The Epistle to the Hebrews part CCLIV

I Corinthians 3:11
"For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid (it’s already done. And Paul doesn’t take credit for being the foundation. Who is?) which is Jesus Christ."
Again, we can go back into the secular world, we can go back into Scripture. In the parable, Jesus used the analogy of building on the sand, and this is in relation to religion as a whole. How long will it last? Until the first good rainstorm. Poof! There it goes. But if you want that building to last, you’re going to build it on what? A solid foundation. The inspiration of revelation upon which He will build His Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. That was what He was teaching. As Paul in this letter is stressing that Christ's King-Priesthood is far superior to that of Judaism in that like Melchizedek's was a God chosen ie..order of, God ordained and is of a Higher order than that of Aaron's and the Levitical manly or earthly priesthood as it was to serve until Christ.

Well, Paul was saying the same things. We’re not building on the sands of some false religion; we’re building on the foundation of the One and Only True God-given basis for our salvation. And that is the finished work of the Cross. So then in verse 12. Now Paul says, as a believer you’ve been redeemed through the foundational work of the Cross. And as a believer you’re going to start building on that foundation for our salvation and for reward.

I Corinthians 3:12
"Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble."
These are six materials that we’re going to build with. Three of them will never burn up. And they are representative of the spiritual aspect of the heavenly calling. Three of them would go in a puff of smoke like a western forest fire. Why? Because those works were good for nothing, just a waste of time. They are representative of all human forms of religion as a man made object of worship. Even though God had given through Moses to Aaron and the tribe of Levi a priesthood of short duration as a means of showing to Israel their being set apart as a people, through whom He would bring the seed of promise, Jesus as the redeemer not for just Israel but as the seed for the nations. It should be pointed out that as a nation the Israelite people broke God's Law and the covenants and they too became hay, wood and as grass stubble. And how many Christians aren’t going to find out that that’s what has happened to their works. But, those other three materials will abide, gold, silver, precious stones, no fire can destroy them. For they're tried by fire to proof them as a potter proofs his work in a kiln furnace. All that which is Christ centered will remain. If anything it will enhance them. And so Paul is using that analogy, Now verse 13.

I Corinthians 3:13a
"Every man (now that’s a generic term remember, when Paul says man, he’s not leaving the women out. So every believer’s and none believer's) work shall be made manifest:"
And what’s the explanation I've used for manifest? Put in the spotlight. Just like turning on the microscope and put the slide over the light and there’s everything manifested. Well, that’s exactly what’s going to happen to our works. They’re going to be manifested. They’re going to be put in the spotlight. Are they of the Fathers direction and working through us or are they of our own sufficiency or the doing of something even if its the wrong thing? Sad but true many times its of our own sufficiency and when it is it'll fail.

I Corinthians 3:13b
"…for the day shall declare it,…"
The judgment day. Now it’s not the Great White Throne Judgment, as that’s for the unbelievers and the lawless ones. But we as a true believer must appear before the Bema Seat Judgment in II Corinthians 5 where it says, ‘We believers shall all appear before the judgment of Christ (the Bema Seat).’ I think it’s unfortunate that the translators used that word ‘judgment.’ That scares people. Most think that believers are going to come up and have a whip laid over them. No, no! When we as a believer come before the Lord it’s going to be the Bema Seat. The place of reward. Like as sports man and athlete receives a reward after the Olympic games or event. My, as those athletes ran past the finish line, who determines who was first? Who determines who was second and third and so forth? The Bema Seat judges. And that’s why Paul refers to that when we come before the Bema Seat for reward, not the ‘fiery eyes of the Lord Jesus,’ which I get from Revelation 19, where He’s going to have ‘eyes as flames of fire.’ But He'll have eyes full of His great Love for us because we're identified as His Body, as being IN Him, as being Christ-centered-ones.

I Corinthians 3:13c
"…because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is."
And remember the analogy, is it gold, silver and precious stones; or is it wood, hay and stubble?

I Corinthians 3:14
"If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward." In other words, as a believer; and if it’s gold, silver and precious stone, it’ll remain and you will receive a reward. We don’t know what they’re going to be. We can speculate all we want but I cannot tell someone, well this verse says this is what we’re going to have, I can’t do that. All I know is that God is fair. He’s just. And His reward is going to be beyond human comprehension, whatever it is. But, now the other side of the coin is, verse 15.

I Corinthians 3:15
"If any man’s work (as a believer? now we’re talking only about believers. And even believers are going to come before the Bema Seat with nothing but wood, hay and stubble. They’ve never done anything worth a plug nickel to further God’s Kingdom, but they’re believers. They've fallen short of the revelation of God in Christ Jesus of which we are part and parcel with Him. All right, and so their work) shall be burned,…"
Now that’s not talking about hellfire burning. It’s just simply a point that it’s going to be set aside like trees that are pruned and the branches are burned. Because they're of dead works of our own sufficiency because we lacked His sufficiency.

I Corinthians 3:15b
"…he shall suffer loss:…"
The loss those believers will suffer will not be their salvation, but rather they’ll lose their reward. That’s all. They’ll suffer loss of reward. For they've run the race in their own sufficiency for many reasons one of which is wrong teaching.

They’re going to be up there where there’s no activity. There’s nothing like being on the playing field. You either come full force into salvation or you’re going to miss it! The believer who has produced (as a Christ-centered-one) and who has been in the right attitude (as a receptiveness in child likeness) and his motivation has been to please the Lord; Is it’s going to be gold, silver and precious stones? If all he’s done it for is earthly acclaim or the pat on the back of fellow human beings, it’s wood, hay and stubble. It’ll count for nothing. Now let me finish verse 15 so I can make the point.

I Corinthians 3:15
"If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."
The believer will suffer loss, as he won’t get a reward, but, he himself shall be saved! He’s going to be in glory. "...yet so as by fire." In other words, it will be by the ‘skin of his teeth’ if I may put it that way.

All right, back to Hebrews chapter 10 and so here you have the same concept, that these Jewish believers ie..Hebrew-Christians who were suffering for their trust would experience, one day, reward. These people were on the verge of turning tail and returning to their Jewishness and roots because of the social pressures of religionist's and nationalism of the time. Israel was on the verge of rebellion and uprising against the Roman oppression, they wanted their independence back from Roman rule. Paul is here strengthening them to stand in the faith and faithfulness of God in Christ to get them through the hard times ahead. Verse 35 is where we came from on that thought.

Hebrews 10:35-36
"Cast not away therefore, your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise."

The Epistle to the Hebrews part CCLIII

Hebrews 10:35
"Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of (what?) reward."
The lost, and unbelieving and those who have turned their backs on Christ have nothing to look forward to but the reading of their works, which will determine their level of punishment in their eternal doom. But for you and I as believers, as well as these Hebrew believers, it’s not a matter of a degree of punishment. Why? Because we've determined within ourselves to remain receptive of God's activities through the essence of Christ's Spirit within us. As God continues to develop His character and nature restored to us through Christ. It’s not even a matter of a degree of how high we’re going to be in God’s program. But, it’s going to be what? Reward. And I don’t know what those rewards are going to be but I know that my God knows how to be absolutely fair and just and so yes, we are laboring as believers, not for salvation but for reward through our salvation IN Christ.

