KAPHAR = PURGING, CLEANSING, REMEDIES DEFILEMENT – WRONGLY TRANSLATED ATONEMENT.

KAPHAR = PURGING, CLEANSING, REMEDIES DEFILEMENT – WRONGLY TRANSLATED ATONEMENT.  

The Complete Word Study of the Old Testament of AMG Publishers says that KAPHAR is one of the most important words in the OT. I have come to the same conclusion, because how you see KAPHAR determines your whole view of the fall, God’s response, the purpose and the work of the Messiah and of salvation. As you will see below, it affects the whole Biblical message and Gospel.  

Lev 16:30  For on that day the priest shall make KAPHAR  (atonement, propitiation, appeasement / purging, cleansing, remedies defilement for you), to cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your sins before the LORD. It is a Sabbath of solemn rest for you, and you shall afflict your souls. It is a statute forever.

Lev 17:11  For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to  KAPHAR your souls; for it is the blood that KAPHAR the soul.'

Heb_9:22  And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness or deliverance of sin.

The dictionaries say “kaphar” means: to cover, to expiate or condone, to placate or cancel reconcilliate, propitiate, appease, make (an) atonement, pacify, pardon, disannul, remedy for the defilement, cleansing, forgiving, purging (away), putting off. It is most commonly translated as ATONEMENT / PROPITIATION / EXPIATION meaning appease, reconcilliate, etc. But in some places it is translated as PURGING, CLEANSING, REMEDY FOR THE DEFILEMENT. In the Scriptures quoted above, it is already clear what KAPHAR means. It is to cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.

What you choose and believe KAPHAR to mean, will influence and determine your whole salvation - and eternity.

HOW?

BACK TO BASICS:

Any honest reader of the Scriptures will know that we need deliverance, cleansing, freeing, washing and salvation from sins. That is specifically why Jesus came. God does not want and Jesus was not sent to overlook or cover  our sins or to appease God’s wrath whilst we continue sinning. 

God clearly said that if we eat of the forbidden fruit, WE SHALL SURELY DIE Gen. 2:17. In Leviticus He repeatedly commanded HOLINESS and promised He will make us holy. In Hebrews He said WITHOUT HOLINESS WE WILL NOT SEE HIM Hebr12:14. Through Ezekiel He said the soul that sins shall die Eze18:4. Through Matthew, Luke  and John the Baptist He said those not bearing good fruit of repentance will be burned in eternal fire.  Through Matthews, Mark, Luke and John, God and Jesus said the following are not entering heaven: the unbelieving, unforgiving, those who deny Him, disobedient, those loving family more that Jesus, those not taking up their cross or laying down their lives for Jesus, those not working and gathering with Jesus, those speaking wrong words and doing wrong deeds, spiritually blind, blunt-hearted, sign-seekers, self-serving, proud (un-childlike), those causing the least to stumble, hypocrites, unjust, unmerciful, unfaithful, un-persevering , unrighteous, unfruitful, extortioners, self-indulgent, and those who ill-treat the least.  

Through Paul God said the wages of sin is death and sinners, the carnal, unclean, unholy and unrighteous shall not enter heaven. Rom 6:23; Gal 5:21; 1Co 6:9-10; Eph 5:5. Through John He said the one who sins is of the devil. Through Peter He said those disobeying Jesus will be utterly destroyed and if even the righteous are barely saved, the godless and wicked (sinners) are lost.

Scriptures, which cannot be broken, say we will be judged by our works and what we DO! Mat_16:27  Mat_10:41-42; Job_34:11; Psa_62:12; Pro_24:12; Isa_3:10-11; Jer_17:10; Jer_32:19; Eze_7:27; Rom_2:6; 2Co_5:10; Eph_6:8; 1Pe_1:17; Rev_2:23, Rev_22:12-15.

 God NEVER changed or cancelled what He said.

David believed this. Therefore, he prayed for forgiveness and over and over for thorough cleansing and purging to get even whiter than snow. He realized God does not want sacrifice for then he could have done it easily and all the cattle on earth are God’s. He wants a clean, broken, contrite heart.

Since we all have sinned and have eaten of the forbidden tree, we are all dying and dead men going to hell according to God’ Word. The lie of Satan and those who believe his lie, somehow believe that we will SURELY NOT DIE even if we keep on sinning – because of ……. and then several reasons are given. The main reason is in how KAPHAR is translated and interpreted.

