And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. (12) But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, (13) from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. (14) For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. (18) Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.

The author of Hebrews is unknown. In our verses today we study the conclusion of the theological argument begun in chapter one. The author warns the original Christian Jewish readers not to revert to Judaism with its sacrificial system as they would forfeit what Christ Jesus had secured for them. His death fulfilled the old system which kept worshippers from drawing near to God. Through Christ believers receive what the law could not do – total forgiveness. In Christ, because of His once for all sacrifice of Himself, the believers have perfect standing with God and free access to God’s presence.

The author of Hebrews warns not to go to the shadows meaning to any system that devises human works to atone for sins. The law saved no one and was repeated year after year. Aaronic priests stood daily and ministered daily, offering repeatedly the same sacrifice. There was no final forgiveness in that system. The priest of the Old Testament stood; Jesus Christ sat down at the right hand of the Father – this was not so much in finality as the acceptability of His sacrifice. Christ has perfected forever those believers who are being set apart. The work by which believers are saved is absolutely and wholly of God. The will of man is not part of this – it’s not our work or our experience. Our standing or position before God as believers is in Christ; even our worst sins do not eradicate our positional forgiveness as children of God.

In Christ the faithful have complete and final pardon from sin: past, present and future. The new covenant is the final covenant – the new sacrifice of Christ is the final sacrifice and no replacement is necessary. We have eternal access to God in Christ. I’m closing with Romans 8:1 – ‘There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.’