“But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” – Hebrews 10:12-14
As we dive into the concept of sacrifice, it’s essential to ponder two crucial questions: What did Jesus do for us, and what does God expect from us? Let’s begin by exploring the profound sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf.
Hebrews 10:12-14 paints a vivid picture of Jesus’ ultimate act of sacrifice. Unlike the sacrificial system of the Old Testament, where animals were offered repeatedly for the forgiveness of sins, Jesus offered Himself once and for all as the perfect sacrifice. Through His death on the cross, He atoned for our sins, offering redemption and reconciliation with God.
In the Old Testament, the sacrificial system required the shedding of blood for the forgiveness of sins. Animals, such as lambs, were sacrificed as offerings to God, symbolizing the atonement for sin. This practice may seem foreign to us today, but it underscored the seriousness of sin and the need for atonement.
But why did these sacrifices have to be made? Hebrews 9:22 provides clarity, stating that without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins. Blood served as a symbol of life and represented the payment required for sin. The sacrificial system pointed forward to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus, who would shed His blood to cleanse us from sin once and for all.
Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was a demonstration of God’s love and mercy toward us. Through His death and resurrection, He accomplished what the sacrifices of the Old Testament could never achieve – the forgiveness and redemption of humanity.