HEBREWS: Lesson 15 - A Better Covenant; A New Covenant

Today we completed Chapter 8 - A Better Covenant; A New Covenant.

In previous lessons we looked at the role the high priest played under the old covenant in Israel. Once a year, the high priest would go into the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle, or the temple, which symbolized God’s throne: “Go into the very presence of God.” He was the only one who could go there, but he couldn’t go in until he had made a sacrifice, an acceptable offering to God.

Prior to entering the Holy of Holies, the high priest would make a sacrifice according to the prescription that God had revealed in Scripture. And then the blood of that sacrifice would be taken by the high priest into the Holy of Holies and sprinkled on the mercy seat atop the ark of the covenant. He would also have a sensor with incense in his hand which symbolized the prayers of the high priest for his nation. Prayers were offered, but only after the sacrifice had been made.

And so it is with our Lord Jesus Christ. He now lives, interceding for us, constantly praying us into eternal glory. He has the right to do that because He has also made the appropriate sacrifice. And unlike any priest or high priest before Him, He sacrificed Himself. Chapter 7, the end of verse 27, “He offered up Himself.” This is the first time ever a high priest was also the sacrifice. Jesus ever-lives to make intercession for us in the presence of God in the heavenly Holy of Holies, because He has full access, having provided the acceptable sacrifice.

Notice in verse 1 His seat: "...who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens." There was no seat in the Holy of Holies under the old covenant. The high priest went in, sprinkled the blood, waved the incense, and left immediately. But this High Priest [Christ Jesus] is such a high priest who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens. He sat down permanently in the presence of God, fully acceptable to God, honored above all other priests.

Why at the right hand of God?

The supreme court of Israel, the Sanhedrin, had seventy members, plus the high priest. They were the adjudicating body of the nation Israel. They made the final decision; they were the final court of appeal. On the left and right sides of that body of men, there sat a scribe. If the verdict was condemnation, the scribe on the left rendered the verdict condemnation. If the verdict was acquittal, the scribe on the right side rendered the verdict acquittal. Our Lord is on the right side saying to God the Father, “Acquittal, acquittal, acquittal,” no matter what the crime is, no matter what the offense is, because He has Himself paid in full the punishment for that crime. He ever-lives to declare that we [those who are saved] have been acquitted, forgiven.

What do we mean a better covenant?

In verse 8 it says “a new covenant.” And in verse 13, it’s repeated, “a new covenant that makes the old covenant obsolete.”

On Thursday night of Passion Week, when our Lord gathered with His disciples in the upper room, they gathered to hold the Passover. The Passover was a feast commemorating God’s deliverance of the children of Israel out of Egypt. The Passover commemorated the delivering power of God. But on that night, our Lord transformed that Passover into the Communion service.

Read Luke 22:14: “When the hour had come, He reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him. And He said to them, ‘I have earnestly desired to eat the Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.’ And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, ‘Take this and share it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.’ And when He had taken some bread and given thinks, He broke it and gave it to them saying, ‘This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ And in the same way He took the cup after they eaten saying, ‘This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.’”

That Thursday night in the upper room He was anticipating the death He would die in just a few hours, the next day on Friday; a death that He would die to satisfy divine justice, to ratify the new covenant which was promised in the Old Testament. His death would be a substitute for believers, to provide forgiveness, deliverance from judgment and reconciliation with God. This is the new covenant.

What is a covenant?

Simply stated: a covenant is a promise. Or a covenant can be a collection of promises. In the case of the old covenant, it was a collection. The new covenant can be said to be this: all God’s promises, all the treasures of heaven promised in one covenant, all the treasures of heaven promised in one covenant through the work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

How was God's Holy Law revealed to man?

The holy law of God has been revealed to man since creation in several different ways. There was the law of God before the fall, there was the law of God given at Sinai, and there is the law of God that comes in the new covenant.

Revealed in Adam's nature:

Adam imitated God, because God’s law was in him naturally. It was in his nature. Then came the fall; and when the fall came, Adam’s heart was darkened, and what was natural to him was sin – dominating, relentless sin. In fact, only evil was natural to him and everybody he produced after that. So we see that before the flood, God said, “I looked at the world and it was only evil continually.”

After the fall, God eventually chose another son to replace Adam; that son was a nation, Israel. Israel was like every other nation; it was made up of people who naturally did sin and only sin. Like everyone else, they were under the dominating power of iniquity. Evil was normal, and they could not and did not imitate God.

