The time of reformation has come

Hebrews 9:9b-10 Accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience, since they relate only to food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until a time of reformation. In today’s verse, we get to the heart of the matter in relationship with God—a clean or perfect conscience. The author reemphasizes this point in Heb. 9:14 and 10:22. Hebrews 9:14 How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Hebrews 10:22 Let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. The gifts and sacrifices offered by the priests could not make the worshipper perfect in conscience. They were, as mentioned by the author before, physical requirements that had no effect on one’s standing before God. Those outward regulations were temporary but pointed toward a time of reformation. Jesus’ offering of His own body and blood brought in that time of reformation. The repeated sacrifices under the first or old covenant could not bring the worshipper to God and present him completely cleansed or perfect in God’s sight. In contrast, when Jesus’ blood was applied to our sin, the sacrifice completed or perfected the work of God for us. His offering of His own life gives our consciences peace with God because we know He has accepted Jesus’ offering on our behalf. We know it because of the resurrection. God raised Jesus for our justification, according to the apostle Paul. Rom. 4:25-5:2. He who was delivered over because of our transgressions and was raised because of our justification. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand.” This great truth is important because the goal of our lives “is love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith” (1 Tim. 1:5). We live to love with Jesus because our consciences are clean before God. Therefore we can draw near to God with confidence to receive mercy and grace to love as He has loved us. As we saw above, the author will speak more about having a perfect conscience later in his letter. Today, let’s be encouraged that we live in the time of reformation, when the old covenant has been replaced by a new covenant 100% based on Jesus’ once-and-for-all perfecting work on our behalf. Let us rejoice and be glad, and give Him all the glory.