Our Salvation – Complete!
‘So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him’ Hebrews 9:28
In context the writer has been talking about the High Priest in the Old Testament. He was only allowed to enter the Holy of Holies, the place of God’s presence, once a year on the Day of Atonement.
Crowds of faithful Jews would wait with baited breath for him to re-emerge from behind the curtain. On this one day he carried into the Holy of Holies the blood of the sacrificed animal. This animal blood was in place of human blood. Faithful Jews knew they had sinned but waited expectantly for this one day a year when God said the death of an animal would replace their death. The animal would die in their place as their substitute as penalty for their sin. The re-emergence of the High Priest meant God had accepted the sacrifice and the sins of the people were “covered” for another year.
Jesus’ resurrection from the dead was God the Father’s guarantee that He accepted His Son’s sacrifice. God raised His Son as proof positive that His Son’s life and message were true in every way. But as the High Priest’s re-emergence from God’s presence brought a sigh of relief to the believing Jews, so Christ’s coming back from God’s presence to be seen by the believers at His Second Coming will complete our salvation. In that moment our bodies will be transformed to be like Christ’s body. Death will be completely overcome. We will live with Christ forever!
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