Q: In Hebrews 10:1-4, the writer says that, in contrast to the blood of Christ, the blood of animal sacrifices could not take away sin. However, passages such as Leviticus 4:27-31 and Numbers 15:25-28 seem to indicate that the sins of Israelites under the Law of Moses would be forgiven in conjunction with animal sacrifices. Does this mean that the sins of Israelites were actually "rolled forward" each year by the annual sacrifices until they could be forgiven at the cross?

A: This is a belief I've encountered among Christians ever since I can remember. However, it's one I've never been able to find in Scripture.

For example, in Numbers 14:19-20, we see God had already forgiven - past tense - the sins of the people. The sins of these people were not "rolled forward"; they were simply forgiven at that time.

To properly understand this issue, one must carefully read what Hebrews actually says. It does not say the Israelites were not forgiven. It does not say, as some argue, that sins were not forgiven under the Old Covenant. What it indicates is that the blood of bulls and goats alone cannot forgive sins.

Hebrews 9 and 10 contrast the perfect sacrifice of Christ with the imperfect ones under the Old Law. Recall that Hebrews was written to Jewish Christians to convince them that the Law of Christ was superior to the Law of Moses. They were not to waver in their faith to God through Jesus; they were not to turn back to the Law as the basis for their salvation. Ultimately, it was the blood of Christ that allowed even those under the Old Law to be forgiven. To turn one's back on the sacrifice of Christ would mean one was depending on the imperfect sacrifices of bulls and goats alone to remit his sins. He would reject Jesus' blood and hope only in the sacrifices offered by priests to forgive his sins - which it could not.

The life and death of Christ was the fulfillment of the Law (Matthew 5:17-18, Luke 24:44); with the Law fulfilled,it is obsolete and taken away. The Christian should not look to it for justification and forgiveness. This is the writer's point throughout Hebrews, including the passage above in Hebrews 10.