Principle
The blood of the sinner is the guilt payment for sin.
Explanation
Because:
- sin is contrary to the will and character of GOD,
- GOD is just and shows no partiality,
- all sin must be punished,
- the life of a human soul is in their blood,
therefore, the payment that GOD demands in order to retain His just and holy character is the blood of a human.
This is what Scripture calls the law of sin and death (see Romans 8:2). The law of sin and death is simple: If you sin, then you die.
In order for GOD to stay true to His character, any sin that is committed must also be cancelled by a blood payment.
22 ... without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
(Hebrews 9:22 NIV)
This obviously presents a critical problem for humans (which we will unpack in future principles).
But it also presented an internal conflict for GOD—a puzzle that only He could solve. GOD foreknew this would happen before He chose to create all things. And He predetermined a plan that He would orchestrate to resolve this conflict.
4 ... “The soul who sins, he shall die.
...
10 “But if [a righteous man] begets a troublesome son, who sheds blood, commits sins, 11 does not walk in the way of his righteous father ... this son shall not live, because he did all this lawlessness. He will surely die, and his blood shall be upon himself.
(Ezekiel 18:4b, 10-13 OSB)
