Atonement Through the Blood of Christ

Scripture text: Hebrews 9:13-14

Today, we turn to the infallible, inerrant Word of God, found in Hebrews 9:13-14, which declares: "For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God." This is not a suggestion or a metaphor—it is the literal truth, breathed by the Holy Spirit, revealing the foundation of our salvation.

The Insufficiency of the Old Covenant 

In the Old Testament, God established a system of sacrifices—blood of goats and bulls, ashes of a heifer—to temporarily cleanse His people from outward impurity. But let’s be absolutely clear: these sacrifices were powerless to save. The Bible itself testifies in Hebrews 10:4, "For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins." Those offerings were a shadow, a signpost pointing to the one true sacrifice. They could never reach the heart, never erase the guilt of sin, never reconcile us to a holy God. They were a constant reminder of humanity’s failure, repeated year after year because they were not enough.

The Perfect Sacrifice of Christ

But praise be to God, what the old system could not do, Jesus Christ did! The Son of God, sinless and eternal, offered Himself—His own precious blood—on the cross. This is no mere symbol; it is the historical, literal act that changed everything. Hebrews 9:12 proclaims, "He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption." Once for all! Not repeated, not partial, but complete and perfect. The blood of Christ doesn’t just cover sin—it washes it away, purifying our very conscience.

This is the heart of the Gospel: there is no other way to salvation. As Acts 4:12 states with unwavering clarity, "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." Not through good deeds, not through rituals, not through anything but faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ. To suggest otherwise is to deny the Word of God itself.

The Call to Holiness

Now, if we have been redeemed by this matchless sacrifice, we cannot remain unchanged. The Scripture tells us that Christ’s blood cleanses us "from dead works to serve the living God." What are these dead works? They’re the empty efforts to earn God’s favor, the sins that once held us captive. But now, washed in the blood of the Lamb, we are called to live differently. Hebrews 12:14 warns, "Without holiness, no one will see the Lord." This isn’t optional—it’s the mark of a true believer.

We don’t pursue holiness to be saved; we pursue it because we are saved. The blood of Christ has set us free from sin’s power, and the Holy Spirit empowers us to live righteously. Are we trusting in that blood alone, or are we still leaning on our own strength? Are we walking in the purity that reflects our redemption? The world may scoff, but we are called to be a peculiar people, set apart for God’s glory.

A Finished Work and a Living Faith

This week, let us cling to the truth of Hebrews 10:10, "We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." The work is finished—Jesus said, "It is done" (John 19:30). Yet our response must be active: resting in His atonement and living out His grace. The blood of Christ speaks a better word than the blood of Abel (Hebrews 12:24)—it cries out mercy, forgiveness, and power for all who believe.

A Final Charge

Gentle readers, this is not just a message for us—it’s a mandate for a lost world. The blood of Christ is the only hope for sinners, the only bridge between a holy God and fallen humanity. Let us proclaim it boldly, live it faithfully, and trust it completely.

Amen.

DMMc 6-11-2025