According to the Scriptures, the only way to get into heaven is to get forgiveness for all the times we have eaten the forbidden fruit and to STOP eating of the forbidden tree and live a holy life. To get forgiveness we need to remorsefully confess we have sinned and we need to repent. Then we need to STOP EATING / i.e. stop sinning. To stop sinning, we need SALVATION, DELIVERANCE, CLEANSING AND FREEDOM FROM ALL SIN – that we may live HOLY LIVES WITHOUT WHICH WE WILL NOT SEE GOD. God and Jesus said we only live if we live from EVERY WORD THAT GOD HAS SPOKEN. That is not to sin and holiness. Without holy lives, we sin and are then still dead.

HOW DO WE FIND THIS? It is firstly by faith and obedience. God promised from the first day of sin Someone will be born out of the seed of Eva who will crush / bruise / destroy the head of the Serpent under foot. Gen 3:15. The MESSIAH will do that and will deliver, cleanse and wash His people from all their sins, will set us free indeed, will destroy the works of the devil, will justify and sanctify us, will make our robes white, will give us victory over Satan, etc. The following Scriptures also confirm this: Psalms 51:2,7,10; Jeremiah 33:8; Ezekiel 36:25-27; Ephesians 5:26; Titus 2:14; Hebrews 9:13,14; 10:1,2; 1 John 1:7-9.

The MESSIAH was sent SO THAT WE MAY STOP EATING OF THE FORBIDDEN TREE, STOP SINNING, BE SAVED AND CLEANSED FROM ALL SIN, LIVE HOLY LIVES, MAY NOT DIE AND MAY ENTER INTO HEAVEN.

We must BELIEVE this above EVERYTHING ELSE. 

The Messiah was NOT sent to cover or overlook our sins and to pay for or bear the punishment of our sins on our behalf or to appease the wrath of God, so that we may still go to heaven even if we continue to sin. The heathen nations see their sacrifices as appeasing an angry god who will punish sin.

The true GOD wants confession, repentance and restitution with a broken and contrite heart and spirit and obedience. Psa_34:18, Psa_147:3; 2Ki_22:19; Isa_57:15, Isa_61:1-3, Isa_66:2; Eze_9:3-4, Eze_9:6; Mat_5:3; Luk_18:11-14. And He wants cleansing and purging of sin, righteousness, justice, holiness i.e. STOP EATING THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT. Is. 1:11-18. The New Covenant through the Messiah would do exactly this – THROUGH HIS BLOOD – i.e. THE LIFE IT REPRESENTS THAT WAS SPILLED. HIS BLOOD / GIVING UP HIS LIFE WILL CLEANSE US PERFECTLY, PURGE AND REMOVE SIN AND MAKE US HOLY. Hebr. 9:14, 28; 10:10, 14, 16

GOD hates and abhors sacrifices without that. Eze_20:39; Mal_1:10; Mat_15:9; Luk_11:42; Hebr. 10:5-6; Isa_1:11-15; 66:3; Pro_21:27. HE DOES NOT WANT SACRIFICES FOR ATONEMENT i.e. appeasement, substitution and sins do not stop.

We MUST OBEY GOD to live by EVERY WORD HE HAS SPOKEN. If God sees such faith in His words and obedience to His words, He will do as He has promised.

Heb_11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

The people in the Old Testament did confess their sins, they sacrificed a lamb for their sins and obtained forgiveness, but they could not get total deliverance or cleansing because the blood of the lambs, rams and calves could not cleanse them completely Hebr. 9:9; 10:1-4. They kept on sinning and eating of the forbidden tree and had to sacrifice repeatedly . Is that enough? Is that acceptable to God? Is that as far as we can go? NO, it is not because in so doing we still keep on eating of the forbidden fruit, sinning, and will still die. Unfortunately, most people in the OT and these days stop here. They consider the sacrifices of lambs and the sacrifice and blood of Jesus as a payment for their sins and guilt, or as an atonement, appeasement, propitiation or reconciliation and believe that they are acceptable to God because of the sacrifice / Sacrifice – even if they still sin. For them Kaphar means this. If you view and believe it like that, sins will continue and you will believe that is all you require – because Jesus’ blood atone for and is a propitiation for sin – but for that you need to ignore that God commanded us to STOP sinning and be holy and if we are not, we will SURELY DIE.

However, we read that some people in the OT did obtain full salvation and holiness e.g. Abel, Henoch, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Samuel, David, Isaiah etc. God Himself even testified that they were righteous and pleased Him. How did they find that? How do we find it under the New Covenant through the Messiah?

THE BLOOD OF JESUS - THE ONLY WAY TO BE CLEANSED.

