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Christ's Job Is Done

¹ That old agreement between God and his people was just the shadow on the ground of the real thing to come. Every single year, every sacrifice had to be made again and again. Animal blood just couldn't get the job done for very long. The cleaning it gave just wasn't pure. Following rules and sacrificing animals couldn't make anyone perfect. ² If it could've made someone perfect, then there wouldn't by any need for more sacrifices. There'd have been no feeling guilty for anyone. ³ Quite the contrary, those animal sacrifices did nothing except to remind the people of their sins every year. ⁴ You've heard us say it and we'll say it again, the blood of bulls and goats doesn't take away sin. ⁵ That was Christ's job. He even said to God, "You didn't want more animal sacrifices or more sin offerings. You've given me a body to use as a sacrifice. ⁶ Burnt offerings or otherwise were not good enough. ⁷ Then I said, 'I'm here to do the job you sent me to do just like the Good Book said.'"

⁸ Let's look at this. First, Christ said, "You didn't want more animal sacrifices or more sin offerings. You didn't want a burnt offering or any other kind because they couldn't get the job done." They were still required by the code of Moses, but that was just to hold down the fort until Jesus could come in and save the day. ⁹ Then Christ said, "I'm here to do the job you sent me to do." He cancels out the need for the first code in order to make mandatory the second code (agreement). ¹⁰ It was God's plan all along to make us holy by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ once and for all—no if's, and's, or but's.

¹¹ Under the old code, a man of God would stand before the altar and do the same thing again and again and again, but it never took away one sin. ¹² But our Man of God, Jesus, gave himself as an offering to God one time and it took sins away for all time. When his job was done, he got to sit down at the right hand of God who is on the throne of thrones. ¹³ Jesus waits as his enemies are humbled and become a footstool under his feet. ¹⁴ His one sacrifice made perfect all those who are being made holy by riding for his brand every day.

¹⁵ The Holy Ghost agrees when he says, ¹⁶ "This is the new code for my people says the Lord, it's not written on stone this time, but in their hearts and on their minds." ¹⁷ Then he says, "I have forgotten their sins and sorry deeds forever."

¹⁸ Since there is no more sin to be forgiven, there is no more need for animal sacrifices.

Getting up Close to God

¹⁹ So, here's the deal now, we can walk right into the throne room of God because of what Jesus did for us. ²⁰ His death threw open the gate to God's ranch and the throne room where he resides. ²¹ Since Jesus runs God's house now, ²² we can walk right in because we ride for him. We no longer feel guilty or ashamed because we have been washed clean by the blood of Christ.

²³ Let us tie hard and fast to the hope we've been given. God don't crawfish on his promises. ²⁴ We need to ponder on ways to encourage one another to love others and do great things. ²⁵ Don't forget, as some have the habit of doing, that it's important to sit around the campfire and share each other's company. Give encouragement and spur each other on to good deeds—more and more as you see the Day comin' fast.

²⁶ Listen cowboys, if you continue to live sinfully after you've been forgiven, you're digging your own grave. No sacrifice will cover that. ²⁷ The only thing you'll have to look forward to is the last few breaths you have. God's judgment and a raging fire is what waits for you. ²⁸ If anyone disobeyed the code of Moses, they were put to death if there were two or three witnesses. ²⁹ It'll be so much worse now. To continue to sin after you've been forgiven is like walking over the body of Jesus like a doormat, wiping your feet off on him. Do you really think God is going to be okay with that? That is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit and God will not have mercy on the cowboy who does it. ³⁰ We weren't deaf when we heard him say, "I'm on my way and I will have my revenge." He also said, "The Lord's going to judge his riders."

³¹ Listen, you'd better get your heart right. It won't be pretty to fall into the hands of the living God.

³² Think back when you first saddled up with Christ. Even through hard times, you kept the faith back then. ³³ You lost friends and jobs, but you still found time to help others who were suffering. ³⁴ Shoot, you suffered right along with them and were thrown into jail. When everything was taken from you, you didn't bat an eye. You even called it joy. You knew there was something better waiting on you in the next life. The next life will be forever and perfect.

³⁵ So don't throw all that away. Keep trusting in God and having the confidence you once had in Him. There's a great reward waiting on the faithful. ³⁶ You just keep on keeping on. Keep on riding for him and everything will be fine, but not easy. Only then will you get what you've been promised.

³⁷ "It won't be long before the one who is coming back will ride over the hill. He won't be late. ³⁸ My cowboys will ride by faith, but I won't tolerate anyone who drinks from my well and turns his back on me."

³⁹ But we aren't like the ones who've turned their backs on the Lord. They will suffer for their actions. We are the faithful. We will be saved.