Edshugeo The GodMoor

Reminder: I'm an Atheist.
I used to be a Christian, but never really a believer. I was just sorta going with the flow till I actually thought about it and gradually decided it was bullshit. One thing I had trouble with was Jesus dying for our sins. I don't believe that was ever explained to my satisfaction. On the other hand, I never questioned it, just kinda took the "if you say so" attitude, and let it go. Seemed to me that Jesus died because some dudes came and got him and then nailed him to some wood.

Anyway, a few years ago (or maybe not that long ago) I came across a bible tract on the train. I generally don't read these things, but I did read that one. I thought it did a fine job of explaining the concept of Jesus sacrifice (I don't know if most Christians would agree with this take, though), and gave me a great story idea, I may try out eventually. I'm still an Atheist, though I feel I have a greater understanding of the mythology of Christ.

My intention was to type out the whole damn thing manually, but a search showed that to be unnecessary as it already exists on the web. Clicking on the title above will take you to the web page. I don't know who those folks are (www.hopeofisrael.net), but the printed tract is from the Fellowship Tract League. I provide a swipe of the material here....
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Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) is the holiest day in the year. It is known as "the Sabbath of Sabbaths." This is the day when we as Jews ask the Lord to forgive us for our sins of the year gone by.

• WHAT DOES THE LORD WANT FROM US FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE?
  "For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD." The Book of Leviticus 16:30
  "And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place, and put on his garments, and come forth, and offer his burnt-offering, and the burnt-offering of the people, and make an atonement for himself, and for the people,." The Book of Leviticus 16:24
  
  "For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul." The Book of Leviticus 17:11

So a sacrifice is needed for our transgressions; it was instituted to cover our sin.

• WHAT KINDS OF ANIMALS ARE TO BE SACRIFICED?
  Either lambs, rams, turtledoves, pigeons, oats or cattle. In more recent times the only form of animal sacrifice has been a chicken, even though the Bible never speaks of chickens for a sacrifice.

• THEN WHY DON'T WE DO THIS TODAY?
  Is it possible that a perfect sacrifice has already been offered for the atonement of our sins .. once and for all? If so, where in the Bible does it speak of such things?
  "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way,- and hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." The Book of Isaiah 53:5-6
  "Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief.- when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand." The Book of Isaiah 53:10

• WHO IS THIS THE LORD OUR GOD SPEAKS OF?
  It is the Messiah!
  "Ye worship ye know not what.- we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her I that speak unto thee am he." The Book of John 4:22-26

Therefore, if Jesus Christ was the perfect sacrifice for our sins, there is no need for the sacrificial system today.

WHAT MUST I DO TO HAVE THIS SACRIFICE APPLIED TO MY HEART, SO THAT ALL MY SINS WILL BE WASHED IN MESSIAH'S BLOOD FOREVER?

• REPENT:
  "Therefore I will judge you, 0 house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions,- so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye." The Book Of Ezekiel 18:30-32

• BELIEVE:
  "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation, For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed, For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the some Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him, For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." The Book of Romans 10:9-13
  "For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement." The Book of Romans 5:10-11

Labels: religion