Did the animal sacrifices of the Old Testament take away, remit sins?

“For it is NOT POSSIBLE that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.” Hebrews 10:4

Read Hebrews chapters 8-10 to discover the infinite superiority of the New Covenant Jesus provided, ratified in His own precious blood, vs the Old Covenant. Those animal sacrifices merely prophetically prefigured the promised, coming Messiah. They were a mere shadow of the perfect sacrifice of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ.

“For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” Matthew 26:28

Sin must be punished. God is holy. The Father did not send His only begotten Son Jesus to overlook or cover sin but to remit, to remove.

Each member of the true body of Christ has been purchased, RE-deemed (bought back) by “the precious blood of Christ.”

“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:” 1 Peter 1:18-19

Christ’s perfect sacrifice, the shedding of His precious blood, procured for all men, namely those who believe upon Him, “the remission of sins.”

“This is the sign of my blood, whereby the new testament or covenant is confirmed. Which is shed for many – As many as spring from Adam.” John Wesley

“The New Testament, and which is the general title of all the contents of the book already described, simply means, the new Covenant. Covenant, from con, together, and venio, I come, signifies an agreement, contract, or compact, between two parties, by which both are mutually bound to do certain things, on certain conditions and penalties. … which often signifies, not only the covenant or agreement, but also the sacrifice which was slain on the occasion, by the blood of which the covenant was ratified; and the contracting parties professed to subject themselves to such a death as that of the victim, in case of violating their engagements. An oath of this kind, on slaying the covenant sacrifice, was usual in ancient times.” Adam Clarke

Firstly, Christ, the Word made flesh, and His cross, His perfect sacrifice, was “foreordained BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD” (1 Peter 1:20).

At times, we hear people use the word “spilled” instead of the Bible word “shed” when speaking of the sacrificial blood that flowed from the body of the Savior. Spilled infers that Jesus’ cross was an accident. The Bible word “shed” means He did it intentionally, deliberately, and with full purpose. And we know this to be true because we read in 2 Corinthians 5 that …

“God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. … 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” 2 Corinthians 5:19, 21

On His path to the cross, our LORD said:

“Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?” Matthew 26:53-54 

The phrase “before the foundation of the world” appears in Scripture concerning Christ’s coming to be “the propitiation (atoning sacrifice) for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2).

“According as he hath chosen us in him BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:” Ephesians 1:4

“Who verily was foreordained BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, but was manifest in these last times for you,” 1 Peter 1:20

REMISSION of sins is not a mere covering of them but rather a removal of them.

HE removed them.

As far as the east is from the west (Psalms 103:12).

Blotted them out (Isaiah 44:22).

“Remission”

The word “remission” appears 10 times in God’s Word, all in the New Testament.

af’-es-is
From G863; freedom; (figuratively) pardon: – deliverance, forgiveness, liberty, remission.

“Matthew 26:26-35 A SELF-CONFIDENT DISCIPLE WARNED
The Passover looked back to the dread hour of the Exodus; the Supper links Calvary with the Second Advent. In partaking of it we should not confine ourselves to either retrospect or anticipation, but should endeavor to feed our souls with the very spirit and heart of our dear Lord, so as to absorb His divine strength, sweetness and love. We need to feed on His flesh and drink of His blood after a mystical fashion, so that He may become the Life of our life. The word new is not the same as in Mat_9:17, but contrasts, with the present order of things, something entirely different. The former things will have passed away-such was our Lord’s anticipation! The new covenant is further explained in Heb_8:1-13. It is good to recite its provisions when we sit at the Table. It is as though God and the believer drink of the cup in pledge of that blessed understanding between them. See how our Shepherd eagerly warns one of the sheep that was dear to Him and for which He had pleaded often, Luke 22:31.” F.B. Meyer

“Matthew 26:27, 28 The same is true of the cup; the container is used to express the thing contained. The cup contained the fruit of the vine, which in turn was a symbol of the blood of the new covenant. The new … covenant of grace would be ratified by His precious blood shed for many for the forgiveness of sins. His blood was sufficient to provide forgiveness for all. But here it was shed for many in that it was only effective in removing the sins of those who believe.” William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary

Notice the Corresponding Themes – Which are divinely intertwined, inseparable

Salvation | Remission | Sins

“To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the REMISSION of their sins,” Luke 1:77

Repentance | Remission | Sins

“And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the REMISSION of sins;” Luke 3:3

Salvation | Remission | Sins

“And that repentance and REMISSION of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” Luke 24:47

Jesus calls us to preach both repentance AND His mercy – the remission of sins – His divine mercy and grace and forgiveness upon all who repent and all His children who sincerely confess their sins!!! (Psalms 103:10-12; Isaiah 44:22; Hebrews 4:14-16; 7:25; 1 John 1:9, etc.)

Repentance | Remission | Sins

“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the REMISSION of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Acts 2:38

Faith | Remission | Sins

“To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive REMISSION of sins.” Acts 10:43

Millions of religionists, Catholics, pray for forgiveness of sins daily and to their “priest” and yet, God will forgive no person’s sins until He saves them. The Catholic church is an agency of Satan to actually prevent its deceived members from being born again, regenerated by the blood of Jesus Christ – which is a non-negotiable essential to salvation (John 3:3, 7; Titus 3:5-7). Read this closely…

“Remission of sins” is directly attached to believing upon Christ for salvation. It’s only at the time of regeneration that a man is forgiven of all his past sins (Titus 3:5-6).

Propitiation | Faith | His Blood | Righteousness | Remission | Sins | The Forbearance of God

“Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the REMISSION of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;” Romans 3:25

Purging | His Blood | Remission | Sins

“And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no REMISSION.” Hebrews 9:22

Remission | Sins

“Now where REMISSION of these is, there is no more offering for sin.” Hebrews 10:18

Jesus Remitted our Sins. He didn’t merely cover them … there’s a difference.

“For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” Hebrews 8:12

This aligns with what we read in Psalm 103:

“He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. 11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalms 103:10-12

Have a Clear Conscience

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