Maybe we’d better go back and look at it. 1 Corinthians chapter 3. So come back with me to 1 Corinthians chapter 3, where Paul is dealing with the rewards system for the believer. Not the punishment level for the unbeliever, the lawless, but the reward system for the believer. Big difference, isn’t it? And we’ll almost have to start at verse 9 to pick up the flow, where Paul writes:

I Corinthians 3:9a
"We are labourers together…"
What's our laboring, sitting under God listening! All the while put down every vain imagination and taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. For me this is usually done best in the wee hours of the morning, though it has happened throughout the night hours many times. Like I said, as believers, we don’t labor for salvation that comes by trusting and His faithfulness alone. After having passed through the first estate where we begin to learn of our need of more of Christ and our total undoneness apart from Him. But as soon as we become a believer, and a receiver (awaken to His reality within us) of the Spirit of Christ, God is going to give us opportunity for service, working with Him. And when you truly work with Him then there’s going to be rewards. Remember that Jesus as the son of man worked the works of God or God worked His works through the Man of Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself said 'that He only did that which He saw the Father doing and said only those things that the Holy Spirit (the Father) said to Him to say.' This is our example to follow as a disciple of the risen Christ, our High Priest-King, Mediator and Lord.

I Corinthians 3:9-10a
"We are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, (see? He’s in control) ye are God’s building. (He’s the One that is putting it all together) According to the grace of God which is given unto me, (Paul writes) as a wise master-builder, I have laid the foundation,…"
Remember that Grace and Truth, John reveals, is only found in the person of Christ Jesus and Paul and John tells us that they are the faithful witness as they are the character of God. They are the two witnesses of Revelation as He alone has the power to do as therein revealed of the Spirit of a man or two witnesses. Now do you see why I emphasize Paul? If you were to show me a beautiful new home, you know one of the first things I would ask you? Who was your contractor? Who built it? If everything went as it should be, what would you do? You’d be glad to tell me who it was, what a great job he did and you know what I would ask you? When did you bring your contractor on the scene? When you had the first floor finished? No. I like to see heads shake. No, of course not. When did your contractor begin the work on your new home? When he set the stakes. Again NO. He dug the foundation. He started from the bottom up. NO. At the foundation, NO. Well before they were even on paper, they were an image and design within the person and in our case that person is the Godhead, Elohim. Christ was and is the master architect and builder, He alone can and does give the glory to God.

Well see, that’s what the Apostle Paul is claiming. He’s not the foundation; he’s the one who laid the foundation. See the big difference? And so Paul says, as a wise master-builder, the contractor, "I laid the foundation." Not Peter, James and John. Not even Jesus, though He's the architect and foundation. I was just reading another one the other night, ‘Jesus didn’t start anything.’ How true. He didn’t start the church. He became the basis of the church but He didn’t start it. Paul did. And so Paul takes by the Holy Spirit’s inspiration full credit for laying the foundation, Christ. That foundation is the finished work of the cross, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ who was proclaimed to Son of God after His ascension to the throne of God. To stand in His presence in our place to show the Father of spirits those who would remain in the Lambs book of Life.

1 Corinthians 3:10b
"…I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereon."
Now here comes the works system we are to enjoy after our redemption and subsequent salvation. We’re saved by that foundation which is Jesus Christ and His finished work of the Cross. (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) But now we’re building on that, as believers. Now verse 11.

1Corinthians 3:11
"For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ."

The Epistle to the Hebrews part CCLII

By way of reminder Paul has been showing the universality of the ministration of Christ as typified through the gentile high priest Melchizedek and his ministration at the time of Abraham to the nations as a priest and a high-priest of the Most High God (Hebrews 5-10:39). And how Christ's Priesthood is superior to that of the Judaism and Aaronic priesthood of his day and time as it was about to disappear from the scene in 70 AD. Though Paul nor the disciples in Jerusalem saw it coming as God had kept it hidden from them. They were looking for the day of Christ as prophesied not realizing that God had changed or altered the program through His Son, though it was not a change at all. As the Jewish priesthood and those who study prophecies did not see the spirituality in God's program. A far better ministration than that of religion as it only focuses on the external, material, practical and earthy realm and is by its very nature a thing of Satan by design. And so it remains to this day and time because religion can't and in deed does not bring the Spirit of Christ to anyone nor can it. For Christianity is NOT religion! It was and is the ontological activity of God in the life of the receptive ones through the essence of His Son restored to the Christian, a Christ centered one, as Adam was before the fall.(Acts 26:14-18 with emphases on verse 18, Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12)

A Bible study is all about - comparing Scripture with Scripture and tying it all together. Now in Hebrews chapter 10 picking up in verse 34 to these Hebrew believers:

Hebrews 10:34a
"…For ye had compassion of me in my bonds,…"
Which means that this must have been somewhere in the early 60’s AD, whether it was referring to Paul’s first imprisonment in Rome, or whether in another case where he was in a prison such as at Caesarea Phillippi or whatever; we certainly know that Paul was imprisoned more than those years in Rome. But these people were aware of his being imprisoned and they had compassion on him.

Hebrews 10:34b
"…and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods,…"
In other words, they helped him financially even though most of them had not that kind of money. He himself took nothing for himself but gave to the Jewish-Christians in Jerusalem who had their lands confiscated by their fellow Jews as they considered these "Hebrew-Christians" heretics and rebels to Judaism. For they would not side with them in their nationalism, religious in difference and up raising against Roman rule. And out of their love for the Apostle he said:

Hebrews 10:34c
"…knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance."
You know what he’s saying? Just because they gave of the meager things they had of this world, they were still what? Richer for it. So I think a lot of times we have to realize today that people are reluctant to give because they’ve got so much to spend it on, and not thinking of eternal things and lets face it many are tied to a false understanding that they are to give until it hurts from their pockets of no less than ten percent as their due tithes, this is also a yoke of bondage. A fabrication of religion as God requires none of our earthly goods but does as He did Israel requires our wholehearted surrender to His Divine Will and His willingness to do and work all through His Son, the Spirit of Christ in us, for our good.

There are so many fads and gadgets that are thrown at us, especially in America. All these gadgets and fads that come along, and some people in their weakness think they have to have every last one of them. No we don’t. You don’t need it at all because most of it just ends up in a closet someplace and probably used only once or twice. But, how much better if they would spend some of that to promote the Word of God. As our freewill offering not to God but rather for God's good workings among man. Done only by those who sit under God listening as they teach us to do likewise, thou they be few in number. For a more complete study on religion verses Christianity look up James A. Fowlers book titled "Christianity is Not Religion" and is available on his website a link is on this page @christinyou.com.

And that’s what Paul is saying here? That you took the spoiling, or the cashing in, of your goods, your material things and they knew within themselves that eternity had something far better. In fact, it goes right back to – how did the Lord put it? "Don’t lay up treasures on this earth where moth and rust does corrupt, but rather lay it up in Heaven." And as some have said, send it on ahead! I think that’s a good way of putting it. Send it on ahead because it’s drawing far better interest there than it will down here. Now verse 35.

Hebrews 10:35
"Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward."

