Sin is Serious

“If the congregation sins unintentionally and the thing is hidden from the assembly, and they do any thing that by the Lord’s commandments ought not be done, and realize their guilt,  when the sin… becomes known, the assembly shall offer a bull for a sin offering… The elders shall lay their hands on the head of the bull.., and the bull shall be killed. The anointed priest shall… dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it seven times before the Lord… [and] make atonement for them, and they shall be forgiven…

“When a leader sins, doing unintentionally any one of the things that by the commandments… ought not to be done, and realizes his guilt, or the sin is made known to him, he shall bring a goat, a male without blemish… a sin offering…  So the priest shall make atonement for his sin, and he shall be forgiven.

“If anyone of the common people sins unintentionally.., and realizes his guilt,.. he shall bring for his offering a goat, a female without blemish, for his sin which he has committed… And the priest shall make atonement for him.., and he shall be forgiven.”

“If anyone sins.., though he did not know it, then realizes his guilt, he shall bear his iniquity. He shall bring a ram without blemish… for a guilt offering, and the priest shall make atonement for him.., and he shall be forgiven. He has indeed incurred guilt before the Lord.” Leviticus 4:13-17,20b,22-24,26b-28,35b; 5:17-19

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

“Every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices… But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God… For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” Hebrews 10:11-14

The detailed atonement process described and carried out repeatedly by God’s ordained priests reminded of inherent sin, and foretold the once-for-all atonement to be carried out by Jesus Christ. Sin was and is a serious affront to Holy God, and by grace, from the beginning, He made a way for it to be forgiven. What might seem disgusting and extreme to a sanitized eye unaware of daily depravity is a vivid picture of how the Lord perceives our rebel nature and the extent to which He loves in order to make things right. (Genesis 3:21; Hebrews 11:24-25; 1 Peter 3:18)

How seriously do we take our sin? Do we pause long enough from busyness, duty, and criticizing others to confess our sins against God and others? Do we ignore or justify happy, pleasurable sin that offends the righteous Sovereign? Would we value a clean heart and clear conscience, and ask Him to search us and reveal fault? (Psalm 51:1-10; 139:23-24)

The beautiful truth of confession is the gracious cleansing that freely follows. Why carry weighty soul burdens when we can be relieved of guilt and shame? Rejoice in Christ’s atoning sacrifice!

“What Thou, my Lord, hast suffered
was all for sinners’ gain;
mine, mine was the transgression,
but Thine the deadly pain.
O make me Thine forever!
And should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never
outlive my love for Thee.” ~Bernard of Clairvaux, 1091-1153

Lord, convict and cleanse me of sin, so I freely love and honor You.