Purity and Forgiveness

Daily Reading: Hebrews 9

Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. (Hebrews 9.22)

Devotional Thought: The Old Covenant – the Jewish sacrificial system – required bloodshed for both purity and forgiveness:

·       The tabernacle, the furniture, the instruments of worship, the vestments of the priests – all these were purified by the blood of animals.  Without that purification, they were not fit for use in the worship of a holy God. 

·       And, according to the Law, the sins of the people were forgiven through blood sacrifice.

God has given us something better than these Old Testament sacrifices, however, because “It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Hebrews 10.4).  Repeatedly, the people and the priests had to offer blood because the root of the problem was not taken away.

The blood of these Old Testament sacrifices pointed to a greater blood: the blood of the New Covenant, the blood of Jesus, which provides both purification and forgiveness:

·       1 John 1.7. “If we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin.”  Notice that sin is in the singular in this verse.  Sin – as a principle – must be cleansed.

·       1 John 2.1-2. “If anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.  He is the propitiation [atoning sacrifice] for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”  You will notice that for atonement, or forgiveness, “sin” is in the plural, indicating our sinful actions, which must be forgiven.

The blood of Jesus has provided the remedy for both aspects of sin: sin as principle and sin as action.  Thanks be to God!

Prayer: Thank you, Lord Jesus, for shedding your blood on the cross for me.  Because you did that, my sins are forgiven, and my sin nature is purified.  I praise you, O Lord, for your complete sacrifice!  Amen.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 55.1-8

1 Give ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy!

2 Attend to me, and answer me; I am restless in my complaint and I moan,

3 because of the noise of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked. For they drop trouble upon me, and in anger they bear a grudge against me.

4 My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen upon me.

5 Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror overwhelms me.

6 And I say, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest;

7 yes, I would wander far away; I would lodge in the wilderness; Selah

8 I would hurry to find a shelter from the raging wind and tempest. ”