Why Hebrews 9:22 Is a Foundational Verse For Human Nature

Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

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When people take a cursory overview of the Bible, there are some passages that come up time and time again. John 3:16, Genesis 1:1, and Psalm 23 are examples of verses that people cite as foundational. But there is one verse that does more to explain the nature of sin and the sacrifice of Christ than any other. That verse is Hebrew 9:22. Hebrews 9:22 is not just instructional for Christianity but for human nature in general.

Hebrews 9:22 reads:

In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.

This answers a number of questions that people often have about Christianity. Why did Jesus have to die? Why can’t God just forgive everyone’s sins? The reason for those things is that sin requires blood to cover it. Sin creates a psychic wound that percolates and is not easy to fix or remedy. If sin was easy to forgive and forget about, then people wouldn’t hold grudges. There wouldn’t be pain that lasts years, decades, or even generations. The truth is that the pain and damage from sin are more permanent than people…