More than sacrifice
“Now where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.”
I find at the start of Hebrews 10, it is helpful to remember that the audience of this letter were Jewish believers who had only known one way of life—that of the law and animal sacrifices. The author is trying to show them that under the New Covenant that Jesus established, sacrifices were no longer necessary.
I do not think most modern day believers read this passage in Hebrews and disagree with the author. The fact that Jesus’ sacrifice eliminates the need for animal sacrifices isn’t really disputed. But, these verses are a rich reminder of the redemption we find only through Christ. And as we will see, these verses reminding us that no other sacrifice is needed is still very much relevant to us today as it was 2,000 years ago. Don’t gloss over these verses.
Jesus - the ultimate sacrifice
The only sacrifice that is capable of fully redeeming us is Jesus. Hebrews 10:4 says “it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins,” but through the blood poured out by Jesus He satisfied what the law required for forgiveness of sin. Moreover, “by one offering, He has perfected forever those who are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14). Jesus’ blood cleansed us from our sins so perfectly and purely.
Therefore He was the last, or ultimate, sacrifice. Through His blood, we were offered forgiveness and “where there is forgiveness of these (sins and lawless acts), there is no longer an offering for sin” (Hebrews 10:18). Hebrews 10:10-12 further confirms this:
By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time. Every priest stands day after day ministering and offering the same sacrifices time after time, which can never take away sins. But this man, after offering one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God.
Jesus is seated at the right hand of God because His work is finished. We are fully forgiven and we are fully perfected in Him.
But how does this passage relate to the modern day believer who does not struggle with the concept that we do not need to go to the temple and have a sacrifice made on our behalf? What do we do with a passage whose primary audience were believers raised on Old Testament law? How do we relate this passage to our own lives, especially when we know God intended this passage to be equally for us as well.
Jesus and no other sacrifice
As has been made clear in the passage of Hebrews, we do not need to atone for our sin or do penance for our sins because Jesus has already done so. To try and do so, makes a mockery of Jesus’ sacrifice. What deed could we ever perform would match what Jesus did? What could we ever give (or give up) that would match Jesus’ sacrifice? And, if a system of sacrifices ordained by God Himself could not cleanse His people, what makes us think we could ever do what the law could not? The only sacrifice worthy was Jesus and it was final.
But in our walk with God, do we always act as if this is true? Do we rest in the finished work of the cross? Or, do we try to make attempts to atone for our sin? You might not take a goat to a temple, but I think if we are honest with ourselves, at times, when we have sinned, we attempt to make an offering, or sacrifice, to try to atone for our sins.
Sin brings with it guilt and shame, and in an effort to get rid of those feelings, our human nature prompts us to act to make up for it. We attempt to do good, or be nice, or follow the rules, because we feel bad about our sin, and we want to make up for it. This got me to me thinking: when in my life have I tried to make up for my sins? As a young believer, when I found myself in a pattern of sin, my first thought was “I should read my Bible” or “I need to go to church.” Whatever it is that you might do, these empty deeds all end with the same result: a life of striving to earn our right standing with God that cannot be purchased by “good” works.
And all of those deed are good things to do, but none of those things could ever make us worthy before God. If we do those things in an effort to make up for our sin, then we are actually missing the point.
More than sacrifice
You see, God never really wanted sacrifices from us. The Bible says that “He did not desire sacrifice and offering” (Hebrews 10:5). It was a system He never intended when He made Adam and Eve in the garden. But sin came and disconnected us is with our Maker. Without the remission of sin, we are not in right relationship with God.
Psalm 40:6 says that God does “not delight in sacrifice and offering.” God never used sacrifices as way of currying favor with Him. He required sacrifice as a way of cleansing His people of their sins.
In Hosea 6:6, God tells us “For I desire faithful love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” God wants our love and for us to know Him. He does not delight in the sacrifice made for Him, but rather He delights in the one whose heart is turned toward Him.
The sacrifice was the means to an end. He did not want a sacrifice merely for the atonement of our sins. He wanted the atonement of our sins, which required a sacrifice, so we could be in right standing with Him. So, He sent His Son to come and redeem all of mankind. Jesus’ sacrifice was not the end goal. That does not minimize His sacrifice. God gave His only Son. And Jesus, fully man, gave His life for us. It was a precious gift. But it was not given just for the sake of sacrifice. His sacrifice was the means to put us in right standing with God once and for all, so that we might inherit eternal life.
We honor His sacrifice
“What should I bring before the Lord when I come to bow before God on high?
Should I come before him with burnt offerings, with year-old calves?
Would the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams or with ten thousand streams of oil?
Should I give my firstborn for my transgressions, the offspring of my body for my own sin?
Mankind, He has told each of you what is good and what it is the Lord requires of you: to act justly, to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:6-8)
When we recognize that we are sinners, when we acknowledge our sin, we see the chasm that separates us from God. And maybe our human inclination is to try to do something to make up for it. But failings will always keep us coming up short. When we humble ourselves, we see that only Jesus could ever bridge that chasm. If we don’t need to bring a sacrifice before God, how do we respond to Jesus, our Savior, who sacrificed His own life, to reconcile us to God?
By faith, we accept His forgiveness, that has already been granted, and believe that His death and resurrection, has put us in right standing with God. While we do not need to atone for our sins, we do need to repent of them. Repentance is not just confessing our sins. It is acknowledging our sinful behavior, turning away from it, and turning toward Jesus. We confess Jesus is Lord and we submit to Him. And we begin to live the life that God wants us to: acting justly, loving faithfulness, and walking humbly with God. 1 Peter 2:24 says that Jesus “bore our sins in His body on the tree; so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness.”
In the gospel of Mark, Jesus states that the greatest commandment is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” The scribe who was listening said, “to love Him with all your heart, with all your understanding, and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is far more important than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices” and Jesus responded, “You are not far from the kingdom of Heaven.” (Mark 12:28-34)
Through Jesus, we have been sanctified and cleansed of our sinful nature and He gives us a new nature. We are able, through His spirit, to do good work—not in any effort to make up for our sin, or earn our position of right standing, but rather, out of a humble heart, we seek to serve and honor Him.
And we do sacrifice:
“Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.” (Romans 12:1)
God asks us to sacrifice, or give up, our flesh, our sinful desires, and to live according to His Spirit.
“Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:24).
He does not require this sacrifice to make up for any wrong doing on our part. But He asks us to give up those things that actually keep us from Him. He asks us to give up our personal desires, and live a life devoted to Him.
I am so grateful that I am not bound to a covenant where I could never make up for my sinful nature. That in exchange for a lifetime of striving, I can rest in the finished work of the cross. In Jesus, we have forgiveness of sins and a new nature. And under this new covenant, we can walk humbly with God for the rest of our days here on Earth and in the next life to come.
