Made Perfect through Jesus

Scripture Reading

Hebrews 10:14-17, 22-23

14 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says:

16 “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.”

17 Then he adds:

“Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.”

22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

Devotional

When God sacrificed his Son, Jesus, he made each and every one of us perfect through forgiveness of our sins. It was our sin that physically separated us from God and the only way to permanently resolve that separation was for there to be a perfect sacrifice – Jesus. Jesus’ sacrifice completely wiped away all past, current, and future sins. We are forgiven because God loves us. He made us perfect through his grace so we could be together again.

It's also important to remember, Jesus died for everyone. That means everyone from murderers to church elders. No one is better than another in the eyes of the Lord because sin is sin, no matter how big or small. People like to compare themselves to one another, but God judges people based on his no-sin standard. You may recall the phrase “everyone falls short of the glory of God.” That’s to remind you that you are only saved by accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior. So, have a big heart, not a big head!

Now as followers of Jesus, we have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, which I like to think of as a messenger, spiritual gift giver, and moral beacon. Have you ever been going through a really rough time and then you remember a scripture that just comforts you in that moment? Or have you ever struggled in making an important decision and you asked everyone from your mom to Google for advice, but deep down knew what the right decision was all along? Have you ever listened to a sermon and felt the pastor was speaking directly to you? God is always trying to communicate with us, sometimes in subtle ways, and sometimes in a more sledge hammer-type way. But know that in every circumstance, the Holy Spirit is there to guide you and reveal God’s truth to you. With that said, there are some things you should also look out for. If you find yourself feeling a lot of guilt about your past or if you find yourself doubting whether you’re saved because you feel like you’re not good enough, those thoughts are not from God. You need to know that God is telling you right here in Hebrews 10:22 that we don’t need to have a guilty conscience nor do we have to wonder if we’re really saved. If you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you’re saved. Period. We have been made pure by God himself. You are a child of God and no one can take that title away from you.