Revealed in the Levitical Law:

So God wrote His law for them, because it wasn’t natural to them. They passed that law down to the world. And that law described how they were to live and how they were to enjoy fellowship with God and blessing from God and escape judgment. Obedience was unnatural. Obedience was alien. Obedience was foreign. Obedience was impossible. The old covenant did nothing for the heart.

The old covenant didn’t write anything on the mind or the heart, it just wrote the law of God in cold, hard, crushing stone, threatening everyone who disobeyed it. The Word of God does the same today. We are to obey God's Word. That external law, with all of its requirements had no power in it to help the sinner. It couldn’t save, it couldn’t change the heart, so it had to become obsolete.

Revealed in the Son of God:

Then the law came in another form. The law came in a human form in Bethlehem, in a child, the Son of God. This is a far better representation of the law of God, far better than stone, because stone was external. But now the law was internal, and it was in a man. It was in the Lord Jesus Christ. He even said, “You have heard it said. But I say unto you,” and then He drove the law into the heart. It’s not just what you do, it’s what you think. He says in Matthew, chapter 5, that He did not come to set aside the law, but to fulfill the law. He said in Matthew, chapter 3, that He came to fulfill all righteousness. So in Christ, you have the perfect - the perfect person, the perfect obedience to the law of God

Jesus obeyed God’s law. Why? Because it was His holy nature. God’s law was written on His heart, and nothing else was written on His heart. It dominated His mind, and nothing else occupied His mind. That is why the Father said, “This is My beloved Son in whom I’m well pleased.” He was a living example of God’s law. That’s a better pattern to follow than something written down. It’s better to see it living, because then you’re dealing not only with the external, but you’re dealing with the internal. You’re dealing with not only behavior, but you’re dealing with attitude. So now we have something more than the law in stone, we have the law in flesh, and it’s clearer, it’s more understandable

What was the purpose of the Law?

The answer is clearly given in Scripture. Read Romans 7:7. “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the law; for I wouldn’t have known about coveting if the law hadn’t said, ‘You shall not covet.’ But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for apart from the law sin is dead. I was once alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive and I died; and this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me; for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me.”

If you never saw the law of God, you would just go happily through life thinking you were fine. But when facing the law of God, it kills you, it slays you. Why does the law want to do that? Why is that the purpose of the law? What does God have in mind for the law?

Read Galatians 3:19. “It was added because of transgression.” Why? Verse 24: “The law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” The crushing weight of the law, the threat of the law is to put us in a situation of desperation where we are looking for a Savior. 

What hope do we have since we can't keep the written law and we can't live like Christ?

In a sense, a perfect life [Christ] is just as useless to us as a perfect written law. Why? Because we can’t keep the law that God gave Moses, and we can’t live like Christ either. And if the law written was to show us our sin and lead us to Christ, then the law lived in Christ was also to show us our sin and lead us to Him. It doesn’t work to preach Jesus as an example and try to be like Him. If you get close to the life of Jesus and you see it for what it is as revealed in Scripture, it will crush you just as much as the stones will crush you.

The perfection of Christ in some ways is more disturbing; it’s more intimidating than even the law in stone. His perfection forces on us a higher view of the law than we could ever know just reading it. He greatly defines the true view of obedience, holiness, and righteousness. In fact, Jesus was so disturbing in His holy obedience to God that He intimidated the most religious people, the superficial legalists to the point where they saw His kind of righteousness as a threat, and they killed Him for it. 

So what hope do we have?

The answer comes in verse 12 of Hebrews 8. Here’s part of the new covenant from Jeremiah 31: “I will be merciful to their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” That’s a new covenant. That does not appear in the old covenant; does not appear in the old covenant. He will forgive our violations. He will forgive our transgressions in the new covenant. That’s why the new covenant has come and the old is obsolete.

So what happens when we come to Christ and we are forgiven through the provision of His sacrifice? What happens? What about the law? There it is, verse 10: “This is the new covenant. I will put My laws into their minds; I will write them on their hearts. I’ll be their God, they’ll be My people.”

What defines us in that way? We are God’s people, He is our God, because His law has been put into our minds and written on our hearts. The law in Adam’s heart was loved and obeyed. The law in Moses’ stone was rebelled against. The law again in Christ’s life perfectly obeyed. And now the law in us is loved and cherished and delighted in and obeyed imperfectly.

