Romans 3:25-26

Romans 3:25-26 “whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

God sent His son to die for us on the cross and bear the full weight of His divine judgment against our sin, and it is by faith that we receive this gift from God. This sacrifice not only satisfied our present sins, but all of our past sins for which God so graciously delayed judgment, and all of the future sins that we will commit on this earth. All of our sins must be atoned for if God is to remain righteous and just. What a wonderful reality this truth is to my heart, that despite all of my sin, I am still righteous is the eyes of God by the blood of the Lamb. Ephesians 2:13 tells me “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” Praise God. He had every right to destroy me for my sin before I was in Christ, but God knew that I would one day believe, and in His divine forbearance He spared me from judgment until the time had come that I could respond in faith to the saving work of Christ. This is a message I need to share with the world, and it is grace that compels me to share God's love.

~Jeremy

A covenant is a binding agreement or promise. This promise was made public and official when it involved the breaking of flesh and the pouring out of blood. In a covenant, the agreeing partners would bring an animal sacrifice, and then walk between the torn animal and it’s blood to finalize the everlasting pledge. Today, the closest thing we have to this is a hand shake, but we can all recall times when it was acceptable for a hand shake promise to be broken, but a blood covenant was never to be broken. 

Hebrews 10:16-23English Standard Version (ESV)

¹⁶ “This is the covenant that I will make with them
    after those days, declares the Lord:
I will put my laws on their hearts,
    and write them on their minds,”

¹⁷ then he adds,

“I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”

¹⁸ Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.

The Full Assurance of Faith

¹⁹ Therefore, brothers,^[a] since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, ²¹ and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²² let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. ²³ Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

Jesus became my lamb and our new covenant- giving me life as I passed through the pieces that are Christ upon accepting in faith his death and resurrection. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, being our mediator and ultimate sacrifice I can come straight to God. The old covenant of animal bloodshed could not make one perfect, yet Jesus’ blood makes one white as snow. Jesus is the testifier of the one who has faith in him, as his death formed the new covenant and God’s eternal and public agreement with us that His blood is the propitiation and atonement for all sins for all who have faith. In God’s righteousness, He promises to forgive all my sins and pass over them. There is no greater love than this. No greater promise than this. No One greater to keep a promise throughout all eternity. I want to reflect on this daily- in thanksgiving every morning-but in the very least I want to read though Christ’s death and resurrection meditating on it’s truth more deeply at least once a month.

 
~Kristin