Christ Offered Himself for You to Be Completely Purified

Heb. 9:13-15 NLT

13 Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity.  14 Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.  15 That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant.

The old religion of Judaism was a foreshadowing of the Coming of Christ for redeeming not only them but people of all the world. The animal sacrifices were symbolic of the coming sacrifice of God's son. Faith in them was parallel to our faith in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christ-- perfect in all his ways as a human-- 'died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed' and we ourselves as well.  Now they (and we) are to be completely purified because of Christ's sacrifice.
The writer to the Hebrews spent three chapters reminding them of the role of a high priest and then laying out Jesus as the ultimate 'high priest.' That was all in preparation for him to say this-- that Christ's sacrifice fulfilled the Old sacrificial system and there would never again be need for a sacrifice to forgive sin. The death had been accomplished and His resurrection to demonstrate His superiority over death to prove our redemption to be eternal. That is way, as we discussed last time, that Christ mediates for us continuously.
What does this all mean to you today? It can mean that you can be at rest-- at peace-- in spite of all the challenges and confusions you face today. It also means that you can be a vehicle for Christ's peace to reach out to another who needs ultimate peace. It also means that there is a very high calling upon you and I must ask you-- are you listening to it?

Your Servant
Dan
drdanelliott@gmail.com