Lamb of God

God’s standard is perfection. That perfection was broken in Genesis 3. Therefore, sin separates us from God. God had a plan. We see it revealed in His Word. Blood needed to be shed.

“ In fact, according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified with blood. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.” Hebrew 9:22 NLT

We see this first step in Genesis,“And the Lord God made clothing from animal skins for Adam and his wife.” (Genesis 3:21 NLT)

We also see it when the Israelites were in Egypt during the Passover. “But the blood on your doorposts will serve as a sign, marking the houses where you are staying. When I see the blood, I will pass over you. This plague of death will not touch you when I strike the land of Egypt.” Exodus 12:13 NLT

Someone had to pay the price for our sins. Humanity could not save itself. A sacrifice had to be made to repay the debt of sin.

“Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds[so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.”
Hebrews 9:13-14 NLT

Jesus became the sacrifice for our sins. He became the lamb that was slain for us.

“For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.” I Peter 1:18-19 NLT

So the baby we celebrate this Christmas came to shed his blood for us. His purpose was to save us. Because of Christ, we can stand before God righteous.

“My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.” I John 2:1-2 NLT

He is the Lamb of God, the one who takes away our sins (John 1:29) Because of Christ, our relationship with God is restored and renewed.

“Faith is not a once-done act, but a continuous gaze of the heart at the Triune God. Believing, then, is directing the hearts’ attention to Jesus. It is lifting the mind to ‘behold the Lamb of God,’ and never ceasing that beholding for the rest of our lives.” A.W. Tozer