The Epistle to the Hebrews part CCLI

Hebrews 10:32
"But (after realizing what an awful thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God as a lost person) call to remembrance the former days in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;"
Remember what I said – when cult or religious people or “Christians” try to come out of that cult or false religion, what happens? All the pressure that family can put on them, all the pressure that their organization can put on them, all the pressure and the threats are so great, it just draws them back. And it’s, without the power of God, impossible for them not to be pulled back in. Well, Judaism had the same kind of a pull just as the religion of our day has that kind of hold on people. That big beautiful Temple complex and with all the activities surrounding it, the feast days, and boy, it was something to behold. And then to turn their back on all that and step into a life of separation, to become or to remain a Christ-centered one, it wasn’t easy then, but it's still required even now. For true Christianity is Christ! The next verse tells you how much harder it was even than we would think, because:

Hebrews 10:33
"Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, while ye became companions of them that were so used,"
Just what is he talking about? That as soon as they made their break from Judaism, what did all their Jewish friends begin to do? Castigate and disown them. They still do to this day in degrees. My, if you’ve ever read the account of Jewish converts, not always, but many times, the family will disown them. In some instances they’ll actually hold a funeral for them, treat them as if they’re dead. Then of course, back in the first century you still had the persecuting power of the Romans. Until Constantine made “Christianity” a peoples religion under the Romans Catholic church throughout the Roman empire. How? By deception in that they changed the idols and paganism into a form of “Christian” images with “Christian” names and hid the true meanings and purposes of those names and idols. Even the men who did the translation of the ancient texts hid the truth through the use of words and phrases taken out of context, this was a common habit of the Hebrews with the Torah and the Pentateuch. Even to the point where the high-priest bought his position by way of a bidding for the prestigious position from the time of the Maccabees.

Let’s go back to Acts chapter 17, as Paul is making his first sojourn out amongst the Gentiles and he would always begin in the Synagogue of the Jews and consequently there were quite a few Hebrews in those early days of Paul’s ministry. And here Paul has just begun from Northern Greece; he’s been up at Philippi and you know what happened there. He ended up in the dungeon. But he keeps on proclaiming the Gospel of Grace as being solely in Christ and the revelation of being in Christ through His sufferings and ascension and he always starts in the Synagogue of the Jews.

Let’s start in chapter 17 verse 1, because this is exactly what this verse in Hebrews is referring to; how that when those Hebrews believed, the rest of the Jewish community came down on them hard.

Acts 17:1-2
"Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and (for) three Sabbath days (or for three weeks) reasoned with them out of the scriptures."
How much Scripture has been written by the time Paul is on his missionary journeys? Only the Old Testament. Nothing of the New. So whenever you speak of the Scriptures until Paul’s epistles started coming out, it’s Old Testament. They had no New Testament. So, he reasoned with (taught) them out of the Old Testament Scriptures, this was his modis of oporendi throughout his writings.

Acts 17:3-9
"Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus (of Nazareth) whom I preach unto you is Christ. (the Messiah and king) And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason and sought to bring them out to the people. And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus. And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things. And when they had taken security of Jason and of the others, they let them go."
Well, this is just a brief picture that wherever Paul began his ministry, he would always start in the synagogue of the Hebrews because at least he had people who knew of a one God. They knew of the Old Testament Scriptures and it was the logical place to start. And some of them would believe. But, sadly the most of them would reject it and then he would turn to the Gentiles. But for those believing Hebrews, who had turned their back on Judaism, do you see what they were under? They were under the pressure of their fellow Jews and consequently suffered inexorably for their new-found trust in the Gospel of God's Grace activity through Christ. For its through Christ alone that we can find the functioning of Grace, Truth, Love, Eternal Life and resurrection power in the New Covenant. None of these or the fruit of the Spirit can ever be produced through religion as it opposes all that God is doing through His Son, Christ Jesus.

All right, back to Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 33 as we read that, as these Hebrews who had solidly embraced Paul’s Gospel and had turned away from the sacrifices of Judaism, they "were made gazing-stock by reproach and afflictions and while you became companions of them that were so used. For you had compassion on me (Paul says, where?) in my bonds." When he was in prison. Now listen, to become a believer throughout most of the Hebrew-Christendom was a tough row to hoe. As both Judaism and Romans would kill them by the scores even after the Jewish Temple and holy city of Jerusalem were destroyed in 70 AD.

A Bible study is all about - comparing Scripture with Scripture and tying it all together. Now in Hebrews chapter 10 picking up in verse 34 to these Hebrew believers:

Hebrews 10:34
"For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance."

The Epistle to the Hebrews part CCL

Hebrews 10:31
"It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."
Now four times in the Epistle of Hebrews you’ve had the term ‘the living God.’ Twice as it appears for us as believers, ‘He is our living God,' speaking of Christ as He was the expressed image of God (2 Corinthians 4:4, Colossians 1:15) but twice as it applies to the unbelievers, who also are going to have to deal with ‘the living God’ Who is alive forevermore. All right, when the lost come up before Him and He pronounces their final doom, there isn’t a word of argument because He is the living God! He's the Life giving God of our New Covenant of Grace. Which is an Eternal Covenant in the power of an Endless Life which is in Him (Christ) and us who have chosen His Will above our own. He’s not some idol made with stone and wood. He is the living Creator of the whole universe and He’s Sovereign. He can do whatever He wants.

In fact, let’s just go back and look what Paul is alluding to. Revelation chapter 20. Not many people will even refer to it anymore. But, I’m still not afraid to and you know, the day may come when they’ll force those of lesser natures to deny Him. Well that’s okay. We’re not going to shirk from showing people what the Bible says. Revelation 20 starting at verse 11. And this is exactly what we’re referring to that the lost, whether they are good people, religious or whether they are the down and out gutter of the world, makes no difference; for God is no respecter of persons, they’re all going to come before the Great White Throne.

Revelation 20:11a
"And I saw a great white throne; and him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away;…"
We want to remember this is in that time interval between the end of the Kingdom, the thousand-year reign, or is it and the onset of eternity. I think Peter makes it so plain that when the Kingdom is completed this whole universe is just going to disappear in a puff of smoke and there will out of it come, for eternity, a New Heaven and a new earth. Now not everybody’s going to agree with me, but I think the language is such that it can’t be denied. I think the reason is that Satan has defiled everything God ever made. Out to the edges of space, Satan has defiled everything, and so, consequently, I feel, it will all be melted down as Peter says. And God is going to redo the whole nine yards if you will. With a New Heaven and a New earth in which there'll be no sin or death.

All right, so in this time frame now between the end of the Kingdom (Church, those in Christ and receptive of His activities) Age of which we are now in and the onset of eternity, just here I might say that many believe we’re going to have the Great White Throne judgment for the lost of the ages. What God has done with all the believers while this is going on in the meantime, you leave that up to God; He’s not going to lose any of us! We’re going to be someplace in utter safety. But one thing for sure, we’re not going to be at this Great White Throne nor do we see the wrath or Jacob's troubles that are on the horizon. This is only for the lost from Cain until the end. Now then, verse 12.

