a single offering

Day 11 of She Reads Truth Hebrews study

Our salvation doesn’t depend on our feeble efforts…because it will never be enough.
In Christ we have complete forgiveness, and there remains no other sacrifice necessary.

Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’” When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. (‭Hebrews‬ ‭10‬:‭5-10, 12-18‬ ESV)

Jesus took it all. Jesus took away our sin and regret. He took away the need for us to strive to be considered righteous before God.

As someone who previously engaged with the Islamic religion – I know how tiresome it is to always feel that you never make the mark.
‘Maybe if you pray at this time on this day, you will make it to heaven.
Maybe if you could pray all 30 or 31 days of the month, you will find favour with Allah – but since you’re a woman and unclean for 4-7 days a month, who knows.
If you don’t go there, don’t listen to any music, chew this piece of tree bark, pray with your elbows and hands perfectly aligned and say this this and this before you eat – maybe you’ll be blessed.’

However, it’s not just Muslims who adhere to unattainable rules. We as Christians sometimes create all sorts of obstacle courses to overcome – when in actual fact it’s the bountiful grace and forgiveness found in Jesus that leads us to a righteous life.

Knowing that He came to fulfil all of our weaknesses gives us freedom to know that we don’t meet the mark but through the sacrifice of Jesus we are considered holy, precious and chosen. Oh what a love that God would treasure us so much to make such a sacrifice to redeem us and make us His own.

It’s prideful to think that we can get ourselves together. With Jesus as our source, walking day to day in the grace of God becomes a lot easier.

We no longer have to doubt if we are in right standing with God. Jesus is seated alive at the right hand of the Father – waiting to welcome us home.