Embracing The Sacrifice of Jesus Christ: Hebrews 10:15-18
“15) And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying, 16) “This is the covenant that I will make with them After those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws upon their heart, And on their mind I will write them,” He then says, 17) “And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” 18) Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin. Hebrews‬ ‭10:15-18‬
The new covenant was promised in the Old Testament. The writer quotes Jeremiah 31:31-33. In this text Jeremiah clearly states that Israel broke the old covenant. The full context Jeremiah 31:27-40 talks about the new coming days and the plans God has for His people.
Two things stand out about this promise. First, it would be inward and not outward. God was going to write it on their hearts and not on tablets of stone. Compare this with 2 Corinthians chapter three. The Holy Spirit was going to do an inner work for believers.
Second, this new work was going to bring total forgiveness for sin rather than merely covering it. Because of the total sufficiency of the work of Christ on the cross to pay for the sins of humanity, the old sacrificial system was no longer needed. It was fulfilled by Christ and set aside.
When I embraced this truth, the chains of personal guilt and condemnation were broken. I no longer needed to strive to gain acceptance or merit with God. The futility of wondering if I was good enough was gone. The only question that mattered was whether or not Jesus was good enough and that His sacrifice on the cross was sufficient payment for my sins? There was nothing I could add but simple faith in His death for my sin. Jesus paid it all!
This defines the born again moment. Personal faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ for our sins is the moment His payment is applied to our account. At that moment we are 100% forgiven, redeemed and adopted into the family of God. This is when He seals us with His Holy Spirit and launches us into a new course in life. (See Ephesians 1:13-14)
This is what the Old Testament saints looked forward to. This is what God promised in texts like Genesis 22:8, Jeremiah 31:30-33, and Joel 2:28-29. This was the coming New Covenant. This is what Jesus accomplished in the four gospels and what is explained in the rest of the New Testament.
We live in extraordinary times! Born again believers are partakes of something wonderful and glorious beyond imagination. Jesus opened the doors of the heavenly realm and the presence of God for us. His Spirit begins to illuminate these glories in the lives of His born again people as they grow in their walk with Him.
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global