Revelation 20:12a
"And John saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; (now God of course, here will be Christ Jesus) and the books (plural, these could be the words spoken to us by God through His Son as the Living and New Life giving words upon which He is building His Church/Body) were opened: and another book (singular) was opened, which is the book of life(the book which records them who have chosen death to the spirit of the world and self, ego, and pride): and the dead (those who remain separated form God by way of personal choice) were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works."
The lost and the lawless are now ready to hear their doom. The first thing they will be shown are the blanks in that book of life where their name were written but because of choice are now removed, for all are called but few have chosen. But it’s not there and so they can’t argue – I did this and I did that. No, your name is not in the Lamb’s Book of Life (they've chosen not to follow Him, to take His yoke upon themselves, to die to the world and put the deeds of the flesh to death in obedience). Then he turns to the books (plural), which is the record of their daily activities on earth. So, they are judged, to see what their level of punishment will be.

Now I think I’ve mentioned this before, for years I used to wonder, even God in His Omnipotence, is He going to keep track of every individual’s daily life? Yeah. And now with our technology and they can put the whole King James Bible on a chip the size of a pin head, well if man can do that, then God can keep a record of a few billion people. No problem.

So He’ll check the record and He’ll probably show it to them, here’s your life. Who are you to say that you can come into My Heaven? Your name is not in the Lamb’s Book of Life, your life has shown nothing that smacks of a believer and then they’ll have to admit their doom is justified. All right then, verse 13.

Revelation 20:13-14
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. (not everybody’s going to suffer the same. There’s going to be degrees, do you see it?) And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death."
Death is separation. The first separation was soul and spirit from the presence of God through sin. The second death is the separation of the lost from God eternally. Horrible, awful thought! But it’s Scriptural and people need to be warned. Now there remains a secret which we've revealed throughout this study in the Epistle to the Hebrews and our other sharing with editing of the book, “The Holiest of All” by Andrew Murray in our other blogspot sit titled, God has only One Way for Us All, which has a link on this site at whmaynard@blogspot.com.

All right, back to Hebrews 10, so indeed as we read in verse 31, and it’s not stretching the envelope one bit. "It is a fearful thing (as an unbeliever, it’s a fearful thing) to fall into the hands of the living God." But for us nothing better could happen! We are in His care. We are in the hollow of His hand. We are hidden in God in Christ. As long as we remain receptive to His activity in faith to the working of Grace activity. We have nothing to fear. But the lost, oh my goodness, I don’t see how they can go to bed at night. Verse 32.

Hebrews 10:32
"But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;"

The Epistle to the Hebrews part CCXLIX

Just as short note about a Commentary written by James A. Fowler of "Christ In You Ministries" on this Epistle of Hebrews. It is a very well written Commentary and well worth the acquiring and study. It can be found in his web site, a link is provided on the front of this blog.

Hebrews 10:30a
"For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me,…"
Now, of course we do, as believers, know the God of glory. We know this Savior of mankind on a personal basis and so we can agree with Paul when he says, "For we know him that hath said, ‘Vengeance belongeth unto me.'" He’s God. He’s Sovereign. He can do whatever He wants. He doesn’t have to save anybody but He chooses to save as many as will come to Him, as Paul puts it in Romans and as Jesus has repeatedly said as quoted of Him in the four gospel accounts.

Hebrews 10:30
"For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense saith the Lord, And again, The Lord shall judge his people."
Before we talk about the Lord judging His people, the saved for rewards (and that will be later on), lets talk about how He is going to pour out His wrath on those who have rejected His offer of salvation. Now, let me show you a comparison. A lot of people don’t realize that the Lake of Fire is evidently going to have levels of punishment. Come back with me to Matthew chapters 10 and chapter 11. Let’s look at chapter 10 first because we have to understand that when I maintain that good people, church members, choir singers and deacons and yes, a lot of pastors are going to miss Heaven, because they have never believed in His vicarious death, burial, and resurrection for salvation, as Paul instructs us to do. They’ve tried to get to Heaven some other way. Through the auspicious of religion. Oh they’ve been good, so now are they going to suffer the same level of the Lake of Fire as a murderer? No. No, there’s going to be levels of punishment. Now, they’re still going to miss glory but they are not going to suffer to the extent that some wicked, lawless individual will. As those Paul here refers to as having tasted of the kingdom to come but who have fallen away of Christ, why do I claim a lesser punishment for them because they've never tasted the good things. Now, here’s my reasoning. Matthew chapter 10 verse 15. These are the words of the Lord Himself during His earthly ministry.

Matthew 10:15
"Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable (or the punishment is going to be less severe) for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city."
Those wicked Sodomites are going to have an easier time of it in the eternal doom, than these Hebrews who listened to Christ’s earthly ministry. So, it’ll be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, that’s the Great White Throne of Revelation 20, than for that city, Jerusalem and Judaism and the region around it. Why? Because it is the seat that rejected Jesus Christ the Messiah of God, God's Man among men.

Matthew 10:16a
Behold, (he says) I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves:..."
Well, who were the wolves? The Hebrews of Jesus’ day who would not respond to His ministry. All right, chapter 11 verse 20. Same kind of a concept. Again the Lord is speaking in His earthly ministry.

Matthew 11:20
"Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, (His miracles) because they repented not:"
In other words, the miracles never even phased their unbelief. They continued to scorn and reject Jesus of Nazareth. Just as they did Him as Yehovah through the covering of Moses as a prophet of God. For this was a theme of Paul here in this Epistle as well, as shown in chapters 2-3.

Matthew 11:21-22
"Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee Bethsaida! (now those were beautiful cities up in the Galilee.) for if (see, conditional) the mighty works, which were done in you, (that is His miracles. Feeding the five thousand and raising the dead at times, and healing the sick) had been done in Tyre and Sidon, (which were wicked Gentile cities on the Mediterranean seacoast.) they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you. It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment than for you." Tough isn’t it? That’s tough language.

Matthew 11:23a
"And thou, Capernaum, which are exalted unto heaven,…"
I don’t think anybody goes to Israel who does not visit Capernaum and think even in its ruins, it’s beautiful! A dear friend of Glenda and mine has visited the Holy Lands on numerous occasions and taken some awesome pictures of the lands and cities. And all you have to do is just close your eyes and imagine what a beautiful city that must have been on the north shore of the Galilee at the time of Christ. And they knew it. They were a puffed up city because of all that they had going for them. Why? Because they did not hear the spiritual side of God's word in the battles of Jacob and his sons and how they fought the enemies of the Hebrews in their day. For Hebrews of Jesus' time were as they are to-day a nationalized, higher than thou and holier than thou mindset because they're God's chosen people. But not in God's eyes for they failed to see things from God's perspective just as religion fails to see things.

Matthew 11:23
"And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, (because they were such a beautiful city) shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day."
In other words, had Christ preformed the kind of miracles in Sodom and Gomorrah and preached the message that He preached in Israel, Sodom and Gomorrah would have repented and cleaned up their act. But Capernaum wouldn’t. You see the difference?

