Offering for Sin with the Spirit’s Assurance

Hebrews 10:11-18 

11 And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.  15 But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before, 16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,” 17 then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” 18 Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.

Jesus as our interceding priest offered the one perfect sacrifice for sins, and then sat down at the throne of sovereign power and authority.  He did not have to get up and come back to offer Himself again, for the Lamb of God took away sin forever for His people.  With this sovereign power and authority, Jesus our Lord now waits for His time when the world faces judgement and the enemies set against God are subjugated forever, the ones rejecting His gospel and Himself and His sacrifice.  But for those of us called out to Him (John 6:44), He has perfected us (sanctified, made us seen as holy and righteous in the righteousness of Christ by His sacrifice).  He also continues to perfect us by conforming us to the image of Christ; He sanctifies us—working out our salvation in our character, thoughts, and action—until His return.  We know this and are able to progress in holiness because He has put His own Spirit in us to bear witness of this truth, as well as to engrave His Law in our hearts by His hand (Exodus 31:18, Jeremiah 31:33) and He gives the will and way to obey (Philippians 1:6, 2:12-13).  His Spirit reminds us of forgiveness in grace wrought by Christ’s sacrifice.  He tells us that our sin no longer requires additional sacrifices to be offered.  We are absolved of sin by Him (though we still confess remaining sin to keep right and grow in holiness as 1 John 1:9 reminds us).