Lesson 579

(Lesson 579)(03-18-13) Hebrews 10:1-14, "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. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:] And every priest standeth 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 henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified."

This lesson so clearly explains that the sacrifice made by Jesus was the ONLY remitter of ALL sin, I am hesitant to even comment on it. However, there are some statements herein that must be highlighted.

The first is the fact that prior to, and after the coming of Jesus Christ, no amount of human ritual has had, or ever will have, any effect whatsoever on the sins of mankind. If the rituals and sacrifices had been sufficient for the forgiveness of sin, there would never have been the recurrence of sin after a sacrifice had been made, "For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins."

This author is telling us that once sin has been atoned (for those of us who believe, happened when Jesus was resurrected from the dead), there is no need for further atonement! That is because the guilt ("consience") of sin, for those of us who believe, is GONE and can never return. Jesus, because of His supreme sacrifice, has forever removed the guilt, ("conscience") of sin for those who are "sanctified". The term sanctified means to be separated from, or exempted from a particular thing of consequence. In this usage, to be sanctified means to be separated from the guilt of sin. Therefore, those of us who have been "sanctified" by faith in Christ Jesus, have been separated out from among those who sin, 1 John, 3:9, "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God."

There is no greater assurance that to know that, once we have believed, we are exempted from sin.~