According to the Scriptures, God has one only way and condition to ultimate deliverance, cleansing, and salvation from ALL SIN, victory over Satan and even perfect cleansing of our conscience and sanctification i.e. making us holy. It is through the BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST, THE MESSIAH. 

Heb_9:22  And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness or deliverance of sin.

Heb 9:14  how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Heb 10:10  By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Heb 10:14  For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

Heb 10:22  let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled (to cleanse) from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Heb 10:29  Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and

Heb 13:12  Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate.

The following Scriptures all indicate what the blood of Jesus does. Read it carefully.

Zech 9:11-17;13:1-9; Matt 26:28; Acts 20:28;Rom 3:25;5:9; Rom 8:3-4; 1Cor. 1:18; 1 Cor. 1:23-24; Gal. 1:4; Gal 6:14; Eph. 1:7; Eph.2:13; Eph 2:14-16; 5:25 -27; Col.1:14; 1:20-22; Tit 2:14; Heb 1:3 ; 9:12; 9:14 ; 9:15; 9:22; 10:10; 10:14, 22; Hebr. 13:12, 20-21;1Pet. 1:2;1:18-19; 2:24; 3:18  ; 1John 1:7; Rev. 1:7; 5:9-10; 7:14; 12:11.

Forgiveness, deliverance, cleansing from sin and sanctification come ONLY through the blood of Jesus. Most read, know and say these verses, but have not found it and do not live it. Why not? If we are not truly DELIVERED, FREED, WASHED AND CLEANSED from sin and sanctified, the truth of the blood of Jesus must be missing  – for the truth would have set us free.  

WHAT IS THE TRUTH OF THE CROSS OF JESUS?

Please read The TRUTH of THE CROSS OF JESUS CHRIST for a detailed article of +- 16 pages on this topic with multiple scriptures proving the truth of what I am saying.

 God Himself came to earth as Jesus, Son of God, the Messiah. He spoke His words, and did His works to prove He was indeed God or GOD was in Him. When He completed His work, He handed Himself over into the hands of men, of sinners and in your and my hands to do to Him as we pleased and He allowed all our sins and iniquities to fall on Him. He bore the sins of the whole world in His body on the cross. It pierced and crushed Him – just as it has grieved and quenched God, His heart and His Holy Spirit. What we did to His Words, we did to His flesh. What we did to the LEAST, we did to Him. So He was pierced and crushed by every sin of co-mission and omission of every man. John the Baptist says He is the Lamb of God who bore the sins of the WHOLE WORLD. Isaiah says He was pierced and crushed because of OUR sins and iniquities; He bore OUR iniquities and the sins of MANY. Paul says He was handed over to be killed because of OUR transgressions. OUR SINS KILLED OUR GOD AND MESSIAH AND GRIEVED AND QUENCHED HIS SPIRIT!! Our sins pained and killed our own Father and Creator. This is the worst thing ever possible!. We are indeed totally damned and doomned.

And after 3 days He rose from the dead to prove He was indeed GOD ALMIGHTY. Now He sits in heaven to judge all those who did it to Him – and it was ALL OF US.

Zech 12:10 says the Holy Spirit of grace pleads with us to look up to Him whom we have pierced and to mourn bitterly for Him – as deeply as when an only child dies. If we do not, we are damned. And if we have eyes to see and a heart that feels and understands, we will indeed mourn for HIM until our last day on earth – as a parent does for his only child that died.

Those who harden their hearts and continue in their sins, continue breaking His words and piercing Him, their neighbours and the least. They will be condemned justly into eternal hellfire. By denying they killed Jesus, they prove they are children of those who murdered the prophets from Abel to today.

Those who hear and obey the Holy Spirit, confess and mourn and grieve bitterly for what their sins did to Jesus and for spilling His blood / life. They did the same to GOD, the Holy Spirit, His Word and the least. They confess, repent and make restitution – and by pure grace they are forgiven, cleansed and delivered – by the blood of Jesus - if they confess they have spilled it with every sin. This is the only blood that can cleanse us. (Without confessing this, there is no blood that can cleanse us) Jesus, as a willing sacrifice, gave Himself into our hands and allowed us to do that to Him to prove His love and to show us how painful and evil sins really are. This revelation utterly shakes us, destroys the old man, cleanses and totally transforms us.  Zech 13:1-9, Acts 2-4. If we are not totally transformed, cause sins to stop and are not cleansed by this, nothing else on earth will do it. God cannot possibly do more.

