The Finality of Christ’s Sacrifice
Once for All Sacrifice: The Finality of Christ’s Sacrifice
The Problem With Repeated Sacrifices
Under the Old Covenant, the blood of bulls and goats could only cover sin, never remove it completely. The sacrifices had to be repeated year after year because they could not make the worshiper perfect. Instead of bringing peace, they continually reminded the people of their sin and guilt before God.
“For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.”(Hebrews 10:1–4)
The constant cycle of sacrifice produced sin-consciousness, not freedom. The blood of bulls and goats could never cleanse the conscious.
Modern Parallels: The Perpetual Altar Call
This reminds me of the modern-day practice of repeated altar calls. I can’t count how many times I heard, “Come to the altar and lay it all down again.” Almost every church service I would attend ended with the call to surrender more, repent again, sacrifice again, go deeper, go all in, do better.
While prayer and ministry are good, there is a subtle danger in framing salvation or forgiveness as something we must continually re-secure. It can create the same endless cycle as the Old Covenant sacrifices: a constant reminder of failure instead of rest in Christ.
I lived in this mindset for years — condemned, unsure if I had done enough, wondering if I had “lost” my salvation, or if I was “really” all-in. It was torment because I never felt confident or assured in my salvation because I wasn’t looking to what Christ accomplished, I was focusing on my actions and devotion. The focus was on me, not Jesus.
Sadly, many people remain stuck in this cycle today. They may recognize their need for a Savior, but they aren’t being pointed to the all sufficiency of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. Instead, they are being sold a mixed gospel— one that shows them their sin but fails to proclaim the good news of Christ’s once for all redemption.
The result? Christians flood the altar week after week out of fear and condemnation, as though their salvation slipped away since the last time they prayed or confessed. Instead of hope, they experience crushing burden — as if keeping salvation secure depends on them. This is not the gospel.
The Once-for-All Sacrifice of Jesus
The good news is:
“But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.” (Hebrews 9:12-15)
and
“But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God… For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:12, 14)
Jesus didn’t just cover sin — He took it away. He secured eternal redemption for those who believe. Salvation isn’t fickle and it isn’t something that fluctuates with our behavior. It doesn't depend on us — it is totally dependent upon the finished work of Christ and our response to what He did.
We are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). Grace is God’s gift extended to us and faith is our response to that gift. Every single person gets to choose to reject or receive the gift. We are not in the Old Covenant where everything was dependent upon personal performance and obedience and everyone is not automatically saved against their will. We are made righteous by faith. Once a person receives the gift they are not unsaved by their performance. They are eternally secure, redeemed and perfected forever.
God declares this:
“Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” (Hebrews 10:17)
Your sin — past, present, and future — was fully dealt with at the cross. If you are in Christ, God is not counting them against you (2 Corinthians 5:19). This is amazing news!
That means:
• You don’t need to get “born again” again.
• You don’t need to keep re-dedicating yourself to stay saved.
• You don’t need to confess every single sin to remain forgiven.
When you asked Jesus to save you, He did. Completely.
Does This Lead to Sin?
Some fear that if we preach forgiveness this freely, people will run to sin. The Apostle Paul dealt with this often. If we aren’t asking ourselves, “does this mean that we can go live in sin”, have we really heard the gospel? I believe that the natural response to hearing the message of God’s grace will result in that question coming up. And the resounding answer to it is, “No”.
“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Romans 6:1-2).
When I was focused on myself and trying to overcome sin in my own strength, I was miserable and stuck in cycles of defeat. But when I discovered my new identity in Christ — that I am righteous, forgiven, and accepted — my desires changed.
“For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” (Romans 6:14)
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
A new creation doesn’t long for sin — we actually hate it, because it no longer fits who we are. We are dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:11). Rightly understanding grace does not lead to sin and we are robbing people of the freedom that the gospel brings if we bring law and their performance into the picture in any way.
The Finished Work Means Rest
We don’t have to:
• Review our sins endlessly.
• Condemn ourselves.
• Try to atone for them.
• Strive to “stay saved.”
Instead, we rest in what Christ already finished.
“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
As far as God is concerned, your sins are gone. He remembers them no more.
Consequences vs. Condemnation
This doesn’t mean sin is harmless. Sin is foolish and destructive, and it carries natural consequences. But as far as your standing before God is concerned, the cross has settled it. You are forgiven and righteous in Christ. You can’t perform your way into salvation and you can’t sin your way out of salvation. If you lie to people, they will not trust you. If you are bitter, you will be miserable. If you live in fear, your body will experience its effects. If you are angry all of the time and mean to people, you will not have many friends. But in Christ, God is not going to treat you any differently because of your sin — He remembers them no more, even the ones you haven’t even committed yet. Recognizing this and the amazing love that God has for you and the reality of what Christ endured on the cross for you will fill your heart with gratitude and love not the desire to sin. The gospel doesn’t produce rebellion, it produces freedom.
Only Jesus Saves
There is only one way to deal with sin: relying completely on the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus. Not your works. Not your service. Not your holiness. Not your denomination. Not your sincerity.
Only Jesus.
The Question We Must Ask
Do we truly believe in the all-sufficiency of His death, burial, and resurrection? Or do we feel we need to add something?
It’s either:
• Jesus plus nothing = the gospel
• Or Jesus plus something = no gospel at all
A Personal Word from My Heart
It is difficult to find words to describe how unstable, fearful, and condemned I felt when I didn’t rightly understand redemption. I lived without assurance, always wondering if I had done enough or if I had somehow disqualified myself. Sadly, I see many believers today in that same place, struggling to feel secure in Christ because of the mixture messages they hear from pulpits.
But the gospel is simple. The cross was enough.
Rest in the finished work of Christ. Enjoy the gift of grace that God has freely given you. Live out of your new identity as the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.
If you have believed the gospel, then you have been eternally changed. You are a new creation. And here is the good news: God will never kick you out of His family.
“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs — heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.” (Romans 8:16–17)
