Read Hebrews 10
Key Verse: Hebrews 10:10 “And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (NIV).
Let’s follow the writer’s reasoning in the first part of this chapter. The Mosaic Law, and the animal sacrifices it requires for sin, are only a “shadow” of the heavenly reality. Perfection is not achieved incrementally, year after year, but is given to the faithful by God once for all. All that the annual sacrifices on the Day of Atonement do is remind the believer that he/she is still a sinner and still guilty. Why? “Because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (vv.1-4).
The writer tells his readers that Jesus said He had come to the world because the Father was not pleased “with burnt offerings and sin offerings” (v.6). Jesus came to “set aside” the “shadows” and establish the “will” of the Father. That is, through the sacrifice of His own body Jesus would make men holy “once for all” (vv.5-10). And, after He had done this, Jesus “sat down at the right hand” of the Father. There, in that place of ultimate authority, the Lamb that was slain makes his enemies His “footstool” and eternally makes perfect “those who are being made holy” (vv.11-14).
So, in the eternal dimension, those who are covered with the blood of the Lamb are seen as forever perfect. In space and time, we are in the process of “being made holy”. Presently, we are being cultivated and pruned. Eternally, we are “the planting of the Lord”.
Jesus has taken “the wage of sin” upon Himself. We are no longer in need of animal sacrifice. The Lamb has become the Priest, and because He lives forever, those who put their trust in Him no longer have any need of “sacrifice for sin” (vv.15-18). In Christ we are forever saved from eternal death.
