Hebrews 7:27 Who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.
The demonic spirit of religion has always been the worst enemy of the Church. In our study through the Book of Acts, we find the religious Jews constantly attacking the preachers of the New Covenant because they are so bound by the Law of Moses.
In the 15th Chapter, we read that some of these men traveled all the way from Jerusalem to preach this false doctrine to the new converts. And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, except you be circumcised after the manner of Moses, you cannot be saved. (Acts 15:1) They were adding circumcision to faith in Christ for Salvation. In effect what they were saying is that what Jesus accomplished on the Cross for Redemption of sin was not enough. Think about that!
The Finished Work of Christ on the Cross WAS ENOUGH! Every sin of every person on earth for all of time was paid for by Jesus on the Cross of Calvary. His Perfect Blood was enough. That is what God required and Jesus paid it all. Once and for all, the sin debt for all of humanity was paid.
Under the Old Covenant, people would bring animal sacrifices to the Temple every day. The Priests would examine the animals and then sacrifice them on the Altar. In addition, the High Priest would go into the Holy of Holies (the Most Holy Place) once a year on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) to make the annual required annual blood offering for sin. Only the High Priest was qualified to do this.
There was a very thick and heavy curtain that separated the Holy of Holies where the Ark of the Covenant was placed. This is where the Presence of God resided and ONLY the High Priest was qualified to go there and ONLY to make the annual sin offering to God.
The office of the High Priest was a life-long position. When the High Priest died, a new one was appointed and would serve in this position until his death. This was the highest position in Judaism. However, when Jesus went to the Cross and made the FINAL Sacrifice for all the sins of ALL people, He became the High Priest. He took no animal with Him to the Cross because HE WAS THE SACRIFICIAL LAMB. He WAS the Sacrifice. When He gave up His Spirit on the Cross on Crucifixion Day, the Work was complete. He had done what His Father sent Him to do.
The moment He said It is finished. (John 19:30) the heavy curtain in the Temple was supernaturally torn in two. No one touched it! It just split right down the middle revealing the Most Holy Place to everyone. This meant that the Final Sin Sacrifice had been made and God accepted it! All people now had access to God in the Most Holy Place through their personal faith in the Finished Work of Christ.
On that day He became the High Priest and because Jesus rose from the dead and is still alive today, He is our High Priest and will be forever! We read all about this in the Book of Hebrews. Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. But He (Jesus) because He continues forever (never dies) has an unchangeable Priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. For such a High Priest was fitting for us, Who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; Who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. For the Law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever. (Hebrews 7:23-28)
Our sin separates us from God but we have direct access to God the Father through our faith in the Finished Work of Christ on the Cross. He IS our High Priest and will be forever! Hallelujah
Faith in Him will……….turn the tide……….in this world!
Oh, how I love Jesus! Doreen
www.bettsministries.org
