Written by Tony & Connie Chan
hebrews 10:10-14
10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
“By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”
What will? The will of the Father. His eternal plan was to rescue sinners not through endless sacrifices, but through one perfect offering. From the beginning, God intended that burnt offerings would give way to a better sacrifice. Not the blood of bulls and goats, but the body of His Son.
The contrast in this passage is striking. Every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices. They stand because their work is never finished. But Christ offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins and sat down. The work is complete.
What did that single sacrifice accomplish?
Verse 14 tells us, “By a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” Here is the tension of the Christian life. We have been perfected. Our guilt is removed, our condemnation gone, our access to God opened. And yet we are being sanctified, continually shaped and changed.
This tension becomes very real in parenting. We feel our inadequacy almost daily. We lose patience over small things. We snap when our children do not meet our expectations. We raise our voice when we should have listened. We correct harshly when we should have been gentle. In those moments, we see clearly how far we fall short of reflecting Christ and bearing the fruit of the Spirit.
Our sins are remembered no more, yet we still fall into sin and experience its consequences. Therein lies both warning and hope. The warning is that grace is not permission to drift. The hope is that our failure is not final. We are reminded that Christ’s work was sufficient and the sacrifice is complete. We can draw near to God without fear, confess honestly, receive mercy, and begin again.
That is why the author continues in Hebrews 10:22–25: let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, and stir up one another to love and good works.
The single sacrifice has been made. The work is finished. Now we live as those set apart, confident and forgiven; not defeated, but being transformed.
Prayer Prompts:
Thank the Father for the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ and ask Him to help you rest in His finished work.
Bring a specific struggle or sin before the Lord. Confess it honestly, then thank Him that Christ’s sacrifice is sufficient and that you can approach Him with confidence.
