Forgiveness and the Blood of Jesus

Have you ever wondered why the forgiveness of our sins through Jesus' death on the cross had to happen in this particular way? Wouldn’t it have been easier and less painful if every person simply prayed for an hour once a year or made a financial offering to gain forgiveness? This way, the shedding of blood could have been avoided, and lives could have been saved.

This question is important because when we seek answers, we learn much about God’s nature. The first answer is that the cross is a symbol of God's steadfastness as our protector. Why?

Jesus is also called the "Lamb of God" (see John 1:29; John 1:36). One of the clearest parallels to this, however, is found in the Old Testament. In Exodus 12, it is described how God plans to bring judgment upon Egypt by having the firstborn of every household die. To protect the Israelites from this judgment, they are instructed to mark their doorposts with the blood of a lamb. The blood of the lamb saves them from death. This concept runs through the entire Old Testament: from the temple sacrifices offered as a sign of atonement for sin to Jesus, whose blood overcomes our separation from God.

But why did it have to be blood that protects us from death?

The Bible is very clear on this: From the Garden of Eden to the New Testament, God speaks of the consequence of sin being death (see Genesis 2:17; Romans 6:23). The idea that sin requires death makes the sacrifice of an innocent lamb a substitutionary punishment. Instead of our death, a sacrificial lamb dies—ultimately, on the cross at Golgotha, it is Jesus who makes this sacrifice for us.

But why did it have to be the cross—the terrible, agonizing instrument of execution?

I believe the cross is also a symbol of God’s ultimate triumph over Satan. Satan thought he could defeat the Messiah, Jesus, through death and destroy God’s plan. He stirred up people to bring Jesus to the cross, and so the sacrificial lamb died. But this was not by chance—the prophets of the Old Testament had already foretold this sacrifice. Therefore, the cross not only fulfills the meaning of sacrifice and blood as a means of forgiveness of our sins, but also the detailed predictions of the prophets. Through the cross, God shows that He is sovereign and that Satan’s attacks cannot prevent God’s plan.

Next Step: Ask Jesus to help you with the passages in the Bible that are difficult for you. Invite Him to show you what you need to understand and how these words can become alive for you as well.