Only One Perfect One
I’m still faithful to my “One Year Bible” daily readings. I’ll admit I might miss a day or two, but I’ll catch up and get back on track as soon as I can. I don’t say that to impress you, but it does impress me because I am getting so much out of these readings. I mark the scriptures that catch my attention like neon lights. Well, not really neon lights, but I do mark them with my neon markers! Tomorrow will be May 13th — the 40th day since Jesus was resurrected and this day, He ascended to heaven.
As I read Leviticus and Deuteronomy in my reading plan, I sincerely questioned what God was thinking with all the bizarre and various kinds of animal offerings and sacrifices and what seemed to be the inexplicable multitude of rules and regulations that was required. As I read it, I thought I wouldn’t want to advise a new Christian to start with the Old Testament in their readings. I’d send them first to the New Testament to see what our spotless and perfect Lamb of God did to rectify all the blood and gore and, probably, an unimaginable stench in all the animal sacrifices of the Old Testament – all for the atonement for their sins. Every year on the Day of Atonement the people were required to offer animal sacrifices for their sins, with full knowledge that it would never be enough. Their sin remained and year after year they would return to offer more sacrifices.
But THEN enters Jesus. 1 Peter 1:18-20 says: “God paid a ransom. He abolished the need for animal sacrifices with His One Perfect Sacrifice.” But the new Christians had a hard time leaving their old practices behind. Maybe it was guilt, or a lack of trust, or maybe just a feeling that they needed to DO something.
I can relate to that feeling. I like to get things done, to check things off my list, even in my faith life. Go to church or church online, check. Love my neighbor, check. Weekly prayer and devotions, check. Tithes and offerings, check. The more things I check off my list, the more I feel like I’m winning at this Christian life. But at the end of the day, when I examine my conscience and look back on the things I did, I begin to waver. Was it enough?
The answer is always NO! All the good things that I will ever do will never be enough. Just as it is “impossible that the blood of bulls and goats take away sin” (Hebrews 10:4), it is impossible for me to earn my salvation. It is impossible for me to live a perfect, holy life – though I try – I really do. But I still fall short. And the good news for me AND you is that our salvation has already been purchased. Instead of pretending we can do it on our own, we simply trust in the mercy of the One who purchased it.
Thank God for the New Covenant. God has no use for our “burnt offerings and sin offerings” (Hebrews 10:6). It is our hearts that He is after. And once we give them to Him, our lives and all the good things we do are transformed from futile vain attempts to earn our salvation into joyful responses to the saving work He has already done.
“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15)
Oh, Lamb of God, Sweet lamb of God. / I love the Holy Lamb of God. / Oh, wash me in His precious Blood. / My Jesus Christ the Lamb of God.