All right, now it’s the same way back here. When people are confronted with this glorious Gospel of Grace, and they can enter into salvation by trusting Him and His faith alone. Then they spurn it and walk it underfoot – can anybody blame God for casting His wrath upon them? Of course not. And the Scripture makes it so plain. Verse 31, as a warning to people then as well as now:

Hebrews 10:31
"It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

The Epistle to the Hebrews part CCXLVIII

Hebrews 10:27-28
"But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation (in other words, the Lake of Fire that is facing the lost, the unbelieving and all lawless ones) which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:"
Now you know you’ve heard me say it over and over. The Law was what? It was beggarly and it was cruel! The Law had no mercy. The Levitical Law was strict. And, consequently, when someone knowing that it said, "Thou shalt not commit adultery," went ahead and did it anyway, what did the Law demand? Death. Not with a spear, not with a sword, but how? By stoning, which was a slow torturous death. That’s what the Law demanded. Severe! That’s the word I was looking for. The Law was severe! It was merciless. And so this is what Paul is stressing. Now remember the Law of Moses was severe and yet it had none of the opportunities that this Gospel of Grace gives us. So if God permitted the Law to severely punish those who broke it, then how much more capable is He of consigning lost, unbelieving and lawless people to the Lake of Fire? Especially after Christ's resurrection and ascension from the dead to Life Eternal and our being in Him in this Newness of Life as God had planed for all mankind who would become receptive and remain in receptivity of His Divine activity in them.

So now remember, the Temple is still going even as all of our New Testament is written, except maybe the book of Revelation. And even that, I prefer to think, was written in the 60 to 70 AD as well. But you all know, that all of Paul’s letters and all the four gospels, and the little epistles following Hebrews were all written before 70 AD, when the Temple is destroyed. In God's condemnation of all the lawlessness of man called Judaism, and indeed all religion, especially since His Son was now sitting at His side and had bestowed on the Name above all names and was crowned with Glory and Honor because of His vicarious death as a Man among men, which means that we can become partakers of His essence as sanctified ones through His death.

Remember I made the point – isn’t it amazing how God forbid any empire to destroy Jerusalem and the Temple and the Nation of Israel until Paul’s letters were completed. Then within a couple of years after the completion of Paul’s epistles, the Temple has now become moot (of no count), so why worry about it. All the trappings of the old have been replaced by the New and Living Way. With those things promised of God by an Oath and the Covenant given to Abraham and his sons together with the New and Better Covenant of Grace now in force. All future activity of God is found in those who have become God ruled ones through the Spirit of His Son, Christ Jesus as in the beginning. We have not realized this fact because of the lack of men so ruled. Why? Because they have been distracted and fallen short by that distraction, they have turned lukewarm or even cold because of religion, the spirit of the world.

Well you see as soon as Paul’s letters were finished, then Temple worship had become moot, and obsolete and what does God permit? Titus to destroy both the Temple and the city and those Hebrews and Christian-Hebrews that scattered to the four winds are all who are left. I think it all fits in and just screams at us that these people should have been able to see that all the Old Testament promises had been fulfilled in Christ’s death, burial, resurrection and ascension back to Glory. It was all prophesied. And yet they never saw that. Just as those who by way of personal choice remain in darkness, unbelief and lawlessness, because of a hardness of heart. So always remember that, even though the Epistle of Hebrews is written to the Hebrew believers who were fighting this traumatic experience of being pulled back into their old religious system, yet Hebrews is just full of knowledge for you and I as believers.

But also remember there’s no obvious plan of salvation in the Epistle of Hebrews. You can’t take someone to Hebrews and lead them to the Lord, because those salvation Scriptures are not in there, at least not like the Roman Road or Ephesians, I Corinthians or something like that. But, it is so full of basic information and spiritual revelation that enhances our own trusting unto faith. All right, let’s begin with verse 29.

Hebrews 10:29
"Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, (or a common thing, I think is a better word) and hath done despite (insult, abuse, reproach, to do excessive violence to) unto the Spirit of grace?"
Now remember, we were looking at those previous verses of someone who willfully turned back and went into the religion of Judaism with its animal sacrifices. And then, the verse that, how that the Law, the Mosaic Law was severe, because there was no mercy. If someone was caught even picking up sticks on the Sabbath day, what was the punishment? Death! Now that’s severe. My we would never stand for something like that today, would we? But that’s the way the Levitical Law was, it was so severe! When the Law is severe and they rejected it then there was no doubt that God’s wrath would be placed upon them to their eternal doom. This doom is upon all forms of mans religion and religious actions by they governments, laws or whatever fashion they mat take. As they have only one source Satan.

If a religious system like Judaism prompted the wrath of God, then you see, How much sorer punishment, how much more God’s wrath can be poured out on those who have walked under foot the Son of God, the blood of Christ? Now you’ve heard me emphasize this; what’s the reason God consigned lost humanity to such an awful eternal doom? Because He’s done everything He could for them to prevent it. He’s done everything they needed to escape that eternal doom without lifting a finger. By just simply to receiving it and then believing what He had done. When they or we walk that under foot and we scorn it, then God is perfectly just in consigning them and us with them to that kind of a punishment.

So don’t ever listen to those kind of arguments such as, "Well, how can a just God send somebody to a Lake of Fire?" Well, He’s got every reason in the world to because He’s already done everything to keep us and them from it. All right, so: "How much sorer punishment, suppose you, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot." Now don’t lose the picture. They and we have literally walked under foot in scorn the Blood of the Covenant, that is His sacrificial Blood of the Cross and wherewith we were sanctified and we have considered it a common thing. I think that a better word than unholy thing is a "common thing". We’ve (they and us) considered it something common. No more different than the sand and the gravel that we walk on. And, we’re going to suffer for it. Now we can't isolate the Hebrew from ourselves because we're all now on a clear and level playing-field, like a football field. Now verse 30.

Hebrews 10:30
"For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people."

The Epistle to the Hebrews part CCXLVII

Hebrews 10:27
"But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversary."
Judgment because they had spurned God’s Grace. As found only in Christ for in Him was the fulness of the godhead within His bodily form [as the God ruled man] and as Jesus God in Himself and expressed His Faithfulness. This Faithfulness is God, for God is the Faithful one. What’s it speaking of? The Great White Throne Judgment when lost Hebrews are going to be condemned to the Lake of Fire just as well as lost humanity in general. If they’re going to turn away from God’s offer of Grace and Salvation by faith in that Grace alone, which is Christ alone; if they’re going to go back to animal sacrifices, or some other form of pagan worship in the guise of bring glory to god through their disobedience then they’ve got nothing facing them but the fiery indignation of eternal doom.

Now, to chapter 6; I said it’s referring to the same thing. So if somebody asks you, "Well what about Hebrews 10:26?" You tell them it’s the same thing as Hebrews chapter 6 and then you’re out of it! So let’s review Hebrews chapter 6 verse 4 for a moment.

Hebrews 6:4a
"For it is (what?) impossible (and that means what it says, it’s impossible) for those who were once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift,"
People respond, that they never realized before that you do not sustain any amount of energy by simply tasting something. You can taste from now until doomsday and you’ll starve to death because you don’t really latch on to something if all you’re doing is tasting it. That is why the Lord said to eat of His flesh and drink of His blood because in so doing we begin the process of growth, spiritually and slowly at first. But like the snowball that is released at the top of the hill and allowed to roll down hill gains momentum and grows is size so the Spirit [seed] within us when restored to Christ will grow in Christ [becomes a mighty tree] and we become as He is, God ruled ones.

And that’s what the people did. They looked at Paul’s program. They looked at this offer of salvation through trust alone. The Holy Spirit enlightened them enough for them to consider it, and they could have stepped over the threshold. They could have had it but did they? No. Now read on.

