An Atonement for the Soul

Leviticus 17:11

For the life of the flesh [is] in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it [is] the blood [that] maketh an atonement for the soul.

The altar reminds me of Jesus laying down His life for us on the cross. "Atonement" means covering.

The Lord will deliver us from the bodies of this death when He returns again. Today He has already saved and cleansed us on the cross, and made us His people.

Verses like in the book of James talk about how we should work with works. If you search through the verses, you'll see that they don't say that we should work the works of the old law. Instead, they are talking about how our Love, with which we Love, must be in deed and in truth. We must maintain good works of Love. We must not just hear the Word and say things that sound good without living by faith. If we really have living faith, we will walk in Love. You see, James is talking about a different kind of work. We are taught not to have works of the law, but to have works of Love.

Jesus abolished from us, the Old Covenant, which is the old testament and testimony. The old law is the commandments and ordinances of bodily exercises, the law of sin unto death, contained with letters in stone. It's good for what it was made for, but it was only made to kill those who break it, making the wages of sin, death. But God gave the gift of eternal life in Jesus Christ, to us who believe.

Now we follow the new law, in the new spiritual covenant of Jesus' blood. The new law is written on our hearts, contained in the new spiritual commandments. The commandments are to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, Love the Lord our God with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength, and Love our neighbors as ourselves. Now we can have living Faith in our hearts, which works to righteousness, by Love.

Now we have liberty to serve one another in Love even without keeping the old law of the letter. Because we're free from the law, we're free from sin and death. We're clothed with His Righteousness as long as we keep the Faith, walk in the Spirit, and Love one another. Love works no ill to his neighbor, so it fulfills the law.

If you see that your brother has a need, don't tell your heart of compassion to shut up. If you know to do good and don't do it, that is sin to you. Until He comes, we are sinners who will sin again, but we have an advocate. We have a High Priest, a sacrifice, and an "atonement" (a covering) for our sins. So forget the things that are behind and press on toward the mark to win the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Come boldly and humbly before the throne of grace to find grace and strength to help in the time of need.