Tag: atonement

February 1 2023 – Hebrews 9 – Cleansed to Conscience

In Hebrews 9, the author is showing the superiority of Christ as our sacrifice for sin over the Old Covenant sacrifices. “For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” Hebrews9:13–14NASB1995  Under the Old Covenant, a person’s flesh was cleansed from being defiled. However, under the New Covenant, even your conscience has been cleansed from dead works. It wasn’t just an outward cleansing, it was a cleansing right down to our very spirits.

Reading on in the chapter we understand again that at just the right time, the consummation of the ages, Jesus bore all sin, once for all. “Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.” Hebrews9:26–28NASB1995  We hear again, that it was a cleansing right down to our spirit.

We are eagerly awaiting the return of Christ, because we love him and have no fear for our sins, since they have all been atoned for by Jesus once for all.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, our Great High Priest and saving sacrifice, thank you for atoning work that saved me and took away all my sins. Help me encounter and share this Good News with those whose consciences are burdened with the weight of their sins. Amen.

January 30 2023 – Hebrews 7 – Atonement for Our Sins

I am no expert on Old Testament law, but as I understand the instructions in Leviticus, once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the High Priest was to go before God and first make sacrifices for his own sins, then make sacrifices for the people. Unless you had a special need to go before God, (and there were lots of special needs… vows, to prove you had been cleansed for a skin issue, etc.) you were okay with God. However, that was a perpetual, year after year event. Every year sacrifices had to be made on the Day of Atonement to remove the sins of the High Priest and the people of Israel.

The concept of resurrection from the dead wasn’t as completely developed in the Old Testament as it is in the New Testament. The Israelites were having their sins removed on the Day of Atonement so they could be right with God in the here and now without much thought for the afterlife. In the New Testament the reality of resurrection is realized. We understand that sin needs to be atoned for so that we are right with God in the here and now and in the world to come.

In Hebrews 7, Jesus, as our great High Priest is being compared to those priests in the Old Testament sacrificial system. There needed to be many of them because they sacrificed every day, year after year, and eventually they all died out. “The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” Hebrews7:23–25NASB1995  Because Jesus lives forever, he is able to save forever all who put their faith in him.

The Old Testament sacrificial system, was an imperfect foreshadowing of the perfect that was to come. “For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.” Hebrews7:26–27NASB1995  Jesus died to do away with, sin “once for all when He offered up Himself.”

Our sins… past, present, and future… have been completely atoned for thanks to our great, High Priest, Jesus our Christ!

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your perfect Son to save me from the curse and penalty of sin. Thank you that Jesus’ perfect work of atonement covers all my sin and saves me forever. Help me to share this good news with those still trying to atone for their own sins. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

January 23 2023 – Hebrews 1 – Who Is Jesus?

Who was Jesus? That is a question that is pondered in academia still today. In the modern world, some “scholars” will side step the plain teachings of Scripture to try to piece together a historical picture of who Jesus was. They have seminars where they speculate about him. They cast their votes as to the authenticity of his words presented in the Bible. In these votes, they have almost eliminated all of the words attributed to Jesus in the gospels.  He was a good teacher seems to be the consensus outside of Christendom. Some people would go so far as to say Jesus never even existed, ignoring ample historical evidence outside of Scripture.

In beginning Hebrews 1, the unknown author gives us a description of Christ. In Hebrews, the author is showing the supremacy of faith in Jesus Christ over the Old Covenant. The readers of Hebrews at the outset are given an understanding of just who Jesus is.

First, we learn that God spoke to us through Jesus. “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.” Hebrews1:1–2NIV  In that statement we understand that as heir of everything, all that is, belongs to Jesus. As a result of our faith in Christ, Paul tells us that we are co-heirs with Christ so we share in the inheritance.

In verse 2, we also learn that the universe was made through Jesus. We have heard and many of us memorized John 1:1-3. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” John1:1–3NIV  Hebrews 1:2 reinforces our understanding that Jesus is not just a good teacher, he is a co-creator with our Heavenly Father.

What does God look like? Does he look like Michelangelo’s commonly accepted presentation of the gray-bearded, old man upstairs? The Bible tells us God is invisible and God is Spirit. However, Hebrews tells us, “the Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being…” Hebrews1:3NIV  If you want to know what God looks like, look at Jesus.

