“Sin isn’t merely the breaking of a law but is the breakdown of a relationship.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – November 13, 2025
But the high priest alone enters the second room, and he does that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. The Holy Spirit was making it clear that the way into the most holy place had not yet been disclosed while the first tabernacle was still standing. Hebrews 9:7-8 CSB
It is easy to think of sin as “behavior management,” or perhaps we should say mismanagement. We’re supposed to behave one way, based on a list of dos and don’ts, yet when we fail to abide by these rules, we sin and break the law. The people of Israel have no shortage of laws, and could thus be forgiven for viewing the world and their behavior through this lens! It would be easy to fall into the trap of thinking, “As long as I stick to the rules, God will be pleased with me.”
The book of Hebrews talks about these rules at great length, yet does so to show how they fail to resolve the heart of the matter. Rules may change external behavior, but they do not transform hearts. And in truth, one could have known every single rule, observed every possible custom, and still fallen into sin. Note here in Hebrews 9 how the high priest had to offer a sacrifice for “the sins the people had committed in ignorance.” The impact of sin upon our world is so deep that we can know every possible rule and still live in a world that is impacted by sin. You and I are a part of this brokenness, for it lives within each of us, no matter how properly we live or perfectly we know every law.
Sin isn’t merely the breaking of a law but is the breakdown of a relationship. You and I were made for eternal communion with God, dwelling with him as he dwells in us, and this is what was lost in the garden and this is what Christ came to restore. Do not accept a shortchanged version of the faith that simply seeks to modify your behavior or give you a new set of rules. Instead, as we realize the extent to which sin has impacted and shaped every part of creation, we can then with gratitude and wonder deepen our appreciation for the saving work of Christ, who came not to install a new religion but to invite each of us into abiding communion with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
Prayer
Father, through Christ, we long to enter the Holy Place, healed of our shame and sickness, knowing that it is there that we are transformed, renewed, and healed. Amen.
Application
Take time today to reflect more deeply on the truths explored in today’s passage from Hebrews 9.
Related Reading
Genesis 3:8-9; Psalm 51:10-12; Romans 8:1-2
Worship Resource
Austin Stone Worship: How Deep the Father’s Love For Us
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