Why not simple forgiveness; why blood sacrifice; is Jeremiah 32:35 against sacrifice?
Robert Sungenis holds that God cannot forgive cheaply, because his honour and justice must be satisfied, and that Christ's death appeased divine wrath and restored order between God and man. He argues Jeremiah 32:35 condemns sacrificing children to Molech rather than sacrifice itself, and that forgiveness always requires repentance and restitution.
Why not simple forgiveness; why blood sacrifice; is Jeremiah 32:35 against sacrifice?
Answer
God cannot forgive cheaply. His honor and justice must be satisfied. Jeremiah 32:35 condemns sacrificing children to Molech, not sacrifice itself. Sacrifice is holy when directed toward God. Christ’s death appeased divine wrath and restored order between God and man. Forgiveness always requires repentance and restitution. If a person refuses to repent, there is no forgiveness. God is merciful, but never at the cost of His justice.