The Jewish holy day, Yom Kippur, has just passed. Christians might be more familiar with it if we call it the Day of Atonement, the annual day of repentance. Every year, every Jew is traditionally required to seek forgiveness for their sins. In Bible times, this required a sacrifice.  

As Christians, we know the lessons of Yom Kippur, that sin separates us from God. That the high priest entered the Holy of Holies only on the Day of Atonement. That Christ has offered and given His life as sacrifice for our sins. That the veil that separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the Temple was torn down at the death of Christ. Yet there is another lesson that perhaps some of us overlook. 

Yom Kippur is an annual event. That even the most well-intentioned Jew will sin again in the next 365 days and will need to repent again. Now, here is a key lesson for us, as Christians: Christ died once, to cover all our sins, past and future. His sacrifice is perfect and eternal. He dumped our sins in the sea of forgiveness, and separated us from them as far as the East is from the West. He washed us of our carnal nature, and, by filling us with His Spirit, empowers us to overcome sin, so that we may live like Him. Not us, but Christ in us. 

Praise be to God, we are free… Free at last.

Worthy..  worthy… Worthy the lamb that was slain..