Our society hates God’s law. It’s unnatural; sin is natural. It is an offense to sinners. They resent Christ and they resent a Christ who lives in perfect adherence to God’s law. You proclaim the true Christ in His true holiness and righteous perfection, and you will become more and more hated, as our society becomes more and more ungodly.

Christ is the model, but you can’t follow the pattern. You have to be forgiven for violating the law, even as manifest in Christ. That forgiveness comes because God is merciful and remembers our sins no more.

So what defines a believer?

The law in the mind, the law written on the heart; that’s what defines those who belong to God and are His people. We are those who have had God’s law written on our hearts. We love it. We desire to obey it, to follow it, to proclaim it. All our failures and violations are forgiven. Our nature is changed so that now there is a sense in which it is our deepest desire to obey the law of God. “O, how I love Your law,” David says. Paul says, “Your law is holy, just, and good; and I find myself doing things I don’t want to do, because what I want to do is obey Your law.”

There is yet another revelation of God’s law, another stage greater than any yet, and that’s in eternal glory. We will obey from the heart, not in the limited ways we do now, but in a limitless way. What is heaven going to be? Eternal, perfect obedience. We will be like Christ when we see Him as He is: perfect, eternal, obedience, with the accompanying personal blessing that comes from God. The law is our joy; we are no longer condemned by it. Christ has satisfied its demand. But having it written in our hearts and our minds, we love it, we seek to obey it, to proclaim it. And for all our failures, we seek cleansing.

HEBREWS: Lesson 14 - Jesus: The Guarantee of a Better Covenant

We completed chapter 7 with the lesson: Jesus: The Guarantee of a Better Covenant. The lesson covered verses 20-28. In these verses the author is piling up proofs that the priesthood of Jesus Christ is superior to that of Aaron.

The Jews, as you know, had put all of their stock in the Levitical priesthood, the priesthood that came through the line of Aaron and the tribe of Levi. And Jesus came as a priest of another order, the priesthood of Melchizedek (a man who predated Aaron, who was at the time of Abraham).

Jesus, as a priest after the order of Melchizedek, is therefore a superior priest to all the priests of Aaron. And the point is simply to prove that Jesus is superior to everything in the old covenant, therefore proving that the new covenant is better than the old.

He is writing to Hebrews and saying, "Come to Christ." He is writing to Hebrew believers and saying, "Drop all the Jewish trappings, Jesus is sufficient. He is superior."

In this last section of chapter 7, the author presents Jesus as a superior priest in three ways:

1. SURETY OF A BETTER COVENANT (v. 22-22)

2. SAVIOR TO THE UTTERMOST (v. 23-25)

3. SEPARATE FROM SINNERS (v. 26)

In the Old Testament, the priest wore a breastplate. And on the breastplate were all the stones representing the 12 tribes. When he went into the presence of God, he carried with him, on his chest, all the tribes of Israel.

He also wore, draped over his shoulders, what the Bible calls an ephod. We don't really know what an ephod looked like, but apparently it was something that went over the shoulders. And on the ephod, on his shoulder, were also all the names of the 12 tribes.

You say, "What was the point?" The priest bore the children of Israel to God on his heart, his affections, and on his shoulder, his strength. You see, this is the indication of what the priesthood is to be. First, a heart for the people. Secondly, the strength to help them.

The Old Testament priest could have the heart for the people, but he didn't have the strength. Jesus Christ, right now, is at God's right hand, interceding for those who are in saved. On His heart are the names of all those who are saved. Unlike the priest under the Old Covenant, Jesus is not only willing, He is able.

"...Jesus has become a surety (guarantee) of a better covenant." (v. 22)

"Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession of them." (v. 25)

"For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separated from sinners..." (v. 26)

HEBREWS: Lesson 13 & 14 - Melchizedek and The Perfect Superior Priesthood

Review from last week (10/8/17): Hebrews 7:1-10

In Chapter 7:1-10, the author began with a description of Melchizedek. He shows how Melchizedek was a "type" of Christ and how the priesthood of Melchizedek was better than the Aaronic priesthood. He presented five ways that the priesthood of Melchizedek is better than Aaron's.

First, it was a universal priesthood, and Aaron's was national.

Secondly, it was a royal priesthood. He was a priest king. Aaron's was subject to kings.

Thirdly, it was a righteousness and peace priesthood. Aaron's could not provide either righteousness or peace.

