BENEFITS NOW FROM CHRIST’S SACRIFICE

5. (a) Who were first to benefit from Christ’s sacrifice? (b) What other group has benefited, and particularly since when?

⁵ Benefits began to affect human lives immediately after Jesus Christ (in the role of God’s great High Priest) presented the value of his sacrifice before God in heaven. First, starting at Pentecost of 33 C.E., these benefits began to be experienced by those who, called to be heirs with Christ, would serve as kings and priests with him in heaven. (Acts 2:32, 33; Colossians 1:13, 14) Then, outstandingly in 1935, persons who embraced the hope of eternal life on earth began to manifest themselves. Their hope, too, was made possible by Christ’s sacrifice. (1 John 2:1, 2) This progressive application of the value of that sacrifice was indicated by events that took place on ancient Israel’s Atonement Day.

8. (a) How did Atonement Day procedures indicate who would benefit first from Christ’s sacrifice? (b) What application of Jesus’ sacrifice was indicated by the sin offering “for the people”? (c) What further fact was illustrated by the leading away of a goat into the wilderness?

⁸ Even as blood from the bull offered for the house of Aaron was taken first into the Most Holy, so the benefits of Jesus’ sacrifice were applied first on behalf of those who would be associated with Christ in the heavenly priesthood. This was done from 33 C.E. onward. Jesus Christ had no sins for which atonement must be made, as did Aaron, but those who would be underpriests with Christ did. These were pictured by the tribe of Levi. (1 Peter 2:4, 5) Presentation of blood from a second sacrifice, the goat of the sin offering “for the people,” indicated that others of mankind would benefit from Jesus’ sacrifice after the heavenly class. These would be persons who would gain life in the restored Paradise on earth. They were pictured by “the twelve [nonpriestly] tribes of Israel” on Atonement Day. (Matthew 19:28; Psalm 37:29) Not only did Jesus die on behalf of all of these, but he actually carries away the sins of those for whom he died sacrificially, bringing relief to them. This was indicated by the fact that, finally, after the sins of Israel were confessed over a live goat, it was led away into the wilderness, never to be seen again.​—Psalm 103:12; Isaiah 53:4-6.

9. (a) What blessings do those who exercise faith in Christ’s sacrifice enjoy now? (b) What further benefits will come later?

⁹ For all who exercise faith in Jehovah’s loving provision through Christ, true forgiveness of sins, a clean standing before God, is possible now regardless of their former way of life. They can enjoy the priceless blessing of rendering sacred service to God with a clean conscience. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Hebrews 9:13, 14) But this does not mean that they are at present granted life free from all effects of sin. (1 John 1:8-10; Romans 7:21-25) For those who are to rule in heaven with Christ, such a life will be realized only when they have finished their earthly course and are raised to immortality in the heavens. For others of mankind, complete relief from sin will be made possible by means of the re-creation.