We also learn that everything in the universe holds together in Christ. “…[He, Jesus, is] sustaining all things by his powerful word…” Hebrews 1:3 NIV  John Wesley said that Jesus holding the universe together is like a person holding up a rock. If he were to let it go, everything would undo into nothingness.

Who is Jesus? Jesus is God! Jesus was with God in the beginning and everything that is, was made through him and belongs to him. He holds it all together through his powerful word. He is the exact representation of God and the radiance of God’s glory. He is also our redeemer. When we were dead in our transgressions and sins, he bore them on the cross for us and ransomed us back to God. Hebrews tells us, “…after he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Hebrews1:3NIV  At the appointed time, the Heavenly Father is going to send Jesus back to get us and we will be with him where he is.

Prayer:

Jesus, thank you for creation made for and through you! Thank you for representing the Father to me! Thank you for atoning for my sins! Lord help me to live for you through your Holy Spirit. Amen!

January 15, 2023 – Leviticus 16 – An Audience with a Holy God

Because of the lovingkindness, patience, and forgiveness we receive through the grace offered to us in Jesus Christ we sometimes forget that God is a Holy God. Now, we are always able to go to God with our praises and petitions. There isn’t a time too early or too late. We are told to be in a constant conversation with God. The Apostle Paul tells us to, “pray without ceasing,” 1 Thessalonians5:17NRSV  However, it wasn’t always that way.

In Leviticus 16, God is giving Moses instructions to give to Aaron about when and how he is to approach him. The Lord said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron that he is not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die. For I will appear in the cloud over the atonement cover.” Leviticus16:2NIV He goes on in detail giving instructions on how Aaron is to make atonement for his sins and for the sins of the people. All of this is important because God is a Holy God. Our sinfulness and our sins make it impossible to live in the presence of a Holy and righteous God without having atoned for our sins.

Thank God, he removed the barriers and now we can come to him without fear, fully atoned for through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews4:14–16NIV

Let us never forget that God is a Holy God. It will help us to appreciate the wonderful work of atonement that Jesus the Christ did for us in his death and resurrection!

Prayer:

Holy God, thank you for Jesus, his death, and resurrection that made atonement for all of my sins. Help me to come to you in complete confidence in the grace you offered to me and the world in Jesus. Amen.

December 31, 2022 – Leviticus 1 – Identified With Christ

Leviticus 1, Matthew 1, Colossians 3

Some churches want to deemphasize the blood of Christ. They think people don’t understand it. They think too much talk of blood will be offensive and some people won’t come to their churches. That may be true, but the solution is not to deemphasize the atoning blood of Christ. Rather, it is to help people understand why it is so important.

There has been some speculation about the origins of blood atonement. Some have suggested it goes all the way back to the garden of Eden and the original sin. In Genesis 3, when Adam and Eve realized they were naked after their sin, they tried to cover themselves with leaves. God made garments of skin for Adam and Eve to cover themselves. In order for there to be garments of skin, another animal had to die. Perhaps this was where the concept of atonement began. They did begin to die slowly, but the Lord did not immediately destroy them for their sin. Some have suggested that the animal that was killed to make their garments of skin was a lamb.

In Leviticus 1, Moses is being instructed about the system of atonement that the Lord set up for the people to be clean in his presence. “If the offering is a burnt offering from the herd, you are to offer a male without defect.” Leviticus1:3NIV  A male without defect from your herd… these qualifiers point to the future when God’s own perfect Son would make atonement for all humanity.

“You are to lay your hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on your behalf to make atonement for you.” Leviticus1:4NIV  Laying their hand on the animal’s head was a way of identifying themselves with the animal that was dying for their sin. We identify ourselves with Christ, who shed his blood for our sin. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians2:20NIV

One other thing took place when making atonement for sin in the Old Testament. The person being atoned for, slaughtered the animal. “You are to slaughter the young bull before the Lord…” Leviticus1:5NIV  In our identification with Christ, although the Roman soldiers literally nailed Jesus to the Cross, we recognize that through our sinfulness, we nailed him to the cross.

The atoning blood of Christ is important. We need to learn to recognize it’s importance. Rather than shunning it, we need to identify with Christ through it, and rejoice that it covered our sin, once for all!

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank you for your perfect life! Thank you for taking my place on the cross. Help me to live everyday for you as I identify myself with you through your atoning death and resurrection! Amen.