Hebrews 10:1-2 (NLT)
1 The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. 2 If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared.

The apostle tells us the Old Testament law had a purpose to show us the reality of a good, just and holy life. The law was just a shadow, just a slight image of the greater eternal life to be lived with God in heaven. But first there had to be a cleansing of sin. This cleansing came in the form of sacrifices, but it was only temporary and required repeated cleansing in order to properly worship God. It was not until Christ died as the perfect sacrifice that we were made right and justified before God once and for all time. Knowing there was always the need for cleansing left those under the law guilty for there was always another sin to follow another day.

Two different fathers instruct their child to clean up their room and then they will go get ice cream. Each child goes to work putting things in order, placing toys upon the shelves, and straightening what had become a mess. At the end of cleaning their room each child knows they have done what they should do; so they decide to play with one of their favorite toys. The first father walks in and the child begins to fear. He knows the father will see the room is no longer straight. Other toys have been pulled down and been put on the floor. The child feels guilt and waits on his father to scold him. The second father comes in to check on the progress of his child and finds the child playing with their favorite toy. The child knows his father understands he has done their best to clean the room, but has taken a moment to rest and play. Which father do you see God as? Do you see Him as one ready to scold you or do you see Him as one who understands? Never was it said the first father scolded the child or didn�t take them for the ice cream. It may have been the child�s own feeling of guilt and not understanding his father�s expectations that caused the fear. We have a God who loves us, who no longer requires us to perform a perfect cleansing. For God gave His son as the pure sacrifice for sin and we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.