Nine times in these verses.
Nine times.
God tells us nine times that there is atonement.
The atonement we need is the reversal of the alienation caused when we sin, restoring us to oneness with God and His forgiveness. Over and over again in these verses we read of the different sacrifices, preformed by the priests, needed for the different types of sins. Sacrifices that would need repeated, continually throughout the years, until the Death and Resurrection of our Savior.
The Last Sacrifice.
Christ is our High Priest. The meaning of High Priest is Bridge Builder.
Our High Priest is the bridge to our Father. A bridge that is needed because of our sins. Sins that God can not be a part of because He is Holy
.
The Sacrifice of our Savior brings us an atonement that is forever. He is The Sacrifice for our sins that we have, do, and will commit. Regardless of the type, the intentions, the mindset - forgiven. If we confess and repent. If our hearts turn and run from the sin, striving to live our life for Him.
If - we enter into His Covenant.
I have been listening to sermons on being aliens in this world. As I sit and listen, I see so many examples in my life where I am "different". Realization that His measuring stick is different than the world's.
How it has caused division.
Seeing that persons of the world are unable to forgive me for sins I have confessed and asked forgiveness for, it used to cause me to think I was doing something wrong. Or not doing enough. His Word has caused me to realize that He is who I need to focus on for forgiveness. He is who matters. My going to persons and confessing is an act of worship to Him. Regardless of how they respond - I still have to be Christlike.
The Lord's Prayer tells us to "forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us."
He is helping me to see that after I confess, ask for forgiveness and repent, even then if I never receive the forgiveness from others, it doesn't matter. It is about my relationship with Him. It is about being Christlike for Him. They aren't God. They aren't who determines my salvation. They aren't who deems if I am forgiven or not.
And in that equation is also "myself". Forgiving "me" for sinning against Him. When I sin, it affects Him. His whole Body and I have to let it go. Stop doubting if I did enough. If I am acting, talking, being the right way, measuring up to the standards of others in order to gain their forgiveness. I have to forgive "me" as God has and does. If not, I am putting "myself" in His place, deciding that the sacrifice of Christ wasn't enough.
My Savior is enough. My Savior is "The Priest".
My Priest.
“The priest makes atonement for me - on account of my sin - and I am forgiven."
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