My new book on the atonement is almost out! One week to go…
I have about 30 people reading through portions of my book on the atonement right now. So far, the feedback has been encouraging. Nobody has the whole book (except my wife) and everybody who has read portions of it says they cannot wait to read the rest.
Though there appears to be blood all over the cover, the message of the book is that God does not demand or want blood, and Jesus did not die to appease a bloodthirsty God. In fact, the cross of Jesus reveals that God has never required blood to offer forgiveness of sins.
If you are curious how God can forgive sins and rescue us from death without demanding the bloody death of Jesus, you will want to read this book.
I have been reading, teaching, and writing A LOT these past several years on the violence of God in the Bible, and this book also provides the beginning place for understanding these violent, bloody texts in Scripture.
If you want to read a brief excerpt, Brad Jersak posted a bit of it on The Clarion Journal, his online theology blog. Click that link to go read it.
The book officially is released on March 21, so stay tuned for more information as we get closer!
do you think, then Christianity is an individual religion or a political one?
Should i be concerned…
Its the blood that washes us white as snow!!! “What can take away my sins, nothing but the blood of Jesus”, right?
He laid down His life…
“For the joy set b4 Him, disregarding the shame, He endured the cross”
Great question, Joy. God does wash us white as snow, but simply through His gracious forgiveness. Blood wasn’t needed to do that. The idea you mention comes from a song, not from Scripture.
Jesus did lay down His life for us … but not because God demanded it, but because we did.
I know its a song… Silly!!!
Christ was offering eternal life long before he died on the Cross, John 6:47, John 11:25-27.
Hi Joy; I thought I might chime in here and put my two cents in. I agree with Jeremy, ‘we do not serve a blood thirsty God’; yet there is more to ‘The Blood’ than this post covers. If we study the book of Hebrews we see blood was an essential part of the old sacrificial system. The important distinction from common theology, NOT that God demanded the blood of Christ instead of our own; or that someone has to die to ‘satisfy judgement’. So why the need for blood? The book of Hebrews gives us the answer, an answer that never includes any nonsense like, ‘Jesus died instead of us’.
As you referenced the song – blood is a cleaning agent! “For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the UNCLEAN, sanctifies for the PURIFYING of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, CLEANSE your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” Heb.9.13-14
And why did Christ have to die? Hebrews is clear, not because ‘someone has to die for sin’, but He went to the heavenly temple, using His own blood to sprinkle, as it were, the heavenly furniture of mediation, and now we have bold entrance to God. But this new testament also required the ‘death of the testator’ (He.9.17). So, Jesus death, His “sacrifice”, was not to ‘replace’ our death, but so the new testament might be in force. In addition, Jesus said, we must “drink” His blood. His blood further cleanses us from the inside out (Jn.6.56)! What wonderful things God has done for us.
Finally, the dominant theory of ‘Penal substitution atonement’, teaches how to consider various words and verses. It takes some real effort to break through those automatic grooves of thought. What does the scripture really say, and what are we taught it says? Very often a Greek lexicon helps. Peter
are you saying Jesus didn’t need to come and die to restore relationship between us and God?
are you saying that Jesus didn’t need to die to atone for all sins?
Eh… well, it depends on what you mean by “restore relationship” and “atone for all sins.”
I am saying that God has always loved and always forgiven all people for all sins, and that God did not need blood sacrifice or the death of Jesus in order to love us or forgive us. The death of Jesus was necessary, but it was not because it was necessary for God.
let me put it this way. i firmly believe that the wages of sin is death. is that Gods desire no. of course not God doesnt desire bloodshed.
but since we all have sinned and fallen short. thus bringing death on ourselves both eternal and on this earth. we needed someone to pay that wage of sin to pay that price instead of us. and set us free from it. that would be Jesus who did this. ive read most of the new testament recently and cant see any way around thinking what i just said isnt true. now this isnt a question of forgiveness. or whether God wanted Jesus to die i mean thats an awkward argument anyways given the doctrine of the trinity. and its clear biblically that there was forgiveness of sins before the cross. and no that wasnt because of sacrifices it was because God forgave them BUT that still doesnt mean that there are no consequences for all the sin that did happen and all that would happen. which again Jesus dealt with on the cross. do you agree with this? also im a poor writer im a much better speaker. i wish i could just talk to you instead of attempt to put my thought on a screen.my wife ussually does my writing while i talk but shes asleep. so forgive this choppy written thought.
i try to be very cautious when teaching or instructing and i may have gone to far saying ” i firmly believe that the wages of sin is death. is that Gods desire no” what i probably should have said is that the wages of sin is death and that God desires for there to be no sin at all as it hinders His creation.
Amen – thank you Jeremy
You hit the nail on the head
The OLD Testament had numerous verses that God the FATHER is our redeemer.
That GOD the FATHER redeems us if we repent and turn from our wicked ways.
2 Chronicles 7: 14
If my people, who are called by MY Name will HUMBLE themselves and pray, and SEEK My face and TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS
THEN …. WILL …. I HEAR from heaven FORGIVE THEIR SINS and HEAL THEIR LAND
(Jesus/Yeshua’s name doesnt appear anywhere in that scripture and many others)
Yeshua will come again to rule the earth (Read Isaiah 11: 6 – 9)
Revelation 2: 7 says THOSE THAT HOLD OUT TO THE END (not those that wash their robes, which is a forgery) WILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO EAT FROM THE TREE OF LIFE WHICH IS IN THE GARDEN OF GOD
Revelation 22: 14 says: Those that DO His Commandments (active doing) will have THE RIGHT to enter into the gates of the city and TO EAT FROM THE TREE OF LIFE.
IT DOESNT SAY ANYWHERE, JESUS DIED FOR YOUR SINS AND THEREFORE YOU HAD THE RIGHT TO EVER LASTING LIFE
I am so glad I stumbled upon your link.
Got to get this book.
My husband and I have been doing research on the fact that God NEVER demanded sacrifices neither did he demand the sacrifice of his Son.
Jesus/Yeshua came for the lost sheep of Israel (who did not know God’s character or what he looked like) Jesus had to teach them WHO God was.
The Pharisees hated Him for that because He taught a different gospel of the one they did and they MURDERED HIM for that.
The crucifixion story is thumb sucking.