Once for all

Not once a year (day of Atonement) nor once for all people though it has power to do that.

So what is it? What is this once for all sacrifice of Jesus for sins?

”Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect for ever.“

Hebrews 7:27-28

We have learnt how to accommodate fears and sins, addictions and anxiety, they have become part of our daily lives. We have left Egypt but Egypt hasn’t left us. So every day we come before our priest and seek forgiveness and we know Jesus does exactly that because the Bible says so. And so we are forgiven and then we make a commitment to do better. And then we fail again the next day and we repeat the performance. Now can you imagine adding a priest/pastor into that way of life? So that we would visit that person who can then bring resolve to our troubled souls.

These people were being tempted to go back to their culture of mediation because it was just too difficult to be a Christian. The problem was that it was not effective. For the priest had to deal with their own sin along with the sins of the people. It was crying out for something to once for all deal with the problem.

Once for all means the sacrifice was enough. Around the world there are many trying to pay enough penance for the things they have done wrong. They feel the need to atone for their sins. To pay back. To put things right. And yet, Christ’s sacrifice was enough.

Once for all means the sacrifice was effective. The problem with the old sacrificial system was it could never deal with the daily power of sin. Why would you ever turn back to an old broken system from a place of grace?

Once for all means the sacrifice is the essence of Christianity and what differentiates us from all other religions. With us there are no laws making us right with God; with us we know God came to us so it is pointless to work at trying to get to God; and with us our leader is not dead!

How thankful we are that once for all is still appropriate for us today.