“The priest makes atonement for him on account of his sin and he’s forgiven."(4:26)...
Time after time throughout these verses.
God tells us there is atonement.
Time after Time we are told.
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 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. The Bridge needed because of our sins. Sins our 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 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 how His measuring stick is different than the world's.
How His measuring stick has and can cause division.
In life there will be persons of the world, even when we confess and ask forgiveness, who will choose not to forgive us for sins we have committed. Their actions could lead us to wondering what we haven't done. Or not doing enough. His Word has given me the realization, forgiveness isn't about them and us. It is about Him and us. He is whom we need to focus on in the gift of forgiveness. He is who matters. Our going to persons and confessing is an act of worship to Him. Regardless of how they respond - we are still instructed to be 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 after I confess, ask for forgiveness and repent, even then if I never receive 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 the 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 The Sacrifice of our Christ isn't enough.
Our Savior is enough. Our Savior is "The Priest".
My Priest.
“The priest makes atonement for me - on account of my sin - and I am forgiven."(4:26)
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