So with that one sacrifice He made us holy and brought us into perfect union with God.The word perfect is used thirteen times in the book of Hebrews. Several times it is used in reference to the law and the Old Testament system of sacrifices that were not perfect. The law could not produce a perfect redemption, perfect reconciliation, or a perfect fellowship. Nor could it perfect the conscience of man. It could not reach the root of the problem.
(Heb. 10:14 Laubach)
For by one sacrifice, valid for ever, He enabled men to enter into perfect communion with God. (Heb. 10:14 Barclay)
When referring to what God did in Christ, Paul said it was perfect! Even the law and the prophets looked on the sacrifice of Jesus and said it was perfect. What Jesus did on the cross produced a perfect righteousness to totally set you free. Now, you are free from sin consciousness, a sense of failure, guilt, or shame, so that you can come before the Father God with perfect fellowship.
Paul refers to God as “Abba Father” or “Daddy God.” The Pharisees got upset because they saw God as some austere God that was so far off that they really could not approach Him. But Jesus, through His sacrifice, brought us right into the presence of God. He’s our Father God. We can even call Him the most intimate term, “Daddy!”
Perfect Sacrifice
For by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.The message Bible translates Hebrews 10:14 this way: “It was a perfect sacrifice by a perfect person to perfect some very imperfect people.” I like that! Jesus was the “perfect” sacrifice. When God saw the sacrifice of Jesus, He said, “That’s Perfect!”
(Heb. 10:14)
In the Old Covenant, there had to be a perfect sacrificial animal offered to atone for sins and to receive blessings in the covenant. The word covenant means “to cut till the blood flows.” It is an ancient rite that signifies that “two persons enter into the closest, that most enduring, and the most sacred of compacts, as friends and brothers…” (Clay H. Trumbull).
Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold…But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
(1 Peter 1:18-19)
And ye shall offer that day…a he lamb without blemish….When the sacrificial lamb was brought to the priest, it was the lamb that was examined. The worshipper was cleansed and accepted, not based on his own perfection, but on the perfection of the sacrifice.
(Lev. 23:12)
(…He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter…)
(Isa. 53:7)
When we come to God, we don’t bring our own goodness, but we can draw near to God based upon the perfection of Jesus, the Lamb, slain form the foundation of the world. God, out Father, invites us to come close and enter into intimate fellowship with Him. Because of His perfect sacrifice, we are perfected.
Perfect Union
But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.God sees us through the blood of Jesus and accepts us based on the condition of His perfect sacrifice. He made us holy through His blood and brought us in to union with God. No longer are we struggling to be good on our own because now we share His life, His nature, and His ability.
(1 Cor. 6:17)
And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they be one, even as we are one; I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one… - (John 17:22-23)
Now, God has put His laws in our hearts and has written them in our minds (Heb. 10:16). We shared the death of Christ, and sin has no more dominion over us. We also share in His life and enter into union with Christ. He is the Vine and we are the branches.
There are two ordinances in the Church that show clearly the union we share with God through Jesus’ blood. They are communion and water baptism. In communion, we drink His blood and eat His flesh spiritually as we take the bread and the cup. His blood and life are applied by faith to show that we have been joined to Him and are part of His body (1 Cor. 11:24,25).
Water baptism is an external demonstration of the spiritual work of the cross. It shows our death with Jesus to sin, and also our resurrection with Him to new life (Rom. 6). It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me! This joy, liberty, and power is ours because the blood of Jesus has brought us into perfect union with God.
Summary Points:
- By faith in the blood of Jesus we enjoy perfect fellowship with the Father God, and in His presence we have perfect peace that He will perfect what concerns us.
- It was a perfect sacrifice by a perfect person to perfect some very imperfect people.
- God sees us through the blood of Jesus and accepts us based on the condition of His perfect sacrifice.
the Blood Of Jesus by Mark Hankins. Excerpt permission granted by Mark Hankins