God expects believers to be exemplary in life, character and behaviour. It is, however, humanly impossible for anyone to be an example, “in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith (and) in purity,” without Jesus Christ, the Emancipator, that atones for the sins of mankind. John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus Christ, redirected the focus of the people of his time to Christ the Saviour, the final Sacrifice and “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”
John the beloved, the inspired writer of the Gospel of St John also presents Jesus Christ as the Lamb who is the ultimate sacrifice for sin; the Light who shows us the mind of God; the Life who brings us out of death into life eternal (John 14:6); the Lord of the universe; the Liberator who came to set us free from sin, condemnation, shame and sickness; our Leader and Head of the Church; the Lion of the Tribe of Judah; and the Ladder that takes us from this earth to heaven.
Apostle John wrote these things about Jesus so that we might believe in Him. Trying to live a good, righteous life without conversion is futile and worthless as a filthy rag in the sight of God. Jesus is our Pattern. He has given “us an example, that (we) should follow His steps.”
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” In the book of Genesis, the lamb that God provided for sacrifice pointed to a time in the future when Christ will sacrifice His life for the salvation of the world. The Lamb is a substitute. All mankind should have died for our numerous sins, but in the event, Christ took our place in the crucible of God’s judgment.
The Bible says: “All souls are mine… the soul that sinneth, it shall die,” (Ezekiel 18:4). But Christ came and died in our place. God provided Christ as our propitiation, pardon and protection, so tha,t we will no longer die for our sin. He is also our sin-bearer (Isaiah 53:7; 1 Peter 1:18,19; Revelation 5:1-14). The blood of the lamb saved and protected the children of Israel from death in the land of Egypt. Likewise, when God sees the blood of Jesus on us, sickness, premature death, satanic attacks, afflictions and eternal judgment will pass over us.
Our redemption comes from our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. The Lamb sacrificed by the Israelites in Egypt on the eve of their exodus to the Promised Land was for the individual. And today, any individual that calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved (Acts 2:21). The Lamb is for the family. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” (Acts 16:31). The Lamb is also for the nation.” It is expedient for us, that one man should die… that the whole nation perish not,” (John 11:50).
The Lamb is for the world (John 3:16).“ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” The Lamb is for the universe (Revelation 5:1-14). This is the reason we should reach out to every part of the world and remind the people that the Lamb has been slain for the forgiveness of their sins. To benefit from Christ’s sacrifice, sinners must look away from religion and self, and fix their gaze on Christ, who has the power to take away their guilt, cleanse their heart from the pollutions of sin and set them free from guilt and judgment.
• Further reading (King James Version): 1 Timothy 4:12; John 1:35, 36, 29. John 1:29; Isaiah 53:7; 1 Peter 1:18,19; Revelation 5:1-14; Acts 8:32-35. John 1:12; 2:11; 3:18,36; 4:42; 5:24; 6:69; 7:38; 8:24,31; 14:12; 1:29; 1 John 3:5-8; John 5:14; 8:11; Romans 6:6,18,22. John 1:29; 6:60,66-69.
