The Apology vs. The Blood economy
When you are late with a payment on your power bill, it can reach a point when then power company will turn off your power. You can go down to their offices and apologize profusely but unless you go there to pay the bill, your apology will do very little. They want money. They want money because we live in a money based economy.
In our relationships, when we offend or hurt someone, most of us will go to that person and say "I'm sorry, please forgive me", and they do. In relationships one to another we live in an apology based system. If you wrong me, I expect you to apologize. Sometimes, if were really mad that someone has not apologize, we take them to court, that is back to the money based society. You wronged me you owe me.
God does not live in a money or apology based system. God's system IS and ALWAYS has been a blood based system. In Hebrews 9:22 it tells us that even under the old covenant there was not much done without blood, that's how things were purified. It goes on to tell us that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.
And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Heb 9:22
God killed the first animal in Gen 3:21 to cloth Adam and Eve. You see a fig leaf was not sufficient. The LORD God was showing them that innocent blood must be shed to cover their sin.
Under the old covenant every year on the day of atonement the high priest made an offering for the entire nation that covered their sins for one year. (some only think the blood of Jesus covers them until their next sin but here it was one year for the blood of bulls and goats).
We know from Hebrews 10:1 that the blood of bulls and goats can never take away sin. If they could they would have ceased to be offered, but year after year they were a reminder of sins for the people.
John the Baptist said of Jesus, behold the lamb of God who "takes away" the sins of the world. Takes away is better than a temporary covering.
For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Heb 10:1-4
Hebrew 10 goes on to state that the priest year after year offer the same sacrifice that can never take away sin but this MAN (Jesus) offered ONE SACRFICE for SINS FOREVER.
And the priest is always standing and his work is never done but Jesus SAT DOWN at the right hand of the Father signifying that his work was finished. He has by his ONE offering perfected forever them that are sanctified.
And every priest stands daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From now on expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he has perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Heb 10:11-14
so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.
Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. Heb 10:18
Why is it important to know that Jesus died once forever for your sins? It is because without the shedding of blood there is NO FORGIVENESS of SIN. Jesus is NOT going to die again. He shed his blood ONCE and for all. Heb 9:28 says he borne the sins of many and when he returns it will not be to deal with sin again but to bring salvation.
So either every sin you and I would ever commit was cover at the cross or we are doomed.
Religion says you must do many things daily, weekly and annually for your sins (your own sacrifice) but just like money and apologies, that's not God's system. God's system is blood, and Jesus has by his blood, rightly and justly put away your sins forever, past, present and future. Faith in the finished work of Jesus is it, there will be no other sacrifice.
When you believe that the blood of Jesus ONE TIME sacrifice is not sufficient and that your apology, your confession, your penance or restitution are needed, you insult the grace of God. You might say now John you have offended me. But I am not the one who said it but the author of Hebrews.
Of how much sorer punishment, suppose you, shall he be thought worthy, who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant, with which he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and has done despite to the Spirit of grace?
Let me give you some definitions so you can better see what this is saying... Holy = Means "uncommon or set apart" So here unholy is to say "common". Despite in the Greek is to "insult" Grace = Unmerited favor of God. A free gift that you can not earn.
When you consider the blood of Jesus just a common thing... remember the blood of bulls and goats (which is common) covered sins for one year. Some think that Jesus blood is only good until your next sin (that's not even as good as the blood of bulls). If that is true, we are in trouble because as I stated, he's not shedding his blood again. When you think it is something that needs to be EARNED (by your sacrifice) or REPEATED daily, weekly yearly etc...that is an insult to the grace of God.
Why did the author of Hebrew say this? Because the book of Hebrews is written to believing Jews. But there was a problem. Even though they had put their faith in Jesus and the cross, downtown in Jerusalem they were still killing lambs. Many were considering, going back to the temple to offer lambs. Maybe as a security policy, who knows but the fact is the author says to them, to do that is to SIN WILLFULLY (Heb 10:26) because after you have put your faith in Jesus ONE sacrifice, there is NO OTHER SACIFICE for sin... EVER (Heb 10:18). Then he goes on to quote the verse about insulting the grace of God.
In 70 AD all this came to an end. There are no more animal sacrifices, but today religion has its own version of going back or falling back as Hebrews puts it. When your trust in anything but Jesus one time offering for sins, you've fallen back.
Only the blood of Jesus can take away your sin and he has done this once and for all. Faith in the finished work of Jesus is it, there will be no other sacrifice. Grace & Peace
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