◄ What Does Hebrews 13:12 Mean? ►

The Law of God demanded that only the shed blood of a perfect, sacrificial 'Lamb' could be accepted as a trespass-offering - a sin offering to pay for the price for humanity's sin. The Lord Jesus Christ achieved this on Calvary's cross when He became our sin-substitute. God was fully satisfied when His only Begotten Son took on human flesh, lived a sinless life and drank the cup of suffering on our account and walked to the cross, to die in our place - to pay the price for OUR sin.

Christ was the innocent, sinless Lamb of God, Who shed His blood so that we might live. Jesus, the sinless Son of Man was the one and only offering, acceptable to God, in payment for the sin of the world - the Innocent for the guilty. He alone could become our Substitute for sin and Kinsman-Redeemer. He exchanged His perfect righteousness and innate purity for our gross sin and shocking shame - so that we could, one day, be clothed in His perfect righteousness forever and ever - amen.

The sacrifice of a sinless life was the price that God had demanded as the full and final payment for the sin of the world, and God loved the world so much that He gave His only begotten Son, to be made sin for us. The Son, Who was given to be born as the Child, would become the sacrificial offering for all mankind - so that whoever believes on His name would not perish but have everlasting life.

But Christ also offered up His body on the Tree, as a free-will offering - a burnt offering - a voluntary sacrifice for His people, so that through Him the Church, which is His body, might be sanctified and made holy - just as Christ is holy. Christ loved the Church so much and gave Himself for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word.

We all recognise the sin-offering as the focal point of the Cross. We all understand that Christ's sacrificial death was the legal requirement and the price that was demanded by God's perfect Law, and we all believe that Christ's death on the cross was the only acceptable price that would satisfy God's perfect wrath against the accumulated sin of fallen humanity. 

Indeed, the Bible tells us that Christ's blood is the only acceptable payment for our sin.. and how we glorify God that Christ died for our sins, and for the sins of the whole world, so that all who believe on Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

But we sometimes overlook the free-will nature of His sacrifice. Not only did He offer Himself as the compulsory sin-offering, as required by the Law, but also as a voluntary burnt-offering, as laid down in Leviticus. The free-will aspect of the crucifixion of Christ - as the Burnt Offering, is the opposite side of the same coin as the obligatory nature of his death - as the trespass-offering.

It was out of intense love for His Father and a deep love for the Church, the Lord Jesus gave Himself freely; willingly; voluntarily and joyfully, to be our Kinsman-Redeemer. Jesus gave His life cheerfully - for the JOY that was set before Him. He died so that the Church, whom He loved, might be sanctified and made holy, without spot and wrinkle, or any such blemish.

He died as the compulsory SIN offering for our justification, but He died as the free-will BURNT offering for our sanctification.

Christ's death fulfilled ALL the legal requirement of the Sin-Offering, demanded by the Law, when He was crucified 'outside the gate' - outside the walls of Jerusalem. But He also fulfilled what was required of a free-will, Burnt-Offering. Christ's death was also a love-gift that was given freely, willingly, sacrificially, and joyfully.

When Christ went to the cross He died as the Sin-Offering on the Day of Atonement and the Burnt-Offering made freely as a love gift to the Father. He died as the Passover Lamb of Israel and Kinsman-Redeemer of ALL who would believe on His name.

Let us reflect on that pivotal point in history, where the love of our wonderful God and the grace of our beautiful Saviour was so perfectly demonstrated in the intertwining of this duel sacrifice for us - FIRST) a compulsory sacrifice for sin and SECOND) a voluntary burnt-offering out of love.

Should we not willingly submit to all that God is using to carry out His sanctifying process in our lives, so that like the Lord Jesus we too will become a sweet fragrance to our heavenly Father. 

Thank You heavenly Lord, for dying on the cross to pay the price for my sins. Thank You heavenly Father, for sending Your Son to be the acceptable Sacrifice for my sin and thank You that Jesus offered up His life willingly so that I can be made holy as God is holy. May I pour out my life in all I say and do so that my life may also become a sweet savour to You. Take my life and use me as You choose, to Your praise and glory, in Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.