Hebrews 6:4b-6a
"…and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, (the Gift, the Holy Spirit had come) And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, (In other words, the view of the coming Kingdom) If they shall fall away,…"
Remember when I taught this, I explained that this word in the Greek is not the same that translated ‘a falling away’ in Thessalonians. This is a Greek word that is never used any other place in Scripture. ‘Parapipto.’ And that means turning your back scornfully. (Psalm 4:2, 101:3) This is exactly what Israel as a nation did to Christ Jesus as recorded in Acts on three occasions. And this is what those Hebrew Christians were on the verge of doing, just as the Galatians were under the pressure of the Judaizers.

Now the word for ‘falling away’ in Thessalonians is ‘apostasia.’ Two totally different words. All right, so this parapipto meant to turn your back scornfully, as a woman who was turning her back on her husband and going into an adulterous situation. Now that’s what the word implies. Not just someone who hadn’t quite understood it. Not someone who was caught in a moment of weakness but someone who had fully comprehended all this. Someone whom the Lord has opened up their heart to receive of Him but in a scornful rejection they just said, "I’ll have nothing to do with this. I’m going back to my religion, nationalism and superior attitude as a chosen nation, we're the head not the tail." Now do you got the picture?

When I talk about cult people, that’s exactly where most of them are. Even when they see the truth, they get all the pressure from their fellow cult people and back they go and they scorn what they have been enlightened to see. All right, so now then, if you want the answer to Hebrews 10 verse 26, you just tell folks to read Hebrews 6 because it means the same thing. Another example is when these people willfully, scornfully said, "we’ll not have anything to do with this Jesus of Nazareth, crucify Him, give us Barabbas instead[Acts 3:14-15]." Now verse 27 again.

Hebrews 10:27-28
"But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:"

The Epistle to the Hebrews part CCXLVI

Before we get into this study we need to again express that Paul as a called out Apostle was given an unique position and message from the risen LORD. And when we by or through the Holy Spirit learn Christ we find that all of the scripture from beginning to end is Christocentric. That He did not come to judge anyone but to reveal the change in the dimension of God's dealing with man through Christ and IN Christ and coupled with this change is the decrease and ultimately the demise of the Jewish religion and in fact all religion and the people of Israel as the primary focal point as they have served the purpose and function to bring Christ into the world. For the Jewish religion like all others is and remains but an external and material religion tied to mans flesh and self gratification. Within Christ we learn of the spiritual change [as God is now in personal relationship within each of us, as sons of God] and a heavenly kingdom that will one day rule. James A. Fowler as a modern day theologian in his commentaries on the Gospels, Galatians and Hebrews brings out the Christ ontological message as hid in the scriptures that Christ reveals in Himself. He by this reveals the shock value as Christ spoke, or as God spoke in Jesus as we're to hear and learn of Him. Which had been hid to those of the past (theological commentaries) and veiled in the prophets of old as they wrote from a perspective of their particular religious flavor and by this reveal their blindness and absence of the Spirit of Christ.

This said lets get back into our study. Picking up in Hebrew chapter 10 and Paul indictment against Judaism and religion in general because they oppose all that God planned to reveal in and through His Son as revealed in Galatians and here in Hebrews.

Hebrews 10:26
"For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,"
Now in order to understand this you’ve got to get the big picture. Who are the Hebrews? Jews! What is their belief system? Judaism. And what was Judaism based on? The Temple worship, the sacrifices, the feast days and all the various demands – for a particular sin, you would bring this particular sacrifice. Now this whole Epistle of Hebrews as I’ve been stressing, was written first and foremost to those Hebrew-Christians as believers. As they were having such a hard time breaking from their old religious system of Judaism with Temple worship and the sacrifices and the whole ‘nine yards.’

As I explained, you take people who have come out of a cult, and cults are satanically capable of brainwashing people to such an extent that it’s almost impossible to bring them out of it except for the power of God, but I have had some that have broken free. And the first thing they tell me, "But Bill, it’s so hard to break with what we have been taught for a whole lifetime." This is also true of those bond by religion. I know that, it is hard. But if you’re going to be a believer in the Word of God that’s what you have to do. To start they have to renounce all ties to what ever holds them and then profess faith in the Blood and Christ. Which those from an occult understand the meaning and power there of. But for those bond by religion its another matter all together as they are resistant because they feel they're doing the wrong thing not realizing that the Jesus they know is NOT the Christ Jesus of these gospels. Well, these Hebrews were the same way. They had been so steeped in Judaism ever since 2000-1500 BC. Israel was under the Levitical Law and they were so steeped in Temple worship with all of its attendant sacrifices and man made ordinances.

Now then, the key to this whole verse is the last part of the verse; that if you’re going to willfully turn away from Paul’s revelations of the Grace of God and go back into Judaism, what would they be practicing? Sacrifices? No Lawlessness. Idolatry and whoredom with the spirit of religion the mystery harlot of Babylon. They’d be going back to their animal sacrifices, but would it do them any good? No. And that’s what this verse is screaming at them. If you’re going to turn around and walk away from this that has been revealed to you by the Grace of God and you’re going to go back into Judaism with all of its Temple worship and sacrifices, then hey, you’re out of it. God is no longer dealing with people on the basis of the animal sacrifices because Jesus as the son of man, He is and was the complete, perfect sacrifice.

And when people turned around and say, "Well, I’m going back to my Temple worship. I’m going back to the animal sacrifices;" they were, as it says in chapter 6 ‘crucifying the Lord afresh.’ How? By telling Him that His sacrifice counted for nothing! That animal’s blood is better than His. Do you see the picture? Can you see the lawlessness in it all? To do such is to make yourself an enemy of God in greater magnitude than ever before. For us as a “Christian” to do the same or to flow in the spirit of the world places us under the same penalty due them. God's wrath and hells fire or the pit of utter darkness.

All right, verse 27. That after they’d received the knowledge of the truth and there remains no more sacrifice (animal sacrifices or any other form of religious worship, won’t help you). But if you’re going to go back into Judaism there is:

Hebrews 10:27
"But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries."

The Epistle to the Hebrews part CCXLV

I John 3:1
"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we (as receptive believers) should be called the sons of God: (or the children of God.) therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not."
Now that’s plain enough isn’t it? My goodness, after three years amongst His own people, what was the statement of the majority? "Crucify Him! Kill Him!" They didn’t know Him. Well, that’s the world’s attitude toward us, whether you know it or not. All right, and so it knows us not because it "knew him not." Now here it comes in verse 2.

I John 3:2-3
"Beloved, now we are the sons (or the first born ones) of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know (beyond a shadow of a doubt) that when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man (that’s a generic term meaning also women, boys and girls who are believers) that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he (the Lord, Christ) is pure."
Our receptivity of His activity is what purges or purifies us through Graces activity. We can do noting to cause purification, though with the Holy Spirits aid in our study time He'll wash us by the Living Word. But here again its His activity of cleansing not a labor of our own. Now here comes a religious response to this. What does that tell us? I’ll bet you one thing for sure, if you knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that by 12 o’clock tomorrow the Lord would have come for us in the departure, you’d act a lot differently for this next 24 hours. Wouldn’t we? I mean every one of us! We would make sure that we hadn’t had any evil thoughts cob-webbing our minds. We would make sure that we are spiritually, as well as physically and materially, ready for that trumpet call that’s going to come sometime between now and noon tomorrow. I know we would. There isn’t a person a live that wouldn’t take special note to be ready when that moment comes. Matters not our religious conviction if we knew that He was ready to come we'd do everything our religion said was necessary to prepare for Him. Not knowing that the hindrance to us is our religion as the English word “religion” is derived from the Latin word religare which means “to bind up.” Religion is inevitably a bondage to rules and regulations and rituals of devotion, but deeper still it is a spiritual bondage to subservience in the expression of the character and activity of Satan.