Fourth, it was a personal priesthood. It was based on Melchizedek's own character. Aaron's was based on descent and heredity and had nothing to do with character.

Fifth, it was an eternal priesthood, and Aaron's was definitely limited by time.

So in those five ways, we see that the priesthood of Melchizedek is a superior priesthood to that of Aaron.

The Jew always felt that there was nothing superior to the Aaronic priesthood, the Levitical ritual, and to the whole ceremonial law as given to Moses. All their lives, they had been taught that the Levitical system was perfect, that it was instituted by God, that it was sufficient, and that it was permanent. But the very fact that there existed another priesthood that had superiority to Aaron's proves that Aaron's priesthood was limited and the promise that David gave in Psalm 110 was that, when Messiah came, He would not be a priest like Aaron. He would be a priest like Melchizedek, which means that whatever kind of priest Melchizedek is, it must be better than Aaron.

All along God had designed to set aside Aaron's priesthood. From the very time it was initiated, it was inferior. Even before Aaron's priesthood, Melchizedek's existed, and David said, "When Messiah comes, He will be like Melchizedek," showing that Aaron's priesthood was inadequate and would one day fall by the wayside and be replaced.

Now, this is important, because this is proof positive from the Old Testament that God never intended the covenant with Israel to go on forever, but that it would be replaced by a different priesthood. This is what the author is trying to prove - that God has set aside Judaism and brought in a new priesthood patterned after Melchizedek's.

Remember that Melchizedek was very important, because Abraham actually paid tithes to Melchizedek. Abraham, in a sense, was acting for the whole nation of Israel. So Melchizedek is greater than Aaron, and since Jesus Christ is a high priest after the order of Melchizedek, He is greater than Aaron. This is the first argument in proving to the Jews that  there is a better priest and a better covenant, and Judaism has thus been set aside.

Today's Lesson (10/15/17): Hebrews 7:11-19

The author is not finished proving that Jesus is superior to Aaron. He continues in verses 11-19 to prove that Christ is better, because David prophesied (Psalm 110:4) that Messiah would be of another order.

The key verse in this section is verse 19: "For the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God."

The goal of God in all that He does in behalf of man is that man might come into His presence. Drawing near to God is the goal of Christianity. This is the essence of Christianity. This is its highest experience. Access to His presence and coming into His presence with nothing between.

I think sometimes we forget this. Christians look at their Christian life at least three ways. Some look at their Christian life, and they see Jesus Christ as only a means to salvation and personal happiness. They're on a quest for security. Jesus is the essence of their happiness and their security and that's about as far as it ever goes. Other people look at their Christian life as a relationship to Jesus Christ, and they seek to know Christ better.

Both views are good, but if it stops there then they haven't yet grasped what Christianity is all about. It's not just about security and happiness. It's not just knowing Jesus Christ deeper and deeper. It is drawing near to God and becoming one with Him and letting nothing come between you and God. The fullest expression of our faith is to enter into the presence of God, into the Holy of Holies, and to sit on the throne with Him. The author is telling the Jew that this is now possible because of Calvary. Judaism has thus been set aside.

Imperfection of Aaronic Priesthood (11-14)

"If therefore, perfection were by the Levitical priesthood..." (v. 11)

Perfection, as used in this verse is referring to access to God; someone in the position in which he can come before God. It is the full goal of our faith. Paul said in Ephesians 2:18: "For through Him we have access by one Spirit to the Father."

In verses 12-14 the author clearly explains to his audience that Messiah was to come from another tribe, not Levi, but Judah (see Micah 5:2). It was something Moses did not talk about.

Perfection of the Superior Priesthood (15-19)

It would be a priesthood born from the power of an "endless life" rather than from a carnal or fleshly commandment. It was evident from prophecy that Jesus would rise as a different kind of priest after the order of Melchizedek.

Note: Reference Genesis 49:10 and Matthew 1:1-16 for more on the linage of Jesus.

HEBREWS: Lesson 12 - Beloved & Salvation

Beginning with 6:9, the author makes a very sensitive, encouraging transition to those Jewish believers who are "in Christ." In the preceding passage (6:1 thru 6:8) the focus was on warning the Jews who had not yet made a full commitment to Christianity.

