1). INTRODUCTION

The Bible has what is euphemistically called a “crimson thread” of atonement pulsing through it like a heartbeat.

Right from the moment of Adam and Eve’s first sin, blood had been shed to cover it.

“The Lord God made clothing out of skins for Adam and his wife, and He clothed them.” (Genesis 3:21)

Animals had to be sacrificed and their blood shed that the shamefulness of sin might be covered. This illustration prefigures the ultimate sacrifice of the cross and sets the tone for the entire canon of Scripture. It is foundational for a proper understanding of the seriousness of sin and what God did by His grace to redeem us. (Not what we did to save ourselves which is impossible).

Its no coincidence that the Quran does away with atonement. There is quite simply no legal, moral or just basis for forgiveness in Islam – period. Then again Islam doesn’t acknowledge that sin separates us from God and it falsely assumes we are innocent at birth. Sins are mere mistakes rectifiable by good deeds and sins can even be transformed into good deeds! (Surah 25:68-71)

This is how sin is trivialised in Islamic theology, and conveniently makes the doctrine of atonement redundant. We should not fall for it. Our first parents fell and we have to deal with the consequences of that, without falling into the snare of Islamic heresy.

2). COULD GOD HAVE FORGIVEN US WITHOUT THE ATONEMENT OF JESUS?

Muslims and other sceptics argue: “Well, didn’t God forgive the Israelites before the cross?”

Answer: Yes, but only superficially and contingently.

The New Testament consistently teaches that OT forgiveness was not the same as the forgiveness that came through the Cross. Read the whole of the book of Hebrews, it’s a Muslim no go area, for a proper understanding of why the Cross is infinitely superior to the daily temple sacrifices.

“For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” (Hebrews 10:1-4)

Instead of the eradication of sin, the Old Testament forgiveness merely covered over sin:

“[Jesus] whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.” (Romans 3:25)

Because Israel’s sins were merely “passed over,” Jesus’ atonement had to work retroactively to cleanse the sins of the OT saints:

“For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.” (Hebrews 9:13-15)

It is only through Christ that our sins are cleansed and purified so that we can confidently enter into the presence of God (Hebrews 10:19-22). Instead, OT forgiveness was only a matter of God passing over sins, not purifying them:

“Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” (Psalm 32:1;)

“Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance?” (Micah 7:18)

The OT saints would only experience a “passing over transgression,” but they were also promised a New Covenant through which God would “remember their sins no more” (Jeremiah 31:34).

Because their sins hadn’t been eradicated, even the deceased OT saints could not come into the presence of a God whose righteousness had not yet been satisfied by the Cross:

“And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.” (Hebrews 11:39-40)

Consequently, after Jesus proclaimed that “It is finished” and the veil of the Temple was torn in two, symbolizing the fact that the way into presence of God was now opened, there was a great earthquake to reinforce this lesson:

“And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.” (Matthew 27:51-53)

Presumably, after their appearances, those saints were enabled to ascend into God’s presence.

3). DECLARED RIGHTEOUS BY HIS BLOOD

Muslims must show us the contradiction in any of the following verses and explain why none of this is in the Quran. Nevertheless the Quran upholds ALL of the following by virtue of Surah 3:3 and others. Perhaps Allah made the need for blood atonement so clear, the Quran had no need to repeat it explicitly and Surah 3:3 is all the guidance a Muslim needs. In any event all that follows MUST hold true until and unless Muslims can prove that the Quran abrogated the doctrine of blood atonement or did away with it through a superior basis for redemption. And if they cannot, and I guarantee they won’t, Muslims still in doubt are admonished to ask us, the people of the book! (Surah 10:94)

• The Blood Shed Atones: Relevant Verses (all quotes are from the HCSB – caps for emphasis)

“Once a year Aaron is to perform the purification rite on the horns of the altar. Throughout your generations he is to perform the purification rite for it once a year, WITH THE BLOOD OF THE SIN OFFERING FOR ATONEMENT. The altar is especially holy to the Lord.” (Exodus 30:10)

