THE LAW: UNINTENTIONAL SINS

Understand the Context

See Leviticus 4:1-35...

This passage gives instruction for offering sacrifices for unintentional sins (sin offerings). It addresses sins committed by the high priest (verses 3-12), the whole congregation (verses 13-21), a leader/ruler (verses 22-26), and individual common people (verses 27-35).

Observe and Interpret the Text

Unintentional sins are still sins, so we can’t plead ignorance. (See Leviticus 5:14-19, 22:14)

Unintentionally sinning makes you incur guilt.

Psalm 19:12 “Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults.”

The wages of sin is death.

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (see Genesis 2:17, Ezekiel 18:20, Romans 5:12, James 1:14-15)

A sacrifice must be made to cleanse you from your sin and guilt.

Hebrews 9:22 “Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”

By laying his hand on the sacrifice, he was transferring his sin and guilt to a sinless substitute.

Isaiah 53:6 “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

Blood was placed on the altar to cleanse the altar itself. This points to the far-reaching defilement of sin. (see above Hebrews 9:22)

The rest of the blood was poured out at the base of the altar as an offering to the Lord.

Leviticus 17:11 “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.”

They were to burn the fat as a sin offering to the Lord (see Leviticus 3:3-4) because it was considered the best part of the sacrifice.

Genesis 45:18 “and take your father and your households, and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you shall eat the fat of the land.’”

It was only after offering the prescribed sacrifice that the person could be forgiven. (Verse 31, 35)

The priests would eat the rest of the animal’s meat. (see Leviticus 6:24-30) This was done to provide for the needs of the priests.

Analyze and Apply the Text

Hebrews 10:1 “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.”

Since the law was only a shadow of the good things to come, what realities does this passage point to?

Are people today still responsible for unintentional sins? How does this apply to people who have never heard the Gospel? (See Romans 1:18-32, 2:12-16, Luke 12:42-48)

We have great guilt from intentional and unintentional sin. (See Revelation 20:11-15)

Only a sinless substitute can pay our sins. (See Isaiah 53)

The blood of bulls and goats can’t take away sin.

Hebrews 10:4 “For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.”

We need the Lamb of God to take away our sins.

John 1:29 “The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

The Lord laid our sins on Christ. (see Isaiah 53)

If we repent and believe in Christ, our sins are taken away and His righteousness is credited to us.

2 Corinthians 5:21 “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (See Hebrews 10:10-14)