He starts (v. 9) with "But, beloved..." This is the only time in Hebrews that the term "beloved" is used. It is a term of the richest and deepest kind of love. The author doesn't want the genuine believers, which represent the majority in the church, to be discouraged by his strong rebuke or to doubt their salvation.

In this section (6:9 to 6:12) he references the three cardinal Christian virtues: love (v. 10), hope (v. 11), and faith (v. 12) as he talks about the things that accompany genuine salvation.

LOVE

Are you growing in love? Do you love God more and more, cherishing His Word? Do you love His people, difficult as they may be at times? Plug in the marks of love from 1 Corinthians 13 (1 Corinthians 13:4ff) and ask, “Do I love my immediate family members in this way?” Do you love the lost enough to give your money and time so that they can hear the good news, that Christ came into this world to save sinners? None of these graces are automatic. You must cultivate them daily through the spiritual disciplines (Bible study, prayer, worship, service, and fellowship). These are the things that accompany genuine salvation.

The author mentions the love which they had shown toward God’s name. His name represents all that God is as revealed in His Word. It refers to His holy attributes and His ways. To love His name is to have a passion for His glory, to see God exalted to His true place of honor over every creature. Loving God and His name is the basis for all that we do in service for Him.

HOPE

Are you growing in hope? Biblical hope is not uncertain, as when we say, “I hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow.” Biblical hope is certain, but not yet realized. It is an attitude that is the opposite of discouragement and depression. The person who hopes in God is buoyed up by the promise of Jesus’ coming, and that the future will be glorious for all of those who love God and are called according to His purpose. As Paul prays (Romans 15:13): Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

While there may have been a few apostates in the church, the author is confident that the majority are saved because he has seen the evidence in their lives in their ministry to the saints. Then (6:11) he shares his desire that each of them continue with the same diligence and adds, “so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end.” Full assurance of hope is tied in with diligent service, especially practical deeds of love towards fellow believers.

As John states, “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren” (1 John 3:14; see also 15-20).

The bedrock of Christian assurance is that God has promised eternal life to those that believe in Jesus Christ, and you know that you have trusted in Him. But, how do you know if your faith is genuine, saving faith? Since the apostates had what seemed to be many evidences of salvation and yet were not truly saved, how can you know that your faith is the real thing?

The biblical answer is, your life should reflect the reality of what God has done in your heart. As John also states in 1 John 2:3), “By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.” The more that you see God’s working through you, the greater will be your assurance that “He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).

FAITH

Those who are genuinely saved will be growing in these three areas, and so they are good yardsticks to measure your life by. Are you living by faith in God’s promises in your daily life? If you are, you will know God’s promises (through Scripture memory), and you will be praying those promises back to God, claiming by faith what He has promised in His Word.

In 6:12 he says, "that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises."

We are to imitate those who by faith and patience inherit the promises. As Hebrews 11 makes clear, most of the Old Testament saints died in faith without realizing the promises in their lifetimes (see Hebrews 11:39). This means, as Paul puts it, that if “we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied” (1 Corinthians 15:19).

God’s promises are fulfilled in eternity. That’s where faith comes into play. Will we trust God to keep His promises, even if in this life we are despised, rejected, and destitute? Will we endure hardship as good soldiers of Jesus Christ, knowing that He will reward us far beyond any sacrifices that we make here below?

In 6:19, we see that our hope is an anchor to our soul. "This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary." (NLT)

We will all have trouble in this life. Without a full assurance of hope, we will be tossed to and fro in the sea of trouble. Our hope must be certain yet unrealized. We must know that what we hope in is trustworthy and true. This is what gives our soul rest.

Next week, Nolan Helder will be teaching. He will pick up where we left off with Chapter 7. In Chapter 7 the author returns to his description of Melchizedek.

HEBREWS: Lesson 11 - Redemption, Sanctification, Glorification

We have been touching on the topic of salvation in previous lessons. I believe it is an important topic for us to look at in our study of Hebrews since the author is at times talking to Jews who, although they have turned away from Judaism, have not fully accept Christ.

We started with a brief review of what we have studied in Hebrews Chapters 1 thru 6. Next, I reviewed the terms REDEMPTION, SANCTIFICATION, and GLORIFICATION. These three terms divide and define the journey of a Christian.

REDEMPTION is possible because of Christ. "In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins:" (Col 1:14). The sinner who believes that Jesus died for him/her, repents of his/her sins and receives Christ as their Savior and puts their complete trust in God to do what He promised is redeemed. Those that are redeemed are eternally saved and can never be unsaved.