So His blood washes us and His wounds heal us – THAT WE MAY DIE TO SIN AND LIVE ONTO RIGHTEOUSNESS and ARE HEALED BY HIS WOUNDS. 1Pet 2:24. Then we are justified and sanctified i.e. made just and holy through the blood / live of the Lamb of God. We will live holy lives and so will see God. We have been bought for God by the blood of Jesus! The Messiah now has done in us what He came for. We are saved from our sins, set free indeed and the works of the devil are destroyed BY HIS BLOOD – all by grace, undeserved, and we “qualify” to enter into heaven.

To those being saved by the power and wisdom of the word of the cross, experience KAPHAR is indeed REMEDY FOR THE DEFILEMENT OF SIN, PURGING, CLEANSING, FORGIVENESS AND DELIVERANCE – THROUGH THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB OF GOD. That is what they believed and sought – and find daily. Seeing Jesus bearing their sin, suffering and bleeding because of sin, they CANNOT accept kaphar to mean atonement or coverage or expiation. They are thankful for forgiveness of past sins, but want CLEANSING, JUSTIFICATION AND SANCTIFICATION for sin MUST STOP and cannot be overlooked.

That is exactly what The LORD’S SUPPER means to them and they remind themselves of this whenever they use it. They take the bread and break it, openly proclaiming, presenting, signifying and confessing that that is how their sins broke and killed the body of Jesus - and will do again if they continue in sin. And they take the wine and pour it, confessing that that is how their sins poured out His blood /life - and will do it again if they keep on living in sin. They eat and drink it, confessing they were surely partakers in His suffering and death through their sins and they will surely again be guilty of His body and blood and deserve to be judged and to die if they keep on sinning i.e. doing it unworthy of Him. So they examine and judge themselves and the blood of Jesus cleanses them of all sins and His wounds heal them. For such, kaphar MUST mean CLEANSING, PURGING and REMEDY of sin and sins CANNOT be overlooked or covered or atoned or appeased.

WHAT IS THE TRUE MEANING OF KAPHAR?

There are numerous scriptures confirming that Kaphar in fact means PURGING, CLEANSING, REMEDY FOR THE DEFILEMENT. this. Let Scripture declare / explain Scripture. By the testimony of three witnesses, the case is established.  Here are many more.

Lev. 16:30 actually says it very clearly.

 For on that day the priests shall KAPHAR / remedy the defilement / purge / cleanse you, to cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.

To ATONE i.e. cover, expiate or condone, to placate, cancel, reconciliation, appease, pacify – will overlook, condone, pardon but will NOT cleanse one from ALL sins. So in the context KAPHAR MUST be PURGE / CLEANSE / REMEDY THE DEFILEMENT.  

All the following scriptures clearly show that kaphar in the context must mean PURGING, CLEANSING, REMEDY FOR THE DEFILEMENT. .

Exo 29:36  And you shall offer a bull every day as a sin offering for atonement. You shall cleanse the altar when you kaphar / make atonement for it, and you shall anoint it to sanctify it.

Exo 29:37  Seven days you shall kaphar / make onement for the altar and sanctify it. And the altar shall be most holy. Whatever touches the altar must be holy.

Lev 8:15  And he slew it; and Moses took the blood, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about with his finger, and purified the altar, and poured the blood at the bottom of the altar, and sanctified it, to kaphar / purge / cleanse it / remedy its defilement.

Lev 12:7  Then he shall offer it before the LORD, and kaphar / purge / cleanse her / remedy her defilement. And she shall be clean from the flow of her blood. This is the law for her who has borne a male or a female.

Lev 14:18  The rest of the oil that is in the priest's hand he shall put on the head of him who is to be cleansed. So the priest shall kaphar / purge / cleanse him / remedy his defilement before the LORD.

Lev 14:19  "Then the priest shall offer the sin offering, and kaphar / purge / cleanse him / remedy his defilement who is to be cleansed from his uncleanness. Afterward he shall kill the burnt offering.

Lev 14:20  And the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the grain offering on the altar. So the priest shall kaphar / purge / cleanse him / remedy his defilement, and he shall be clean

Lev. 16:10 NLT “When it is sent away to Azazel in the wilderness, the people will be purified (kaphar) and made right with the Lord.”

Num 8:21  And the Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes; then Aaron presented them like a wave offering before the LORD, and Aaron kaphar / purge / cleanse him / remedied their defilement to cleanse them.

