The Better Effect
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. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that you may serve the living God Hebrews 9:13,14
The writer of Hebrews is at pains to show his readers that the new covenant has been inaugurated in Jesus. He wants them to stay with the community of Jesus’ followers, whatever the cost, and not go back to Judaism.
Throughout these chapters there is a continuing comparison between the old and new covenant, between the old and new high priest and the offerings each brought. Hebrews’ author is constantly contrasting, not something bad with something good but something good with something better. The new dispensation that has come in Jesus is better than all that came before.
Having declared Jesus went into a better sanctuary (9:11) with a better offering (9:12), the writer now declares Jesus’ offering has better effect than what was offered under the old covenant (9:13,14).
What impact does Jesus’ offering have? It reaches into the depth of the personality. Just as Jesus went into the very heart of the presence of God (not just into a man-made building with an inner chamber but into the very place of God’s glory), so the effects of His sacrifice are felt not only in the outer lives of His people (restoration to fellowship or being made ‘clean’ again in a bodily sense), but in the inward depths, the ‘holy of holies’ of each individual life. This is the place in our lives that ultimately defines who we are.
Jewish temple practices, though God-given and good in what they offered, could never accomplish what was ultimately required to see sin and death finally dealt with. Now the living God, the God Israel had always worshipped, but whose saving plan had still been in the preliminary stage, had revealed once and for all the way into His presence. This was the only way His people could serve Him unreservedly without the slightest shadow or stain of conscience.
This is what Christ has done for you. He has entered the better sanctuary, heaven, and not a man-made building, with the better sacrifice, not the blood of animals but His own blood, freely given, to secure for us better cleansing and wholeness than the Jewish sacrificial system ever knew.
Guilt and fear are never to be our motivation for service. Jesus has set us free to serve Him joyfully, freely and exuberantly.
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