Healing of Conscience
The Blood of Christ
11 When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. 12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.
16 In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, 17 because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. 18 This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood. 19 When Moses had proclaimed every commandment of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. 20 He said, "This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep." 21 In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. 22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
23 It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence. 25 Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26 Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Tommy's Thoughts:
Jesus has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself (v26). Christ’s death once and for all effectively frees us from dying spiritually, eternally separated from God because of our sin. When we have accepted Christ as our Savior, we no longer need to worry or frustrated about our old self or past sins, feeling not being good enough for God or trying hard to earn His favor.
Dear Lord, thank You for Christ who has shed His blood for me, cleansed my consciences and freed me from the power of sin and death. Teach me to remember not to continue carrying the load of guilt on my shoulder but to be renewed in Christ, presenting my needs and service to You as an offering. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
Bee's Thoughts:
Conscience is a God-given beacon to guide us in how we should live, with or without the law of the land. Our conscience will prick us when we try to do something that is morally not right. However, if we keep rejecting the pricking of our conscience it will become hardened, and then darkened or dead... we will lose the ability to distinguish right and wrong.
It's sad that sin has caused our conscience to go to 'sleep'. It can only be awakened when we allow the blood of Christ to cleanse it (v14). That's why when a person become a born-again Christian, he will suddenly become very sensitive to what is right and wrong. His life will begin to change as the Spirit of God works in him.
"Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned." (1 Timothy 1:5).Often, the devil will accuse us when our conscience is not clear. We then dare not go to God in prayer. We forget that we can come before God through the blood of Christ, that cleanses us from our evil conscience.
"Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." (Hebrews 10:22).
Dear Lord,
Thank You for that the blood of Christ that has cleansed my heart and my conscience. I need Your daily cleansing that I may come to You in full assurance of faith. Help me to have a pure heart and a good conscience that I may please You.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