Num 25:13  And he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and kaphar / purged / cleansed them / remedied the defilement of the children of Israel. Psa 106:30  Then Phinehas stood up and intervened, And the plague was stopped. Psa 106:31  And that was accounted to him for righteousness To all generations forevermore.

Phinehas killed the hoaring Israelite man and women and God stopped the plague. God was pleased with him for he was righteousness. He did not atone / placate / appeased / pacified / pardoned / overlook /condone their sins. He CLEANSED, PURGED THEIR SINS AND REMEDIED THE DEFILEMENT OF ISRAEL by killing the offender.  If sin is purged / cleansed / defilement remedied, we are righteous. 

Psa 65:3 Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt kaphar / purge them / remedy their defilement away.

Psa 79:9  Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and kaphar / purge away / remedy the defilement of our sins, for thy name's sake.

Pro 16:6  By mercy and truth iniquity is kaphar / purged / cleansed / defilement is remedied; and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.

Isa 6:7  And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin kaphar / purged / cleansed / defilement remedied.

Isa 27:9  By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be kaphar  / purged / defilement remedied; and this is all the fruit to take away his sin;

Isa 53:11  He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify (cleanse from sin and make just) many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

Eze 43:20  And thou shalt take of the blood thereof, and put it on the four horns of it, and on the four corners of the settle, and upon the border round about: thus shalt thou cleanse and kaphar / purge it / remedy its defilement.

Eze 43:26  Seven days shall they kaphar / purge / cleanse / remedy the defilement of the altar and purify it; and they shall consecrate themselves.

Dan 9:24  Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to kaphar / purge / cleanse / remedy the iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

Zec 9:11-17  As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water. … made thee as the sword of a mighty man…. save them in that day… how great is his beauty. I.e. the blood of the covenant will deliver, save, give victory and beauty. Isa 53:11  He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

INTERPRETATION OF KAPHAR IN THE NT.

It is also clear in the Scriptures below that the NT writers interpreted KAPHAR by the sacrificial blood of the OT to mean CLEANSING, PURGING, REMEDY FOR DEFILEMENT OF SIN, REMOVING OF SIN, CLEANSING THE CONSCIENCE and NOT to atone i.e. appease, expiate, placate, pardon, or overlook sin. The sacrifices according to the law “cleansed” the physical things and attempted to or pointed to cleansing from sin, but could not cleanse them and they had to do it over and over.

Most stopped here and took it that the blood of the sacrifice atoned for their sins and is adequate – and they kept on sinning. They did not persevere until they found the promise. They died under the wrath of God in the desert due to unbelief and disobedience.  And up to today most still stop here and see JESUS’ blood as an atonement, appeasement, expiation, etc. -  and they keep on sinning – and will die in sin and not see God!

However, those who seriously kept on believing what God said, kept on seeking to fully obey every word God spoke and endeavoured to stop eating the forbidden tree, or they wanted to rule over sin, like Abel, and they kept on searching for deliverance from sin. They will then realize what Jesus said Nicodemus should have known namely that they needed to be born all over again and to receive a totally new heart and life in order to live as God demanded. GOD HIMSELF needs to save them and sanctify them. It was not possible to find it even by their best efforts. These will realize they need a SAVIOUR OR MESSIAH OR DELIVERER to forgive, deliver and cleanse them from all sin and to make them holy. And they also will only find it when they realized the blood of the sacrificial lamb they have spilled because of their sins and for their sins could not cleanse them but actually illustrated / displayed / was an image of what they did to the LAMB OF GOD, to the SPIRIT OR HEART OR LIFE OF GOD because of their sins.  If they realized they actually spilled GOD’S or MESSIAH’S LIFE / BLOOD through sinning, THEN they could be cleansed perfectly and be made holy by HIS BLOOD and LIFE that was spilled. Abel must have found this in order to be called righteous by GOD. Enoch must have found this because only a totally broken, contrite and cleansed heart due to this could have pleased God. David saw it when the innocent child (signifying CHILD OF GOD) died due to his sins and when he said Psa 51:4  Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight— THEN he cried out for forgiveness, total deliverance and cleansing.  The Jews suddenly found this on Pentecost day and Paul on the Damascus road – and they were forgiven and totally transformed, cleansed and made holy. Even simple lies stopped and when Annanias and his wife lied, they were struck dead!! All the others who lived must have lived holy lives. So GOD’S laws and the New Covenant were indeed written in their hearts and minds and they did not depart from it - and it happened through the cross of Jesus. BUT IF they sinned unintentionally, by the blood of Jesus they confess they have again spilled, they can still be forgiven and cleansed – onto perfect cleansing of even their consciences – onto holiness!! Then all the effects and fruit the Scriptures say (as referred to above) will follow the Blood of Jesus, become a reality and truth. Then we find the full deliverance from sin, salvation to the uttermost and the promise GOD made with an oath to Abraham. Abraham received it when he also believed God would and could do the totally impossible and when He obeyed to the point of sacrificing Isaac. It is the promise Zacharias, John the Baptist’s father, spoke about through the Holy Spirit.

