Why Is Sacrifice Needed?

When Adam sinned, he did so  deliberately.  His taking and eating the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and bad was an intentional act of disobedience. The penalty for that disobedient act was death, as God had clearly stated:  "In the day you eat from it you will positively die." (Genesis 2:17)  Adam and Eve eventually reaped the wages of sin-they perished. -Genesis 3:19; 5:3-5. 

What, though, about Adam's offspring?  Having inherited Sin and imperfection from Adam, they are subjected to the same alienation from God, hopelessness, and death that the first human couple experienced.  (Romans 5:14)  However, Jehovah is a God not only of justice and power but also-in fact, primarily -of love.  (1 John 4:8, 16) So he takes the initiative to heal the breach. After stating that  "the wages sin pays is death," the Bible goes on to say, "but the gift God gives is everlasting life by Christ Jesus our Lord." -Romans 6:23. 

What Jehovah God eventually dd to make good that gift was to provide something that would cover the loss resulting from Adam's  transgression. In Hebrew, the word ka-phar' at first probably meant "cover" or perhaps "wipe off," and it is also translated "atonement."  In other words, Jehovah provided a suitable means to cover over sin inherited from Adam and wipe out the damage that resulted so that those who qualify for that gift could be liberated from the condemnation of sin and death. -Romans 8:21. 

The hope of being set free from enslavement to sin and death was alluded to right after the first human pair sinned. Pronouncing his sentence on Satan, who was represented by the serpent, Jehovah stated:  "I shall put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed. He will bruise you in the head and you will bruise him in the heel."  (Genesis 3:15)  By that prophetic statement, a ray of hope burst froth for all who would put faith in that promise. There it is, however, a price to be paid for that liberation. THe promised Seed would not come and destroy Satan; the Seed must be bruised in the heel, that is to say, must suffer death though not permanently. 

Next time: Conclusion of Why is Sacrifice Needed?

From the Watchtower magazine, 2000