How do I know that my sins and my guilt are washed away?
The reference to Leviticus chapter 23 was certainly interesting. The Old Covenant required a series of feasts and rituals to ensure the forgiveness of sins. I could not help but imagine myself during the Feast of Weeks, bringing “two loaves made with two tenth of an epah of fine flour, baked with yeast” with seven male lambs, one young bull and two rams as offerings to the Lord (Lev 23: 18).
These rather complicated sacrifices had to be completed on a regular basis to ensure the forgiveness of sins. The priests, who were anointed to offer these sacrifices also had to live by very strict rules to safeguard their holiness (Lev 21). Despite all these regulations and strict rules, the forgiveness of sins was not guaranteed.
“Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins”. Hebrews 10:11
By shedding His blood for our sins, the Great Priest, Jesus Christ, provided the clean slate we so desperately longed for and needed.
“and since we have a Great Priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.” Hebrews 10: 21-24
His gift to us is our Salvation. In other words, I could try to “win” His forgiveness by accomplishing good deeds, but this will not take me very far. My good deeds are certainly not a way for me to obtain Salvation, or else I would have to volunteer every second of every day. Instead, I can be thankful for the sacrifice He has made for me, and all of us.
EED
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