All the sacrifices offered according to the law were a shadow of Christ. At the fullness of time, Christ came with a body of blood and flesh to replace the sacrifices of the law. In the flesh, He offered Himself to God once for all to take away sins. Verses 7, 9, and 10 tell us that it is the will of God to take away the first, the animal sacrifices of the old testament, so that the second, the sacrifice of Christ of the new testament, might be established to replace the sacrifices of the old testament. Hence, it would have been foolish for the Hebrew believers to go back to offer the animal sacrifices which had already been replaced by Christ.
Christ, as the real sacrifice for sin which has taken away sins, has sanctified us through the offering of His body once for all (v. 10). Sin had separated us from God, but Christ, through His redemption, has separated us from sin and has brought us back to God. This is to sanctify us unto God. Christ has thus sanctified us once for all.
Verse 11 says, “Every priest stands daily, ministering and offering often the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.” The priests in the old covenant stood daily and offered the same sacrifices again and again, because what they offered could never take away sins. Their standing was a sign that the taking away of sins had not been accomplished. It was Christ’s offering of Himself that has accomplished the taking away of sins.
While the old covenant priests stood daily offering the same sacrifices again and again, Christ has put away sin (9:26) by offering Himself to God as the unique sacrifice for sin. Hence, as verse 12 says, He “sat down forever on the right hand of God.” His sitting in heaven is a sign and proof that the taking away of sins has been accomplished. His sitting there is forever. He no longer needs to do anything for sin, for He has done it once for all. His sitting down forever after having offered one sacrifice for sin is in contrast with the priests’ standing daily, offering the same sacrifices again and again.
Verse 14 says that by “one offering He has perfected forever those who are sanctified.” Although the other sacrifices never perfected anyone, Christ’s unique sacrifice has perfected us forever. Through His offering, Christ has not only sanctified us once for all but also perfected us forever. Through that one sacrifice of Christ, we have not only been separated from sin and brought back to God but also have been perfected before God.