Perfect Redemption Through Christ’s Offering
Hebrews 9:1-10:18
Key Verse 9:12
“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.”
Dear heavenly father, thank you for this GLEF 2022 to study your word from the book of Hebrews. Give us open hearts and ears, to give one word of God into our hearts. Raise up global spiritual leaders that you can use for spiritual revival in this generation. AMEN.
Thank God for the GLEF 2022, which God has blessed abundantly. We are in the 3rd year of Covid-19. It is only God’s grace that nevertheless, we may come together to study God’s Word from Hebrews in depth. We have heard interesting and encouraging lectures about IBS, about observation, interpretation and application, how we can grow as Bible teachers well versed in the scripture like Ezra. Thank God for the FBS about the 5 books of Mose by the young NG, about church history and about God’s redemptive History on Maps and Geography, through which we got to know God’s salvation plan. God encourages us, like Augustine, Anthony the Great, Boniface, Methodius, and Cyril, to absolutely hold on to God’s mission as holy Stumps and to be used by God as the global leaders in his salvation plan.
Today, we learn how the blood of Christ’s sacrifice has brought about a perfect salvation for us and has given us a new identity. Perfect reconciliation, perfect sanctification, and perfect redemption happened once and for all through the sacrifice of Christ. The power of the blood of Jesus Christ makes us perfect that we are called to be God’s children and serve the living God as a completely new creature and are used as a royal priesthood for His work of salvation. We may now and today live our victorious life of faith with God, because Jesus’ perfect sacrifice once and for all gives us absolute certainty of our salvation. May God help us today to grasp the true meaning of Christ’s perfect, once and for all sacrifice and thereby be filled with true joy.
Perfect Redemption Through Christ’s Sacrifice (9:1-28)
In this first section, the author describes the sanctuary of the tabernacle and the regulations for worship in the first covenant. The tabernacle consisted of the holy and the Most Holy, separated by a very thick and heavy curtain. The thickness of the curtain was about 10cm, so you could never tear it apart with human power. The author mentions the table with the consecrated breads and the lampstand in the holy; the Ark of the Covenant – and the altar of incense – in the Most Holy. Why does the author place the altar of incense in the Most Holy, even though, according to the Moses, it should stand in the holy, and in front of the curtain to the Most Holy? […]
Let us read verse 3 together: ” Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant […].” The author deliberately placed the altar of incense in the Most Holy to emphasize the fact that Jesus Christ sacrificed Himself as the High Priest and had thereby entered the sanctuary with the altar of incense. Why was this necessary? In the old covenant, the high priest sacrificed once a year in the Most Holy for his own sins and the sins of the people (7), while in the holy the priests carried out their ministry every day (6). But such a ministry could never fully purify the conscience of those who worshiped (9). But According to the new covenant, Jesus entered the sanctuary by shedding his own blood. The power of his blood tore apart the 10cm thick, heavy curtain from top to bottom (Luke 23:44). The power of the blood of Jesus has earned us perfect reconciliation with God and eternal salvation (11,12).
How can such an unimaginable thing be possible? […] Let us read verse 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.” Although we were actually condemned eternally by sin, the unimaginable was possible because Jesus, by the power of His own blood, has acquired eternal salvation for us!
When God created man, He created him very well, in His image. But man broke the commandment of God. People’s relationship with God was broken, so God had to drive them out of paradise (Gen 3:15, 24). But before he expelled them, he promised a Savior who would crush Satan’s head, while Satan would strike his heel (Gen. 3:15). That promised Savior is Jesus Christ! Jesus took upon Himself the unbearable pain because of our sins and carried them in obedience until his death on the cross. Jesus suffered all the unbearable pains of contempt, ridicule, betrayal, thorns, and hits. As he hung on the cross, he shout, “It is finished!” (Jn 19:30). “It is finished!” According to God’s counsel, he eventually died on the cross.
But why was it necessary for him to shed his blood? Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death.” The consequence of sin is terrible and merciless. Without death, without bloodshed, there is no forgiveness. Whoever breaks the holy law of God must die unless he finds someone who can pay for him in his place. But no man can pay for another sinner because he himself is full of sin. Only the blood of a pure, perfect Lamb of God could be the atonement for the sin of men.
Jesus, God’s Son, came as the passover lamb of God who paid this price for us sinners (Isaiah 53:3-7). So Jesus shed His precious blood in our place to give us eternal salvation. He did this without any conditions: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8). Heb 5:8, 9 testifies, Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.” The blood of Jesus is the key to our perfect, eternal salvation! Jesus shed his blood endlessly for the perfect salvation of H. Peter Ryu and M. Maria Chang. So God’s marvelous work of a perfect redemption worked in Daniel Gates, in Joshua Elsholz and also in me, only by the power of Christ’s precious blood! Salvation through Jesus’ sacrifice applies to all people of all times who personally accept the power of the blood in their lives.
