November 26, 2013
Before you pick up stones to throw, hear me out on this one: sometimes I don't think sin is a big deal. In an age of blurred absolutes, and minimal consequences, sin is almost non-existent. Even those of us with a working definition of sin can much too easily confess and move on. Bonhoeffer well described it as "cheap grace".
Perhaps sin would seem more harsh and real if we lived in an era when dragging one of our prized livestock to the temple was the consequence. This inconvenience, both in time and money, would certainly give ample opportunity to think about the problem of sin. And then there would be the priest at the temple we would hand our animal sacrifice over to. Talk about a busy man! His daily routine consisted of following the meticulous details of sacrifices on behalf of a steady stream of sinful people (himself included). Thank God we don't live in that era. We live in God's "new administration", in which One priest has fully paid the price.
"He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself." (Hebrews 7:25-27)
Gone are the days of a continuous parade of people to a temple with appropriate sin sacrifices. Once and for all, the sinless Son and priest paid the price, and now sits victoriously at the right hand of the Father. And what He does now is as amazing as what He did before on our behalf: "He always lives to make intercession for them". Our Incomparable Savior isn't just sitting at the right hand of the Father, twiddling His thumbs, as He awaits the call to return to planet earth. No, His life is consumed with appropriating the resources of heaven to help us, His frail children.
Perhaps sin isn't a big deal to us in this age of grace. Freed from the rigors of a system that demanded regular sacrifices, it's much too easy to cheapen God's lavish grace. But, the truly grateful relish the life of the Spirit, and passionately pursuit holiness. They savor the strength that comes from a diligent Intercessor at the Father's right hand.
May our Father's great grace, and our Savior's unfailing intercession, powerfully motivate us to be living sacrifices this day.
Steve
©Steve Taylor, 2013
Be sure to also visit http://thetruthrevolution.wordpress.com/
Amazon ebook devotional - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FQ1Q9GW
Perhaps sin would seem more harsh and real if we lived in an era when dragging one of our prized livestock to the temple was the consequence. This inconvenience, both in time and money, would certainly give ample opportunity to think about the problem of sin. And then there would be the priest at the temple we would hand our animal sacrifice over to. Talk about a busy man! His daily routine consisted of following the meticulous details of sacrifices on behalf of a steady stream of sinful people (himself included). Thank God we don't live in that era. We live in God's "new administration", in which One priest has fully paid the price.
"He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself." (Hebrews 7:25-27)
Gone are the days of a continuous parade of people to a temple with appropriate sin sacrifices. Once and for all, the sinless Son and priest paid the price, and now sits victoriously at the right hand of the Father. And what He does now is as amazing as what He did before on our behalf: "He always lives to make intercession for them". Our Incomparable Savior isn't just sitting at the right hand of the Father, twiddling His thumbs, as He awaits the call to return to planet earth. No, His life is consumed with appropriating the resources of heaven to help us, His frail children.
Perhaps sin isn't a big deal to us in this age of grace. Freed from the rigors of a system that demanded regular sacrifices, it's much too easy to cheapen God's lavish grace. But, the truly grateful relish the life of the Spirit, and passionately pursuit holiness. They savor the strength that comes from a diligent Intercessor at the Father's right hand.
May our Father's great grace, and our Savior's unfailing intercession, powerfully motivate us to be living sacrifices this day.
Steve
©Steve Taylor, 2013
Be sure to also visit http://thetruthrevolution.wordpress.com/
Amazon ebook devotional - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FQ1Q9GW
posted by steve @ 7:25 AM
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