""Isn't it a bit naive (though very convenient) to believe that someone else can "pay" for your sins?""\n\nNot only is it naive, it is also against what the Bible says!\n\nThe Christian understanding is that the Messiah, Jesus, died for the sins of the people. The messiah is supposed to be a human sacrifice that is the blood sacrifice necessary for the forgiveness of sin.\n\nBut we are taught in our Torah that no one can die for the sins of another. In Deuteronomy 24:16 it specifically says this:\n\nDeuteronomy 24:16 The fathers shall not \nbe put to death for the children, neither \nshall the children be put to death for\nthe fathers: \nevery man shall be put to death for his \nown sin (eesh b’chet-o yumatu).\n\nIn Exodus 32:30-35, Moses tries to offer himself to atone for the sins of the people. To be written out of Gd's book, means to be written out of the Book of Life, which means Moses was asking to die for the sins of the People. Gd's response is No, it does not work that way, each man dies for his own sin:\n\nExodus 32:30-35 And it came to pass on the \nmorrow, that Moses said unto the people, \nYe have sinned a great sin: and now I will \ngo up unto the Etrnl; perhaps I shall make \nan atonement for your sin. And Moses \nreturned unto the Etrnl, and said, Oh, \nthis people have sinned a great sin, and \nhave made them gods of gold. Yet now, if \nthou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, \nblot me, I pray thee, out of thy book \nwhich thou hast written. And the Etrnl \nsaid unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned \nagainst me, him will I blot out of my \nbook. \n\nThe whole of chapter 18 of the book of Ezekiel is about this idea, that no one can die for someone else's sin. Further, this chapter of Ezekiel teaches us that all we have to do for Gd's forgiveness is to stop doing the Bad and start doing the Good, and Gd will forgive us:::\n\nEzekiel 18:1-4; 20-24; 26-27 .....Behold, all \nsouls are mine; as the soul of the father, so \nalso the soul of the son is mine: the soul \nthat sinneth, it shall die. Eze 18:20 The soul \nthat sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not \nbear the iniquity of the father, neither shall \nthe father bear the iniquity of the son: the \nrighteousness of the righteous shall be upon \nhim, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be \nupon him. But if the wicked will turn from all \nhis sins that he hath committed, and keep all \nmy statutes, and do that which is lawful and \nright, he shall surely live, he shall not die. \nAll his transgressions that he hath committed, \nthey shall not be mentioned unto him: in his \nrighteousness that he hath done he shall live. \nHave I any pleasure at all that the wicked \nshould die? saith the Etrnl Gd: and not that \nhe should return from his ways, and live?.... \nEze 18:26 When a righteous man turneth away \nfrom his righteousness, and committeth \niniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity \nthat he hath done shall he die. Again, when \nthe wicked man turneth away from his \nwickedness that he hath committed, and doeth \nthat which is lawful and right, he shall save \nhis soul alive. \n\nSo, the Bible is clear, no one can die for the sins of another, and this means that Jesus cannot die for anyone else's sins.