Incredibly Good News

I have been reading in the book of Hebrews lately. The whole part leading up to chapter 10 is laying out a case for Jesus that He is higher than angels, in control of all creation, better than Moses, better than Abraham, better than the priests and definitely better than their sacrifices. The book says priests would have to make sacrifices daily for their own sins and for the sins of the people. These sacrifices never perfected the sinners or else eventually the priests would have become obsolete because the worshiper would have been purified and would have a clean conscience negating the need for more sacrifices.  

Jesus’ sacrifice was different:  

“But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.” -Hebrews 10:12

“I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more. Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.” -Hebrews 10:17-18

I read those last two verses and was floored. Jesus sat down because the work was finished. There was no need to return to the temple daily because He paid in full the debt that was owed. Often when I sin big and feel much condemnation, I hang out in a dark corner far from the presence of God thinking that He won’t love me now. I need to do this, this, and this to get back in good favor with Him. All the while He is standing there looking at me in disbelief trying to figure out why I’m so distant.  

I own my car. The loan for it was paid in full several years ago. Imagine if I went back to the bank and tried to make another payment. The teller would tell me I have no loan with them and there is thus no need for payment. We understand this in the world of money but not in the world of grace. Jesus paid for our sins, all of them. He has already paid for the ones from my past and He has paid for the ones I’ve already done today and the ones I will do later today and in my future.  

I remember several communions where my sin has been heavy on me and I wept because I knew I did not deserve to drink the blood juice. On each occasion, Jesus spoke deep in my soul that I should eat the bread and drink the beautiful juice because that is when it is most precious and that is when He is best remembered as the One who paid for my sins. Whoever has been forgiven much, loves, worships, adores much. This forgiveness fuels us to sin no more.  

Jesus paid it all.

All to Him I owe.

Sin had left a crimson stain.

He washed it white as snow.