Title: Shadow and Substance (Hebrews 10:1~18)
Contents
Have you ever played shadow stepping?
It reminds me of when I was a child, playing shadow-stepping with my neighborhood friends on a moonlit night.
No matter how hard you try, you can't catch the shadow, and it doesn't erase or disappear even if you step on it. Because it is only a model of reality, not reality.
Today's text says that the sacrificial system established by the law is “only a shadow of the good things to come, not the true image.” That is why, through the sacrificial system established by the law, human sins cannot be erased. Rather, through this sacrifice, we only remember our sins again every time (verse 3).
On the other hand, the sacrifice offered by Jesus Christ is the reality and true image of the good things to come.
It's Christmas in a few days now. What was the purpose of Jesus Christ's coming to this earth?
It says that Jesus Christ came to this earth to do God's will.
“After that he said, Behold, I have come to do your will.” (verse 9)
So, what is the will of God? It is well illustrated in verse 10.
“By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”
God's will for sending Jesus Christ to this earth was to sanctify us through Christ. That is why Jesus Christ came to this earth and sanctified all sinners by offering his body as a sacrifice once for all.
In the sacrificial system established by the law, the priest had to stand and offer the same sacrifice over and over again (verse 11), but now we do not have to offer sacrifices for our sins again (verse 18).
The reason is that Jesus Christ offered all the sacrifices on our behalf.
Now we don't have to be bound by the law. There is no need to live in the grip of guilt. Because it's all shadows. We have Jesus Christ who is the reality in us. May you enjoy true freedom and peace in Jesus Christ. We can never become holy by our efforts and works. For holiness, Christ has already done everything. All we need to do is enjoy the perfect salvation that Christ has wrought. May you live a life full of true peace and joy in Christ.
But there are still people who follow the shadows around us. There are many people who know that they can achieve salvation through their own actions, efforts, and good deeds and want to live a life of faith in that way. Like those who do not believe in Jesus, these people have nothing to do with salvation. Should we not preach Jesus Christ, who is the true image and the reality of salvation, to those who follow the shadows today? During the Christmas season, the reason God made us meditate on these words is not to tell us to preach Christ who came to this earth to complete salvation. I hope that today will be a day to meet someone and share Christ with that person.