Most religions involve some form of human “doing” for God, “sacrificing” something to win favor with the Almighty. At the heart of Christianity stands the core truth that God has done something for us, through the sacrifice of His Son, that we could never do for ourselves. He has taken our sins out of the way, forgiven us completely, and relates to us, intimately and eternally.

For further consideration: Take some time to consider the relationship between the old covenant and the sacrifices offered in it. Why did God institute a sacrificial system? If they were ultimately insufficient, what was their effect? Why does the author note that rather than bringing forgiveness of sin, the sacrificial system actually served as a constant reminder of sin? How should that reality affect the way we view the cross and our own religious habits? In Hebrews 5, the author attributes a quote to Christ that is found nowhere in the gospel. Instead, it is a citation form one of the Psalms of David. How can the author rightly attribute the psalm to Jesus? How do you explain the change in tense in verse 14 when he says, “By one offering he has perfected forever those who are being sanctified?” What should that mean for our view of everyday obedience to Christ?