How lovely God is Pt 15: Christ suffered just once
Hebrews 9:23-28 23It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. 25Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Context
In relation to spiritual things the word Law refers to the instructions given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai. People think Moses received the 10 Commandments there, but he received so much more. Moses was in direct communion with God for 40 days and 40 nights while God instructed him regarding sin, the Tabernacle, the Sacrificial System, and so much more.
Copies are purified by sacrifices
The word copies is important. The tabernacle, its furnishings, and the priestly rituals were never ends in themselves; they were shadows or earthly replicas of something far greater. Moses was told to build the tabernacle “according to the pattern shown you on the mountain” (Exod. 25:40), meaning it reflected a heavenly reality.
Under the old covenant system, these earthly copies needed continual purification. Animal blood was sprinkled on the altar, on the people, and even on the tent and sacred vessels (Lev. 16:14–19). The point was clear: sin contaminates everything it touches, and the only way to cleanse what is unclean is through a sacrifice that stands between the people and God’s holiness. Hebrews 9 reminds us that these rituals were repeated year after year because the problem of sin persisted and the sacrifices themselves were inherently inadequate. The Law was given in the first place so that people could learn what sin was, how damaging it was to the relationship between God and His people, and how to turn to God in holiness and righteousness.
In one sense, this sounds almost discouraging. All that blood, all those sacrifices, and yet the people still remained at a distance. But the writer’s point is not to depress us—it is to prepare us. These earthly purifications were necessary but never sufficient. They performed a temporary, symbolic cleansing that taught Israel two key truths: first, sin requires atonement; second, atonement cannot come from human effort. No matter how many animals were slain, Israel still longed for something permanent, final, and effective.
The “copies” therefore served as teaching tools. They pointed forward to a reality beyond themselves—a better sacrifice, a better priest, and a better sanctuary. And this is where the author shifts our attention: if the earthly copies required repeated sacrifices to remain holy, then what must be true of the heavenly sanctuary itself? And more importantly, what kind of sacrifice could truly purify that?
But Christ entered a heavenly sanctuary
The writer answers his own implied question: “Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands… he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence” (Heb. 9:24). Here we reach a magnificent contrast. Earthly priests entered a tent constructed by human craftsmen; Christ entered the very presence of the Father. Earthly priests sprinkled animal blood; Christ brought His own. Earthly priests came trembling behind a veil; Christ came as the Son returning to the Father.
This heavenly sanctuary is not merely a metaphor. Scripture consistently testifies that heaven itself is a temple—the throne room of God, where angels worship and where Christ now intercedes. Jesus told His disciples that after His resurrection He would “go to the Father” (John 14:28), and Hebrews emphasizes that He has gone there as our great High Priest (Heb. 4:14–16).
Christ’s entrance into heaven marks a radical shift in how believers approach God. Under the old covenant, a single priest could enter the Most Holy Place, and only once a year, and only with blood not his own. Under the new covenant, Christ enters once, and He enters with His own blood, obtaining “eternal redemption” (Heb. 9:12). And because He is there, we also have access. The veil that once kept humanity at a distance has been torn “from top to bottom” (Matt. 27:51), a divine signal that the barrier is forever removed. Moreover, Christ’s appearance in heaven is not passive. Hebrews says He appears “for us” (Heb. 9:24). He intercedes, represents, and advocates for His people continually. This is why the apostle John can assure believers, “if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the righteous” (1 John 2:1). His sacrifice was once for all, but His ministry on our behalf continues without interruption.
In contrast to the earthly priests who stood day after day performing their work (Heb. 10:11), Christ is seated—His sacrificial work is complete, His victory secure, and His presence before the Father permanent. The heavenly sanctuary needs no repeated entry because the once-for-all sacrifice was truly sufficient.
Christ’s single sacrifice purifies all who believe
At the heart of Hebrews 9 is a breathtaking claim: Christ’s single sacrifice truly purifies the believer. The writer says, “He has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself” (Heb. 9:26). This is the central affirmation of the Christian gospel: Jesus’ death fully and finally removes sin’s guilt and its defiling power, and restores relationship between Father and child.