How does this wonderful, eternal redemption through Jesus’ sacrifice work in us? […]
First, Jesus’ blood cleanses our consciences from the dead works (9:13.14)
Let us read verses 13 and 14: 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. 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!” The blood of Jesus does something that animal blood is not capable of. The blood of goats and bulls can only clean outwardly. Every sin poisons man’s conscience and thereby irreversibly destroys the love relationship with God. But Jesus’ blood can cleanse our deepest conscience from the dead works. Jesus heals our soiled conscience so that we can reconnect our love relationship with God. The stronger power of the blood of Jesus breaks the power of sin and gives us true freedom from the works that lead to death, so that we can now serve the living God.
The great King David committed adultery with Bathsheba, and even had her husband, one of his most loyal soldiers, killed. But his own conscience accusing him it haunted him day and night. But by trusting in the power of blood, he was able to repent and receive forgiveness. His sin was blood-red, but the blood of Christ cleansed his conscience, so he testified, ” But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content.” (Ps 131:2). The blood of Christ has the power to purify the conscience of the worst sinner, to use him as a great shepherd and spiritual leader for his people.
Let us also think of apostle Paul. Shouldn’t he have constantly suffered from a guilty conscience even after his conversion, because he had persecuted the first Christians so harshly, thrown them into prison, forced them to blaspheme and even killed them? […] No! Jesus’ blood cleansed his conscience. Jesus’ blood indeed made him free from all dead works. Jesus’ blood gave him authority to serve the living God as his chosen instrument for the Gentile and European mission.
Through the grace and power of the blood of Jesus Christ, we were also able to challenge campus mission in Germany and Europe in the past 40a and experience the power of the Word of God among the young students. Our shepherds and their house churches are living examples of this. Our next generation missionaries are also living witnesses, which God uses as holy stumps and through the GLEF as spiritual leaders in his work of salvation in this generation. Faith in the power of the blood of Jesus Christ enables young students to be freed from the works that lead to death and to stand up as an exceedingly vast army of God to form 10E4 1:1 BS Teams for world mission.
Second, Jesus’ sacrifice takes away sin (9:15-28).
Let us read verse 15: “For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.” With his death, Jesus established a better, everlasting, eternal covenant, the new covenant. Through his death and through the power of his blood, we may receive both the grace of redemption from our transgressions under the first covenant and the promised eternal inheritance.
Verses 15-17 mention “death” three times as a condition for the new covenant to be activated. The old and new covenants were not made without blood, for without blood there is no forgiveness (18-22). This does not mean that Christianity is a bloodthirsty religion. But it shows the special role of the blood and the true face of our sin. Jesus, through His own sacrifice, fulfilled our need for purification by blood. Jesus’ sacrifice was made in the true sanctuary, namely in “Heaven Itself” (24a). So we died with Him in our sins, namely our old, sinful ego. We no longer have to obey the old empress of sin, but with the power of Jesus’ blood we may live the new life with Christ every day. That is why Paul also tells us: “The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 6:10, 11)
Let us look at verses 27 and 28: “Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” Jesus’ sacrifice has a profound effect that fundamentally changes us sinners: it abolishes sin and takes it away from us. Apostle Paul puts it this way: “For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin” (Romans 6:6) Before Jesus came into our lives, our ego ruled us, being condemned to death. Thanks and praise, therefore, be to Jesus! The power of his blood has taken away our sinful ego from us. The power of his blood has freed us from the cruel reign of the devil to now serve the living God. The power of the blood of Jesus has freed us to be used as global spiritual leaders and conquerors for spiritual revival.
Simon Peter refused to accept Jesus’ words about his suffering and death. But his ego made him a coward who denied Jesus 3 times even in front of a simple maid. But when he accepted Jesus’ unconditional love through his death on the cross and resurrection, he became a new creature. Jesus took away his sin completely and made him the shepherd for the first Christians, who encouraged them especially in the time of persecution: “But rejoice in as much as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” (1 Pet 4:13).
In the old covenant I was trapped in my egoism, and in the dead works of lustful desire to impose my ego. Under the rule of sin, I always had a dark, grumpy face and rebelled against the servant of God. Thanks be to Jesus, who offered himself once and for all as the perfect sacrifice. When Jesus shed his precious blood for my forgiveness, Jesus also gave me eternal, perfect salvation. The power of the blood of Jesus made possible the unimaginable: the redemption of a hopeless egoist. The power of blood has cleansed me of the dead works of rebellion, desires, and ego to serve the living God with Heb 5:8.9, Gen 12:2, and 1 Sam 3:19. The power of the blood of Jesus is the key to the victorious life: to be used as an influential blessing and father of many nations. Because of the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ, I can now serve my living God as a royal priest by coworking well with the servant of God and my parents for the GLEF for the M. of the NG. The power of the blood of Jesus has already cleansed Dan and Hargun, the students at the University of Bonn from works that just lead to death. That is why I may give them the perfect sacrifice and blood of Christ and faithfully serve the Campus ministry, so that my friends may enter the new covenant and serve the living God as excellent Bible teachers and global leaders.
