Confessional Corner: The True Daily Sacrifice (Ap XXIV 39-65)

"The main proofs for our belief are in the Epistle to the Hebrews. Yet, the adversaries twist mutilated passages from this Epistle against us, as in this very passage [5:1], where it is said that every high priest is ordained to offer sacrifices for sins. Scripture immediately adds that Christ is the High Priest (Hebrews 5:5-6, 10). The preceding words speak about the Levitical priesthood and show that the Levitical priesthood was an image of Christ's priesthood. The Levitical sacrifices for sins did not merit the forgiveness of sins before God. They were only an image of Christ's sacrifice, which was to be the one atoning sacrifice, as we said before. To a great extent the Epistle speaks about how the ancient priesthood and the ancient sacrifices were set up not to merit the forgiveness of sins before God or reconciliation, but only to illustrate the future sacrifice of Christ alone. In the Old Testament, saints had to be justified by faith, which receives the promise of the forgiveness of sins granted for Christ's sake, just as saints are also justified in the New Testament. From the beginning of the world all saints had to believe that Christ would be the promised offering and satisfaction for sins, as Isaiah 53:10 teaches, 'when His soul makes an offering for sin.'" (Ap XXIV 53-55)