“The bull for the sin offering and the goat for the sin offering, whose BLOOD WAS BROUGHT INTO THE MOST HOLY PLACE TO MAKE ATONEMENT, must be brought outside the camp and their hide, flesh, and dung burned up.” (Leviticus 16:27)

“For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have appointed it to you to make atonement on the altar for your lives, since it is the LIFEBLOOD THAT MAKES ATONEMENT.” (Leviticus 17:11)

“But He was PIERCED BECAUSE OF OUR TRANSGRESSIONS, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on Him, and WE ARE HEALED BY HIS WOUNDS. He will see it out of His anguish, and He will be satisfied with His knowledge. My righteous Servant WILL JUSTIFY MANY, AND HE WILL CARRY THEIR INIQUITIES. Therefore I will give Him the many as a portion, and He will receive the mighty as spoil, because He submitted Himself to death, and was counted among the rebels; YET HE BORE THE SINS OF MANY AND INTERCEDED FOR THE REBELS.” (Isaiah 53:5‭, ‬11‭-‬12)

“Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood that establishes the covenant; IT IS SHED FOR MANY FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS.” (Matthew 26:27‭-‬28)

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, AND TO GIVE HIS LIFE — A RANSOM FOR MANY.” (Mark 10:45)

“Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He gave it to them, and so they all drank from it. He said to them, “This is My blood that establishes the covenant; IT IS SHED FOR MANY.” (Mark 14:23‭-‬24)

“In the same way He also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant established by My blood; IT IS SHED FOR YOU.” (Luke 22:20)

“So Jesus said to them, “I assure you: Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you do not have life in yourselves. Anyone who eats My flesh and DRINKS MY BLOOD has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day, because My flesh is real food and My blood is real drink. The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood lives in Me, and I in him. Just as the living Father sent Me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread that came down from heaven; it is not like the manna your fathers ate — and they died. The one who eats this bread will live forever.” (John 6:53‭-‬58)

“Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock that the Holy Spirit has appointed you to as overseers, to shepherd the church of God, WHICH HE PURCHASED WITH HIS OWN BLOOD.” (Acts 20:28)

“They are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. God presented Him as a propitiation THROUGH FAITH IN HIS BLOOD, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His restraint God passed over the sins previously committed.” (Romans 3:24‭-‬25)

“But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, CHRIST DIED FOR US! Much more then, since WE HAVE BEEN DECLARED RIGHTEOUS BY HIS BLOOD, we will be saved through Him from wrath.” (Romans 5:8‭-‬9)

“For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when He was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and said, “This is My body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same way, after supper He also took the cup and said, “THIS CUP IS THE NEW COVENANT ESTABLISHED BY MY BLOOD. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” (1 Corinthians 11:23‭-‬25)

“And through Him to reconcile everything to Himself by making peace THROUGH THE BLOOD OF HIS CROSS — whether things on earth or things in heaven. Once you were alienated and hostile in your minds because of your evil actions. But now HE HAS RECONCILED YOU BY HIS PHYSICAL BODY THROUGH HIS DEATH, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before Him.” (Colossians 1:20‭-‬22)

“We have redemption in Him THROUGH HIS BLOOD, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.” (Ephesians 1:7)

“He entered the most holy place once for all, not by the blood of goats and calves, but BY HIS OWN BLOOD, having obtained eternal redemption. … HOW MUCH MORE WILL THE BLOOD OF THE MESSIAH, WHO THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT OFFERED HIMSELF WITHOUT BLEMISH TO GOD, CLEANSE OUR CONSCIENCES from dead works to serve the living God? According to the law ALMOST EVERYTHING IS PURIFIED WITH BLOOD, AND WITHOUT THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD THERE IS NO FORGIVENESS.” (Hebrews 9:12‭, ‬14‭-‬14‭, ‬22)