SANCTIFICATION is the process by which one becomes more Christ like in his/her Christian walk. It is a process not a sudden change. When one first becomes a Christian he has little knowledge of what a spiritual walk is. He must grow. The Christian grows spiritually by the word of God. "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth" (John 17:17).

GLORIFICATION is the final step in our salvation. We are saved when we accept the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus then adopts us into his family. We are born again. Yet, we are still in our bodies. Any Christian knows he is not perfect ("If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." - 1 John 1:8). Glorification occurs for the Christian when he/she ends up with God in Heaven with resurrected incorruptible bodies. We shall be like Jesus Christ. "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." (1 John 3:2)

One of the main messages of Hebrews is for the Jewish audience to make a total break with the pattern of the Old Covenant in their acknowledgement of Jesus Christ. The Bible speaks of seven different covenants God made with the nation of Israel.

One of those covenants, the Mosaic Covenant (Deuteronomy 11 and following), was conditional in nature. That is, this covenant would bring either blessing or cursing depending on Israel's obedience or disobedience. Part of the Mosaic Covenant was the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) and the rest of the Law, which contained over 600 commands--roughly 300 positive and 300 negative.

The New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34) is a covenant made first with the nation of Israel and, ultimately, with all mankind. In the New Covenant, God promises to forgive sin, and there will be a universal knowledge of the Lord. Jesus Christ came to fulfill the Law of Moses (Matthew 5:17) and create a new covenant between God and His people. Now that we are under the New Covenant, both Jews and Gentiles can be free from the penalty of the Law. We are now given the opportunity to receive salvation as a free gift (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Although we are now free from the Levitical Law (moral and ceremonial), we must realize that our freedom is in Christ. We have been bought with a price. We are no longer our own. We belong to Christ. Therefore, it should be our goal to glorify Him in all we do which should originate from our love for Him.

"For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s." (1 Corinthians 6:20)

"All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being." (1 Corinthians 10:23-24)

"Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31)

Next week we will begin with 6:9: "But, beloved...". Beloved is never used in the NT to describe unbelievers. The contrast word "but" signals a marked change in tone as the author addresses the reader as beloved rather than "...those who..." (v. 6:4). The severity of the previous warning passage is further balanced in this section by an exhortation to be diligent and an encouragement (vs. 6:9-20).

HEBREWS: Lesson 10 - Maturity, Eternal Security, & Apostacy

After the author's very encouraging words in verse 6:3, the text drops abruptly into a very dark passage extending from verse 6:4 to verse 8.

Hebrews Chapter 5:11 thru Chapter 6:8 (especially 6:4-8) is a most controversial section of Scripture which has caused many believers considerable distress. For centuries Hebrews 6 has been a battleground. The crux of the issue is whether or not a born-again believer can lose his salvation.

The Bible clearly teaches that anyone who is truly born again and indwelled with the Holy Spirit is saved forever. They can never lose their salvation (see verses on Eternal Security below).

If you can spare 23 minutes and want to get a great overview of Hebrews Chapter 6 on the topic Does Hebrews 6 teach you can lose your salvation?, check out Todd Friel's animated teaching:

  Does Hebrews 6 teach you can lose your salvation? 

Todd Friel from WRETCHED

The concern of the author is with those of his unsaved Jewish readers who under stress of persecution were in danger of renouncing their professed faith in Messiah and returning to the abrogated sacrifices of the Old Covenant. These he repeatedly warns against this act, and repeatedly exhorts to go on to faith in the New Covenant through Christ Jesus. The fact that he urges them on to faith, shows that they merely made a profession and were not saved.

The question to be answered is if one's profession of faith at one time was truly a possession of faith. Did the mouth speak something other than what the heart believed? If one is truly indwelled by the Holy Spirit, then we should expect that one would be "steadfast to the end," (v. 3:14). Paul said in Philippians 1:6: "being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;". Based on scripture, we must assume that those who "fall away" (v. 6:6) were never saved. They might have made a profession of faith at one time (intellectually believed) but never truly trusted Christ as their Savior.

"Fall away" does not mean to stumble, backslide, or sin. It means to renounce the faith they once confessed. This is called apostasy. This is why the warning in Chapter 6 is so very important. The author is warning these Jews of the danger of having intellectually believed and then fallen away. The results were to be forever damned.

