Hebrews 9:11-28: Once for All
Isaiah 42-43, Proverbs 26:1-16, Luke 23:26-31, Hebrews 9:11-28
Now in this section the author of Hebrews outlines, at some length, not only the differences between the old covenant and the new covenant, but the great superiority of the new. It is here that Christ – fulfilling all that was promised in the Old Testament – sacrifices his blood for our sins in the real and true way that the sacrifices of the Old Testament only pointed towards and prefigured.
What is more, this sacrifice of Christ now means that there is no need for any other sacrifice. It is all complete and finished.
The author of Hebrews puts it like this:
“But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.“
That phrase “once for all” is worth learning, repeating, and storing away in our minds and hearts. Christ’s sacrifice was “once” (one time) and for “all” who will believe. There is no need for another sacrifice of any kind, for all has been done and paid for by Christ at the cross.
The implications of this are huge. It means that we must come to Christ in faith to be saved. There is no other way. His sacrifice is “once for all.”
It also means that we do not need to perform other “sacrifices” in order to be saved. His sacrifice for us was sufficient!
It means that we have so much about which to be grateful!
And it means that because of this sacrifice – once for all – we have so much to live for. We give our lives to God, secure and certain in our salvation, because of the sacrifice of Christ for us “once for all”!