Luk 1:73-75  The oath which He swore to our father Abraham: To grant us that we, Being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.

To those who hope and steadfastly believe God’s word and promises, like Abraham did - against all the odds and all physical appearances - the same promise with an oath is given. God’s promise cannot be broken and SHALL be fulfilled because God is almighty and faithful to His promises. HE PROMISED, WITH AN OATH, full and perfect forgiveness, deliverance, cleansing, salvation, eternal LIFE, receiving and inheriting all GOD’s blessings, true righteousness and holiness. This is believing KAPHAR means cleansing, purging, removing and remedying sin. This promise is referred to in many  Scriptures:  Luk_1:54-55; Joh_5:39, Joh_6:68; Act_3:25-26; Rom_2:7, Rom_5:2, Rom_5:4-5; Rom_8:17, Rom_8:23-24; Rom_12:12, Rom_15:13; 1Co_1:9, 1Co_10:13; 1Co_13:13; Gal_3:29, Gal_4:7; Col_1:23, 27-28; 1Th_1:3;  1Th_5:8,24; 2Th_3:3; 2Ti_1:1; 2Ti_2:10; Tit_1:2; Tit_2:13-14, Tit_3:7-8; Heb_3:6, 14; 4:14; 6:13-19, 9:23; 11:7, 9, 11; Jam_1:6; Jam_2:5; 1Pe_1:3-5; 1Pe_3:7; 1Jo_2:25, 1Jo_3:2-3; Jud_1:21;Rev_3:11;

Sadly, most will not find it through unbelief and disobedience despite these many clear promises.

 

THE INTERPRETATION OF KAPHAR IN THE NEW TESTAMENT:

The NT also always took it that the blood of Jesus will fulfil and do as foreshadowed by the blood of the lambs in the OT, i.e. it will CLEANSE, DELIVER, SAVE, PURGE, PURIFY us from all sins. I e. they clearly took Kaphar to mean that.

Mat 26:28  For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed because of many for the forgiveness and deliverance (Gr. Aphesis) of sins.	Jesus fulfilled the OT and also indicated His blood will cleanse, deliver and save people from their sins – NOT atone, cover it or appease God.
Mat 20:28 & Mark10:45 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. See also Act_20:28; 1Co_6:20, 1Co_7:23; 1Pe_1:18-19; Rev 5:9	We are slaves of sin. Our sins grieve & pierce Him and spill His blood and life. We see it on the cross, we mourn, confess and repent. He forgives, delivers, cleanses us.  So He buys us back for God with His blood. His precious life/ blood was our ransom from sin.
Joh 1:29  The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.		John knew this LAMB will do what the OT lambs Lev. 16 pointed to and could not do i.e. take away and cleanse sin.
1Co 5:6-8 Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?  Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed because of us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.		The lamb’s blood did not atone for or overlooked sin or appeased God. On the contrary, they had to clean their houses thoroughly of all leaven because the lamb was slain. Same spiritually with sin.
1Co 11:25-32  After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.		This also shows they were supposed to be cleansed from sin and the blood does NOT atone for, cover, expiate or appease their sins. On the contrary, we are punished if we are guilty of His body and blood.

Gal 1:4  Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

Eph 1:7  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness and deliverance (Gr. Aphesis) of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Col 1:13-14  Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness and deliverance (Gr. aphesis) of sins:

Tit 2:14  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

1Jn 1:7  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

1Pe 1:18-22  Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;  But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the

Rev 1:5  And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed / cleansed / freed us from our sins in his own blood,

Rev 5:9-10  And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. The blood of the Lamb delivered and bought out of slavery to sin and made us free and to rule and reign over sin and the world.

THE HEBREWS WRITER’S INTERPRETATION OF KAPHAR:

He clearly took it to mean CLEANSING, PURGING, PURIFYING, REMOVING, REMEDY OF SIN:

Heb 9:9  It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience—

Heb 9:13-14  For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Heb 9:22  And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood,

Heb 10:1-2  For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins.

Heb 10:4  For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.

