There are those who would that we believe that Jesus did not pay the hefty price for our sins once and for all. These instead want to keep us in a state of repentance -- not examining oneself as the scriptures declare -- and moving forward in our faith journey, as the Lord Jesus has willed for our life. To understand this, let's begin by reading Hebrews 9 and 10, that not only offers clarity between the old covenant ordinances and the new testament promise, but also speaks about both in the context of remission of sin.
Then verily the first [covenant] had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. (Hebrews 9:1-5) "Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. But into the second [went] the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the errors of the people; the Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing -- which [was] a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience, [which stood] only in meats and drinks and diverse washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed [on them] until the time of reformation." (Hebrews 9:6-10)
[I digress here but for those with eyes to see and ears to hear, note that the scripture states -- "until the time of reformation."]
BUT CHRIST being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect taberna le, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building, neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by HIS OWN BLOOD HE ENTERED IN once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
By a greater and more perfect tabernacle, our Lord God and Saviour Jesus the Christ with His own blood entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
"For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh; how much MORE shall the blood of Christ, who THROUGH the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Hebrews 9:13-14)
And for this cause, He is the mediator of the new testament [covenant] that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions [that were] under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead; otherwise, it is of no strength at all while the testator lives. Whereupon neither the first [testament] was dedicated without blood. For when Moses had spoken ever precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book and all the people saying, "This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you." Moreover, he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry, and almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without the shedding of blood is no remission. (Hebrews 9:15-22)
This is why it was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these -- FOR CHRIST IS NOT ENTERED INTO THE HOLY PLACES MADE WITH HANDS [which are] the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; nor yet that He should offer Himself often -- as the high priest enters into the holy place every year with blood of others; for then must He often have suffered since the foundation of the world; but now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
Thus, if the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross was not sufficient in and of itself, must He often have suffered since the foundation of the world. But His sacrifice of blood was wholly sufficient when He Himself who knew no sin -- now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. (Hebrews 9:23-26)
"So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation." (Hebrews 9:28)
Why? For the Law having a shadow of good things to come [and] not the very image of the things can NEVER with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
Only the precious blood of Jesus can make the comers thereunto perfect, for then would they not have ceased to be offered -- the annual sacrifices that were under the Law. In other words, as clearly stated above, if the sacrifices of the priests were sufficient then Christ would not have been needed "because that the worshippers once purged should have no more conscience of sins -- but in those [sacrifices there is] a remembrance again [made] of sins every year -- for it is NOT possible that the blood of goats should take away sins." (Hebrews 10:1-4)
But the Holy Ghost -- this signifying that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing. The promise of salvation -- God our Saviour -- had not as yet been revealed. Until the time of reformation -- wherefore, when He comes into the world, He saith, "Sacrifice and offering Thou wouldest not, but a body hast Thou prepared Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin Thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, "Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of Me) to do Thy will, O God." (Psalm 40:6-8; Micah 6:6-7; Hebrews 10:1-7)
The Lord decided that He Himself should go forward as a mighty man. (Isaiah 42:13; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:10-11; Matthew 1:21-23; I Timothy 3:16) And, in so doing, the worshippers once purged should have no more conscience of sins -- not because of what they are doing, but because of the perfect sacrifice on the cross, whereby His blood was shed for our sin once and for all.
Above when He said, "Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and [offering] for sin Thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure [therein]; which are offered by the Law; then said He, "Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God. He taketh away the first that He may establish the second." (Hebrews 10:9-10)
Not another as the world would have us believe, but God Himself clothing Himself in human flesh -- the Word made flesh -- so that we -- His beloved creation could be redeemed. "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." (Hebrews 10:10)
Let's read that last verse again.
"By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." (Hebrews 10:10)
And the consequence of God's plan of salvation does not stop there. Indeed, continuing in Hebrews 10, let's understand the new and living way -- which He hath consecrated through the veil -- that is to say His flesh -- once and for all. His love reaching out to you and I, paid for once and for all so that we can draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith -- having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:19-22)
The priests standing daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices which can never take away sins -- as was the case in the old testament was not enough for us to find redemption.
"But this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever sat down on the right hand of God, from henceforth expecting till His enemies be made His footstool, for He -- BY ONE OFFERING HE HATH PERFECTED FOR EVER THEM THAT ARE SANCTIFIED." (Hebrews 10:12-14)
Through His precious blood sacrificed on the cross, He has perfected forever them that are sanctified. And in the presence of two or three witnesses (as the scripture often alludes), the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us; for after that He had said before -- "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days," thus saith the Lord, "I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them, and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more." (Hebrews 10:16-17)
Thus, now, where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. "Having therefore brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh, and [having] an high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of [our] faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised); and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some [is]; but exhorting [one another]; and so much the more as ye see the day approaching." (Hebrews 10:19-25)
This is why we strive not to sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth because in that, there remains no more sacrifice for sins for we now considering ourselves to be worthy, hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith He was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace, (Hebrews 10:26-31)
But we know in ourselves that we have in heaven a better and and enduring substance [possession] so "cast not away therefore your confidence which hath great recompence of reward, for ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise." Because the just shall live by faith, and as such, we have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (II Peter 2:20) We are not of them who draw back unto perdition, but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. (Hebrews 10:39; Acts 16:31)
"Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" And the apostles said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." And they spake unto him the Word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed [their] stripes: and was baptized, he and all his, straightway, and when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced believing in God with all his house." (Acts 16:31-34)
The same message on the day of Pentecost, when the first 3,000 souls believed Jesus to be both Lord and Christ. When these asked, "What must we do to be saved?" Peter, standing with the eleven said, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, for the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, [even] as many as the Lord our God shall call." (Acts 2:36-47)
And when we receive His call, and continue daily in His Word, not forgetting His Name, we can know most assuredly that because of His precious blood on the cross, He has removed our transgressions from us.
And when we receive His call, and continue daily in His Word, not forgetting His Name, we can know most assuredly that because of His precious blood on the cross, He has removed our transgressions from us.
"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord, and He shall send Jesus Christ which before was preached unto you" ... "to bless you in turning away every one of you from his iniquities." (Acts 3:12-26)
And in so doing, because He paid the price for our sin once and for all, we can know that "as far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us." (Psalm 103:12)
Stand in the offering plate.
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