QT 7/7/2026 Heb 9:6-10, A complete salvation is available

Hebrews 9:6–10 (ESV) —

6 These preparations having thus been made, the priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties, 7 but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people. 8 By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing 9 (which is symbolic for the present age). According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, 10 but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.

 

NOTE: The author has already told us that the new covenant makes the old covenant obsolete. His walk-through of the old system is intended to show why it did not work. All of the activities and religious structure could not perfect the conscience of the worshiper. The old covenant's only redeeming value was that it reminded us of our sin and our failure to meet God's standard or to be seen by God as righteous. No sooner than an unintentional sin is forgiven, how much time elapses before I sin unintentionally again. How would I even know that since it was unintentional?

 

No, we needed something that can truly clear our conscience and make us righteous in the eyes of the thrice holy God of the universe. Jesus' death makes that possible. He died for the sins of the world. For those who believe, we are sealed with God's Holy Spirit and our bodies become temples of God. In Paul's letter to Corinth, he writes:

 

2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV) — Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV) — For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

 

Jesus took our sin upon himself and gave us the righteousness of God. The Father now sees Jesus when he looks upon us.

 

These truths are incredibly freeing. I know a lot of my personal sins and struggles, but I don't know it all. I'm sure I do many things unintentionally. But in Jesus, I am clean of willful and of unintentional sins. I am clean!

 

PONDER:

1. Do we appreciate the depths of our salvation, or are we still holding on to religious practices in some vain attempt to please God?

 

PRAYER: Father, I want to live a righteous life before you, not in some vain attempt to please you (since I am perfectly and fully loved) but out of thankfulness for the salvation you have given me.