Note: I am going to try and finish Hebrews before the end of the year so this post will be a little different than previous ones, covering a whole chapter rather than a few verses. Starting January 1, I will be following Alistair Beggs Bible Reding Calendar to read through the Bible in one year. It has been several years since I read the Bible completely through, and I think this is a must every once in a while, for every Christian. Hi blog will follow my progress when I have time to post. Thank you for reading!
Hebrews 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.
WOW! Can I say that again backward? WOW! Perfected forever! That is what Jesus did for us. No more offering for our sin, no more looking for a deliverer, no more needing a healer. He has perfected us forever! We talked in my last post about being sanctified, and now we see this beautiful verse that gives us all the assurance we need to go forth and tell the good news. We are perfect in God’s sight when we walk in the sanctification He has provided for us. Why? Because He paid the price on the cross (Hebrews 10:10) and then sat down on the right hand of God (Hebrews 10:12).
When reading Hebrews, we always must keep in mind who this letter was written to and why Paul wrote it. It is written to the Jewish people, who were still following the Old Testament sacrificial law. Paul, in a brilliant way, is showing the people how Jesus fulfilled all the requirements of the law for the forgiveness of sin, so they no longer need to sacrifice bulls, lambs and goats. Jesus did it once and for all (Hebrews 10:10). By doing this, he ushered in the New Covenant which was prophesied in Jeremiah 31:31. The Jewish people were very familiar with this passage of scripture, and they knew that this prophesy could only be fulfilled by their Messiah. Paul has painted a beautiful picture in the first 10 chapters of how this can be. I don’t know about you., but I would say his argument is quite convincing!
Paul now turns his attention to our walk with Christ. Now that He has provided this sanctification, and we can walk with the law of God in our hearts, we must walk in full assurance of faith because He has touched our evil conscience and washed us with His word. (Hebrews 10:22). We will see in the next chapter how important this faith is! It is vital that we hold fast to professing this faith that He has given us. What does that mean? It means that we unswervingly declare the Good News to others. It means that we share our faith with everyone around us. It may be with a friendly smile or with a brief prayer, or with a congratulations on a good job. We must share our faith. This is especially true when we are with other believers.
Hebrews 10:25 says we should not stop getting together with fellow believers. Why is this so important? So many people stay home for church services on the television or radio, or listen to podcasts and worship music instead of getting together with other believers. We all have heard that churches are losing people in almost all denominations. WHY? I believe it is because preachers have veered away from Professing their faith and have turned to a social gospel that leaves the message of the cross out! Our sanctification is nothing without the cross? Staying away from church and assembling with other Christians robs us of the accountable and fellowship we need to hold fast to this faith. All of us, no matter how strong, need other people. We need to be encouraged, uplifted, and yes, rebuked and exhorted. We need each other.
In Romans 12, Paul talks about how the church body functions similar to the human body in that there are many parts but all are one body. During my battle with cancer, I lost the use of my right shoulder due to some weird neurological thing. Doctors could not explain it and physical therapy did not help it. They called it Parsonage-Turner Syndrome, which is typically very painful, but I had no pain. I just could not use my right shoulder. Being right-handed, this made everything more difficult. I had to learn to use my left hand for eating, bathing, support, writing – everything! It was a great lesson for me in how important every part of my body is. We take our shoulder for granted! I also had drop-foot In both of my feet. If you don’t know what that I, I suggest you look it up. His made it very difficult to walk without extreme caution. We need every part of our body to function properly!
He church is no different. The local church needs you there You may bot know what part of the body you ae, but you are vital to the church being strong, and your profession of faith might just help someone else along the way. Our presence in the service might be a blessing to someone you never met before. Maybe you can’t carry a tune, but you sing anyway, making a joyful noise to the Lord. His can encourage someone else to sing even though they can’t carry a tune. Everyone can make a joyful noise! I think all of us feel that Jesus is coming soon, and Paul says we should especially get together as the time approaches (10:25). Oh, how we need each other!
Have you ever sinned willfully? I must admit that I have. I am not proud of this fact, but it is true. I have fallen flat on my face before His cross and asked forgiveness for my willful disobedience, and He has forgiven me over and over. He is a loving God, and I need to pay closer attention to the decisions that I make. I do not want to be in a position to fall into God’s hands, and should have that fear always before me. Sin will not be found in heaven, and neither will the Christian whose sin is not covered by the blood of Jesus. We must never loose the confidence we have in His salvation (10:35).
We live by faith (10:36), and all that we do is derived out of this faith that he has instilled in us. I think of Ephesians 2:8-9 which says “By grace ye are saved through faith, and that not of yourself. It is the gift of God.” Even the faith that we sue to ask for salvation comes from God., He has given all of us a measure of faith (Romans 12:3). This faith is what allows us access to the Holy Spirit with boldness (10:19). This verse is taken so out of proportion. People use this verse to think they can demand things of God. That is not what Paul is saying at all. He is telling us that we no longer have to fear asking the Holy Spirit to help and guide us. In the Old Testament, the priest alone could enter the Holy Place, and only once a year. He entered with great reverence and awe before God, making sure that everything was done just right. We fumble around and make all kinds of mistakes, yet we can still come boldly before God. All of this because we live by faith (10:38).
Hold Fast to that faith. Profess it for all to hear. Why did healing come your way? Jesus! Why did trouble get resolved? Jesus! Why did you get a financial blessing? Jesus! Whenever someone asks, Jesus is the answer we should give. He is our source and our strength. Make sure everyone knows that He is the provider of your life!
God's Maintenance Man 