Invisible Insanity

I was thinking about the nessecity of Jesus being pure in order to take on all of the sins of the world. Why is this a nessicity? Wouldn't it make more sense to use the person with the most amount of sin? Wouldn't it require less effort? In other words, if sin is transferable, I would imagine it to be much easier to transfer all of the sin onto the one with the most sin instead of a sinless one. Comments? Is this a retarded idea?

Al

NeoApostate

All I know of the reasoning behind it is that in the OT sacrifices God required a pure animal - ala a lamb with no spots or disease or broken bones, etc etc - in order for it to be acceptable.

As far as any deeper theological reason, I guess that would depend on which type of Christian you ask. I'm sure Amos will have an answer that varies a good bit from protestant evangelical theology, and is mysterious and parable-like in it's ability to be understood, for example.

Starboy

I guess it all depends on what is the best container for a sin. It would depend on what a sin is like. If it were some kind of supernatural slime then a gigantic supernatural oil tanker would be a better candidate for carrying away our sins. However if you are going for theatrics then you need to sacrifice a virgin I guess. Why they picked Jesus is beyond me. I don't think he was a virgin. Also crucifying is not dramatic enough, he should have been tossed into a volcano or at least had his heart cut out at the top of a giant temple, then raised to the sky only to be snatched by a passing eagle. Now that is theater! The actual story is very lame.

Starboy

Magus55

No, someone who could fullfill the law perfectly was required. Only someone perfect would be capable of that. Fullfilling the law perfectly was infinitely valuable in God's eyes, and as such, had infinite ability to pay for all transgressions.

Someone who wasn't perfect, and failed at the law themselves, isn't in a position to be able to carry the burden of the world's sins, for they themselves are sinners.

Queen of Swords

Originally posted by Magus55
Fullfilling the law perfectly was infinitely valuable in God's eyes

How many people before Jesus fulfilled the law perfectly? I'm guessing none, because the bible says that none are righteous. Even the smallest sin or the most fleeting thought would break the law. So God valued something that no one could do, and then punished them for not being able to do it - is that right?

winstonjen

And the laws change several times. Sometimes polygamy is permitted, sometimes it's not. That kind of makes that law redundant.

Heurismus

'G'day Bruce...well; we tried ta puttim thru the sheepdip ya see. But we couldn't find the bugger anywhere. But then we didn't realise he was actually standing among us woolybacks; until several years later, he revealed himself as Brian. Now we're proselytising for him in a bloody big way. Cheers, Cobber; welcome to the crew.

'Heidegger Heidegger, was a boozy old begger...'

'All together now........'

Invisible Insanity

I always wondered about this. Where exactly in the old testament does it say that a human, perfect or imperfect, can be sacrificed for the forgiveness of sin?

I think you fail to see my point. If all you are doing is transferring sin what difference does it make to use a sinless being? Since the sinless being becomes tainted as if it had the sin after the sin tranfer, wouldn't it simply be wasteful to include someone who has nothing to do with sin?

Al

Simiangrunt

I don't know if this answers your question, but it makes Jesus easier to look up to if he was sinless. There is no necessity that he be pure, unless you want him to become the symbol of an entire religion.

Ellis14

Jesus was supposed to be the Lamb of God. Just as a lamb was a required sacrifice in ancient Israel, Jesus Christ was the lamb who would pay atonement for all of mankind's sins, just as "death spread to all men because they all sinned" - Romans 12:5, Jesus died "one time for all time" so that "no man need ever die, but have everlasting life". That's the idea behind the ransom sacrifice of Jesus; Adam was a perfect man who condemned mankind to sin and death; Jesus balanced the scales in God's eyes: he was a perfect man who redeemed man from sin and death by living a sinless life and dying a perfect death, in a way; his perfect blood was the ultimate sacrifice that would cover all of man's sins.