2430) When Jesus came to earth as a human, his mission was to be the permanent sacrifice for all we do wrong. He stated in Matthew 9:17 that his teaching of forgiveness and grace is new wine and doesn’t belong in old wineskins.

I reflect on this and when I read Romans 6:14 I notice Jesus’ words reflected in Paul’s letter. Jesus tells us we are no longer under the law but under grace.

Under the law is what the Old Testament is about. Here are God’s guidelines, and you must obey. If not, you needed to offer sacrifices regularly to gain forgiveness.

In the New Testament, Jesus became the permanent and perfect sacrifice, and those of us who have asked for Jesus to cleanse us and make us his children, all sin we commit is forgiven.

Now, my skeptical mind thinks, man! If I embrace this, I can really take advantage of this grace and live my life the way I want to. Yes, legally I would be forgiven, and then I think about the Old Testament.

Couldn’t those people think the same way? I can do what I want because the sacrifice I offer to God will cleanse me?

The new wine of Jesus does grant us grace and mercy every time, and in contemplating this, my gratitude would result in living by God’s standards. A sacrifice is not free. It cost the one offering it.