For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of GOD—not by works, so that no one can boast. | Ephesians 2:8-9

He that believeth on HIM is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten SON of GOD.  | John 3:18

The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Therefore, when CHRIST came into the world, he said:

“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but a body you prepared for me;
with burnt offerings and sin offerings
you were not pleased.”

Then I said, “Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—
I have come to do your will, my GOD.”

First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law. Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of JESUS CHRIST once for all.

Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins,he sat down at the right hand of GOD, and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made HOLY.

The HOLY SPIRIT also testifies to us about this. First he says:

“This is the covenant I will make with them
after that time, says the LORD.
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds.”

Then he adds:

“Their sins and lawless acts
I will remember no more.”

And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most HOLY Place by the blood of JESUS, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of GOD, let us draw near to GOD with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of GOD. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of GOD underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the SPIRIT of grace? For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The LORD will judge his people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living GOD.

Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.

You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of GOD, you will receive what he has promised. For,

“In just a little while,
he who is coming will come
and will not delay.”

And,

“But my righteous one will live by faith.
And I take no pleasure
in the one who shrinks back.”

But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved. | Hebrews 10

HIS vicarious and atoning death through HIS shed blood

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with GOD through our LORD JESUS CHRIST, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of GOD. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance; character; and character, hope.  And hope does not put us to shame, because GOD’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the HOLY SPIRIT, who has been given to us.

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, CHRIST died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But GOD demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, CHRIST died for us.

Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from GOD’s wrath through him! For if, while we were GOD’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in GOD through our LORD JESUS CHRIST, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—

To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.

But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did GOD’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, JESUS CHRIST, overflow to the many! Nor can the gift of GOD be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive GOD’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, JESUS CHRIST!

Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through JESUS CHRIST our LORD.  | Romans 5:5-21

HIS bodily resurrection

Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when JESUS came.  So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the LORD!”

But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in HIS hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into HIS side, I will not believe.”

A week later HIS  disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, JESUS came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then  HE said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see MY hands. Reach out your hand and put it into MY side. Stop doubting and believe.”

Thomas said to him, “My LORD and my GOD!”  | John 20:24-29

After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. | 1 Corinthians 15:6

HIS ascension to the right hand of the FATHER, and HIS personal return in power and glory

After HE said this, HE was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid HIM from their sight. | Acts 1:9

“There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But when these things Fbegin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” | Luke 21:25-28