Heb 10:11  And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.

CORRECT INTERPRETATION OF PROPITIATION,

In view of all the above, it is undeniably clear how the following Scriptures should have been translated and interpreted. Foremost is to know that JESUS’ BLOOD CLEANSES, PURIFIES, PURGES, REMEDIES, TAKES AWAY AND DELIVERS FROM SIN and NEVER excuses, overlooks, pardons, appeases, expiates or atones for sins. If it cleanses, it MAKES A SINNER JUST AND RIGHTEOUS AND HOLY and IT SANCTIFIES HIM.

Rom 3:23-26  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified (MADE just and righteous) freely by His grace through the redemption / salvation, riddance, deliverance that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation -cleansing, remedy for the defilement - by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance / tolerance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier (MAKES JUST – by cleansing, purging, delivering) of the one who has faith in Jesus.

1Jn 1:7  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

1Jn 2:1-2  My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the remedy for the defilement / cleansing / propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

1Jn 4:10  Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the remedy for the defilement / cleansing / propitiation for our sins.

CORRECT INTERPRETATION OF JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH IN JESUS’ BLOOD:

Again, in view of everything above and according to the following Scriptures, the true meaning of JUSTIFICATION is obvious. We are KAPHAR, saved, cleansed, purged, purified, delivered, remedied from sin or sin removed from us by the blood of Jesus. So if we are JUSTIFIED or by JUSTIFICATION we are MADE RIGHT, JUST AND RIGHTEOUS AND HOLY - BY HIS BLOOD. Our sins are NOT atoned for or overlooked and we are NOT declared or seen as righteous or imputed with righteousness whilst we continue to sin.

We will be judged according to what we DO and by our words, not what we believe or by how we believe God sees us through Jesus.  Read all these Scriptures for yourself and do not be deceived. Rom 2:6; Job_34:11; Psa_62:12; Pro_24:2; Isa_3:10-11; Jer_17:10, Jer_32:19; Eze_18:30; Mat_16:27, Mat_25:34-46; 1Co_3:8, 1Co_4:5; 2Co_5:10; Gal_6:7-8; Rev_2:23, Rev_20:12, Rev_22:12.

So if we are judged by what we DO and by our WORKS, we NEED TO BE MADE RIGHTEOUS AND HOLY, or we will be damned.  God will NEVER declare or see us righteous if there is still sin in us.

Exo 23:7  Keep yourself far from a false matter; do not kill the innocent and righteous. For I will not justify the wicked.
Pro 17:15  He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, Both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.
Isa 53:11  He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By this knowledge of Him, My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities.
Nah 1:3  The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, And will not at all acquit the wicked.
Mat 12:37  For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
Mat 13:49  So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just,
Act 10:35  But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.
Act 13:39  And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.	The law could not cleanse us or make us righteous, but Jesus does.
Rom 3:24  being justified (MADE just and righteous) freely by His grace through the redemption i.e. salvation, riddance, deliverance that is in Christ Jesus,	Jesus saves, rids, delivers us from sin and so makes us JUST & RIGHTEOUS.
Rom 5:17  For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)	Through Adam’s sin we became slaves of sin. Much more shall Jesus’ grace and gift of righteousness make us victorious over sin.
Rom 5:18  Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.	Through Adam’s sin in us, we are all condemned. So through Jesus’ gift, our LIVES ARE MADE JUST.
Rom 5:19  For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.	By Adam’s disobedience we are all made sinners. So by Jesus obedience we are made righteous – and sins stop.
Rom 5:21  That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.	As sin ruled and killed us, so righteousness rules giving eternal life.
Rom 6:16  Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?	If we obey sin, we die. Or we obedience to God brings righteousness.
Rom 6:18  Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.	Free from sin is serving righteousness.
Rom 6:19  I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.	As we served sin, now we need to serve righteousness unto holiness.
Rom 6:20  For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.	I we serve sin, we have no righteousness.
1Co 6:9  Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 1Co 6:10  Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 1Co 6:11  And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.	Unrighteous and sinners will not go to heaven. We WERE that, but now we are washed, sanctified and JUSTIFIED – MADE JUST AND RIGHTEOUS.
1Ti 6:11  But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.	Follow righteousness i.e. to live just, right and righteous.
Tit 2:11  For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, Tit 2:12  teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, Tit 2:13  looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, Tit 2:14  who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. Tit 3:5  not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, Tit 3:7  that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.	By grace we are saved and taught to deny ungodliness and lusts, to live sober, righteous, godly. He died to redeem / deliver, save cleanse  purify us from every sin, zealous to do good. – i.e. to be righteous. By grace He saved, washed, regenerated and renewed us and so He JUSTIFIED US - MADE US JUST AND RIGHTEOUS - and we can inherit  eternal life which we hoped for.
Heb 11:4  By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts;	By Abel’s offering, sacrifice and gifts to God, God testified he was righteous.
Heb 11:33  who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,	Right fait WORKS RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Heb 12:11  Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.	The chastening of God is peace and RIGTHTEOUSNESS as fruits.
1Pe 2:24  who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.	Jesus bore our sins and it wounded and killed Him – that we may stop with sin and live RIGHTEOUS.
2Pe 2:21  For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.	There is a holy commandment to live the WAY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.

