20120902
Today’s consumers in Singapore always expect the new version of the next iPhone or the next new Toyota car model to be better than the previous. Our all-wise God has given us a New Sacrifice He prepared knowing that it would be better than the previous one. This New Sacrifice is so extraordinary that it only needs to be done once and for all, and never again. It is “through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Heb. 10:10).
The Mosaic Law given by God to Moses was only a shadow of the reality of the good news of the New Covenant that was coming. This Mosaic Law was unable for the Jews to make right the wrongs of the world. Heb. 10:5-10 tells us of the good news and the salvation plan God has in store to save us from eternal condemnation and separation from a holy God. He sent to the world Jesus as a human person to be the superior sacrifice on the cross at Calvary to replace the old sacrifices and offerings. This was despite the fact that sacrifices and offerings were used by the priests in Old Testament days to give temporary covering for the Jews of their sin. What was effective previously via the Old Covenant no longer held any effect when the New Covenant came along.
We are reminded of how Jesus obeyed God and thus made possible that we all be saved for all eternity. In the same way, let us obey our God and trust that He sees the big picture. As we obey Him we will see His glory and purpose being worked through us.
Hebrews 10:10 goes on to establish the power and permanence of this New Covenant. We are made holy and sanctified through the body of Christ, not by anything we did or felt on our part. Even as we sin and guilt often encumber us, we should not let the guilt stay in our lives since we have been forgiven when Jesus died for us. However, we cannot take His forgiveness for granted and keep on sinning as mentioned in Romans 6, for we must count ourselves dead to sin but alive in Jesus. Remember that by Jesus’ will to fulfil God’s command we, unworthy sinners, have experienced God’s salvation and are reconciled in fellowship to a holy God. This will guide the way we live, love and forgive.
