In today’s issue of our HeBrews Bible study, we are thinking about being clean.
HeBrews: A Better Blend
As I read Hebrews 9: 11-14, I am reminded of the beauty of the New Covenant and how blessed you and I are that we live on this side of the cross. As the old timers would have said, “Take a gander at this passage.”
11 But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. 12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. 13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
Now look once again at verse 13. There is one word that is key in that verse. It is the word ‘outwardly’. Under the Old Covenant, once the sinner offered the sin sacrifice on the altar at the tabernacle, he was pronounced ceremonially clean, outwardly clean…….until he sinned again. Now, I don’t know about you, but I mess up far more often than I care to even think about. Anybody else?? I would not have even made it back to my tent before I probably would have sinned again. That would have meant another trip to the tabernacle and another sacrificed lamb.
This is where the good news of verse 14 offers us a cool drink of Living Water. When Jesus died on the cross of Calvary, His death offered all who would accept it the possibility of not only being outwardly clean, but also being clean inwardly…through and through.
That is such good news to a prodigal like me. I can clean myself up pretty well on the outside, but it is my heart and conscience that I cannot do a stinking thing about. Only the blood of Jesus and having the Holy Spirit living inside of me allows me to make better choices in life…wise choices for living. I love knowing that once I ask the Lord to forgive me for any rebellion or sin, He does it and then He forgets about it. He never brings that sin up to me again.
I don’t want to be like the Pharisees of Matthew. They looked good on the outside, but on the inside they were full of sin and rebellion. Jesus likened them to whitewashed tombs…beautiful on the outside, but full of dead men’s bones. I am so glad Jesus cleans me up through and through.
MEDITATION MOMENT: Have you ever tried to hide something that you were ashamed of? Something in your past….a word, a deed. Do you need to know today that Jesus can take away the shame and make you clean through and through? I would love to share more about how this can happen. If you would like to know more, please email me at point [email protected].
