It is revealed in the Bible that sin can only be atoned for by blood. There is a bloodline running through the Bible which shows that where there is sin, an innocent party must always take the place of the sinner through the shedding of blood, whether it is an animal or the work of the Messiah.
Genesis 3:21 (NKJV) Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.
Before Adam and Eve sinned against God, they never needed clothing because the glory of God was their clothing. However, after they sinned, an innocent animal was killed for God to make tunics to clothe them because blood had to be shed for their sin. This was the first shedding of blood for sin where an innocent animal had to die for man’s sin.
Out of love and grace, God clothed them before He asked them to leave the Garden of Eden. God first loved them before enforcing what was necessary—to separate sinners from His holy presence. Adam and Eve must have passed this important lesson onto their children, that an innocent party must shed blood to appease the wrath of God towards sin.
Genesis 4:3-5 (NKJV) And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.
Their son Abel understood and accepted that the only way to approach God and to appease His wrath towards sin was by the sacrifice of an animal and its fat. However, Cain failed to be accepted by God through his labour of love. Subsequently, in his anger, he killed Abel.
Hebrews 11:4 (NKJV) By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.
Abel had faith that the shedding of the animal’s blood would allow him to have fellowship with God, and he obtained his righteousness before God based on his faith in God’s way, whereas Cain did not accept that forgiveness can only be obtained through the shedding of blood of an animal and not by good works or self-effort.
Many people today are like Cain, attempting to gain acceptance by God using their own strength, such as using philosophy and religion to try to be a good person. Sadly, because of the sin nature in us, we will always have evil thoughts and actions, and our self-righteousness will cause us to be proud and defiant when provoked.
Our sins can only be atoned for by the blood of Jesus, and our salvation is offered to us purely by the grace of God. It cannot be attained by works.
Sermon Series: The Power of the Blood
惟有宝血
圣经中揭示了罪只能通过血来赎罪。有一条血的脉络贯穿圣经，说明当有罪时，都必须有无辜的一方通过流血来代替罪人，无论是动物还是弥赛亚的救赎之工。
创世记3:21 耶和华神为亚当和他妻子用皮子做衣服给他们穿。
亚当和夏娃在得罪上帝之前从不需要衣服，因为上帝的荣耀就是他们的衣服。然而，在亚当和夏娃得罪了上帝之后，因为罪必须流血，一只无辜的动物被上帝杀死了来让他们穿上皮衣。这是第一次为罪流血，一只无辜的动物不得不为人类的罪而死。
出于爱和恩典，上帝在要求他们离开伊甸园之前给他们穿上了衣服。上帝首先爱他们，然后才执行需要做的事情，将罪人从祂的圣洁的同在里分离出来。亚当和夏娃一定教会了他们的孩子这重要的一课，无辜的一方必须流血才能平息上帝对罪的忿怒。
创世记4:3-5 有一日，该隐拿地里的出产为供物献给耶和华， 亚伯也将他羊群中头生的和羊的脂油献上。耶和华看中了亚伯和他的供物， 只是看不中该隐和他的供物。该隐就大大地发怒，变了脸色。
他们的儿子亚伯明白并接受了接近上帝和平息上帝对罪的忿怒的唯一方法是献祭动物和它的脂油。然而，该隐不能通过他喜爱的劳作被上帝接受。因此，他愤怒地杀死了亚伯。
希伯来书 11:4 亚伯因着信献祭于神，比该隐所献的更美，因此便得了称义的见证，就是神指他礼物作的见证。他虽然死了，却因这信仍旧说话。
亚伯相信，动物的血可以使他得以与上帝相交。他因着相信上帝的方式得以在上帝面前称义，而该隐没有接受这个方式，即只能通过献上动物的血祭才能获得原谅，而不是通过善行或者自我努力。
如今很多人仍然像该隐一样，试图基于我们自己的力量被上帝接受，比如用哲学和宗教来努力成为一个好人。可悲的是，因为人里面有罪的本性，所以我们总是有些邪恶的思想和行为，并且我们的自义会导致骄傲，当被激怒时会目中无人。
我们的罪只能通过耶稣的宝血来赎罪，我们的救恩完全是靠上帝的恩典赐给我们的。这是靠行为无法达到的。
讲章系列：宝血的大能
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