Hebrews 10:18 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Hebrews 10:18

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But here is the point: if God will remember our sins no more, then they are remitted – they are cancelled and will never be held against us again – and if that is the result of Christ’s one sacrifice for sin, then there is no need for any further sacrifice for sin. What is the point of a sacrifice for sin when there are no sins on our account? A sacrifice is costly; God does not command sacrifices for no good reason. The death of Christ, which is the only effective sacrifice in the history of the world, cost more than we can conceive. A costly sacrifice will not be offered up when there are no sins that need to be atoned for. But if God will remember our sins no more, then the Holy Spirit speaking through Jeremiah testifies that, following Calvary, there is nothing left on our account; our record of sin is completely removed as far as God’s government and his Fatherly love towards us are concerned. There need therefore be no further repetition of the shedding of Christ’s blood. Unlike the weak and ineffective and oft repeated offerings of the Old Testament, this one sacrifice is sufficient for ever.

Application

Questions

The Old Testament believers had their sins forgiven just as much as us, through Christ alone. Although they lived in the time of ceremonial offerings, by faith they were under the promise given to Abraham hundreds of years before. That promise, as Paul argues in Galatians, was not invalidated by the law that came after it. So although they were under obligation to go through the motions of offering sacrifices according to the law, their status from the perspective of heaven was based on the promise, and that was guaranteed by the future perfect sacrifice of Christ.

What is it to redeem the sins rather than, as normally, the sinner? Christ had to buy out the sins – another way of looking at the atonement. He had to make those sins his own. He had to satisfy the justice of God concerning the existence of those sins, and cause them to effectively no longer exist in the government of God. Of course the fact that he has done this will be eternally remembered, for eternally his redemption will be the evidence of his infinite grace to his people.

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Introduction

Hebrews 10:18 Commentary and Bible Study