ONCE-FOR-ALL
ONCE FOR ALL “And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Heb. 10:10).
m Animal sacrifices have been made since Eden. God Himself killed animals to provide garments of skin for Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:21). By faith Abel brought fat portions from the firstlings of his flock to honor God (Gen. 4:4). When Noah came out of the ark he built an altar and sacrificed birds and animals (Gen. 6:20). Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob all built altars and made blood sacrifices. Daily, weekly, and monthly sacrifices were also an integral part of Mosaic Law (Nu. 28:1 - 15). In addition to regular sacrifices made by those who sinned, the Temple was dedicated with the sacrifice of 20,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep and goats (1 Ki. 8:63). Literally millions of animals and birds were sacrificed, yet we are told categorically that “It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sin” (Heb. 10:4).
m The “Good News” is that our sins have been taken away by the blood of Jesus! As our Great High Priest He did not enter into the Most Holy Place over and over with the blood of bulls and goats, but with His own blood He entered into heaven “once for all” (Heb. 9:11, 12). Thus, when Jesus died He died for all he sins committed under the first covenant (Heb. 9:15). The “cup” that Jesus drank contained all the past sins from Eden to Calvary, and also all the future sins committed until Christ returns.s Truly, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:21).
m Not only did the blood of bulls and goats not take away sin, the offering of these animals made people feel guilty. It provided an “annual reminder of sins”. Note: “The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. 2 Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins (Heb. 10:1 — 4).
m The sacrifice of Jesus, by contrast with millions of animal sacrifices, was made once for all and cleansed our consciences from dead works to serve the Living God (Heb. 9:14).
m Remember! Jesus did not enter into a man made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true, but He entered into heaven itself (Heb. 9:24).
m Nor did Jesus enter into heaven again and again like an earthly High Priest, but He entered into heaven once for all to take away sin by the sacrifice of Himself (Heb. 9:25, 26).
m Therefore we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus once for all (Heb. 10:10). “Because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (Heb. 10:14).
m Therefore the forgiveness we experience in Christ is different from that experienced under the Old Covenant. Paul put it like this: “Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.” (Acts 13:38, 39)
m Before Christ our sins were “covered” (Rom. 4:7), and “remembered” (Heb. 10:4), but after the sacrifice of Christ our sins are “blotted out” (Acts 3:19), and “remembered no more” (Heb. 10:17).
m@ Truly our salvation is in Christ for through Him believers are set free from every sin. As the Bible states, this “justification” could not be obtained under the law of Moses.
m Truly those separated from Christ are without God and without hope (Eph. 2:12).