Daily Journal: 25 September

A Cleansed Conscience

A Priceless Gift

The way Christians worship today is different from the ancient Jew. They were waiting for their Messiah, their Saviour, and would worship at the temple. The priests would make sacrifices day after day, to cleanse the people from their sin.

We know the Messiah has since come. His name is the beautiful name of Jesus Christ: Jesus (meaning the Lord saves) Christ (meaning the anointed one). He fulfilled every prophesy made and became the High Priest through His ultimate sacrifice.

While the ancient Jewish worship and sacrifices cleansed them outwardly, it didn’t cleanse them inwardly. Christians worship Jesus Christ, who cleanses us inwardly, forever.

Hebrews 9:9 (NIV)

This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper.

Jesus Christ came to cleanse our conscience from sin and restore our lives. Where we justify our sin by our conscience, He atones for (He repairs) our conscience toward sin so that we recognise it, and we are made whole by justification of His righteousness.

Hebrews 9:14 (NLT)

Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.

Now we worship Christ for what He completed at the cross, and we wait, eagerly, for His return to fulfil our salvation.

Hebrews 9:27-28 (GNT)

Everyone must die once, and after that be judged by God. In the same manner Christ also was offered in sacrifice once to take away the sins of many. He will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are waiting for him.

We worship Christ Jesus as our High Priest, the only priest able to cleanse our conscience from sin and restore us to a place of holiness before Him. We live with a cleansed conscience, a priceless gift, in worship. Not at a temple, but inwardly having a repentant heart, receiving His forgiveness daily, and waiting for the fulfilment that is coming soon.

Hebrews 10:12-14 (TLB)

But Christ gave himself to God for our sins as one sacrifice for all time and then sat down in the place of highest honour at God’s right hand, waiting for his enemies to be laid under his feet. For by that one offering he made forever perfect in the sight of God all those whom he is making holy.