CCF: Jesus the Perfect Sacrifice and our Right Response

Hebrews 10:1-25

Bro. Fred Magbanua

As we continue our study in Hebrews 10, we will look into four main points:

1. The Law cannot perfect believers (vv. 1-4)

When the author describes the law of Moses as only a shadow of the good things to come, he means that it foretold about blessings of the new covenant that Jesus would bring but the ritual of the repeated sacrifice pointed to the need for something more. Why? Because the law can never perfect the worshipers, then provided the following points:

a. The sacrifices were repeated again and again; 

b. Those who offered sacrifices continued to have a consciousness of sin; 

c. The blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sins.

The law could not take away the consciousness of sin. In fact, under the law with the system of sacrifices, there is a reminder of sin every year thru the annual day of atonement. This reinforced to people that they have to continually offer up sacrifices and sacrifices offered before having no lasting effect. But followers of Christ who are growing in the Lord have experienced forgiveness of their sins and have that light feeling inside, knowing they are forgiven. Have you experienced the lightening of your burden? Seek Jesus and truly understand Him and what He has done for you, that He is the perfect sacrifice, and let that burden fall away.

The consequence of sin is eternal death, we can find this in a few Bible verses like Ezekiel 18:20, Romans 6:23, and Revelations 20:10,15. The law requires a sacrifice of an unblemished ram, bull or goat. But these sacrifices are just substitutions for the demands of the law. The blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sins because (1) the demand of the law was the death of the man, not the animal, and (2) God desires obedience and attention to His will more than the animal sacrifices.

2. The perfect sacrifice: Christ Himself (vv. 5-10)

The author here quotes from Old Testament Psalm 40:6-8, a prophetic psalm of David that tells us Jesus came not only to offer sacrifice but to do God’s will fully and to be completely in obedience to God the Father. The author sums up what Jesus did: He does away with the first to establish the second. This means Jesus abolishes the Old Testament system of sacrifices in order to establish a new one. Jesus' perfect sacrifice is the reason why we no longer need to offer bulls and goats. The sacrifice of Jesus was final, fully effective, and therefore no need to be repeated over again.

The question we can ask ourselves is, “Are you still trying to add to the perfect sacrifice of Jesus?” 

3. Jesus’ sacrifice perfected the believers (vv. 11-18)

A sharp contrast is made between Priests who stand and offer sacrifices repeatedly versus Jesus our Supreme High Priest who sits at the right hand of God after making one perfect sacrifice for all time. Here we can see that the Priests stand in an earthly tabernacle; They sacrifice repeatedly; With imperfect sacrifice and Cannot perfect the worshipper. While Jesus sits in the heavenly tabernacle; He was sacrificed once for all time; He is the perfect sacrifice and He is made perfect forever.

Jesus’ one perfect sacrifice has made complete or finish forever those who are being made holy or sanctified. To become perfect does not promise sinless perfection but it promised believers the full realization of God’s saving purpose. We become considered by God as perfect because of what Jesus did but it doesn’t mean that we no longer sin.

In verses 15-18, the author quotes from Hebrew 8 on how God found fault in Israel because they did not continue in the covenant so a new covenant was needed to replace the first covenant. In Hebrews 10, an abridged version of Jeremiah 31:31-34, the focus is that in the new covenant, God will no longer remember their sins and lawless deeds. This also applies to believers today, God will no longer remember our sins and lawless deeds.

In contrast with our first point - The law cannot perfect believers, this set of verses tells us Jesus’ sacrifice perfected the believers:

a. One sacrifice was offered once for all time!

b. The annual reminder of sin was removed, and the guilt and heaviness of sin is removed!

c. A perfect life in perfect obedience to the Father

If you have already come to Christ as your Lord and Savior have you also forgive yourself and others? Are you still punishing yourself for something that God has already forgiven you? Are you still remembering your and others' past sins when God is no longer remembering yours and others?

4. Our right response: Draw near, Hold fast, Love others (vv. 19-25)

Verse 19 onwards is a transition from doctrine to duty or from precept to application. The author gave us three reasons why he is asking us to do his instructions: because we have the confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus; by a new and living way (new covenant) which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh and lastly because we have a great priest over the house of God. 

As our right response let us:

a. Draw near with a sincere heart. 

Don’t stay at the outer courts, when you now have access to the holy place. We should have full confidence in Christ’s perfect sacrifice and be reminded that we now have access to the very presence of God under the new covenant.

b. Hold fast the confession of our hope. 

Be strong in the Lord without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. Stand firm in your faith, we are to hold fast amidst the temptations, challenges to our faith, false teachings that cast doubts, difficult circumstances, and even difficult people.

c. Love others. 

Consider how to stimulate one another to love and good works. Spur others to care and do good deeds, because you love them enough not to be stagnant in their faith but for them to be vibrant in their walk with God. We can do this by meeting together through bible study, sharing burdens and blessings, praying, and encouraging one another. We should do all these with anticipation of the return of Jesus Christ.

Image courtesy of iBelieve.com

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