“You did not delight in whole burnt offerings and sin offerings. Then I said, “See — it is written about Me in the volume of the scroll — I have come to do Your will, God! ” After He says above, You did not want or delight in sacrifices and offerings, whole burnt offerings and sin offerings (which are offered according to the law), He then says, See, I have come to do Your will. He takes away the first to establish the second. Therefore, brothers, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS,” (Hebrews 10:6‭-‬9‭,‬19)

“Therefore Jesus also suffered outside the gate, so that He might SANCTIFY THE PEOPLE BY HIS OWN BLOOD.” (Hebrews 13:12)

“For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life inherited from the fathers, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish.” (1 Peter 1:18‭-‬19)

“But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and THE BLOOD OF JESUS HIS SON CLEANSES US FROM ALL SIN. If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say, “We don’t have any sin,” we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” (1 John 1:7‭-‬10)

“and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and HAS SET US FREE FROM OUR SINS BY HIS BLOOD”, (Revelation 1:5)

“I said to him, “Sir, you know.” Then he told me: These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. THEY WASHED THEIR ROBES AND MADE THEM WHITE IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB.” (Revelation 7:14)

“They conquered him by THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB and by the word of their testimony, for they did not love their lives in the face of death.” (Revelation 12:11)

4). CONCLUSIONS

This is what blood atonement alone achieves. It replaces our sinful nature with God’s righteousness. Blood atonement enables sinfulness—not sins—to be blotted out of the hearts, minds, and characters of God’s people. For as long as we remain in the flesh and retain our sinful nature, sins will still be committed – and need to be confessed (1 John 1:7-9).

Instead of our sinful nature, even though we remain liable to sin, God writes in His perfection. Even before we are made perfect, the blood of Jesus makes us perfect in God”s sight! Hallelujah! What an astonishing God! What grace is this? Not only did He not wait for us to confess our need for Him, Christ died for us; but even more amazingly, He does not wait for us to receive our resurrection bodies of eternal life, we are already treated as having them now, here on earth.

And because the records in heaven are the perfect record of each of our characters, the sinfulness that used to be in our characters, and thus in the records of heaven, is removed both from our characters and, subsequently, the record of our character in heaven. In other words, the only way to have sin removed from your record in heaven is to trust God, to open your heart to His Remedy (the Cross of Jesus), and to have sinfulness removed from your character here on earth. And the only thing that can achieve this for you and me is the shed blood of Jesus.

Isaiah saw God’s righteousness adorning him like a garment. Notice WHO is doing the clothing, it is from God not of ourselves:

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord , My soul shall be joyful in my God; For HE HAS CLOTHED ME WITH THE GARMENTS OF SALVATION, HE HAS COVERED ME WITH THE ROBE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its bud, As the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, So the Lord God WILL CAUSE RIGHTEOUSNESS AND PRAISE TO SPRING FORTH BEFORE ALL NATIONS.” (Isaiah 61:10‭-‬11 NKJV)

What enables us to wear the robe of righteousness? Only the blood of the Lamb.

“THEY WASHED THEIR ROBES AND MADE THEM WHITE IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB.” (Revelation 7:14)

Those who refuse to allow God into their hearts to remove sinfulness and write in His righteousness will, instead of having their sins blotted out of their hearts, and therefore their records, have themselves blotted out of existence; thus, they will be removed from the heavenly records. This is precisely what is meant by the Exodus 32 passage, “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book.”

So, don’t fall for the legal lie—which is the model of the Muslim idea that sins are merely bad deeds that can be blotted out and simply require erasure from record books or even more fancifully transformed into good deeds! Such heresy only instills within us the belief that sin is mostly a behavioral problem, rather than a heart problem; it also says God is the One we must fear, because He will punish us for any unconfessed sin, instead of fearing sin itself and what it will do to us if we don’t take the remedy that is found only in Christ’s shed blood and the healing power of the Cross.

Muslims and other unbelievers, embrace the truth that God wants to erase all sin, all defects, and all deviations from His design from you and restore you to His ideal! And He will do it, here and now this day on earth, if only you will trust Him! It’s all about what He has done through His Son to shed His blood and clothe us in His righteousness. Nothing else can get you that makeover making you fit for eternity. Amen.