JC Blog

“Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him” ( Hebrews 9:27-28 )

There are certain things in life we are assured of, just as we were born, we will also die. It was Ben Franklin who joked “in the world nothing can be said to be certain except death and taxes". I would suggest, however, that there are a few other things we can also be certain of. Just as mankind is appointed to die and to be brought before God in judgment, so also Jesus was destined to come and bear the burden of sins of the world once for all ( I Peter 3:18, I John 2:2 ). This is amazing news for us. Because this work was finished and complete, He is also appointed to return, not to bear sin again but to bring salvation to those who are eagerly waiting and expecting Him.

This is Christ’s legacy. He dealt with the issue of sin once for all so all that is left to do is to come and gather His people to Himself. As believers we have been redeemed, we have been purchased and we have been given a new born again spirit but we are still waiting for the redemption of our physical bodies. When Jesus Christ returns He will be coming to bring final salvation. This is one of the things in life we can be assured of, Christ is coming back and when He comes, He will bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him!

This is an exciting thing; there is no fear in anticipating that day. Paul told the church at Thessalonica, “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing” ( I Thessalonians 5:9-11 ). The only question that will matter is; What did you do with Jesus? For those who believe in Him, we will not suffer wrath but we will receive our salvation.

The Apostle John also comforts us with these words, “In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us” ( I John 4:17-19 ). In other words, when we stand before God in judgment we will be wearing the righteousness of Jesus. John said “as He is so are we in the world,” meaning that there is no accusation of sin against us, because Jesus dealt with the issue of sin and we have accepted His payment for it. Through Jesus we have the righteousness we need, to stand before God free from accusation or condemnation. We also have His perfect love to reassure us in this truth.

Jesus told us that anyone who accepts His message of grace and forgiveness will have this salvation without condemnation. “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life” ( John 5:24 ). The word for condemned is the same word for judgment. Christ came to first to bear sins so that He could come back again to bring salvation for all those who eagerly, constantly and patiently wait and expect Him! It is as certain as death and taxes and it is something to anticipate with great joy!

“When Moses had proclaimed every commandment of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.” In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” ( Hebrews 9:19-22 )

Both the Old and New Covenants were put into effect by blood. The blood proved the death, thereby enforcing and enacting the will of the one who died ( Hebrews 9:17 ). Leviticus 17:11 explains why the blood was used, “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life” ( Leviticus 17:11 ). So it was necessary for both Covenants to be ushered in by blood, because first it proved the death because the blood is the life force. And secondly, it was given for atonement. So without it, there could be no forgiveness for sins.

Jesus’ blood was shed to usher in the New Covenant. His blood proved that a death had occurred thereby enacting His last will and testament. His blood was the price necessary for this will to come to pass, in other words, it put this covenant into effect. The New Covenant is not only the will of Jesus, whose blood ushered it in, it is also the will of God. Throughout Jesus’ time on earth He said over and over that His will was to do the will of the Father ( John 6:38 ). He stressed that what He said was only what the Father told Him to say ( John 8:28 ) and He did only what He saw the Father do ( John 5:19 ). His words and teachings were not His own but from the One who sent Him ( John 7:16 ). In fact John 6:38 summarizes this very nicely, “For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me” ( John 6:38 ). The writer of Hebrews starts chapter 1 by declaring that Jesus is the exact representation of God the Father ( Hebrews 1:3 ). Since they are one and the same, we can see that Jesus’ blood was the life force that was able to usher in the will of God, which was the New Covenant.

Not only did Jesus’ blood prove the death and put the Covenant into effect. Part of the New Covenant that God spoke of through the prophets included the forgiveness of sins ( Jeremiah 31:31-34, Isaiah 54:13, Hebrews 8:8-12, Hebrews 10:16-18 ). Leviticus 17:11 says the life force is in the blood and this is used as a means for atonement. So Jesus’ blood served multiple purposes, it enacted the Will of the Covenant and it was the cleansing agent for sin. If no blood was shed, there couldn’t be any forgiveness for sins.

The Vines Dictionary of New Testament Words brings clarification to this point. There are two words used for blood in Hebrews 9. The first one is haima, which has many meanings, but in this case it denotes the blood of sacrificial victims ( Hebrews 9:7 ). “The "blood" of Christ, which betokens His death by the shedding of His "blood" in expiatory sacrifice; to drink His "blood" is to appropriate the saving effects of His expiatory death, John 6:53. As "the life of the flesh is in the blood," Lev 17:11, and was forfeited by sin, life eternal can be imparted only by the expiation made, in the giving up of the life by the sinless Savior” (Vines Dictionary). In other words, life had been forfeited because of sin, which is why Jesus’ life was given so that He, as a sinless man, could impart eternal life through this sacrifice. Jesus himself said this, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day” ( John 6:53-54 ). Our life was forfeited because of sin, but Jesus’ blood was shed to forgive and restore us to a state as if we had never sinned in the first place ( II Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 9:12, Hebrews 9:26, Hebrews 10:10, Hebrews 10:12, Hebrews 10:14, Hebrews 10:18 ). What an amazing truth!

