Oops!

Numbers 15:22-30

God says that if the entire community accidentally sins and isn't aware of it- the whole community is to offer a bull, a goat, a grain offering and a drink offering. I'm reading this as one offering from the whole community not each person offering an individual one, but I could very well be wrong. I'm not sure what kind of sin would be a "community" sin. Oops, we built this idol by accident. At the same moment, we all accidentally lied. Seems like it would take a pretty odd occurrence.

If just one person sins unintentionally, he brings a year old female goat to be sacrificed, the priest makes atonement and the person is forgiven. This is for both the native and the foreigner.

But if someone sins out of defiance, God has been blasphemed- and there is no forgiveness. This person is to be cut off from his people. This seems odd to me. Wouldn't most sins fall into this category? I guess I don't ordinarily view mistakes as sin.

If I give the wrong answer, I haven't lied- but if i try to deceive I have. I guess there are instances when I do something and it results in sin I didn't intend- but I feel like most of the time when I do wrong, I know I'm doing it- I'm just acting out of my own selfish desires or ambitions. So under the old law- I'm forever lost with no hope... at least until Jesus comes.