The following is an excerpt from my booklet titled One Life, Death and Judgment, which summarizes the gospel as found in the Epistle to the Hebrews. The entire booklet is free online at my website.
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“Under the Old Testament economy, only the High Priest entered the Most Holy Place, and he on but one day of the year. On that great Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) he entered two times, first for his own sins, then for those of the people. But he entered in simple linen garments, a man for men. He entered only with blood–of a substitute that was ceremonially spotless. And he brought the blood only behind a great smoke of incense, for the Holy God could not stand face to face with this sinful man even then (Lev. 16:1-22).
“But Jesus entered heaven itself, into the very presence of God, for us (Heb. 9:11-14, 24-28). No cloud of incense hid him from the Sovereign gaze. Every detail of his presented life was in full view of the Father’s holy scrutiny. And on this verdict, this single verdict, rested all the hopes of fallen man. With the judgment of the Son–for a while made lower than the angels–rode the eternal destiny of all his people. For if this life had not been acceptable, if it had any spot or blemish, no human life would ever have been acceptable to the Father, and no descendant of Adam could ever have been rescued from moral guilt and deserved punishment. Jesus appeared in the presence of God for us. And in him–praise God!–the Father found no fault. . . .
“The great event of Pentecost, ten days after Jesus’ ascension, was the descent of the Holy Spirit. This was important for many reasons, among the most important being that it signified to his disciples the complete acceptability of Jesus’ offering (Acts 2:33, 36, Eph. 3:5-6; 1 Pet. 1:12). That occasion, therefore, heralded the beginning of the End Time and marked the release of all the blessings of salvation to the messianic community which was that day aborning. The work which procured salvation was finished. Because it was finished, it was unrepeatable, and because it was unrepeatable, it was secure (see Rom. 5:18-19; 8:1; 1 Cor. 1:30-31; 2 Cor. 5:17-21; Col. 3:1-4; 2 Tim. 1:9; 2:10; 1 John 5:11-12, 20).”