GOD’S FINAL ATONEMENT FOR OUR SIN
The Bible say: ” the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith” by his atoning blood (Galatians 3:24; Hebrews 9:22 ).
GOD USED THE LAW OF THE OLD TESTAMENT COVENANT TO TEACH HIS PEOPLE ISRAEL ABOUT ATONEMENT FOR THEIR SINS:
Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. 2 A tabernaclewas set up. In its first room were the lampstand and the table with its consecrated bread;(E) this was called the Holy Place. 3 Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place 4 which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. 5 Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now. (See Leviticus 16 for a fuller discussion.)
6 When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. 7 But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself( and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. 8 The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning. 9 This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. 10 They are only a matter of foo and drin and various ceremonial washing—external regulation applying until the time of the new order” (Hebrews 9:1-10).
THE LAW ENABLED PEOPLE TO RECOGNIZE SIN AS UTTERLY SINFUL.
7What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” b 8But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead. 9Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. 11For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. 12So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.
13Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! Nevertheless, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it used what is good to bring about my death, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.
14We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. c For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
21So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Hebrews 5:7-25)
NOW, THE NEW TESTAMENT COVENANT TEACHES US: “THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH, BUT THE FREE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD” (ROMANS 6:23).
11 But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here,[a] he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. 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[b] eternal redemption. 13 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. 14 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,[c] so that we may serve the living God!
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” (Hebrews 9:11-15).
When Jesus died on the cross as the final atonement for sins, “the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom,” allowing believers access to the Holy of Holies in heaven (Matthew 27:51).
Jesus Christ has now become our heavenly mediator with God. “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
JESUS CHRIST HAS GIVEN TRUE BELIEVERS IN HIS ATONEMENT THE HOLY SPIRIT TO EMPOWER THEM TO LIVE FREE FROM SIN.
Jesus told his disciples, “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[a] in you” (John 14:15-17).
After Jesus was crucified and resurrected , he appeared to his disciples; “he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:22). The Lord told them “it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you” (John 16:7).
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). And the Holy Spirit, living in us will help us to keep the Lord’s commands (John 14:15-17).
No one born of God, with the Spirit dwelling in them, makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God” (1 John3:9). Yet if we should sin, “If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” because of our believing in the atoning blood of his Son Jesus Christ (1 John 1:7-9)
