Hebrews 10:8-10 NLT
[8]”First, Christ said, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings or burnt offerings or other offerings for sin, nor were you pleased with them” (though they are required by the law of Moses). [9] Then he said, “Look, I have come to do your will.” He cancels the first covenant in order to put the second into effect. [10] For God’s will was for us TO BE MADE HOLY by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.”

Do you get it? The readers had missed the point. The old covenant was not an end in itself. It’s purpose was to move them on…to Jesus, God’s perfect sacrifice to atone for sin. Jesus’ obedience to death, in turn, must also move us on… to the holiness God requires and Jesus achieved for us. We need holiness to make us acceptable to Him so that we may approach Him with boldness and confidence.

Hebrews 10:11-14 NLT
[11]”Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. [12] But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. THEN HE SAT DOWN in the place of honor at God’s right hand. [13] There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet. [14] For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.”

He sat down? Unlike the earthly high priests who never sat down after they had sprinkled animal blood on the mercy seat, Jesus’ work was finished.

Again, Q. E. D.!

Every issue God had with us… sin, wrath, separation, pollution, broken covenant, consequences, physical death, eternal damnation…all dealt with in Jesus’ great life of submission and obedience.

Hebrews 5:8-9 NLT
[8]”Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. [9] In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him.”

Now, the most significant conclusion to everything Jesus accomplished to satisfy the Father and to give us, sin-polluted mortals, access to the Father….

Hebrews 10:19-22 NLT
[19] “And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. [20] By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. [21] And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, [22] let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.”

What God, in Christ, did for us gives us every reason to approach the Father with boldness, confidence, and trust. The way to the Father is open. We have access to God’s throne, to His mercy and grace, through our High Priest who made a once-for-all sacrifice to atone for and remove the barrier of sin. Our guilt has been removed. We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

What a difference between the Old and the new! Of what value would a return to Judaism be when such a move would forever disqualify them from receiving and enjoying eternal salvation?

And so, the writer urges his readers and us to persevere. Whatever the consequences of our refusal to budge from our commitment to Jesus as Lord, we have God’s guarantee that God will keep His promises. Our lives together as members of the body of Christ provides help, support, and encouragement to continue. Our love and good works are the glue that holds us together and steady in the face of opposition and persecution.

Hebrews 10:23-25 NLT
[23] “Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. [24] Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. [25] And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”

We can be sure that, despite the odds against us, we will be the winners in the end. It will be no contest because we have God Himself for us, Jesus our representative to speak for us, and the Holy Spirit in us to accompany and support us to final and eternal victory.

To be continued…