Christ's Sacrifice Once for All

(Psalm 147:1-20; Romans 3:1-8)

1For the law having a shadow of the coming good things -- not the very image of the matters, every year, by the same sacrifices that they offer continually, is never able to make perfect those coming near, 2since, would they not have ceased to be offered, because of those serving having no more conscience of sins, having once been purified? 3but in those sacrifices is a remembrance of sins every year, 4for it is impossible for blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

5Wherefore, coming into the world, he saith, 'Sacrifice and offering Thou didst not will, and a body Thou didst prepare for me,

6in burnt-offerings, and concerning sin-offerings, Thou didst not delight,

7then I said, Lo, I come, (in a volume of the book it hath been written concerning me,) to do, O God, Thy will;'

8saying above -- 'Sacrifice, and offering, and burnt-offerings, and concerning sin-offering Thou didst not will, nor delight in,' -- which according to the law are offered -- 9then he said, 'Lo, I come to do, O God, Thy will;' he doth take away the first that the second he may establish; 10in the which will we are having been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once,

11and every priest, indeed, hath stood daily serving, and the same sacrifices many times offering, that are never able to take away sins. 12And He, for sin one sacrifice having offered -- to the end, did sit down on the right hand of God, -- 13as to the rest, expecting till He may place his enemies as his footstool, 14for by one offering he hath perfected to the end those sanctified; 15and testify to us also doth the Holy Spirit, for after that He hath said before,

16This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, giving My laws on their hearts, and upon their minds I will write them,'

17and 'their sins and their lawlessness I will remember no more;'

18and where forgiveness of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

A Call to Persevere

(Jude 1:17-23)

19Having, therefore, brethren, boldness for the entrance into the holy places, in the blood of Jesus, 20which way he did initiate for us -- new and living, through the vail, that is, his flesh -- 21and a high priest over the house of God, 22may we draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having the hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and having the body bathed with pure water; 23may we hold fast the unwavering profession of the hope, (for faithful is He who did promise), 24and may we consider one another to provoke to love and to good works, 25not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as a custom of certain is, but exhorting, and so much the more as ye see the day coming nigh.

26For we -- wilfully sinning after the receiving the full knowledge of the truth -- no more for sins doth there remain a sacrifice, 27but a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery zeal, about to devour the opposers; 28any one who did set at nought a law of Moses, apart from mercies, by two or three witnesses, doth die, 29of how much sorer punishment shall he be counted worthy who the Son of God did trample on, and the blood of the covenant did count a common thing, in which he was sanctified, and to the Spirit of the grace did despite? 30for we have known Him who is saying, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will recompense, saith the Lord;' and again, 'The Lord shall judge His people;' -- 31fearful is the falling into the hands of a living God.

32And call to your remembrance the former days, in which, having been enlightened, ye did endure much conflict of sufferings, 33partly both with reproaches and tribulations being made spectacles, and partly having become partners of those so living, 34for also with my bonds ye sympathised, and the robbery of your goods with joy ye did receive, knowing that ye have in yourselves a better substance in the heavens, and an enduring one. 35Ye may not cast away, then, your boldness, which hath great recompense of reward, 36for of patience ye have need, that the will of God having done, ye may receive the promise,

37for yet a very very little, He who is coming will come, and will not tarry;

38and 'the righteous by faith shall live,' and 'if he may draw back, My soul hath no pleasure in him,'

39and we are not of those drawing back to destruction, but of those believing to a preserving of soul.