April 30 -- "Forgiven!"

Today's Reading: Leviticus 4 

"Forgiven!"

Forgiven. What a beautiful and powerful word. It means to release someone from the debt or obligation they owe you due to their wrongdoing or offense.

The Bible teaches that all of us have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Our sins create a barrier between us and God, who is holy and perfect. We need forgiveness because our sins separate us from God, and without His forgiveness, we cannot have a close and meaningful relationship with Him nor can we enter into eternal life.

In this particular verse, the focus is on the priest's actions in making atonement for the people's sins. The Hebrew word for atonement is "kaphar," which means "to cover or conceal." In the Old Testament, this word is used to refer to the process of offering sacrifices for sin through the shedding of blood. The blood of the sacrifice was seen as a covering or concealing of the sin, making it possible for the sinner to be forgiven by and reconciled to God.

The shedding of blood was an important element in the process of making a sin offering because blood was seen as the source of life. The life of an animal was understood to be in its blood, and the shedding of blood represented the giving of that life as a substitute for the life of the sinner. 

In the New Testament, the Greek word for atonement is "katallage," which means "reconciliation." This word is used to describe the process of making peace between God and humanity through the death of Jesus Christ, thereby releasing us from the guilt and penalty for our sin.

As Christians, we believe that Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross was the ultimate blood sacrifice that provides forgiveness for our sins. His death was a substitutionary sacrifice in which He gave His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). Through faith in Jesus, we can be reconciled to God and receive forgiveness for our sins, without the need for any further blood sacrifices.

Oh, what joy to be forgiven! Confess your sins and receive that forgiveness right now!