The Blood of Christ (12)—Purging the Conscience - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2024

Sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience For if the blood of bulls and goats sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Hebrews 9:9, 13-14

The Blood of Christ (12)—Purging the Conscience
We find another great contrast between what Aaron was able to do with the sacrifices and blood he brought to God, and what Christ was able to do through His great sacrifice and His blood that was shed. The work of Aaron was only effective in purifying the flesh; in other words, there was only an outward effect. It could not purge the conscience of the individuals for whom the sacrifices were offered.

How thankful we can be when we turn to consider what Christ has done. We have here one place where the expression how much more occurs in Scripture. His blood is of so much greater value, because He is so great!

The Scriptures tell us that the animal sacrifices that were offered to God only brought sins to remember . The Old Testament worshiper could not come to God with a purged conscience. The continual offering of sacrifices and shedding of blood gave evidence that sin and the sins committed were not yet put away.

The testimony of Scripture to His work is, "For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified"; and as a result, "Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more" (Heb. 10:14, 17). What a contrast for the Christian today. As we worship—whether individually, in our families, or particularly in our collective worship—we remember not our sins, but the One who put them all away!

Kevin Quartell