How can we apply the concept of purification in Hebrews 9:21 to our lives? The Original Picture of Purification Hebrews 9:21: “In the same way, he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of worship.” • Under the old covenant, every object devoted to God had to be touched by sacrificial blood. • Exodus 24:8 records Moses sprinkling the people and the book of the covenant, declaring, “This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you.” • Hebrews 9:22 adds, “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” The pattern is unmistakable and literal: only blood cleanses and consecrates. Christ, the Perfect Fulfillment of the Pattern • The earthly tabernacle pointed to “the greater and more perfect tabernacle” (Hebrews 9:11) where Christ entered “once for all by His own blood” (Hebrews 9:12). • His blood does what animal blood could never do—“purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God” (Hebrews 9:14). • Because Scripture is accurate and trustworthy, believers rest in the sufficiency of this single, historic sacrifice (Hebrews 10:14). Receiving His Cleansing Personally • Believe the testimony of God’s Word that Jesus’ blood truly removes sin (John 1:29; Acts 13:38-39). • Confess sin openly, trusting the promise: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). • Approach God with humble gratitude, “having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience” (Hebrews 10:22). Living Out Daily Purity • Guard the mind: “Set your minds on things above” (Colossians 3:2). • Flee compromising situations; “Abstain from every form of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22). • Renew affections through Scripture and prayer; “Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth” (John 17:17). • Maintain accountability with trusted believers; “Confess your sins to one another” (James 5:16). • Pursue obedience as an act of love; “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word” (John 14:23). Purifying Our Worship and Service • Examine motives before serving (Psalm 139:23-24). • Keep ministry tools—time, talents, resources—set apart for God’s glory, just as vessels in the tabernacle were sprinkled and dedicated (2 Timothy 2:21). • Let corporate worship reflect hearts cleansed by grace; Christ aims to present His church “holy and blameless” (Ephesians 5:25-27). Purity Within the Church Community • Practice restorative discipline in love, promoting holiness among all members (Galatians 6:1; 1 Corinthians 5:6-7). • Celebrate the Lord’s Supper thoughtfully, discerning the body and blood of the Lord (1 Corinthians 11:27-29). • Encourage one another daily so that no one is hardened by sin’s deceitfulness (Hebrews 3:13). Hope-Filled Motivation for Holiness • The purified believer anticipates entering the heavenly sanctuary forever (Revelation 7:14-15). • “Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:3). • Continual cleansing fosters joyful confidence until we stand faultless before His throne (Jude 24). By embracing Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice and walking in daily reliance on His cleansing, believers live out the timeless principle pictured in Hebrews 9:21: everything devoted to God must be purified by blood—and in Christ, that purification is complete, powerful, and gloriously effective. |
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