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Hebrews 10:1-27

Did you hear about the guy that came into town and gave money away? Nothing in life is free. It either cost you or somebody else something: time, talent, or worse, your hard-earned cash; it had to come from somewhere.

The cost of sin is high; it is paid for with your eternal soul. The Word of God tells us “The wages of sin is death,” “eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might” (Romans 6:23a, 1 Thessalonians 1:9). Sin is separation, sin is rebellion, sin is willfully, and knowingly, going against God.

Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, And You can not look on wickedness with favor. – Habakkuk 1:13

Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life, for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice, that he should live on forever and never see the pit. – Psalm 49:7-9

Under the old covenant in the Old Testament sins were covered by the blood of animals because it took life to cover, make atonement for, a person’s sin, “Without the shedding of blood…” (Hebrews 9:22).

For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life. Therefore I have said to the people of Israel, No person among you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger who sojourns among you eat blood… For the life of every creature is its blood: its blood is its life. Therefore I have said to the people of Israel, You shall not eat the blood of any creature, for the life of every creature is its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off  –Leviticus 17:11-12, 14

If you did any of the further reading when we started Galatians you would have read in Acts what James told Paul when he returned: “Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood” (Acts 15:19-20).

The Old Testament sacrifices atoned for sins, those sins were not exposed, but they  were not removed–they were covered. Understand: WHAT IS COVERED IS STILL THERE! Sins covered are not sins exposed, but neither are they sins removed. The sacrifices of old could cover any sin BUT COULD NOT REMOVE A SINGLE ONE;

Every one of those animal sacrifices looked forward to the greatest sacrifice of all, the spotless lamb of God. When John the Baptist saw Jesus he said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29)!

In 1 John 3:5, “You know that Jesus appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.”

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin.  – 2 Corinthians 5:21

While we can receive things free of charge, it cost someone somewhere something.  The free gift of Salvation was paid for by somebody else. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 tells us we were bought at a price, “do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

Being conscious of the fact that sin must be paid for and knowing our immorality, what are we to do? Looking to ourselves leaves us in total despair.

There is no hope of escaping Hell if we cannot, by faith, find peace, wholeness, and restoration: if we cannot be reconciled to God.

In the divine justice of God the penalty for sin is eternal destruction, Hell fire, and darkness. But, justice was provided, for us, in Jesus Christ!

The Good news, the Gospel that we are to share, is that the debt of sin has been paid for in full, on the cross, by the life given and the blood shed in the spotless lamb of God, Jesus Christ our Lord! The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23)!!!

This is far more than just covering your sins. God paid the price, the penalty for your Salvation. You owed a debt you could not pay and it was paid in full with the life given for yours. Eternal life is free to us because it has been paid for in Christ Jesus our Lord.

It is by the grace of God, through Faith in God, that you receive Salvation as a gift from God! (Ephesians 2:8)

Hymn 293

Let us devote our all, surrender our all, and commit our all to Jesus Christ.

Digging Deeper

• Are you forgiven?
• Do you live your life as a blood bought, born again, Bible believing Christ follower?
• What if today was your last day? See 2 Corinthians 6:2.

Further Reading: 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, 1 Corinthians 7:23, Psalm 32:1-2, Psalm 103:12, Isaiah 43:25, Leviticus 17:11-12, 14, Romans 1:4, Romans 3:23-26, Romans 5:1-10, 2 Corinthians 6:2 and for more on the Day of Atonement see Leviticus 16