Bible Reading: Hebrews 9:15-10:4
It’s good that we don’t have to live according to the Old Testament law anymore. Hebrews 9:22 says this about the law: “In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be
cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” The Old Testament law required that animals be killed as a sacrifice or payment for people’s sins every year, year after year. Those sacrifices never ended because the blood of animals was never enough to be the full, ultimate punishment for people’s sins.
That is why Jesus came to earth. Jesus lived the perfect life that we can never live. Then Jesus died on the cross, using his own blood as the punishment for our sins. Because Jesus died one time, his final, perfect, complete sacrifice ended the endless sacrifices demanded by the Old Testament law. Jesus’ blood did what no other blood could do – it completely, totally, irrevocably ended the need for animal sacrifice, bought our way out of slavery to sin, and opened the door to heaven for everyone who believes and accepts Jesus’ blood as the only way to heaven.
“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.” Hebrews 10:1
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I believe that Jesus died and bled on the cross to take the punishment for my wrongdoing. I’m sorry. In Jesus’ name. Amen.