We're to be ready all the time, see? But we’re human. We get lax and the first thing you know weeks have gone by and we haven’t really thought about the Lord’s coming. But hey, it’s got to be on our mind constantly, especially as we see as Paul says in Hebrews, ‘The day appearing.’ Now here's the secret we can be in the ready all the time as the five virgins are in the parable of the ten. We can live a Life with our cures always full of oil and in the ready. How you ask? By way of death as shown before, to Live in the power of an Endless Life just as the son of man did. For this is the way of Christ and the way in which He enables us to Live in His resurrection Life as lights and salt in the world of dead men walking because they're separated from God through many means of deception or dis-ease. All right, now then the other one that I just thought of while I was reading this one of course is in Philippians. So let’s go back to Philippians chapter 3, starting at verses 20 and 21.

Philippians 3:20-21
"For our conversation (or if you have a margin, it’s citizenship, the constitution of a commonwealth, form of government and the laws by which it is administered, more simply our way of life we're to reflect God's character and nature) is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile (this corrupt or corruption) body, that it (this body) may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, (the resurrected body, the seed incorruptible) according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue (submit ones self to Him) all things unto himself."
In other words, what are we to be constantly aware of? That maybe in the next hour, we’re out of this old body of flesh and we’re in the new and we’re in Glory! That’s our blessed hope and I can’t stress it enough that all through the early days of Christendom it was that imminent return of Christ that they were looking for. And like I’ve said over and over, Paul wrote of it as though He was coming in his lifetime, until just before he was martyred. He finally speaks of the fact that he’s going to go through physical death, but I don’t think Paul ever expected to. He thought the Lord was going to return before he would die a physical death. All right back to Hebrews chapter 10. And so:

Hebrews 10:25
"Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together (with like-minded receptive believers, this can be seen or heard back in genesis where the son's of Jacob are all in agreement as to the course of action to be taken) as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."
Verse 26 and here again is a verse that arouses so many questions and really it’s quite simple.

Hebrews 10:26-27
"For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries."

The Epistle to the Hebrews part CCXLIV

Hebrews 10:24
"And let us consider one another to provoke (or to prod, to stir up) unto love and good works:"
You see, the beauty of the true Christian community is that we should not be attacking each other. Nor anyone else of a different persuasion or belief or faith system. Nor are we to be smiling and laughing over some fellow Christian’s misfortune. But, rather, we should be constantly encouraging one another, because you don’t get a word of encouragement from the world or its corrupt religious systems, as they are all indifferent to God. I mean not a word. And yet we’re all human. I don’t have to have my feathers stroked three, four times a day; but once in a while it sure helps to have someone say, "Bill, you have blessed my life." Of course, we’re human and we appreciate that. It encourages us the keep the faith to continue on. And thereby stand in the faith and resistance to the evil one and those subject to him through religion.

Even in our everyday contacts with fellow believers, we should be encouraging one another – not attacking and pulling each other down or tearing each other apart. Though we're to provoke or prod one another,ie...we're to encourage one another to love each other as well as to practice good things of God. Now I think maybe I shared it, but a lot of times people, especially when they get older and they’re no longer able to do the fast-paced work of when they were young, will say, "Well, Bill what can I do? There’s nothing I can do so far as works are concerned." God does not requires the works of religion as the world understands work, What He desires is our helping and aiding all toward faith in Christ.

Well, I had a gentleman come up me; and he liked to work with wood and that was his hobby. Well, he had started making beautiful wood walking canes, and he said, "You know what I do with these? Just as fast as I can make them, I take them out to people in nursing homes who need a cane. And it just thrills them that now they’ve got a beautiful, handmade cane." Well, who would ever think of something like that as good works? Well, God does! God looks at that and that’s a good work. That’s something that is bringing some happiness, some joy to people in a particular need. So don’t ever say, "Well there’s nothing I can do." You’d be surprised how many places there are that God can use whatever you’re capable of doing. For its Him that through His Grace gives us all a ministry of some sort. When it is Him directing it.

All right, verse 25 – a verse that is often taken totally out of context. And it’s stretched to the limit, but we’re just going to take it for what it says, that now as fellow believers, members in Christ's Body, we're in the business of encouraging one another. We are to increase our love for one another because of Who has loved us first. What is the Gift given us? The Holy Spirit, the greatest of all gifts and with Him comes the other spiritual gifts for they all operate through Him to us to the outward world around us. He produces the fruit as He wills or as we grow in the knowledge of Christ, His character and nature becomes ours also. Then we bring in the self-sacrificial Love of God in this manor thereby God gets the glory due Him through Christ in us, just as He did through Jesus, as He wills or in the same manor as.

Hebrews 10:25a
"Not to forsaking the assembling of ourselves together,…"
Now when you get into the Greek, this assembling of ourselves is a lot stronger than here in the English. What it really means is. "Assembling together with our own kind." Birds of a feather do what? They flock together. But too many times Christians don’t. And I have people constantly telling me that where they’re attending church that things are said and done that just simply don’t fit with their own belief system. And what am I going to tell them? "Get out of there! They’re not your own kind. Find a place where they are." And this is exactly what it means, that you are to assemble yourselves together with like-minded believers.

Don’t try to compromise your own belief system in order to get along with a group that is contrary to what you feel the Word declares. Now again, we’re in a time, in an age, when most of us think that if your church isn’t 6,000 members and if you haven’t a 200-voice choir and a big orchestra down front, you’re just not with it. Well, I’ve got news for you. That is not the New Testament-Covenant Church at all. Truth is God has condemned all forms of religion through the death of Christ and to become entangled with such is damnable, as it is enmity to God. Now it has come to that, and we certainly aren’t going to tell people to lock their doors. But that is not the concept of believers coming together in the early church and I don’t think it’s going to end up that way.

I think, it’ll come back to where you have true believers meeting in rather small groups. I was reading a secular magazine the other night, and I could just gather between the lines that our days of freedom and liberty as true Christians are numbered. I mean that. Our days are numbered. And if the Lord doesn’t come, even those of us that are a little bit gray haired, we’re probably going to see some tough times. And that’s why I think we should pray earnestly that the Lord will come – and with those kinds of situations like in China, remember, after the Communists took over China. The Church went underground, and by that we simply mean, that they met secretly in their apartment complexes. They have ‘house churches.’ And so when missionaries went back into China after the doors kind of opened up, they were just astounded at how many true believers were throughout China simply because they had survived with small ‘house churches.’ And we’d better get prepared; it may come back to that.

