So Simple, It's Complicated

This week's Torah Portion, Acharei Mot-Kedoshim אַחֲרֵי מוֹת־קְדשִׁים (After Death-Holy), based on Leviticus 16:01-20:27, speaks about the holiest day in the Jewish calendar and explains the definition of holyness in detail. As I read this week’s lesson and the assigned chapters, I began to grasp just how complex the spiritual reality of salvation truly is. I found myself in awe of what the law requires in order to atone for our iniquities and sins. Many people underestimate the holiness of our Creator and fail to recognize that He does not act outside the boundaries of His own law. To do so would compromise His very nature as holy and righteous.

Our God operates in perfect alignment with the laws He established from the beginning of creation. This is a difficult concept to fully comprehend, yet it carries a deep internal logic. When we think of “God,” we often imagine a being without limits—one who cannot be questioned or judged. In one sense, that is true. However, if such a being lacked moral consistency or consciousness, or if He were evil, then He could act arbitrarily—destroying and recreating without purpose or remorse. But that is not the God we are describing.

An all-knowing, eternal God is not bound by time and sees all possibilities. Like the illustration of Dr. Strange in Avengers: Infinity War, who foresaw millions of possible outcomes and identified the one path to victory, we can imagine that God perceives all potential realities. From that infinite knowledge, He brought into existence a creation that allows for the best possible outcome—one in which free will, love, and genuine relationship can exist. It follows, then, that this world, as complex as it is, represents the precise conditions necessary for beings to freely choose to love, worship, and coexist with Him. God could have created beings who serve Him without choice, but that would contradict His very nature as love. Love, by definition, must be chosen.

God took the complexity out of the equation for salvation so we can make a simple choice.

Within this framework, God subjected Himself to the very structure He created. As a holy being, He must remain consistent with His own laws. If He were to violate them, He would cease to be just and would contradict His own nature. In that sense, He willingly entered into His creation and operated within its rules—not out of limitation, but as an expression of His integrity and love.

"Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!" Phillipians 2:6-8

Because God is just, wrongdoing cannot simply be ignored. To overlook sin without consequence would undermine justice and open the door for rightful accusation. Therefore, in order to uphold both justice and mercy, God made the ultimate sacrifice. He took upon Himself the consequence of sin, fulfilling the requirements of His own law, and offered redemption as a choice to His creation. In this, we see not a limitation of God, but the fullness of His character—perfect justice, perfect love, and perfect faithfulness working together in a way that invites humanity into a relationship with Him by choice.

In addition, we must understand that if God were to violate His own law, He would cease to be just. He would contradict His own word and undermine the very foundation of His righteousness. In that sense, God has willingly subjected Himself to the standard He established. Scripture also suggests that there are other beings—both benevolent and malevolent—who observe the unfolding of creation. Within this reality, God’s actions are not hidden; they are seen and, in some sense, evaluated. If He were to ignore sin or dismiss its consequences, He would open Himself to rightful accusation, appearing inconsistent or unjust. This helps explain why judgment cannot simply be set aside. Justice requires that wrongdoing be addressed. From this perspective, even the accusations of evil are rooted in a demand for consistency—though their intent is corrupt, the standard they appeal to still reflects the necessity of justice. Therefore, in order to remain fully just while also extending mercy, God did not ignore the consequences of sin. Instead, He satisfied the demands of His own law through self-sacrifice. By taking the penalty upon Himself, He upheld justice while making redemption available. In this way, salvation is not the dismissal of the law, but its fulfillment—offered as a choice to those He loves. Read these verses again with renewed understanding:

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son." John 3:16-18

God accomplished everything necessary to fulfill His law and atone for our sins. What remains is for us to receive that atonement. Jesus did not come into the world to condemn humanity; we were already under condemnation, born into sin, with death as its consequence. Instead, He came to provide a way out—to satisfy the demands of the law by bearing its penalty Himself, so that we might have the opportunity to live in restored relationship with Him. This reality is powerfully illustrated in this Torah Portion by the role of the two goats. One is sacrificed as a sin offering, its death serving as atonement—standing in the place of the people. The other, often referred to as the scapegoat, has the sins of the people symbolically placed upon it and is sent into the wilderness, associated with Azazel. This imagery is mysterious, yet it reveals the depth and complexity of what is taking place in the spiritual realm. The scapegoat represents the removal of sin—its separation from the people and its release outside the camp. In your framing, it points to the idea that the burden of sin is carried away, no longer held against those who have been atoned for. Through Christ’s sacrifice, the full weight of sin is dealt with—both its penalty and its claim. As a result, the basis for accusation is removed, and those who receive this atonement are no longer bound by the condemnation that once stood against them. Please allow me to make the connections more clear:

One goat was to suffer, bleed and die for the atomenment in the temple fulfilled by Jesus as the passover lamb who died that week as our atonemnt (see 1 John 2:2). The other goat was to be offered into the desert after all the sins were placed upon it and Jesus also fulfilled that by being taken outside the city limits (into the desert) and crucified there after all our sins were put on His flesh (see 1 Peter 2:24 and 2 Corinthians 5:21).

As always, I want to end this commentary with a call to action—a challenge to the reader. The purpose of learning and understanding these truths is not simply to gain knowledge, but to allow that understanding to produce real change in our lives. As we press deeper into the spiritual realm, we begin to see its complexity. And if we are honest with ourselves, we realize that the more answers we gain, the more mysteries seem to unfold before us. Yet, in the midst of that complexity, God has done something remarkable: He has resolved every requirement of the law and brought us to a simple, personal decision.

Do we believe Him?

Do we trust Him?

Have we come to a place where we truly believe in His Son—His work, His sacrifice, and the depth of His holiness—enough to surrender our lives to Him?

I have. I gave my life to Him decades ago, and after years of studying, seeking, and experiencing His presence, my conviction has only deepened. Even now, I find myself echoing the declaration found in the book of Revelation: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty… worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise, forever and ever.”

Don’t let the complexity of life and the mysteries of this reality keep you from making the simplest and most important decision you will ever face. Give your life to Christ today and experience His goodness for yourself. I love you all. Shalom Ve'Shavuah Tov!