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In the Old Way of Worship Many Gifts Were Given

¹ The Law is like a picture of the good things to come. The Jewish religious leaders gave gifts on the altar in worship to God all the time year after year. Those gifts could not make the people who came to worship perfect. ² If those gifts given to God could take away sins, the people who came to worship would no longer feel guilty of sin. They would have given no more gifts. ³ When they gave the gifts year after year, it made them remember that they still had their sins. ⁴ The blood of animals cannot take away the sins of men.

In The New Way of Worship One Gift Was Given

⁵ When Christ came to the world, He said to God, "You do not want animals killed or gifts given in worship. You have made My body ready to give as a gift. ⁶ You are not pleased with animals that have been killed or burned and given as gifts on the altar to take away sin. ⁷ Then I said, ‘I have come to do what You want, O God. It is written in the Law that I would.'"

⁸ Then Christ said, "You do not want animals killed or gifts given in worship to you for sin. You are not pleased with them." These things are done because the Law says they should be done. ⁹ Then He said, "I have come to do what You want Me to do." And this is what He did when He died on a cross. God did away with the Old Way of Worship and made a New Way of Worship. ¹⁰ Our sins are washed away and we are made clean because Christ gave His own body as a gift to God. He did this once for all time.

¹¹ All Jewish religious leaders stand every day killing animals and giving gifts on the altar. They give the same gifts over and over again. These gifts cannot take away sins. ¹² But Christ gave Himself once for sins and that is good forever. After that He sat down at the right side of God. ¹³ He is waiting there for God to make of those who have hated Him a place to rest His feet. ¹⁴ And by one gift He has made perfect forever all those who are being set apart for God-like living.

¹⁵ The Holy Spirit tells us this: First He says, ¹⁶ "This is the New Way of Worship that I will give them. When that day comes, says the Lord, I will put My Laws in their hearts. And I will write them in their minds." Then He says, ¹⁷ "I will not remember their sins and wrong-doings anymore." ^{(a) 18} No more gifts on the altar in worship are needed when our sins are forgiven.

We Can Go to God Through Christ

¹⁹ Christian brothers, now we know we can go into the Holiest Place of All because the blood of Jesus was given. ²⁰ We now come to God by the new and living way. Christ made this way for us. He opened the curtain, which was His own body. ²¹ We have a great Religious Leader over the house of God. ²² And so let us come near to God with a true heart full of faith. Our hearts must be made clean from guilty feelings and our bodies washed with pure water. ²³ Let us hold on to the hope we say we have and not be changed. We can trust God that He will do what He promised. ²⁴ Let us help each other to love others and to do good. ²⁵ Let us not stay away from church meetings. Some people are doing this all the time. Comfort each other as you see the day of His return coming near.

Do Not Fall Back Into Sin

²⁶ If we keep on sinning because we want to after we have received and know the truth, there is no gift that will take away sins then. ²⁷ Instead, we will stand before God and on that day He will judge us. And the hot fires of hell will burn up those who work against God. ²⁸ Anyone who did not obey the Old Way of Worship died without loving-kindness when two or three men spoke against him. ²⁹ How much more will a man have to be punished if he walks on and hates the Son of God? How much more will he be punished if he acts as if the blood of God's New Way of Worship is worth nothing? This New Way of Worship is God's way of making him holy. How much more will he be punished if he laughs at the Holy Spirit Who wanted to show him loving-favor? ³⁰ For we know God said, "I will pay back what is coming to them." And, "The Lord will judge His people." ^{(b) 31} The very worst thing that can happen to a man is to fall into the hands of the living God!

³² Remember how it was in those days after you heard the truth. You suffered much. ³³ People laughed at you and beat you. When others suffered, you suffered with them. ³⁴ You had loving-pity for those who were in prison. You had joy when your things were taken away from you. For you knew you would have something better in heaven which would last forever.

³⁵ Do not throw away your trust, for your reward will be great. ³⁶ You must be willing to wait without giving up. After you have done what God wants you to do, God will give you what He promised you. ³⁷ The Holy Writings say, "In a little while, the One you are looking for will come. It will not be a long time now. ³⁸ For the one right with God lives by faith. If anyone turns back, I will not be pleased with him." ^{(c) 39} We are not of those people who turn back and are lost. Instead, we have faith to be saved from the punishment of sin.