The second word for blood used in Hebrews 9:22 is haimatekchysia, which means the “shedding of blood”, to pour out. Jesus didn’t just give His blood, He let it flow freely. In fact, it didn’t stop until every last drop had been given. He was poured out unto death, which is what Isaiah prophesied about Him, “Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors” ( Isaiah 5:3:12 ). His life force completely covered, cleansed and annulled sin. Our lives had been forfeited because of sin, however His blood completely reversed  the effect of sin so that we could experience eternal life.

Jesus understood this which is why He spoke these words while reclining at the table with His disciples at the last supper. “Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” ( Matthew 226:27-28 ). He knew the price to bring us to the Father and His own words testify to the fact that He would let the blood flow freely. He knew His blood would usher in the covenant and it would completely and utterly blot out and destroy the effects and stains of sins.

His perfect blood was shed to usher in both the New Covenant and the forgiveness of sins. Neither one could be accomplished without it which is why He freely gave himself to the will of God. Jesus accomplished what we could not and because of His sacrifice we have been forgiven, freed and offered eternal life through the person of Jesus Christ.

All of the Old Testament patriarchs and prophets looked forward to the time of Christ. King David perhaps above all of them. Why? Because David had a revelation of grace that was unparallel in the Old Testament. He spoke in the Psalms of the time which we live now. He looked forward to it, saw what we have and called us supremely blessed.

Why did David speak of the blessedness of the New Testament man? Because he saw that the time was coming when believers would live without sin charged against their accounts. He prophesized that all iniquity would be forgiven, sins would be covered and completely forgotten.

In fact, in this passage, there are two important truth to be aware of, to which Paul draws our attention. The word for 'will not', or 'will never' in verse eight is what is called an emphatic negative in the Greek. It means that sin, will never, not ever, be counted against us. It is the strongest language that could be used to describe the state of the New Testament believer. Our sins have been forgiven to the point that they will never be held against us ever again. This is incredible news for us and David calls this man, those who live after the promised Messiah, blessed, happy and to be envied by all.

The second word is also found in verse eight which says, "Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him." or as the King James Bible says, "Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." The word impute is actually an accounting term, meaning to account for, charge against or reckon to. An example of this is when we use our credit card. The amount charged is imputed to our account, of which, we later have to consider by paying off the debt. However David speaks of the man to which the Lord will never charge into their account, the iniquity that has been committed. Even when a sin is committed presently the Lord does not impute it to us. This speaks of past, present and future sin because Jesus has paid the price for sin once for all. ( Hebrew 10:10; Hebrews 10:14 ) Again great news for all believers that live on this side of the cross.

Paul used two examples of great men of faith from the Old Testament scriptures to support his claim to the Jews that we are completely justified by faith apart from works. Both Abraham and David knew this truth and looked forward to it's fulfillment. David, in particular was speaking of the New Testament believer, which is us. This blessedness that he envied is what is we currently possess in Christ. Today praise God that this includes you! You have been bought with a price, you have been redeemed completely and fully forgiven of every offense ever committed. This is good news both for the Jew and for the Gentile through the blood of Christ Jesus!

If God doesn't condemn us based on the fact that he is the one justifying us, who can condemn us? Will Jesus? In today's passage, Paul is writing to us that Jesus is the one who died for us and now resides beside the Father making intercession for us. If he is pleading and interceding on our behalf then it makes sense that he would never bring accusation against us.

Jesus died for us to be reconciled to the Father. When he did this, he took all judgment for sin upon himself. The wrath of God was placed upon him in our stead and he was crushed beneath it until everything was paid for. Isaiah told us that the Messiah would bear up our iniquities and bring us peace with God by being our sacrificial lamb. "Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all" ( Isaiah 53:4-6 ). Jesus paid for our sins so we wouldn't have to. Jesus brought us peace with God so we be in fellowship with him.

It was a marvelous thing for Jesus to do for us. He suffered at the hands of man becoming the very thing he hated so that we could become the very thing he was . He took our sin and gave us his righteousness ( II Corinthians 5:21 ). Since Jesus became the sin for us and by it took care of the sin problem forgiving mankind of all sins, it only reasons that he would never condemn us before God if by faith we have accepted his payment for sin.

Hebrews talks about this very thing in chapter 10. "But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy" ( Hebrews 10:12-14 ). Jesus only offered one sacrifice for sin, paid for all of it and forgave our debt to it. Verse 18 says, "And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin" ( Hebrews 10:18 ). If there is one sacrifice for sin and everything is forgiven, then there is no more condemnation in regards to sin either. Just as God rested on the seventh day of creation because everything was finished, Jesus rested beside the Father in heaven because it too was finished. Now he lives at the right hand God interceding for us.

If anyone dare bring an accusation against us before God, Jesus is the one to testify for us. He is the one pleading and remind the Father of what he did for us. His blood covers a multitude of sin and his blood purifies us from those sins. Not only is this so, but he also promises never to remember them again. "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more" ( Hebrews 10:16 ).

Today, I am blessed to know that I have an advocate with the Father who loves me and is interceding on my behalf. I have blessed to know that everything in my past and future has been forgiven and wiped clean, so that I can live in newness of life, without regret. Today, it is my prayer that you understand this amazing truth. May you understand that Jesus is your sponsor with the Father and he will never bring accusation against you. May this revelation change your future, amen!