In this season of Advent, I found myself in the letter written to the Hebrews about the wonder of the Coming of Christ and how it was unlike anything else and changed all.

Jesus in his high priestly prayer in John 17:19, “I sanctify myself for them, so that they also may be sanctified by the truth.”

Sanctification is a decision of God, an action of Christ, which becomes ours by the condition of entering into Christ. It is then a process as we surrender to the provision provided.

Hebrews 10:9 says he came to do away with sacrifices in order to accomplish the will of God that we become a people set apart for God by God through the Son.

10:10 – we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time.

For nearly 1500 years, The Law had been practiced and innumerable sacrifices of appeasement had been offered.

v11 “… day after day the same sacrifices time after time, which can never take away sins…”

v12 “But this man… offering one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God.”

v13 “He is now waiting until his enemies are made his footstool”

v14 “by one offering he has PERFECTED forever, those who are sanctified.”

It is Finished… this word is from the same root as the words of Christ on the cross… “it is finished…” And so in Christ it is Finished, and yet, it is BEING finished. God has forgiven, declared us righteous, and yet in the plan of God, he is processing us, perfecting us. He is allowing us the process of becoming sanctified.

Here is the promise of Jeremiah 31:33-34

v16, I will put my laws on their hearts and write them on their minds”

Now – In Christ, I don’t always do right – but because of Christ, I don’t feel what I felt, I don’t think what I thought – I am being transformed… then in the meantime…

v17 “I will never remember their sins” – Certainly, my actions do

matter, but now, in Christ, it is about a relationship, not about guilt or fear.

v18 “where there is forgiveness… no longer an offering for sin…”

v19 “Therefore since we have boldness to enter… through the blood…”

v20 “he has inaugurated / opened (ratified, inaugurated, opened) a new (enkainos=new different genus/species) a new and Living Way.

Very interesting – prosphatos – new has a root phen = to slay, kill – Christ did away with the old way, it is freshly slain, that a new and living zao – alive, real life holding way has come…

So

v22 let us draw near…

• with a true heart
• full assurance – conviction of faith
• sprinkled – there is the blood
• washed in pure water – Ezekiel 36:25 – “I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols”

So

v23 let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful… 24 … provoke one another to love and good works

So, I said all that to draw us to The Advent of Jesus, God in the Flesh, Emmanuel.

Let us remember why he came, what he has done, and what he is doing.

Then, free from guilt by faith in the blood of Jesus, let us move forward finishing what is already finished and encourage someone else to do the same.