Let Your Light Shine

11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. 13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

Temporal Cleansing Vs Eternal Redemption

Hebrews 9:6–7 KJV 1900

6 Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. 7 But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:

Hebrews 7:27 KJV 1900

27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

Daily

Sabbath

Monthly

Passover

Offerings for the feast days

Annual Day of Atonement

What do these offerings teach us? The cleansing was temporal.

Hebrews 9:11–12 KJV 1900

Christ entered in once because His sacrifice was eternal. Having obtained eternal redemption for us, that is without end.

What is redemption? To redeem is to purchase or buy back as in a ransom. The Idea is that of payment that Christ has made in order to purchase us. The concept of redemption was first seen in the old covenant.

Exodus 13:1–2 KJV 1900

1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.

Exodus 13:13 KJV 1900

13 And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem.

Later God said that he would take all the Levites instead of the first born sons as the payment for the first born sons. So why did God need to buy us back? We are sold under sin and the debt of out sin is beyond our ability to pay. We might ask ourselves why doesn’t God simply cancel the debt? But that would be inconsistent with the righteousness of God and would take away His own glory.

And so God has chosen to save us not by His power, not by His example or moral influence nor but He has satisfied His own divine justice by redemption, purchasing us with His own blood and thereby saving us and revealing his glory the beauty of His holiness for all eternity. So when we read that if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness, let us take in the full meaning of that statement. Not only is He faithful He is Just. Righteous and holy form from everlasting to everlasting. The glory of God made manifest that we might praise His name forever. And let us live as those who are bought with a price for our life is not our own. Render unto God what belongs to God offer yourself as a living sacrifice.

This is what is meant by redemption and it is an eternal redemption vs the daily sacrifices of the old covenant.

Purifying of the Flesh Vs Purging of the Conscience

Hebrews 9:13–14 KJV 1900

13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

first we have the effect of the old covenant sacrifices they “sanctified to the purification of the flesh” the word translated flesh here is the greek word “sarx” and it means the body flesh and bone. The sacrifices of the old covenant were not without benefit it’s just that the benefit was only skin deep.

SO the argument here is that if those old covenant sacrifices of bulls and goats were able to purify the flesh then how much more is the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God able to purge or purify your conscience. Now this is a different greek word here which is “soon·i·day·sis” which means consciousness or soul as that which is able to distinguish from right and wrong and prompts us to do what is right.

So we can see the contrast here. The old covenant sacrifices purify the flesh the outer man temporarily where in the new covenant the sacrifice of Christ purifies the heart the soul the inner man so that we pure through and through for eternity.

Also we notice that the purging of the blood of Christ purifies our soul from something and to something. we are purged from our dead works that is the fruit of unrighteousness, and we are purged to serve the living God that is the fruit of the Spirit.

Romans 6:20–23 KJV 1900

20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. 21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

You see the salvation of Christ is not only skin deep. This idea that seems popular among the churched that I can receive this free gift of salvation and it will cost me nothing, the idea that I can be saved and continue to live a life for myself to pursue my own interest and desires, that is not a biblical understanding of salvation. The salvation of the Bible will cost you everything.

Matthew 16:24–25 KJV 1900

24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

The salvation of the Bible will change everything

2 Corinthians 5:17–21 KJV 1900

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

It will cost you everything but it is worth infinitely more. As the great missionary Jim Elliot said “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.

Earthly Inheritance Vs Eternal Inheritance

Hebrews 9:15 KJV 1900

15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

Under the old covenant the Israelites received the promise of an earthly inheritance. The promised land given to Abraham as an inheritance for his children. They received promises of blessings, promises that they would prosper and be fruitful, that they would be strong in battle. But they were all earthly promises. But Christ became the mediator of this new covenant that by His death on the cross He might redeem us and those who were under the first covenant that all of us who are called might receive a greater promise of an eternal inheritance.

1 John 2:25 KJV 1900

25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.

1 John 2:24–29 KJV 1900

24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. 26 These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. 27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. 28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. 29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

2 Corinthians 1:20 KJV 1900

20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

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