Until we realize the completeness of Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins and what living in the New Covenant means, we will be motivated by a troubled conscience. That troubled conscience will cause us to think that making a personal sacrifice or offering another resolution will somehow convince God that we are worthy of His love. Those thoughts will lead us into the bondage of human performance shredding any possibility of experiencing joy in His presence.

To have a clean conscience before God and to live in the power of the New Covenant requires that we understand this reality, “For the gifts and sacrifices that the priests offer are not able to cleanse the consciences of the people who bring them” (Hebrews 9:9). All our efforts of self-righteousness become futile attempts to cleanse our conscience.

A better Covenant came and displaced the Old Covenant, “For that old system deals only with food and drink and various cleansing ceremonies—physical regulations that were in effect only until a better system could be established” (vs. 10).

The sacrifice of Jesus changed everything, “With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever” (vs. 12). It was the blood of Christ, not our failed and repeated attempts to clear our conscience, is what saves us. We must believe in that truth to be called a born-again person.

Only when we understand that truth can we fully worship the Lord, “Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God” (vs. 14).

 After the resurrection of Jesus, He took His place as the mediator of the New Covenant, “That is why he is the one who mediates a New Covenant between God and people so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them” (vs. 15).

The Old Covenant no longer exists after the sacrifice of Jesus took place. He was the only perfect High Priest who could offer this kind of salvation. The sacrifice of Jesus offered us something far better: “He cancels the first covenant to put the second into effect. God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once and for all time” (10:9-10). We became a holy and blameless person when we believed.

The sacrifice of Christ was so complete it allowed the Spirit to say, “I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds” (vs. 17). A clear conscience does not come to a sinless person. We all have sinned. Our conscience is cleared when we realize the sacrifice of Jesus placed us under the power of His blood,

The complete and -all-encompassing sacrifice of Jesus set us free, “And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices” (vs. 18). That understanding allows our conscience to be at peace and no longer be troubled. It helps us experience the fullness of Christ’s love and live in the magnificence of the New Covenant.