Sin is Messy

Read through Leviticus, and you notice something. Blood. Lots and lots of blood. But you will also notice something else. To make atonement for your sins, the priests would make the offering, but you had to kill the animal.

“If you offer a lamb, you are to present it before the Lord, lay your hand on its head and slaughter it in front of the tent of meeting. Then Aaron’s sons shall splash its blood against the sides of the altar.” Lev 3:7-8 NIV

Why is this? Why did they need to get their hands dirty? Because it was their sin. They needed to see the consequences of their sin.

I remember watching The Passion of the Christ for the first time, and the thing that stood out to me most was the understanding that Jesus went to the cross and died for me. That He went through that for me.

How often do we want to make sin plural (our) instead of singular (mine) so that it doesn’t seem as bad? But Jesus sacrificed everything, His body and His blood, for my sins and your sins. Atonement (payment) for my sin came at a great cost.

Mel Gibson made it clear that in the movie The Passion of the Christ, he was the one holding the sledgehammer when they did the scene where Jesus was nailed to the cross. He didn’t pass that off to someone else. And neither should we.

Lord, thank You so much for Your willingness to go to the cross for me. My sin has made a mess of things, but Your blood covered it all. Remind me of the cost of my sin, that I might think twice before sinning again. And give me strength to live as best I can a pure and holy life. For Your honor and glory… in Jesus’ mighty name…