JUSTIFICATION or TO BE JUSTIFIED is therefore undeniably to be MADE RIGHTEOUS, JUST, RIGHT AND HOLY and NOT to be seen or declared as righteous. The blood of Jesus KAPHAR, CLEANSES, PURIFIES, PURGES AND REMEDIES SIN and JUSTIFIES US OR MAKES US RIGHTEOUS AND HOLY.

IF WE SAY WE HAVE NO SIN, WE LIE.

1Jn 1:8  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Those who see Kaphar as atonement, excuse sin and do not believe ALL THAT IS ALSO WRITTEN about this. They always bring up this verse to defend themselves and to make all those believing in perfect cleansing and living holy lives liars. Then they need not listen any further. Unfortunately, the Scriptural evidence in totality is against them – and the true Greek meaning of this verse. Interpreting this verse as meaning we will all continue to sin, goes against the whole 1John and the whole message of the Gospel. 

E.g. if interpreted to mean no one will ever be able to live without sin it will directly go against 1Jn 1:7  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. They infer the blood of Jesus CANNOT cleanse us from ALL sin.

The answer is in the Greek. Wuest writes in Vol. 2, p.103 ‘“sin” here is singular in number and is used without the definite article, all pointing to the fact that the nature is referred to, not to sinful acts.’ This verse therefore means: Someone who says he has no sinful nature, i.e. there is no possibility for him to sin, is a liar.

CONCLUSION:

To those going lost and remaining in their sins or excusing it or thinking their sins are overlooked by the sacrifice of the lamb / LAMB, Kaphar means – atonement, appeasement, covering, propitiation, expiation. Sins are overlooked, paid for, covered , but NOT CLEANSED, NOT CURED, and NOT REMEDIED. For them the Messiah is a substitute, was sacrificed FOR them, on their behalf, acquits them, paid FOR their sins, was punished by God in their place, took the righteous judgment of God on sin on Himself, He carried their punishment, they are declared righteous by believing and accepting Jesus’ sacrifice, will be saved on account of Jesus’ sacrifice, righteousness and holiness, etc. They keep on eating of the forbidden tree, believing the lie of Satan that they will surely not die - because of these reasons i.e. atonement.  They believe they will go to heaven on account of Jesus’ righteousness and holiness and they do not need to stop eating of the forbidden tree and live a holy life. They have the same hearts that Cain and the Jews of old had, who believed the sacrifices ATONE for their sins, i.e. appease the wrath and punishment of God. They feel no true remorse and experience no total cleansing. They deny that they spilled the blood of the LAMB OF GOD and therefore His blood will not cleanse them. They are like Cain who kept on bringing bloodless sacrifices and did not bother to rule over the sin in his life. God hates bringing sacrifices like that and seeing Jesus’ death like that. These people will never find holiness and therefore never see God.

Those who believe that their sins cause the LAMB OF GOD to bleed and die, KAPHAR means cleansing, purging, removal and remedy of sin and, they will keep on seeking for KAPHAR for they CANNOT continue grieving GOD, HIS HOLY SPIRIT, JESUS and their NEIGHBOUR. If they persevere steadfast without wavering in faith or settling for anything less than true holiness, God will send the MESSIAH to save them to the uttermost, perfectly, completely, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing THROUGH THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB WHICH IS THE POWER AND WISDOM OF GOD  – for all things are possible with God for those who believe. May GOD soon also say to you, “Great is your faith, let it be as you have believed.” Then you will receive all the heavenly blessings which GOD prepared for those who AGAPE HIM. (Agapé is Godly love making you willing to die for HIM, die to self, sin and the world)

SELA,

God has now also fulfilled to you Act 3:26.  To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.

Faan Oosthuizen

Bloemfontein,

South Africa.

2016