Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- jn_en_2018_05_18 [2018/05/18 11:08] – potthast
+++ jn_en_2018_05_18 [2018/05/18 11:33] (current) – potthast
@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 ====== The Role of Sacrifice ... ======
-Friday, May 18, 2018. Recently, in a cell group of our church the question came up: what about all
+Friday, May 18, 2018. Recently, in a discussion the question came up: what about all
 the rules about sacrifice in the Old Testament? They are disgusting - how can a God of love tell people
 such things? To get a better idea of the role of sacrifice, let us step back a little and look
@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 ** Humans and Sacrifice **
-First, the
+First, we find humans sacrificing animals very early in prehistoric history. Today, there are many
+theories what the origin of sacrifice has been - let us just note it has been there from the beginning.
+Second, human sacrifice was taken up and regulated in the Mosaic law, as written down in the five
+books of Moses. The Mosaic law is a law of obedience in the first place, a law of care, truth and justice.
+Sacrifice plays its role where justice is violated.
+Third, the role of sacrifice is taken up by the New Testament. Here, its role culminates in the sacrifice
+of Christ Jesus at the cross, where he died "for the sin of the world". This is summarized for example
+in Hebrews 10:
 <color #aa0000>
@@ Line 28: / Line 37: @@
 </color> (from Hebrews 10)
+It is not the will of God and has never been that innocent blood should be spread! No, he never wanted this.
+But the role of blood, of life and death, when it comes to justice, care, love, truth and fidelity, needs
+further discussion. We need to understand this connection ...
 {{ 2018:2018_05_18_2.jpg}}
-** A look into our History and Future ...**
+** A look onto our History and Future ...**
+The biblical view into life and death is a very deep and basic one. The questions are addressed on
+a very fundamental level of thought. Do we want injustice, fraud, lies, hatred and ignorance to live?
+Do we want all the bad things, pain and suffering, to go on forever?
+On the other hand: what about freedom? Does it not bring the freedom to do the wrong thing? Does it
+not bring freedom to hurt others, to violate truth or to ignore, to fight, to hate?
+We are in a world, where this freedom exists. We live in a world where suffering is daily reality for
+many humans. Also, fraud is reality, hatred, lies, ignorance, physical fight, ... and the injustice which
+is linked with all of this.
+The core meaning of sacrifice in the Old Testament has been: injustice cannot live. It needs to die. Its
+life has to pass. This was transferred to an animal in ancient times. It is transferred to Jesus, the
+perfect human sacrifice, in the New Testament. God himself dies to set injustice a final limit, it has no
+right to live forever. Here, in Christ Jesus, freedom and justice come together, in death and resurrection.
+Here, at the cross, the sacrifice of the Old Testament, taking up human desire and need to become free of sin
+and guilt is realized in God's chosen sacrifice. It opens a door for mankind to live in justice, and
+to live free, and to find eternal life. What a story! What insight into history and reality of our life
+and our societies on a global scale ...
 (Roland Potthast)
 [[http://www.jesusnetwork.eu/en/topics_collection_ix|... further texts]]
 </WRAP>