"For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)

"For there is not a just man upon earth, that does good and sins not." (Ecclesiastes 7:20)
(see also Psalm 143:2; Isaiah 59:2)

"For the wages of sin is death..."
(Romans 6:23a)

"But your iniquities have separated you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you that He will not hear." (Isaiah 59:2)

 
But in His great love for mankind, God has not abandoned His creation. In fact He is ever pursuing a relationship with mankind. When Adam sinned God first spoke of future redemption (Genesis 3:15) and then provided the temporary covering for the sin. (Genesis 3:21)

While God has commanded us not to sin, our own "goodness" still cannot reconcile us to Him.

"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags"
(Isaiah 64:6a)

 
So how are we reconciled to God?  What atones for our sin?

"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 makes an atonement for the soul."
(Leviticus 17:11)

 
God set up a system of sacrifices, the most important occurring once a year on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement -- this to atone for all the sins of Israel for the whole year. But always God foretold of another sacrifice, one which would not need to be repeated; it was good once, for all;  He spoke of a Redeemer, the Messiah - a Messiah not just for the Jewish people but for all people.

                Continue the quest