0803 HOW TO GET RID OF SIN ONCE AND FOR ALL

AUGUST 3 = HEBREWS 9

HOW TO GET RID OF SIN ONCE AND FOR ALL

This chapter of Hebrews continues with the themes that have been unfolding from the start: God speaks to us through Jesus, our salvation was obtained through Jesus, who is greater than angels, Moses, Abraham, Melchizedek and all other high priests. He is the embodiment of a new covenant, which is superior to the law of Moses, including that tabernacle and animal sacrifices that God himself had required.

The central difference between the two covenants has to do with sin that comes between us and God. The first covenant rolled back sin, reminded us of sin, gave guidelines to define sin, but did not do away with sin. The new covenant that Jesus brings is one in which sin is removed, and the Spirit of God is born in our hearts, so that we can have the power to overcome such sins in our lives. It is not a religion, but a relationship.

In the old covenant, the high priest came on the day (there is just one a year) of Atonement, with all the trappings of this approach to sin. He entered the Most Holy Place, always doing sacrifices on the way in, and bringing the blood of goats and calves with him. He sprinkled the ashes of a heifer on the bystanders, who were ceremonially unclean, so that they were “outwardly” cleansed.

But the new covenant is not like the old. In the new covenant, it is the blood of the unblemished Christ, not of animals, that carries the atonement. And it was the eternal Spirit who led Him to make such a sure offering.

When Jesus did this sacrifice of himself, it was in order to “cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!” 

Today, we want to find common ground with others who agree with the ethical teachings of Jesus, who find him to be wise and learned in the ways of the Father. But note that the essential work of Christ was more than just being a good example, or teaching us how to be better people. It involved the shedding of blood, for the writer says, “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” 

And there it is! It was the moment of Jesus bearing our sins upon himself, the moment when he breathed his last and when his blood was poured out. That was the moment of our deliverance, the act that is our hope.

Another way that the new covenant is superior is in its permanence. The author says, “the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own.”

As I say, one flaw of the old covenant is that it rolls back the guilt of sins committed. But there are no reassuring words, or anywhere that it says we won’t need to come back to this same place again. 

But the great advantage to the new covenant is this: “[Jesus] has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.” Note to self: it doesn’t say that Jesus appeared “often” for “self and a few select others.” No, the author says, “Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many;” 

So, if you’ve ever wondered, “How do I get rid of this sin once and for all time in my life?” There is an answer. The first part of the answer is that Jesus came as the greatest high priest on your behalf. He brought his own blood and covered your sin with it, and laid it on the seat of mercy, where it was once for all dealt with before God. There is no more, “I belong to Christ, but I have this sin barrier between me and God.” No! There is simply, “I belong.”

Then comes the bonus second healing! You are not only FORGIVEN so that you stand clean before God as his child, but you are also DELIVERED from that sin’s power over you. You have the very Spirit of God living in you, whispering to you right and wrong, empowering you to WANT to leave the old behind you and shake the dust off your shoes as you leave.

Today can be a new start. Jesus is ready to help make this Day One of the new you. All it takes is a YES vote from you. 

Welcome to FREEDOM!