Eventually, one who has only intellectually believed will drift away (Hebrews 2:1), then their heart will grow hard (Hebrews 3:8), then they will become dull of hearing (Hebrews 5:11), and finally they will fall away (Hebrews 6:6) and be lost forever--an apostate. The author is warning his audience to NOT let this happen!

So, can one who is truly saved lose his/her salvation? Absolutely not! So, how do you know if you are truly saved?

Ask yourself...

Is the Bible my joy and the delight of my heart? "Your words were found and I ate them. And Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart: For I have been called by Your name. O Lord God of hosts." (Jeremiah 15:16)

Is God's Word my love which I seek to meditate in all day? "Oh how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day." (Psalm 119:97)

Is God's Word sweet to my taste, sweeter even than honey?" "I have restrained my feet from every evil way. That I may keep Your word." (Psalm 119:101)

Ask yourself...

What are you longing for most earnestly and with the greatest passion in your personal walk and relationship to Christ?

Are you longing for greater intimacy? Are you longing for greater depth? Are you longing for greater power? Are you longing for greater clarity as you see His glory in the Scriptures? Are you longing to hear His voice with greater confidence as you read His Word? Are you longing to discern His will more confidently? Are you longing to walk more closely with Him in a real, living relationship, as a real person? Are you longing for His smiles of favor rather than His frowns of discipline? Do you even think in these terms? Do you go to bed with these longings? Do you wake up with these longings governing your life? Do you devote time, perhaps on the Lord’s Day, to seek His face to intensify these longings?

Ask yourself...

What are you longing for in your relationships with other people?

Do you long to represent Jesus with greater compelling forcefulness? Do you long for a greater love for people and a greater zeal for their salvation? Do you long to have greater boldness and encouragement from God in your own representation of Christ? Do you long to be a means of other people’s holiness, and purity, and power? Do you long to bring the Word of God from your encounter with the risen Christ into the lives of other people with effectiveness? Do you long for readiness to speak hope-filled words into the face of those who are dying or suffering or coming out of divorces? Do you have the aroma of Christ about you and do you long for it in conversations with others so that they say, there is an aroma about you that is different. Do you long to be able to inspire others by your own example in a life more consistent and deep and satisfying prayer

In the first slide, I showed two identical characters and asked "What is different between these two men?" Assume that both made a profession of faith at a young age. Both are regular church attenders. Both are even deacons. Both have been on foreign mission trips. The difference is that one man is saved and the other man is not saved. Sadly, there are many "pretending" Christians in churches today that are very actively involved in religious activities. Only God knows the condition of their heart.

Paul said, "Test yourselves whether you are in the faith, examine yourself." (2 Corinthians 13:5)

Next week we will begin with 6:9: "But, beloved...". Beloved is never used in the NT to describe unbelievers. The contrast word "but" signals a marked change in tone as the author addresses the reader as beloved rather than "...those who..." (v. 6:4). The severity of the previous warning passage is further balanced in this section by an exhortation to be diligent and an encouragement (vs. 6:9-20).

 

Eternal Security

The Bible teaches that everyone who is born again is indwelled with the Holy Spirit and is saved forever.

"And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.” (John 10:28)

"For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” (Romans 8:15)

"being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;" (Philippians 1:6)

"They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us." (1 John 2:19)

Parable of the Wheat and the Tares: Matthew 13:24-30
Parable of the Sower: Matthew 13:1-9

"Therefore the Lord said: “Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths And honor Me with their lips, But have removed their hearts far from Me, And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men," (Isaiah 29:13 & Mark 7:6)

"Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" (1 Cor. 3:16)
 

"Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you." (2 Tim. 1:14)

"But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." (Romans 8:11)

HEBREWS: Lesson 9 - Requirements for Priesthood & Spiritual Maturity

Chapter 5 is divided into three main sections:

1st - The Requirements for Priesthood (1-4)

2nd - Jesus Meets and Exceeds the Requirements (5-10)

3rd - Warning: Spiritual Maturity (11-14)

In his first two sections, the author reminds his audience of the requirements for becoming a priest. The Jews knew how special the priesthood was, especially the position of High Priest, and they had great respect for the position. The author then highlights how Christ far exceeds the qualifications to be THE Great High Priest.

