Often in the English language the word sufficient carries the connotation of a job that just barely got done or of a person who just squeaked by to make the next grade at school. In the world of theology, through, it is completely different.
When theologians speak of the sufficiency of Christ they mean every little thing that was or is needed, required, and necessary has been met and provided such that there is no lack, no shortfall, and nothing more ever needed. Jesus more than meets the need and this is focus of the crescendo of the book of Hebrews in chapter ten.
Jesus Offers the Sacrifice
The writer of this book gives four reasons in chapter ten as to why Jesus is sufficient as he contrasts and compares Jesus to the shortcomings and insufficiencies of the Old Covenant. This can first be seen as Jesus, and not a sinful priest as found in the Old Covenant, is the one who makes the offering in the New Covenant.
Yes, Jesus was a man, but He was not merely a man. He also was deity and He had no need to make any offering for His sins because, even though He was tempted as we are in every way (Heb 4:15), He never gave in - He was perfect!
Jesus IS the Sacrifice
The second way the writer shows the sufficiency of Jesus is that He is the sacrifice. What had been prophesied in Isa 53:10 is made clear in Hebrews as the writer says that Christians ‘have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ’ (Heb 10:10). Even more explicit he wrote that Jesus appeared at the end of the ages in order to ‘put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself’ (Heb 9:27). Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (Jn 1:29)!
Jesus’ Sacrifice is Once-for-all
The third way His sufficiency is demonstrated is in the singularity of His sacrifice. The Old Covenant had daily, weekly, monthly and annual sacrifices that were repeated every year. Not so in the New Covenant. The offering of Jesus’ body was ‘once for all’ (Heb 10:10), it was an ‘all time single sacrifice’ (Heb 10:12) and it was a ‘single offering’ (Heb 10:14). His work was sufficient which is why His sacrifice was sufficient!
Jesus’ Sacrifice Actually Cleanses
The final way the writer shows the sufficiency of Jesus is in what it accomplished. The Old Covenant was a shadow of the New and it never made perfect anyone who drew near (Heb 10:1) because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sin (Heb 10:4).
But after Christ offered Himself up He sat down at the right hand of the Father re-taking the position of power and authority He had laid aside some 30 years earlier. He sat down because the work was done and His people were ‘perfected’ (Heb 10:14). Speaking of Jesus’ work in regard to Christians the writer tells us that God ‘will remember their sins and lawless deeds no more’ (Heb 10:18).
Because all this is true, Christians are a people who should be filled with hope. Since God sees us as perfect why wouldn’t we be stuffed to the gills with hope and joy? Certainly things can and will be tough for us at times, but in the end, because of the sufficiency of Jesus we know what and who awaits us!
The other by-product of the sufficient work of Jesus is that Christians are actually new creations (Heb 10:16; 2 Cor 5:17; 2 Cor 3:18) who have the power of God coursing through them in the person of the Holy Spirit. We can live lives that honor God and we can resist sin - even if imperfectly.
All of this is true because, unlike the deficient Old Covenant that never actually cleansed anyone, the work of Christ is fully sufficient for all those who trust in Him. He paid the price owed, He applies the benefits to us, and He gives us the power to joyfully follow after Him. May this short meditation on His sufficiency make us all more like Jesus in every way.
When theologians speak of the sufficiency of Christ they mean every little thing that was or is needed, required, and necessary has been met and provided such that there is no lack, no shortfall, and nothing more ever needed. Jesus more than meets the need and this is focus of the crescendo of the book of Hebrews in chapter ten.
Jesus Offers the Sacrifice
The writer of this book gives four reasons in chapter ten as to why Jesus is sufficient as he contrasts and compares Jesus to the shortcomings and insufficiencies of the Old Covenant. This can first be seen as Jesus, and not a sinful priest as found in the Old Covenant, is the one who makes the offering in the New Covenant.
Yes, Jesus was a man, but He was not merely a man. He also was deity and He had no need to make any offering for His sins because, even though He was tempted as we are in every way (Heb 4:15), He never gave in - He was perfect!
Jesus IS the Sacrifice
The second way the writer shows the sufficiency of Jesus is that He is the sacrifice. What had been prophesied in Isa 53:10 is made clear in Hebrews as the writer says that Christians ‘have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ’ (Heb 10:10). Even more explicit he wrote that Jesus appeared at the end of the ages in order to ‘put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself’ (Heb 9:27). Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (Jn 1:29)!
Jesus’ Sacrifice is Once-for-all
The third way His sufficiency is demonstrated is in the singularity of His sacrifice. The Old Covenant had daily, weekly, monthly and annual sacrifices that were repeated every year. Not so in the New Covenant. The offering of Jesus’ body was ‘once for all’ (Heb 10:10), it was an ‘all time single sacrifice’ (Heb 10:12) and it was a ‘single offering’ (Heb 10:14). His work was sufficient which is why His sacrifice was sufficient!
Jesus’ Sacrifice Actually Cleanses
The final way the writer shows the sufficiency of Jesus is in what it accomplished. The Old Covenant was a shadow of the New and it never made perfect anyone who drew near (Heb 10:1) because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sin (Heb 10:4).
But after Christ offered Himself up He sat down at the right hand of the Father re-taking the position of power and authority He had laid aside some 30 years earlier. He sat down because the work was done and His people were ‘perfected’ (Heb 10:14). Speaking of Jesus’ work in regard to Christians the writer tells us that God ‘will remember their sins and lawless deeds no more’ (Heb 10:18).
Because all this is true, Christians are a people who should be filled with hope. Since God sees us as perfect why wouldn’t we be stuffed to the gills with hope and joy? Certainly things can and will be tough for us at times, but in the end, because of the sufficiency of Jesus we know what and who awaits us!
The other by-product of the sufficient work of Jesus is that Christians are actually new creations (Heb 10:16; 2 Cor 5:17; 2 Cor 3:18) who have the power of God coursing through them in the person of the Holy Spirit. We can live lives that honor God and we can resist sin - even if imperfectly.
All of this is true because, unlike the deficient Old Covenant that never actually cleansed anyone, the work of Christ is fully sufficient for all those who trust in Him. He paid the price owed, He applies the benefits to us, and He gives us the power to joyfully follow after Him. May this short meditation on His sufficiency make us all more like Jesus in every way.
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