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Once For All - Hebrews 9:12
Once For All - Hebrews 9:12
Hebrews 9:11-12 11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; 12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.
Jesus, after his voluntary sacrifice for the atonement of sin of the world, enter the true holy place – into heaven itself and sets at the righthand of the Father. This will never be repeated and is so indicated by the writer using the word ‘ephapax’. BADG defined this word: “1) pert. to being simultaneous, at once, at one time” (citing 1 Cor. 15:6 as an example, HD). AND “2) taking place once and to the exclusion of any further occurrence, once for all, once and never again.” Then, it cites a few examples, including Heb. 9:12:
First, Romans 6:10: 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
Then, Hebrews 7:27: 27 who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.
And finally, Hebrews 10:10: 10 By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
In contrast to the offerings under the First Covenant which were repeated over and over again, Jesus’ sacrifice was ‘one and done’. The reason is that all the animal sacrifices were types and figures looking forward to this one final sacrifice.
This sets up our contention that there is simply no other approach to God. To reject the sacrifice of Jesus is to reject the only effective way of forgiveness and cleansing. After turning to Jesus, there is to be no turning back! There is nowhere to turn TO. One could not go back to the first covenant and its ineffective and now discontinued sacrifices. One could not return to pagan religions and their offerings. One could not turn back to SELF for we, as those who have sinned, are not qualified to be our own sacrifice. As Peter remarked: “To whom shall we go, thou hast the words of life.” (John 6:68)
This is why Jesus said: 6 Jesus *said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. (John 14:6)
After the ascension and glorification of Jesus, Peter stated: 12 "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)
The death of Jesus thus opened a way that is broad enough for ALL who will follow Him in the way He teaches, but so narrow that there simple is no other person, way, or religion that allows one to be right with God. No matter what comes your way, stick with Jesus! Do not give up! Be faithful unto death and receive the crown of life only HE can offer (Rev. 2:10).
Hugh DeLong
