Listen to Nancy’s full response on Mornings with Kelli and Steve on Moody Radio here.
The Messiah Jesus had to be the one to serve as a substitute for man because He is the only sinless man that could pay the price for sinful man.
Because humans are moral, we require a moral substitute.
Animals (bulls, goats, sheep…) are not moral beings; therefore they cannot be moral substitutes for us. They do not have the same conscience. They are not created in the image of God. Therefore, they are insufficient but used in the OT as foreshadowing the sacrifice of Christ for the remission of sins.
God promised to send deliverance through a baby. See Isaiah 9:6 – “For to us a child is born…” This baby was God Himself – “And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6b).
Scripture tells us that God Himself is the answer!
Micah 5:2 foretells the birth of the Messiah in Bethlehem. It uses the phrase, “whose origins are from old, from ancient times.” When He laid down His life, He took the judgment for all of us. When He came out of the grave after three days, it was a statement that the perfect sacrifice was accepted.
When we believe in Christ, we are seen as righteous because He paid the price to redeem our lives.