Perfect sanctification through Jesus once and for all (10:1-18)
Let us read verse 1: “The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.” In this section, the author addresses the third effect of Jesus’ blood: it has power to make perfect once and for all, forever. Why where the animal sacrifices not perfect? […] Because the animal sacrifice was not perfect. Therefore, through the blood of the animal sacrifices, it was impossible to take away sins. You had to make animal sacrifices every day and again and again to clean yourself only temporarily. It could only be a reminder of one’s own sin, but never a removal of that sin.
But let us read verses 9-10: “Then he said, ‘Here I am, I have come to do your will.’ He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” But when Christ fulfilled God’s counsel through obedience until death on the cross, God abolished the old covenant. He has now established a new covenant that we may receive perfect salvation once and for all. Once and for all! This expression is repeatedly used in these 2 chapters. One perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ offered for our sin was enough to take away our sin and give us eternal salvation. Thanks be to Jesus, who gave his life as a ransom for our sin! In this way, He has completely sanctified us forever. This Jesus is the only way, the truth and the life (Jn 14:6). Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and his blood work “once and for all”; yes, forever! Now we no longer need a sacrifice, because Jesus is the perfect sacrifice, who once and for all offered himself to God, and thus gives us absolute confidence in our eternal salvation! Through the power of the blood of Jesus, who sacrificed himself once and for all on the cross, we have the absolute, unshakable, undestroyable assurance of the perfect salvation to serve the living God.
Let us look at verses 15-18: “The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds. Then he adds ‘Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.’ And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.” The old covenant, which was based on human works, has been replaced by the new covenant. Because Jesus took away our sins once and for all through His perfect sacrifice, we hold this new covenant safely in our hands. The new covenant in Jesus Christ is thus the final covenant which brings true blessings to everyone who believes in him: “And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.” (10:18). Instead of only dealing with our sin, we may now fight with assurance in Jesus’ victory to obey God’s word and to live as spiritual conquerors.
Is it right, what the Gnostics or Liberal Theologians say, that in this life no one can overcome sin anyway? […] No. No! That is a big mistake. This is not an illusion, but the Bible clearly states that this is the spiritual reality: “For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” (10:14). God is holy, and Jesus, God’s Son, is holy and perfect. But precisely because the perfect Jesus sacrificed himself once and for all instead of imperfect animals, his sacrifice is also the absolutely perfect sacrifice. Because the perfect Jesus sacrifice himself once and for all, he gives us the definite eternal salvation. Jesus Christ is the banner of victory for all who believe in Him. We can hold on to this banner of victory under all circumstances and live the victorious life of faith until our Lord Jesus returns.
Martin Luther sought complete salvation. He believed that perfect salvation comes through good works. So he entered the monastery. He was the most diligent Bible student. He confessed the most. He was the hardest working model monk. But no matter what he did, the more he did, the more he realized his sinfulness. His fear of God’s eternal punishment tortured him more and more. But one day he read Romans 1:17: “For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith.” When he received God’s righteousness, whose grace completely cleansed him once and for all through Jesus’ blood and made him undeservedly righteous before God, he was changed by 180°. Since Luther could now have absolute confidence in Jesus’ salvation, he now lived the victorious life with the banner of victory Jesus. When he testified his assurance of eternal salvation to the holy roman emperor, and stood firm on the side of the truth, God used him preciously for the reawakening of an entire generation.
With this banner of victory, Jesus Christ, the first Christians, apostle Paul, St. Augustine, Martin Luther, Charles Studd, and Dr. Samuel Lee not only overcame their own sin, but they lived as spiritual conquerors and world changers. Why can and why do we want to see the NG and the students as global spiritual leaders? […] Because they are perfectly sanctified once and for all through Jesus. They are now the royal priesthood and global spiritual leaders for the spiritual renewal and revival at the universities in Germany, Europe, America, the M-world and online world, and to the ends3 of the earth.
Today we learn that through the unique sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we have received perfect reconciliation, sanctification, and redemption. The power of the perfect blood of Jesus frees us from all dead works and opens the new and living way to serve the living God with a new identity as royal priests to proclaim his grace. The power of the perfect blood of Jesus takes away our sins that we can be absolutely sure about our complete salvation and now live a life as spiritual conquerors. May God guide us through his wonderful love and grace, to challenge spiritual revival through the power of the blood of Jesus Christ, and through the GLEF mobilize the young students on campus to be global spiritual leaders that God preciously uses for revival in Germany, Europe, America and for world mission.
Dear father, thank you that you have given us perfect redemption, once and for all, so that we do not serve dead works anymore, but serve the living God. Use the GLEF to raise up spiritual conquerors in this Generation, who plant the power of Jesus’ blood in the hearts of the people in this Generation. AMEN.