There are many times in which we try, either intentionally or not, to pay for our sins. We try to follow all kinds of rules and regulations. We try to be “good” people. When we are sorry for our sins, something inside makes us think we have to “make things right.” We want to try to pay God back, as if we might pay for our salvation. But we can’t. And yet, because of Jesus, we have been made holy already.

As we have learned in these reflections on Hebrews, the priests were busy every day offering sacrifices for people’s sins. And on the Day of Atonement the high priest would make a sacrifice for all the sins of the people, year after year after year.

Now we have one who has come and has offered us his own body as the perfect sacrifice, once for all. Jesus’ death on the cross for our sake was enough to make us holy. We no longer have to offer sacrifices day after day, year after year. Christ has already sacrificed himself, once for all.

We do not have to try to earn our holiness, for Christ has already made us holy. And as we have already been made holy, our response is to strive, in his strength, to live into what Christ has already made us to be.

We have already been made holy; now, in the strength of Christ, our Savior, we can begin to be like him.