Christ, Our Better Sacrifice
Hebrews 9:24-26
The author of Hebrews shows how great an absurdity follows, if we do not count it enough that an expiation has been made by the one sacrifice of Christ. For he hence concludes that he must have died often; for death is connected with sacrifices. How this latter supposition is most unreasonable; it then follows that the virtue of the one sacrifice is eternal and extends to all ages. And he says since the foundation of the world, or from the beginning of the world. This sentence is not to be taken strictly in its literal meaning; for the world was founded and all things were set in due order before sin entered into it. The phrase is used in a similar way in Luke 11:50. It is a popular mode of speaking intelligible to common readers though not suitable to over-nice and hair-splitting critics.
The truth implied, is, that sins since the beginning of the world have alone have been expiated by the blood of Christ, the virtue of which extends to all sins, past and future. The effects of his sufferings being perpetual and the same as to all ages, from the beginning to the end of the world, there was no necessity of having them repeated. As to their retrospective influence, see verse 15, and Romans 3:25, 26 for in all ages from the beginning there were sins which needed expiation. Except then the sacrifice of Christ was efficacious, no one of the fathers would have obtained salvation; for as they were exposed to God’s wrath, a remedy for deliverance would have failed them, had not Christ by suffering once suffered so much as was necessary to reconcile men to God from the beginning of the world even to the end. Except then we look for many deaths, we must be satisfied with the one true sacrifice.
And hence it is evident how frivolous is the distinction, in the acuteness of which the Papists take so much delight; for they say that the sacrifice of Christ on the cross was bloody, but that the sacrifice of the mass which they pretend to offer daily to God, is unbloody. Were this subtle evasion adopted, then the Spirit of God would be accused of inadvertence, having not thought of such a thing; for the Apostle assumes it here as an admitted truth, that there is no sacrifice without death. I care nothing that ancient writers have spoken thus; for it is not in the power of men to invent sacrifices as they please. Here stands a truth declared by the Holy Spirit, that sins are not expiated by a sacrifice except blood be shed. Therefore the notion, that Christ is often offered, is a device of the devil.
He calls that the end of the world or the consummation of the ages, which Paul calls “the fullness of time,” (Galatians 4:4;) for it was the maturity of that time which God had determined in his eternal purpose; and thus cut off is every occasion for men’s curiosity, that they may not dare to inquire why it was no sooner, or why in that age rather than in another. For it behooves us to acquiesce in God’s secret purpose, the reason for which appears clear to him, though it may not be evident to us. In short, the Apostle intimates that Christ’s death was in due time, as he was sent into the world for this end by the Father, in whose power is the lawful right to regulate all things as well as time, and who ordains their succession with consummate wisdom, though often hid from us
This consummation is also set in opposition to the imperfection of past time; for God so held his ancient people in suspense, that it might have been easily concluded that things had not yet reached a fixed state. Hence Paul declares that the end of the ages had come upon us, (1 Corinthians 10:11;) by which he means that the kingdom of Christ contained the accomplishment of all things. But since it was the fullness of time when Christ appeared to expiate sins, they are guilty of offering him an atrocious insult, who seek to renew his sacrifice, as though all things were not completed by his death. He then appeared once for all; for had he done so once or twice, there must have been something defective in the first oblation; but this is inconsistent with fullness.
”To put away, or to destroy sin, “ Literally it is “for the abolishing of sin,” . The word occurs only in one other place, chapter 7:18, and is rendered “disannulling;” and, taking “sin” in the sense of sin-offering, “He hath been manifested to abolish sin-offering by the sacrifice of himself.” But this is inconsistent with the drift of the passage. To remove or abolish sin is doubtless what is meant. To “take away sin,” and “to remove the punishment due to sin,” This agrees with Daniel’s prophecy, in which the sealing up and the abolition of sins are promised, and in which it is also declared that there would be an end to sacrifices, (Daniel 9:24-27;) for to what purpose are expiations when sins are destroyed? But this destruction is then only effected, when sins are not imputed to those who flee to the sacrifice of Christ; for though pardon is to be sought daily, as we daily provoke God’s wrath; yet as we are reconciled to God in no other way than by the one death of Christ, sin is rightly said to be put away or destroyed by it.
If you are a sinner, come to Jesus. There is no better sacrifice for your sins but Him.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Christ our Sacrifice
Hebrews 9:23
The Old Testament is full of sacrifices in which an innocent animal was killed. These were substitutionary sacrifices meaning that the death of the animal was in the place of someone else.
Why was there such an emphasis in the Jewish writings? The holiness of God reveals that everyone who has ever lived has sinned. We have all failed to live up to God’s expectation of us. We have “all sinned and come short of the glory of God.” We have failed the test of God for a righteous person.
The penalty for breaking the laws of God is separation from Him throughout eternity. We deserve the death penalty. “The wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). “The soul that sins will die” (Ezekiel 18:4). As a consequence of our sins we deserve to spend an eternity in hell.
Jesus Christ redeemed us from the law. He chose to die in our place. It was His free volitional choice. We deserved to die and He stepped in and voluntarily chose of His own free will to die in our place. Jesus took our death in His sacrifice for sin. He experienced both physical and spiritual death in our place on the cross as our substitute.