The contrast between the old and new covenants could not be sharper. Under the old system, sacrifices could symbolically cleanse the flesh, restoring ritual purity. But they could never cleanse the conscience. Hebrews declares that the blood of Christ cleanses the conscience “from acts that lead to death” (Heb. 9:14). This is inward purification, the kind the Old Testament could never accomplish. This also means the believer’s forgiveness is not partial, temporary, or probationary. It is full and definitive. As David once prayed, “Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow” (Ps. 51:7). Under Christ, the prayer is not a wish—it is a reality. His blood does not merely cover sin; it removes it.
This has enormous practical implications. Some believers live as though Christ’s work must be supplemented by their own. They feel perpetually unworthy, constantly trying to atone for their failures through effort, guilt, or spiritual striving. But Hebrews destroys such thinking: “where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary” (Heb. 10:18). This does not make sin trivial; on the contrary it makes grace triumphant. When believers stumble, they do not run to find new sacrifices; they run back to the once-slain Lamb who has already secured their forgiveness. His blood continues to speak a better word than any human work could utter (Heb. 12:24).
This is why faith is the essential response. The purification Christ brings is applied not through ritual or ancestry but through trust. “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Heb. 11:6). Those who trust in Christ share in His cleansing, His righteousness, and His eternal inheritance. All of this is anchored in a sacrifice that can never be repeated because it need never be repeated.
And was sacrificed once to take away the sins of the many
The phrase the many echoes Isaiah 53:11–12, where the Servant “will justify many” and “bear the sins of many.” Hebrews is showing us that Jesus is that Servant. His death was substitutionary—He bore sins that were not His own. And it was effective—He truly “takes away” sin, not simply postpones judgment or temporarily covers guilt.
Another striking part of verse 28 is the contrast between what Christ has already done and what He will yet do. His sacrifice has already removed sin’s guilt; His return will remove sin’s presence. Hebrews stresses that He will appear “a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” This salvation is not a different kind from what we already have but the completion of it—final deliverance, resurrection, and the full enjoyment of God forever.
The once-for-all nature of His sacrifice also silences any claim that Christ’s death must be repeated. In some religious systems, the notion persists that Christ is re-sacrificed repeatedly in ritual form. The writer of Hebrews, however, could not be more explicit: He “does not need to offer Himself again and again” (Heb. 9:25). His sacrifice was perfect, sufficient, and eternally effective.
Just as humans die once and then face judgment, so Christ died once to bear judgment for others (Heb. 9:27–28). His death parallels our mortality but surpasses it in meaning. Whereas our death marks the end of earthly life, His death opened the way to eternal life. And because His death was once and sufficient, the believer’s standing before God is secure.
This is why Christians can eagerly await His return. We do not fear a Judge coming to condemn us—we await a Savior coming to complete our redemption. The same Christ who died for us will come again to gather us, transform us, and bring us into the heavenly kingdom He has prepared.
What about me?
Hebrews 9:23–28 presents one of the clearest and most beautiful explanations of the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice. The earthly copies were purified again and again, but Christ entered the heavenly reality. The old sacrifices repeated endlessly, but Christ offered Himself once. The old covenant cleansed outwardly, but Christ cleanses the conscience. And while the old system left people waiting and hoping, Christ’s work leaves believers forgiven, purified, and eagerly awaiting His return.
To say “Christ suffered just once” is not to minimize His suffering—it is to magnify its power. One sacrifice, one offering, once for all. Everything the old covenant hinted at finds its fulfillment in Him. And because His sacrifice is complete, our salvation is secure.
The bottom line in all of this believer is that you can relax. I don’t mean to trivialize sin—left untreated it is deadly. But it has been treated. You no longer have to offer the blood of an animal when you sin. Christ washed the guilt of sin off you with the sacrifice of His own blood. But one thing you do have to do is repent. Because of your sin nature you regularly mess up. When you slip, when you fall, confess it to God and repent. Christ has already don the heavy lifting.