Being a Christian....what a miracle!

Hebrews 10:5-7

5Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said:
"Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but a body you prepared for me;
6with burnt offerings and sin offerings
you were not pleased.
7Then I said, 'Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—
I have come to do your will, O God.' "

As I read this passage of the Bible (Hebrews 10 talks about Christ's sacrifice which is once ane for all), I started to wonder what it was like to be a 'christian' back then in the OT...where 'christian' was probably not even the term to describe them.

The high priests had to offer annual sacrifices to atone the sins of the nation. I heard from a sunday sermon once that during that time of the year, the high priest would keep himself away from the people and think about nothing but GOD's words. Hey, it's a stressful job man....a slightest imperfection in actions, words or even thoughts would be the end of his life! I remember in Sunday School they taught about the high priest had a rope tied around him, so in case he did die inside the Holy of Holies, he could be pulled out.

Seems like God is so cruel and unmerciful...but think of it this way: If a white piece of cloth is perfectly white, even a tiny speck of black ink would be very obvious wouldn't it? That's the way it is with God...He's perfect that every tiny little imperfection becomes very apparent in His Holy presence. This is the basis which I begin to realise what a miracle it is for us to be christians!

When Christ came to die on the cross for us, He atoned for our sins once and for all....meaning there's no longer any need for the annual sacrifices, no longer the need for the high priest to represent us in the presence of GOD. Jesus took the place of the high priest in that one ultimate sacrifice. And the result is we can enter the Holy of Holies into GOD's presence.

No, it does not mean that GOD has changed...He has not lowered His standards to accept imperfections in His presence. It simply means that HE sees us through Christ. Because Christ is perfect, and Christ took the penalty of sins in our place, we are seen as perfect in GOD's eyes because of Christ. It's like when a child breaks something in a departmental store, and his parents paid for the thing that was broken, the matter is resolved. Not because the departmental store decides to let the child go, but because his parents have already paid the price. That's the same with us.

I've heard this truth being preached many times over the years of my life as a Christian, but today it just felt so real. What a priviledge! Christ must have realised what His sacrifice would mean for mankind that He decided to do it...He knew that His sacrifice would mean that man can come back into GOD's presence forever...He knew that His sacrifice was the only way God can see man as perfect.

Sadly though...because we are free to now enter GOD's presence, many of us have taken this priviledge for granted...we often behave as though it was our right in the first place...sometimes we even act as though GOD owed that to us. We take GOD's grace and we take Christ for granted many times in our lives. Man can be so ungrateful! But thank GOD that HE is faithful...He does not change His mind because of our sins...no matter what we've done wrong, HE still sees us through Christ.

Being a Christian todays means that we do not have to face death for the sins in our lives...Christ has already paid the penalty on the cross. But we do not want to sin because we are grateful to God and Christ for what He has done for us. We've turned over a new leaf, like a prisoner who has been released and makes his mind not to commit crimes again. I think that's the way we ought to live our lives...that's the only small way which we can, in the capacity of a human, try to repay GOD and show gratitude for the good He has done for us.

May we always remember that each day that we're alive as a Christian is a miracle!