Every Easter is a vivid reminder of our sinfulness, and the penalty of our sins was laid on Christ.
God conducted the first ever sacrifice for sin. He chose the animals to sacrifice for Adam and Eve, and then He clothed them with the skins of the animals (Gen 3:21). Adam and Eve saw the first death anyone had ever witnessed. God slay the animals and in that event taught man that he deserved to die for His disobedience, and that it was possible for another to die in his place. The animals that were shed for their clothing paid the price of their sin debt. Those coats of animal skins were a constant testimony of the price of sin.
The greatest substitutionary sacrifice ever paid for sin was carried out at Calvary when Jesus died on behalf of another. Why Jesus? “For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sin” (Heb. 10:4). Those sacrifices in the Jewish tabernacle were a constant reminder of sin and the wages of sin. They symbolized that God would one day provide His own Lamb to do what animals could never do. They were a symbol of how man’s sins had to be dealt with, but symbols cannot lift up and take away our sin.
Jesus Christ accomplished the only effective sacrifice for sin. His death was a substitutionary sacrifice that accomplished precisely what had to be done to gain our salvation. We deserved to die for our sin, but Jesus Christ chose to die in our place. When Jesus cried out from the cross, “It is finished,” He paid our debt in full.
Christ is the “better sacrifice” (Heb. 9:23) because His blood alone cleanses of all sins (1 John 1:6-9). He entered into the presence of God in heaven for us, once for all and offered the perfect sacrifice for sin. He is more valuable than even thousands of animals. “He put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Heb. 9:26). Christ has been offered by God “once to bear the sins of many.” What was impossible for bulls and goats to accomplish Christ did on our behalf.
By coming to do the will of God, “We have been sanctified through the one offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Heb. 10:10). Christ “having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God. . . For by one offering He perfected for all time those who are sanctified” (Heb. 10:12-14).
Have you accepted the one perfect sacrifice that lifts up and takes away every sin? Have you responded by faith and thanked Him for being your substitute? In His sacrificial death He gives you His life. Believe in His saving death and He will give you eternal life today.
Hebrews 9:23
The Old Testament is full of sacrifices in which an innocent animal was killed. These were substitutionary sacrifices meaning that the death of the animal was in the place of someone else.
Why was there such an emphasis in the Jewish writings? The holiness of God reveals that everyone who has ever lived has sinned. We have all failed to live up to God’s expectation of us. We have “all sinned and come short of the glory of God.” We have failed the test of God for a righteous person.
The penalty for breaking the laws of God is separation from Him throughout eternity. We deserve the death penalty. “The wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). “The soul that sins will die” (Ezekiel 18:4). As a consequence of our sins we deserve to spend an eternity in hell.
Jesus Christ redeemed us from the law. He chose to die in our place. It was His free volitional choice. We deserved to die and He stepped in and voluntarily chose of His own free will to die in our place. Jesus took our death in His sacrifice for sin. He experienced both physical and spiritual death in our place on the cross as our substitute.
Every Easter is a vivid reminder of our sinfulness, and the penalty of our sins was laid on Christ.
God conducted the first ever sacrifice for sin. He chose the animals to sacrifice for Adam and Eve, and then He clothed them with the skins of the animals (Gen 3:21). Adam and Eve saw the first death anyone had ever witnessed. God slay the animals and in that event taught man that he deserved to die for His disobedience, and that it was possible for another to die in his place. The animals that were shed for their clothing paid the price of their sin debt. Those coats of animal skins were a constant testimony of the price of sin.
The greatest substitutionary sacrifice ever paid for sin was carried out at Calvary when Jesus died on behalf of another. Why Jesus? “For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sin” (Heb. 10:4). Those sacrifices in the Jewish tabernacle were a constant reminder of sin and the wages of sin. They symbolized that God would one day provide His own Lamb to do what animals could never do. They were a symbol of how man’s sins had to be dealt with, but symbols cannot lift up and take away our sin.
Jesus Christ accomplished the only effective sacrifice for sin. His death was a substitutionary sacrifice that accomplished precisely what had to be done to gain our salvation. We deserved to die for our sin, but Jesus Christ chose to die in our place. When Jesus cried out from the cross, “It is finished,” He paid our debt in full.
Christ is the “better sacrifice” (Heb. 9:23) because His blood alone cleanses of all sins (1 John 1:6-9). He entered into the presence of God in heaven for us, once for all and offered the perfect sacrifice for sin. He is more valuable than even thousands of animals. “He put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Heb. 9:26). Christ has been offered by God “once to bear the sins of many.” What was impossible for bulls and goats to accomplish Christ did on our behalf.
By coming to do the will of God, “We have been sanctified through the one offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Heb. 10:10). Christ “having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God. . . For by one offering He perfected for all time those who are sanctified” (Heb. 10:12-14).
Have you accepted the one perfect sacrifice that lifts up and takes away every sin? Have you responded by faith and thanked Him for being your substitute? In His sacrificial death He gives you His life. Believe in His saving death and He will give you eternal life today.
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