EB 10:14{INHebrews 9 is set forth, unfolded, the manner in which sins are put away, by the one offering of Jesus Christ; whereas in this chapter, the subject is, how this is applied to the conscience, so purging it, that no dread of God's judging because of sins any longer remains-so full, perfect, and sufficient is Christ's offering, that by Him all who believe are not only justified from all things, but are entitled to be within the holiest, and to know it. Could anything be more wonderful or excellent? Within the veil, where of old only one man, of one tribe, of one nation, on one day of the year could enter; there, too, not by sufferance, but in right and title, and suited for such a place, having a conscience so purged that it is fit for the presence of God. I may just observe in passing, that the Hebrews shows the twofold position of a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. As regards heaven, he is, as in this chapter, within the holiest now; as regards this world, his place is outside the camp, as in Hebrews 13. On this latter I do not now enlarge, it does not come within my present purpose.
Let us look a little at the foundation of this great salvation.-First, as we have it in Hebrews 10:10,10By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:10) "By the which will we are sanctified." God willed not, and had no pleasure in the death of a sinner, nor had He pleasure in the sacrifices offered by the law, which could never make the worshipper perfect. In these repeated sacrifices there was a remembrance of sin every year, "For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins, wherefore when he cometh into the world he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure [which are offered by the law], then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me) to do thy will, O God" -thus we are let into the secrets that passed between the Father and the Son before the foundation of the world. It was the will of God, and the Son sets Himself to do that will: "a body hast thou prepared me." Oh, how different from the natural conceptions of God how eclipsed, even the very best thoughts about His character and love! He willed it, and what His heart conceived, the Son of His love will undertake to accomplish. Will you, my reader, say what are your thoughts about God? Who ever could have stooped so low, in a love that removed all that hindered its expression out of the way, at the cost of all that was dear to itself? Such then was His will, which is the great source and spring of this wonderful display of grace. Second, we have the Person and work by which it has been accomplished. The Person, [the Lord Jesus, the Eternal Son of God; He it was who took a body prepared for Him by God, and in it glorified His Father, as well as established a righteous ground upon which God can be "just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus." Listen to His own words, "therefore Both my Father love me, because I lay down my life that I might take it again. I have glorified thee on the earth, I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do." He was the one who shed His blood, the righteousness of God demanded the blood of a victim perfect and excellent. Sin could be put away by nothing less, and for the purging of the conscience there was wanted nothing more. He it was who by the Eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God-(as He alone could)-and now that very same righteousness of God raises Him up from the dead, from the very death wherein He glorified God, and sets Him in glory, and likewise rends the veil from the top to the bottom! Could anything be more wonderful! " This man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, forever sat down on the right hand of God.... for by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified." This one offering accomplished what the blood of bulls and of goats, shed from the beginning of the world, could never do; this one offering needed no repetition, so there remaineth no more offering for sin.
Lastly, we have the way by which it is known and enjoyed in those words, “whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us.... their sins and iniquities I will remember no more." Reader, have you the knowledge and enjoyment of this? could there be anything equal to the blessed certainty in the soul, founded on God's will, Christ's offering, and the Holy Ghost's testimony The Holy Ghost could not have come down until Jesus was glorified; but Christ being glorified out of the very judgment by which He forever put away sin-the Holy Ghost comes down.
Wherever I look, I see infinite power, and infinite love-the love that gave Christ, and brought Him down to the grave, and the power that raised Him up and set Him at the right hand of glory. W. T. T.