Hebrews 9-10 Our Conscience Has Been Cleansed Once For All

(This can be considered a follow-up to my previous post on 5 October 2010 “Another Look at the Cross – How the Message Portrays God“.)

I believe Jesus came to save us from our conscience that condemns us, not from God nor from His wrath. The wrath doesn’t come from God; it comes from our guilty conscience. Our conscience is like the devil that walks about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (since he is “the accuser of the brethren”). Hence, we are exhorted to cast all our care upon Him (Jesus) because He cares for us. (1 Peter 5:7-8)

Jesus came to give us rest – He wants us to come to Him and be free from religious burdens (since religious leaders use the law to oppress people), and He will give us rest for our conscience. When we learn of Him and take His easy yoke upon ourselves, we will find rest for our souls. (Matthew 11:28-30)

I learnt that the first mention of blood covering is in the garden of Eden – after Adam and Eve partook from the tree of knowledge of good and evil (which is a picture of the law), they developed a conscience. They felt guilty and became afraid of God and they hid themselves from His presence. God was sad that they were hiding from Him because He loves them and He has never forsaken them – He longs for them to be free from guilt and condemnation so that they can approach Him without any sense of shame and fear again.

“So God made tunics of (animal) skin, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21), so that Adam and Eve would be free from having a guilty conscience. This first animal sacrifice is a shadow that points to the substance – the final sacrifice of God’s Son Jesus Christ Himself, whose blood is far better than the blood of animal sacrifices, for the cleansing of our conscience once and for all.

“Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He (Jesus) entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, 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? And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.” (Hebrews 9:11-15)

English: Resurrection of Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

After Jesus died and rose again, He ascended to the Father as our great High Priest, where He sprinkled His own blood on the heavenly “tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry”. (Hebrews 9:21) The tabernacle is a picture of us – our bodies are temples of God. Just as the tabernacle is made up of outer court, Holy Place and Most Holy Place, our beings consist of body, soul and spirit. When Jesus sprinkled His blood over the vessels in the Holy Place, He was in fact saving (‘sozo‘ – ‘to make whole’) our soul (mind, will and emotions) where our conscience is – His blood thus has cleansed our conscience from dead works (religion or works done to make ourselves right with God). Hence, since Jesus’ sacrifice is perfect and His redemptive work is complete, we should have “no more consciousness of sins”. (Hebrews 10:2)

“For by one offering He has perfected forever (in their conscience) those who are being sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14)

Here’s sharing a revelation (written by Dave Lewerenz) that sheds new light on Revelation 21:25: “The Old Covenant Law had one job – to condemn the conscience of those who were under it. This condemnation is what causes people to be “outside” the gates in agony and torment, instead of INSIDE the gates where there is joy and peace in the Father’s presence – this is why I speak against the Law/sin mindset so often. It’s is God’s job to change us as we spend time in His presence, not us trying to change ourselves.”

Amen, those who are free from condemnation shall enjoy joy and peace in the Father’s presence – “The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever. My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.” (Isaiah 32:17-18) When we are established in His righteousness, we shall be far from oppression and condemnation, and we shall enjoy great shalom peace and joy in the Father’s presence.

(Adapted from my post in Yahoo Answers)

Related links:

Reflections on a Trinitarian View of the Cross

“Anger or Agape?” by Steve McVey

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