The Levitical priesthood began at Mt. Sinai through Moses and ended when Christ abolished the Law of Moses on the Cross ("Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split," - Matthew 27:51). When the veil of the Temple was "torn in two from top to bottom", at that moment the Priesthood was abolished. All those who were/are "in Christ" were/are given full access to the Holy of Holies through Christ who is now seated at the right hand of the Father in Heaven--the Holy Place.

God established the Levitical Priesthood (also referred to as the Aaronic Priesthood) through the three sons of Levi (Gershon, Kohath, and Merari). The Tabernacle began at Mt. Sinai in 1446 BC and it was at that time that special duties were given to each of the three lines of priests, but only the sons of Aaron could offer animal sacrifices or incense. Therefore, all of the High Priest came from descendants of Aaron.

Moses functioned as a priest on three occasions, all before the priesthood was consecrated to serve "after the order of Aaron."

1. Ex 24, when he sprinkled the book and the people at the ratification of the Law.
2. Ex 40:22f, when he set up the tabernacle, put bread on the table, burned incense on the altar of incense, and offered a burnt offering and meal offering on the altar of burnt offering.
3. Lev 8, when he anointed the tabernacle and all that was in it, the priests, and offered a sin offering, a burnt offering and an ordination offering  for the consecration of the priests.
4. After that priests must be "after the order of Aaron," Heb 7:11.

Why Moses is called a priest in Psalms 99:6 may be a matter of special privilege since he functioned as HIGH priest before Aaron got his exclusive rights. It really should not surprise us. Why would he lose this power and position when he appointed Aaron? I think the answer is that he did not. Moses must have been a full priest forever, but thereafter Aaron's sons were the chosen ones.

High priests were appointed for life by Moses, but at the time of Jesus were appointed annually by the Romans. This is why we have multiple high priests at the trial of Jesus (Annas and Caiaphas). Annas was High Priest from 6-15 AD. Then from 16-30 AD Caiaphas was High Priest. In 60-63 AD, Ananias was the high priest who tried Paul in Acts 23:2.

The priesthood continued down to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD when it became physically extinct, but it was rendered spiritually extinct at the death of Christ (33 AD) being replaced by the priesthood of believers in Christ. Today, every Christian is a priest and Christ is our high priest.

NOTE: When King David designed the Temple, had all the stones precut and ready for Solomon to build it without a cutting tool, he also reorganized the priesthood into 24 divisions. These 24 divisions continued down to the time of Christ (1 Chronicles 24:1-6).

Below is an extensive diagram showing the Levitical Priesthood.

After making the argument that Christ fulfills the requirements to be the One and Only Great High Priest, the author then turns to his third warning which will continue through Chapter 6. He realizes that he can't continue discussing the deep things of the spiritual life because of the dullness of hearing (vs. 5:11) which is apparent among many of those in his audience. Dullness is interpreted stupid, thick, lazy or sluggish.

In verses 12-14 the author speaks very strongly to the Jews who have yet to accept Christ fully. He tells them that "by this time" they should be mature enough to be teaching others, but instead, they have forgotten even the basics of the things of God. The time period is unknown but could have been as long as 10 years. It would be like trying to teach 6th graders who had forgotten their A-B-Cs.

He goes further using the analogy of a baby needing milk and being unable to eat solid food. These unsaved Jews were like little birds in a nest with their mouths wide open waiting to be fed by their mother. They were "unskilled in the word of righteousness".

The last verse in Chapter 5 gets us ready for the first word in Chapter 6: "Therefore...". He says in verse 5:14: "solid food belongs to those who by reason of use have their sense exercised to discern both good and evil." 

"Reason of use" means to learn, obey, and apply. It would mean to actively study God's Word, pray, worship, serve, and fellowship. Without "exercising" all these spiritual disciplines in your life you will not be able to discern good from evil. This is the beginning of a passionate warning the author is bringing to these unsaved Jews. They are Jews who have turned from Judaism but have yet to fully commit their lives to Christ.

So far, the author has issued three warnings:

1st WARNING: Neglecting the Gospel

2nd WARNING: Drifting and Hardening of One's Heart

3rd WARNING: Lacking in Spiritual Maturity

The author will continue through chapter six addressing this third warning as he points out the great need for spiritual maturity ("let us go on unto maturity...") and exhorts the unsaved Jews against being dull of hearing and "sluggish" ("And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.")

Next week we will begin Chapter 6 and also revisit our discussion on sanctification and holiness.

Jesus said to His Father, "Sanctify them by Your truth. your word is truth." (John 17:17)