…if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
Hebrews 9:11-28
For centuries, Christian theologians have recognized that the cross and the events associated with it give us one of the clearest revelations of God and His purposes in salvation. At the cross we see the atonement, Christ’s purpose in coming to earth. In Scripture, names are key for understanding a person’s identity. In biblical history, God gave important figures new names to signify their role. For example, the Lord changed Abram’s name to Abraham, which means “father of the multitude” or “father of the people,” in order to confirm that he would be the patriarch with innumerable descendants. In the case of Jesus, God gave His Son many names, all of which give us insight into Christ’s person and work. One of the most significant names is priest or high priest. Integral to the work of the old covenant priests was the offering up of various sacrifices, with Leviticus being our most important source for the old covenant sacrificial system. It covers the many sacrifices God provided for His people so that they could maintain covenant fellowship with Him when they sinned. The most important one was the sacrifice the high priest offered on the Day of Atonement for the sins of the entire nation. Hebrews emphasizes the inadequacy of all the sacrifices of Leviticus. Purifying the conscience and full atonement for our sin was accomplished by our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ, who offered Himself as the final, perfect sacrifice of atonement. Other religions besides biblical Christianity tend to prescribe methods for individuals to atone for their sins. Biblical Christianity stands apart in saying that we cannot atone for our sins. But it also says that Christ has offered the perfect atonement for our sins. As we repent, let us remember that Christ has offered full atonement for our sin and that all glory goes to Him for paying the price we owe for our wickedness.
Source: S C Ball April 7, 2024
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