“For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” Hebrews 10:14

The Bible tells us that God created the first human beings—Adam and Eve—to live in perfect fellowship with him. But God also gave them free will; they were created sufficient to stand though free to fall. And fall they did. They disobeyed God and sin entered the world. Every one of their descendants has inherited their sin nature, and we prove that we have it by the fact that we sin.

God gave us the Old Testament law to show us that we are all sinners. Look at just the 10 Commandments and take inventory. We have to admit that not one of us is perfect. “We have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23). God showed us the seriousness of sin through the sacrificial system introduced through the law. Its message was that “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” (Hebrews 9:22). But the Old Testament sacrifices were just symbolic, for in reality “It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” (Hebrews 10:4).

The sacrifices pointed to Jesus, the true Lamb of God. (John 1:29). Jesus is God in the flesh, fully man and fully God. Jesus was the only human being to live a completely righteous life, to never sin. Because He was perfect (sinless) Jesus was able to stand in for us, to atone for our sins by the shedding of His blood. And that He graciously did. Through His sacrifice our sins were put on Him and His righteousness was put on us.

Because of Jesus’ once for all sacrifice of Himself, “sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.” (Hebrews 10:18). “For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” That’s incredible. What Jesus accomplished for us is insanely great! Thank you Jesus!