| Pastor Tim Lee: Justice and Mercy |
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9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption [for us]. 9:13For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? The Old Testament has much to say about the blood covering for the sins of the children of Israel that was preformed annually by the levitical high preist . There was a time frame that the blood of goats and calves, was acceptable for the covering of sins. The was during the time of justice, God winked at man's sins and accepted sacrifices such as the blood of bulls and goats and turtle doves and such. 17:11For the life of the flesh [is] in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it [is] the blood [that] maketh an atonement for the soul. Moses was given by God the means of man making an atonement for his sins, which from the beginning was a blood sacrifice. This goes back to the time that Adam and Eve had sinned and Cain and Abel were coming of age to give an account for themselves unto God. This story is found in Genesis 4: Cain is warned by God about his anger, before Cain looses control and slays his brother. Abel offers to God a blood atonement for his sacrifice, this is acceptable for the covering of Abel's sins. Cain the tiller of the ground, "Farmer" chooses to bring to God that which he grows from the cursed ground instead of the blood sacrifice. Cain knew what God expected and yet chose to bring a offering that could not be accepted, because it wasn't a blood offering. This is something that happened time an time again through out the history of mankind, trying to get around God's plan for atonement and insert man's plan for atonement. 11:4By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. God was the one that testified of Abel's sacrifice being the more excellent and that Abel was righteous.
9:26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. The shed blood of Jesus was even more powerful than the blood of righteous Abel in that God's mercy is attached to Jesus becoming sin for all mankind. The New Testament was based on one coming not as sinful man under the curse of sin , but of God putting on human flesh and blood and being tempted just like every man. The fact that God gave his only begotten Son, shows the mercy that God had for fallen man. Paul say while we were yet sinners, God sent his Son. This new covenant has Jesus putting away our sin by his sacrifice of himself, not like the yearly sacrifice with the blood of bulls and goats. 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. Here in lies the great hidden mystery, Christ shall appear unto them that look for him without sin unto salvation. Jesus bore our sins, Jesus took the guilt and shame of our sins. God's mercy is extended to all that will call upon the name of the Lord. God is a God of justice, that you can't live a sinful life and expected to hear enter in my good and faithful servant. God is a God of Mercy in that he's opened a detour to Hell in the blood of Jesus to those that will accept the sacrifice of Christ's shed blood. You would have to walk through the shed blood of Jesus to go to Hell that was prepared for the devil and his angels. What will you chose beloved justice or mercy? God is just in that he will keep his written Word, it can't be added too or taken away from. |
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