“Cleansed To Serve The Living God!”

“Cleansed To Serve The Living God!”(Heb.9:11-14).
“But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. 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 unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God.”
Isaac is a kind of inactive patriarch in-between his father and his sonJacob. However, in my naive way of looking at things, Isaac asked his father a question which we may not want to ask concerning Jesus Christ entering the tabanarcle, but which has to be asked. Isaac asked his father: “The fire and the wood are here. But where is the lamb of the burnt offering?”(Gen.22:7).
When God stopped Abraham from sacrificing Isaac, he was indirectly sounding an alert that Abraham and his descendants should not imitate the practice of human sacrifice common among the neighbouring countries.
However, God had a perfect plan for the redemption of the whole world through the blood of his own Son.
Jesus himself became the lamb of the burnt offering that Isaac would have become.
Atonement is made possible only through blood as it is stated, “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar: it is the blood that makes for one’s life “(Lev.17:11).
Animal sacrifice for atonement was a yearly practice that only sanctified those who were ceremonially unclean so that they could become “outwardly clean.” The Lord Jesus ended this practice through his own blood so that our consciences could be internally cleansed from acts that lead to death – to make us new creations – “so that we may serve the living God.”
My friend, I agree with Tertullian who said, “I believe because it is absurd.” By faith we believe, not because it makes sense but because we recognise that imperfect limited beings cannot comprehend what is perfect and unlimited!
We may not be clear how a great high priest is also the lamb of sacrifice. However, by faith we know he is the Son of God, Christ who “came as high priest of the good things that are now already here.” Through the eternal Spirit he offered himself unblemished to God for his blood to cleanse our consciences so that we may serve the living God.
By this cleansing God puts his word in our minds and writes them on our hearts.
Prayer: Holy Spirit help me daily to keep my conscience free from acts that lead to death so that I serve the living God. Amen!
Have a blessed day! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.
08/04/2025.