Four encouragements for believers in Jesus Christ

Hebrews 9:12 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. What tremendous encouragement we have from this verse! In the previous verse, the author reminded his readers that when Jesus appeared as a high priest (which didn’t ever happen in His earthly life in an earthly tabernacle), He entered into the perfect tabernacle in heaven. In this verse, they were reminded that Jesus entered the holy place through His own blood. First, let’s be encouraged by the fact that Jesus has entered the highest place of authority in all of heaven—the very eternal throne room of God. He appears in the presence of Him who created all, sees all, knows all, and therefore is sovereign over all. He appears before Him, to whom all will give an account. He could serve in no higher place. Second, let’s be encouraged by the fact that Jesus represents God’s interests as well as ours. It is for His Father’s highest good, joy, and glory that He appeared on earth and gave His life blood. He justified God’s forgiveness and mercy once for all time and declared God’s righteousness in punishing all our sins, once and for all in Him. And it is for our highest good, joy, and glory that He appeared on earth and gave His life blood for us. Third, let’s be encouraged that He lived, died, and appeared before His Father through His blood, once for all. In Hebrews 13:20, the author said God raised up Jesus from the dead “through the blood of the eternal covenant.” The new covenant in His blood is eternal because Jesus suffered once for all time and appears before God on our behalf forever. And fourth, let’s be encouraged by what His blood accomplished for the glory of God and our greatest enjoyment, peace, and satisfaction. He obtained eternal redemption. To redeem means to purchase release by paying a ransom. Our freedom from sin’s power, penalty, and presence, isn’t free. It cost God dearly. But then such is God’s love: the sustained direction of the will toward our highest good, no matter what the cost. Jesus paid it all because God loves His children. All to Him we owe. Our freedom has been purchased by His blood, and His blood is of infinite worth. That’s why we live to love with Jesus. Rom. 3:21-26 is a fantastic commentary on this verse. Let’s rejoice and worship our God and Father and His Son in the Holy Spirit as we listen to these verses. But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Do you have faith in Jesus? If so, Jesus is your high priest who appears in heaven with His blood for you! You are redeemed and released from sin’s power and penalty because you are loved by God with an everlasting love. Your great hope is that you will eventually be released from sin’s presence as well. Imagine that!