The Scapegoat

A scapegoat is one who is made to bear the blame for the actions of others or for events he did not cause.

The greatest scapegoat in all of history is the Lord Jesus Christ.

God has given each of us a conscience. In sinful or self-righteous people the conscience is to some degree “hardened”, meaning it is relatively insensitive to sin or its own self-righteousness. But in a growing Christian the conscience becomes more and more sensitive to violations of God’s Law.

For me, I have felt over the past years that my conscience has shown me not only particular sins in my life, but, my overall sinfulness.

Sometimes it is hard for me and I find it difficult to believe that God would no longer remember each offense I have done. This is where that I must by faith see Jesus bearing my sin and carrying it away forever from the presence of God.

Bridges reminds us about a story from the Old Testament about the scapegoat carrying away the sins of the people that have been laid on its head, and then reminded me that this was an accurate picture of what Jesus did with my sin. Even so, Christ’s work on my behalf is greater still.

In Isaiah 43:25, God says, “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.”

Psalm 130:3-4 states the same truth, “If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared.

Why Jesus is Our Scapegoat

1. Jesus bore our sins at Calvary
2. Jesus died in our place the death we deserved to die
3. Jesus, in bearing the sins of God’s people makes our salvation a reality even though we are not worthy