months, God “flip-flopped” my faith as His word clearly declares Jesus did not die for my sins, your sins, or anyone’s sins but his own!
Mom, Why Don’t You Say, ‘Happy Easter’ Anymore?
Earlier this afternoon on the Feast of Firstfruits / Passover (Leviticus 23:4-14), which happens to correspond with Easter this year, my teenage son, who lives in Maryland with his dad, sent me a text, ‘Happy Easter.’ I responded with, ‘Happy Firstfruits.’ While lounging in the cockpit on the back of our sailboat enjoying the blue skies and fair winds here in Texas, it is then my son and I transitioned from texts to an important phone conversation.
“Mom, Why don’t you say, ‘Happy Easter’ anymore?,” my soon to be 15 year old inquired.
“I’m happy to explain it to you, Christian, if you really want to know. But I should forewarn you, it will probably not be what you want to hear.”
After all, what kid, teenager or not, doesn’t want an Easter basket full of candy and other free goodies, right?!
After asking my son, Christian, if he remembered learning about Emperor Constantine in 6th grade when we did cyber school that year, I went on to tell him what the school’s curriculum did not share with us…
How Easter & Sunday Became Doctrines In The Church
Although Christians have been persecuted since shortly after Jesus’ death and resurrection, most of whom were Messianic Jews in the beginning, the Roman Emperor Constantine seemed to significantly alter church history – some for the better, but more for the worse.
- 312 A.D.
In 312 A.D., Constantine experienced a vision of a cross in the sun, which he and his army interpreted as a vision pertaining to Jesus Christ. Up until then and even thereafter, Constantine had been a worshiper of various Roman gods, such as the Sun-god.
- 313 A.D.
Most likely due to his vision, Constantine ended persecution of the Christians in 313 A.D. through the ‘Edict of Milan’. This act was the ‘for the better’, but below it gets far worse!
- 321 A.D.
However, a few years later on March 7, 321 A.D., out of his love and worship for his false Sun-god, which the Roman people worshiped specifically on the 1st day of the week, as opposed to Jews and Christians that worshiped their God on the 7th day of the week, Constantine decided to order all businesses and activities, except certain agriculture, to cease on Sundays. Sunday, or ‘dies Solis,’ the day of the Sun, was declared the Roman day of rest in honor of their Sun-god. In doing so, the Emperor’s motive was to unify the God of the Holy Scriptures with the pagan, Roman sun-god, by decreeing everyone worship and rest the same day.
“Do not learn the way of the Gentiles…”
Jeremiah 10:2 (NKJV)
- 325 A.D.
A few years after creating a day of rest to honor the Roman sun-god, the Emperor Constantine along with the Roman Catholic Church, in 325 A.D. at the famous ‘Council of Nicaea’, discussed and decided on many theological issues. It was at this summit, doctrines such as the ‘Trinity’ were established as well as the erroneous and poisonous virus of antisemitism still transmitted in churches today. In that meeting, the early church fathers along with the Emperor, decided ‘Easter’ should be celebrated rather than Passover, to purposely separate themselves from the Jews following ‘that evil way,’ which happens to be the only way, according to the Jewish Bible. Those attending this meeting, clearly, did not understand when Jesus said, ‘Do this in remembrance of Me,’ He and His disciples were doing Passover (Luke 22) not Easter.
Historical records tells us Constantine wrote the following edict:
“It was, in the first place, declared improper to follow the custom of the Jews in the celebration of this holy festival, because, their hands having been stained with crime, the minds of these wretched men are necessarily blinded. By rejecting their custom, we establish and hand down to succeeding ages one which is more reasonable. …
“Let us, then, have nothing in common with the Jews, who are our adversaries. … Let us with one accord walk therein, my much-honoured brethren, studiously avoiding all contact with that evil way. They boast that without their instructions we should be unable to commemorate the festival properly. This is the highest pitch of absurdity. For how can they entertain right views on any point who, after having compassed the death of the Lord, being out of their minds, are guided not by sound reason, but by an unrestrained passion, wherever their innate madness carries them.”
“To sum up in few words: By the unanimous judgment of all, it has been decided that the most holy festival of Easter should be everywhere celebrated on one and the same day, and it is not seemly that in so holy a thing there should be any division.”
“And you shall not walk in the statues of the nation which I am casting out before you; for they commit all these things, and therefore, I abhor them…I am the LORD your God, who has separated you from the peoples.”
Leviticus 20:23-24 (NKJV)
- 365 A.D.
Many years later, the Council of Laodicea made decisions regarding what day is the Sabbath. Keep in mind the Romans were used to resting on Sunday in order to worship the Sun-god. This was their proclamation about the Sabbath – notice the virus of antisemitism continues to spread throughout the Roman Catholic Church in those days:
“Christians must not judaize by resting on the Sabbath, but must work on that day, rather honouring the Lord’s Day; and, if they can, resting then as Christians. But if any shall be found to be judaizers, let them be anathema from Christ” (Council of Laodicea, 29th Canon).
You’ll notice in that statement the Council of Laodicea essentially acknowledges the Jews have the seventh-day Sabbath as the correct, God-appointed day of rest, but out of the Romans’ hardened, prejudiced heart, they decreed believers must work on the Sabbath while Sunday, the day already designated as a day of rest to honor their false sun-god was more appropriate. It was in this verdict, many Christians, out of fear of persecutions and being shunned, adhered to this changing of God’s law.
“When the LORD your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land, take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way…”
Deuteronomy 12:29-31 (NKJV)
- Early 400’s A.D.
Augustine, a theologian of that era, had this to say:
“The holy doctors of the church have decreed that all the glory of the Jewish Sabbath is transferred to it [Sunday]. Let us therefore keep the Lord’s Day as the ancients were commanded to do the Sabbath” (Robert Cox, Sabbath Laws and Sabbath Duties, 1853, p. 284).
If you are interested in many more alarming facts coming directly from the Roman Catholic Church regarding their decision to change the Sabbath from the 7th day to the 1st day, click this link:
http://godssabbathtruth.com/catholicchurchchangedsabbathsunday.html
In regards to the term, ‘Easter,’ this is the English translation of the fertility goddess known as ‘Ishtar’ in the Babylonian culture, or ‘Eastra’ in the Anglo-Saxon culture, or ‘Astarte’ in the Canaan culture, or ‘Inanna’ in the Sumerian culture, or as ‘Venus’ in the Roman culture, or ‘Aprhodite’ in the Greek culture. Regardless of which culture, fertility and sex was the heart of this goddess and sacrifices were made to her around Pesach / Passover.
In the Babylonian culture, the people would sacrifice infants and use the baby’s blood to dye eggs – hence, the tradition of Easter eggs! Still want to dye eggs with YOUR babies? I didn’t think so. (source: https://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends/ancient-pagan-origins-easter-001571 and http://www.thinknot.net/easter.htm )
In summary, I pray the truths I shared with my son, not coincidentally named Christian, will guide him as he and others continue their faith journey with God and circumnavigate His course.
As for me and my boat, we will serve the LORD.
