The Highest Bidder

How great is the debt that you owe God because of your sin?

If you were an Old Testament Jew...who did NOT live by faith...then you would think the debt you owed God was something...really not that great...very insignificant.

Why do I say that? Because of the payment that you would have to make to bring you back into a right standing with God would be the death of a mere animal!

You buy one sheep to cook for supper, and one sheep to pay for your sins.

Do notice, that the payment for supper and for sin is both within the power of the person...and that the payment for your sins was really no greater than the payment you would make to fill your stomach.

Do also notice that I said that this would be the case only for the Israelite who was not living by faith...an Israelite who lived by faith saw that the animal sacrifices of the Mosaic law system...pointed ahead in time to the great sacrifice of their Messiah.

So, if you were an Israelite not living by faith, you would see your sin as something very small, very insignificant...and you would see God's love as something that was also small and insignificant.

Why would I say this?

If God said that my sin could be atoned for by mere animal blood, then my sin must be something very small...because tens of thousands of animals die daily for food, clothing and other common needs also.

And if God could pay for my sin by creating an animal [remember, God spoke the universe into existence] and have "it" die for my sin...what real sacrifice or act of love is that from God?

So if you were an Old Testament Israelite you would see your sin and God's love both as things that were fairly small...

...but you would be horribly mistaken!