Spotless.
Josh and I have been going through this great Bible reading plan that Jaime sent to us, and the other day it took us into the book of Leviticus. If I’m being honest, I’ll admit I waited until after I finished my fried eggs that morning to read the section entitled “Regulations About Infectious Skin Diseases,” and even then I skimmed it…
As I read on however, I got to a section talking about the requirements for an “unclean” person to once again become “clean.” And the further I read, the more emotional I became, which surprised me (and surprised both Josh and Jaime when I told them the cause of my emotions was Leviticus..).
The people during this time who had a disease had to go to tremendous lengths, including living alone away from others and yelling “Unclean!” when approaching people. Multiple sacrifices had to be offered both by the infected person and the priest in order to make full atonement. And as I read through the requirements, I became nearly overwhelmed at the reality (which I am sadly so prone to take for granted) that God decided there was a better solution to this situation.
And what was it?
This.
2 Cor. 5:21 “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”
Philippians 2:5-8 “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself & became obedient to death – even death on a cross!”
I have struggled to comprehend the depth of these statements many times in my life, knowing that many people will ask “If He’s really God, why couldn’t He have found another way to remedy things??” It seems unbelievable to think that God could and would come in human form and sacrifice His life for us.
My wise husband articulated it well the other day when he shared that with our free will inevitably comes choice (the two cannot be mutually exclusive), and that while many definitions arise, “sin” is really a separation from God. And with that “sin” comes the need for atonement, or re-establishing a relationship with God (and a right relationship to Him), which is what we were created for.
Jesus was the sacrifice that meant nothing further had to be offered, no middle man necessary any longer for direct access to God.
The reality of God coming to earth in human form meant freedom, forgiveness, and connection to God for all humanity, enacted no longer by shouts of “Unclean!” but changed forever by the phrase “It is finished.”
Hebrews 4:15-16 "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have One who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
As I read on however, I got to a section talking about the requirements for an “unclean” person to once again become “clean.” And the further I read, the more emotional I became, which surprised me (and surprised both Josh and Jaime when I told them the cause of my emotions was Leviticus..).
The people during this time who had a disease had to go to tremendous lengths, including living alone away from others and yelling “Unclean!” when approaching people. Multiple sacrifices had to be offered both by the infected person and the priest in order to make full atonement. And as I read through the requirements, I became nearly overwhelmed at the reality (which I am sadly so prone to take for granted) that God decided there was a better solution to this situation.
And what was it?
This.
2 Cor. 5:21 “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”
Philippians 2:5-8 “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself & became obedient to death – even death on a cross!”
I have struggled to comprehend the depth of these statements many times in my life, knowing that many people will ask “If He’s really God, why couldn’t He have found another way to remedy things??” It seems unbelievable to think that God could and would come in human form and sacrifice His life for us.
My wise husband articulated it well the other day when he shared that with our free will inevitably comes choice (the two cannot be mutually exclusive), and that while many definitions arise, “sin” is really a separation from God. And with that “sin” comes the need for atonement, or re-establishing a relationship with God (and a right relationship to Him), which is what we were created for.
Jesus was the sacrifice that meant nothing further had to be offered, no middle man necessary any longer for direct access to God.
The reality of God coming to earth in human form meant freedom, forgiveness, and connection to God for all humanity, enacted no longer by shouts of “Unclean!” but changed forever by the phrase “It is finished.”
Hebrews 4:15-16 "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have One who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
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