11-12 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent not made with hands, (that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. 13-14 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

15-16 Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. Hebrews 9:11-16 English Standard Version

Verses 6-7 of our last Hebrews study told how, under the old covenant, Jewish priests went regularly into the first section of the tabernacle on earth to perform ritual duties, but only the High Priest went into the second section of the tabernacle which was behind a curtain veil. And he only did that once a year - and never without taking blood from the sacrifice which he offered for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people. What was the amazing difference then between those days and what Christ had done by His death, resurrection and ascension? (vs 11-12)

The tabernacle God told Moses to build was only a copy of the pattern he was shown of the heavenly sanctuary. (Exodus 25:40) Christ, however, entered into real holy place of heaven itself. And He did so not with the blood of animals that had been sacrificed, but having shed His own blood at Calvary. Because of His perfect unblemished life, Christ's sacrifice never needs to be repeated – it has made forgiveness of sin and eternal remption secure. The writer stresses this fact in vs 13-14 by saying that Christ's sacrifice doesn't only cover and blot out our 'unintentional sins', it blots out the brazen sins that stain our conscience.

Does this mean we can live as please? After all, if His sacrifice is perfect doesn't it mean all our sins are blotted out? But what does the last part of vs 13-14 say?

The purpose of Christ's sacrifice was to redeem a people from the dead works of sin so that they can serve the living God. That's why he goes on in vs 15 to say that Jesus is the mediator of a new covenant “so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance.” If a man or woman has really been touched by God's Spirit, and has believed on Jesus for salvation from sin, they would be someone who longs to serve God in the best way they can. They won't want to go on living in sins that Jesus had to die for, and in the lifestyle He has rescued them from. The question we must ask our self is “is it my deepest desire to serve the living God?”

Verses 15-16 may surprise us because he suddenly says “where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established.” In Greek, however, the same word can be used for a covenant or a will. His words take us back to Genesis 2:17 where God told Adam if he ate of a certain tree he would die. Later, Moses gave Israel instructions for sacrifices which required taking the life of an animal. In the chapter we're looking at the writer goes on in vs 22 to say that “under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” The apostle Paul put it simply by saying “the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23)

The old covenant required a substitute to die in the place of the sinner. And, like a will, it only comes into force when a death has occurred. Christ's death is the substitute that redeems sinners even from the old covenant days. People like Abraham and Moses will be in heaven because Jesus paid the penalty of their sins. And His death is the reason why true Christians will be in glory with the likes of Abraham and Moses and all of God's holy people.