The Only Acceptable Sacrifice

The only sacrifice for sin that is acceptable to God is Jesus Christ.  All the sacrifices laid out in the Old Testament/Old Covenant looked forward to fulfillment in Jesus Christ. We can try to do enough good works as a sacrifice for sin, but that does not work.  It is only through the sacrifice of Jesus’ body and blood on the cross that we are set free from our sin. 

Cain tried to make a sacrifice to God from the sweat of his own brow, from the work of tilling the ground.  But that sacrifice was not acceptable to God.  Abel offered up the sacrifice of a lamb and its blood.  The sacrifice of the lamb looked forward to Jesus, the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world. 

Religion tries to do enough work by the sweat of the brow to make an acceptable sacrifice unto God for sin.  But that can never happen.  It is only the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that can be an acceptable sacrifice.

Hebrews 10:3-10   But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. ⁴ For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. ⁵ Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: ⁶ In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.

⁷ Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. ⁸ Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; ⁹ Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. ¹⁰ By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Genesis 4:3-5 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. ⁴ And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: ⁵ But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

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