TODAY'S DEVOTION ON THE BIBLE
Unlike the Old Covenant, which was founded on the temporal atonement of repeated animal sacrifices, the New Covenant was founded upon the eternal atonement of the once and for all sacrifice of Christ Himself on the cross of Calvary for the sin of the world (Hebrews 9:26). The shedding of Christ’s incorruptible blood in the New Testament on the cross, unlike the shedding of corruptible animals’ blood in the Old Testament on the brazen altar, provided more than a temporal covering for sins. Instead, as John the Baptist taught his disciples, the shedding of Christ’s blood, as “the Lamb of God,” actually “takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Furthermore, as we learn in the book of Hebrews, it provides eternal atonement for our sin, covering our sin forever (Hebrews 9:1-28).
The Bible teaches us three extraordinary things about God’s forgiveness of our sins in Christ. First, when He forgives us he removes our sins from us as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12). What does this mean? Think about it; if you start going north you will eventually be going south after you cross the north pole. Likewise, if you start going south you will eventually be going north after you cross the south pole. However, if you start going east you will always be going east and if you start going west you will always being going west. When God forgives us in Christ, He removes ours sins from us as far as the east is from the west; that is, forever!
Second, the Bible says that when God forgives us of our sins in Christ He cast our sins behind His back and remembers them against us no more (Isaiah 38:17; Jeremiah 31:34). Did you know that there is something our all-seeing God can no longer see? It is the sins of those He has forgiven in Christ, whose sins He has cast behind His back! Did you know that there is something our all-knowing God can no longer remember? It is the sins of those he has forgiven in Christ, since He remembers them against us no more!
Third and finally, the Bible says that when God forgives our sins in Christ He buries our sins in the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19). God puts our sins where no one can go and bring them up against us anymore. Truly, the blood of Jesus provides eternal atonement for our sin!
Don Walton
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