Scripture Reading: Lev. 4:1-35; 6:25-27; John 1:29; 3:14; Rom. 8:3; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 John 1:5-9
Ⅰ
Sin refers to the indwelling sin in our nature; sins refer to the sinful deeds, the fruit of the indwelling sin:
A
Satan, the devil, is the source of sin—Ezek. 28:16-17; John 8:44; cf. 2 Cor. 12:7; 1 Pet. 5:8, 5; Phil. 2:8; John 14:30:
１
Through man's fall Satan's personality became one with man's soul, and Satan was taken into man's body to be sin working as evil in man's fleshly members—Gen. 3:1, 4-5; Rom. 5:12, 19a; 7:18a, 14b, 17, 20-21.
２
Because the devil is the father of sinners, the father of liars, the sinners are children of the devil—John 8:44; 1 John 3:10.
３
We were brought forth in iniquity, conceived in sin in Adam, and born with the poison of the serpent, making us serpents, the generation of vipers—Psa. 51:5; John 9:34; Matt. 23:33; 3:7.
B
Sin is the evil nature of Satan, the evil one, who, having injected himself into man through Adam's fall, has now become the very sinful nature dwelling, acting, and working as a law in fallen man—Rom. 5:12, 21; 6:14; 7:11, 17, 20.
C
Sin is lawlessness—1 John 3:4; 2 Thes. 2:3, 7-8.
Ⅱ
The sin offering signifies that Christ was made sin for us that through His death on the cross sin might be condemned—Lev. 4:1-3, 13-14, 22-23, 27-28:
A
Satan's evil nature in man's flesh was judged on the cross through the death of Christ in the form of a serpent that the believers may have eternal life—John 3:14-16; 1:14; Rom. 8:3.
B
As the One who did not know sin, Christ was made sin on our behalf that we might become the righteousness of God in Him—2 Cor. 5:21.
Ⅲ
After our regeneration we still need to take Christ as our sin offering (1 John 1:8; Exo. 29:35-36) and as our trespass offering (1 John 1:9) every day:
A
Laying hands on the head of the offering signifies the union of the offering with the offerer—Lev. 4:4, 15, 24, 29, 33.
B
Taking Christ as our sin offering means that our old man is dealt with (Rom. 6:6), that sin in the nature of fallen man is condemned (8:3), that Satan as sin itself is destroyed (Heb. 2:14), that the world is judged, and that the ruler of the world is cast out (John 12:31):
１
The word ruler in "the ruler of this world" implies authority or power and the struggle for power—Luke 4:5-8; cf. Matt. 20:20-21, 24; 3 John 9.
２
The struggle for power is the result, the issue, of the flesh, sin, Satan, the world, and the ruler of the world—Gal. 5:16-17, 24-26.
３
Sin involves a power struggle, and the law of sin is the spontaneous power, strength, and energy to struggle with God—Rom. 7:23; 8:2.
C
Through our genuine, intimate, living, and loving fellowship with God, who is light (1 John 1:5; Col. 1:12), we will realize that we are sinful and we will take Christ as our sin offering:
１
The more we love the Lord and enjoy Him, the more we will know how evil we are—Isa. 6:5; Luke 5:8; Rom. 7:18.
２
Realizing that we have a sinful nature and taking Christ as our sin offering causes us to be judged and subdued, and it preserves us, for it causes us not to have any confidence in ourselves—Phil. 3:3; cf. Exo. 4:6.
３
We should learn from David's experience not to have the slightest confidence in ourselves—Psa. 51.
４
God uses the painful method of allowing us to fail so that we will see how horrible, ugly, and abominable we are and so that we will forsake all that is from the self and completely depend on God—cf. Lev. 6:28; Deut. 8:2; Luke 22:31-32; Rom. 8:28.
D
When we enjoy Christ as our burnt offering, the One who is absolutely for God, we realize how sinful we are and we can enjoy Christ as our sin offering—Lev. 6:25-27:
１
Man, created by God for the purpose of expressing and representing God, should be for nothing other than God and should be absolutely for God—Gen. 1:26; Isa. 43:7.
２
Anything we do out of ourselves, whether good or evil, is for ourselves, and since it is for ourselves and not for God, it is sinful in the eyes of God:
ａ
If our serving the Lord is for ourselves, this is sin—Num. 18:1; 2 Kings 5:20-27; Matt. 7:22-23.
ｂ
If we preach ourselves, this is sin—2 Cor. 4:5.
ｃ
If we do our righteous deeds, such as giving alms, praying, and fasting, for ourselves to express and display ourselves, this is sin—Matt. 6:1-6.
ｄ
If we love others for ourselves—for our name, position, benefit, and pride—this is sin—Luke 14:12-14.
ｅ
If we raise up our children for ourselves and our future, this is sin— cf. 1 Cor. 7:14.
Ⅳ
The blood of the sin offering brings us into the presence of God, gives us the right to contact God in prayer, and is effective for our redemption and the peace in our conscience—Lev. 4:5-7, 16-18, 25, 30, 34; Heb. 10:19.
Ⅴ
As a result of Christ being our sin offering and condemning sin in the flesh, it is possible for us to walk not according to the flesh but according to the spirit—Rom. 8:3-4.