So rather than just try to find something that’s the biggest church going and the most exciting and the most entertaining; it’s far more profitable spiritually to gather with maybe a smaller group that are truly feeding on the Word of God. Those who have through Christ become Christocentric again. In fact, as I look at this verse, I have to think, what did the Lord Himself say back in the Gospels? "Where two or three are gathered in my name, I’m in the midst of them." And so let’s always keep that in mind.

Hebrews 10:25a
"Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together,…"
We do need Christian fellowship. Of course, as long as we’re able to assembly with fellow believers, those who are Christ-like even if it’s in a smaller environment, don’t ever forsake that.

Hebrews 10:25b
"…as the manner of some is; but exhorting (or encouraging) one another,: (this is probably written in the early 60’s AD and Paul says) and so much the more, as you see the day approaching."
Well, what day is he talking about? The Lord’s coming! I've always emphasize that especially lately, you want to remember that the whole concept up until just before Paul is martyred is that the Lord would be coming in short order. They had no idea that it would be 2,000 plus years! That never entered their minds. They were expecting the Lord to come almost any moment. Even in Paul’s lifetime. When you know this we can see and understand the language of James, Peter, John and Jude as this was on their minds as they wrote their epistles to the scattered Hebrew believers in the Messiah.

So here’s another indication of that. Don’t forsake yourselves meeting together, Paul says; especially as we draw near to the Lord’s return. Well, if it was apropos in 61 or 62 AD, how much more today? You know, I’ve always gone back to the cartoon of the old caveman who had written across his cave, ‘The end is near.’ But the second picture he had added what? ‘er’ See? Today the end is nearer than it was yesterday. Today this verse is more appropriate. It’s 2,000 plus years closer than when Paul wrote it. And so as we see the day approaching, encourage one another that the Lord is coming! Don’t be caught asleep. Don’t be caught unprepared. By all means don't be trapped in the worlds false gospels, as being many ways to God and religious forms. Remember God is a personal God not a religious God as religion opposes God in all its many ways and forms.

In fact, 1 John chapter 3 comes to mind. See now, all these things I don’t prepare for. I wish I could but I just can’t, as I don’t know exactly how the Holy Spirit is going to lead as we teach. Here you’ll see John’s concept of the Lord’s coming is the same as Paul’s. It could happen anytime even back there in the early first century, in the late 60’s AD. For Jerusalem and Israel as a nation it did as God judged them for their refusing the Messiah and note He waited until Paul and Peter were taken out of the way. For during this time the sun was blackened out and the moon was as blood because the smoke from the ruins of the city was so thick. This happened in 70 AD.

1John 3:1
"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not."

The Epistle to the Hebrews part CCXLIII

Continuing with 1 Corinthians;

1 Corinthians
10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion [completeness in] of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion [partnership with] of the body of Christ?
6:15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members [part] of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot [whoredom, whoremonger of religion Revelation 17, 19:2]? God forbid.
12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
It was for liberty that Christ set the world free from all forms of religion and then to reunite us with God through His body, blood, death, burial, resurrection and ascension for Paul reveals that He led the worlds captives to safety into the heavenliest and holiest place in God and then gave gifts onto men or mankind.

Continuing with our study:

Romans 8:20
"For the creature (creation, nature and us) was made subject to vanity, (the curse) not willingly, (it wasn’t the animal kingdom’s fault nor ours that Adam sinned subjected all to Satan's rule) but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope."
In other words, just as soon as Adam sinned, God came right back with the plan of redemption in Genesis 3:15. So, He subjected everything under the curse but, at the same time, He subjected it in (what?) hope – that one day the curse will end. Now verse 21.

Romans 8:21-23
"Because the creature (creation which includes us) itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption (the curse) into the glorious liberty [freedom from both sin and sins religion]of the children of God. (That’s you and I.) For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, (not just the animal kingdom and the birds and the fish and everything else) but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, (we believers, we’re still under the curse but we carry the first fruits also. Now here it comes) even we ourselves groan within ourselves waiting for the adoption, (or this great transaction) to wit, the redemption of our (what?) body."
For those who have acquired the knowledge and wisdom of God within themselves again this is the departure form here. Now back to Hebrews chapter 10 verse 23.

We try not to preach at anybody, and we try not to attack anyone. I don’t think we’ve ever done that. Why should we? Because the Book speaks for itself. And that’s all we want to do is just get folks to see what the Word of God says. For it has been changed by God from a external and purely physical realm to that of a supernatural and spiritual realm. If we have NOT the eyes and ears to see and hear the difference then we are but blind guides leading the blind. Not what I say, or what anyone else says, but what does the Book say? And with that let’s get right back to where we left off in Hebrews chapter 10 verse 23.

Hebrews 10:23a
"Let us hold fast (just like an anchor) the profession of our (what?) faith…"
Faith. Now you know that is one of the key words that we've been emphasizing. And we’re going to see it explained explicitly when we get to chapter 11. But trust - trust – faith! I just can’t emphasize enough, is simply taking God at His Word! And requires a crisis of change of some kind which is determined by God, because this is the whole idea of our relationship (intimacy, intercourse) with God is to believe what He has said through His Christ the Messiah of Life.

And even though we use all of Scripture, yet Paul is the Apostle to us as Gentiles, and I maintain that if people would just simply study, then receive and believe what Paul writes in his epistles, you wouldn’t need these bookstores full of ‘How To’ books. Wouldn’t need them because he covers every problem of life. And we can solve the problem with what? Trusting onto His faithfulness! Believing what God has said about it! But it’s so hard for people to get that through their heads, that faith begins by first trusting and trust is just simply – Taking God at His Word! God said it, and I receive it then I can believe it! This is what is revealed when we study Abram who God brings through crisis' to be of His faith. And now Paul says, "hang on to it." Don’t let it just become something that you’re careless about but just hang on, that this is what God says and I’m believing it, come what may. We need the attitude of Esther...”If I parish, I parish” was her thought or conviction (Esther 4:16).

Hebrews 10:23a
"Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering;…"
Why does Paul admonish these people then to hang on to their faith? As a manor of living by way of a visible confession, this is also called: to declare openly, this is the meaning of profession. It requires knowledge of the New Covenant in order to profess it. This is the hidden object of the Epistle of Hebrews.

Hebrews 10:23b
"…(for he is faithful that promised;)"
God is faithful! God is faithful to His Family/House. See men can say things, they can even sign contracts but it’s not worth the paper it’s written on. But that’s not what God is. God is faithful and He always keeps His Word. Faith is based on the revelation of God's faithfulness that was known by Seth, Noah, Shem, Eber and Abram/Abraham, Isaac, Jacob/Israel, who all a test to this fact as do those listed in the hall of faith found in chapter 11 here in Hebrews. Now verse 24.

Hebrews 10:24
"And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:"

The Epistle to the Hebrews part CCXLII

Ephesians 1:13a
"In whom ye also trusted,…"
Most of you now know who did Paul always write to? True Believers. Are you sure? Paul never writes to the unbeliever.

So to the believer he says:

Ephesians 1:13
"In whom ye also trusted, (placed your trust, in whom you believe) after that ye heard the word of truth, (well, naturally you can’t believe something until you hear it. And what is the word of truth? This Gospel) the gospel of your salvation: (how that Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose from the dead and that in God's eyes we were in Him through out the crisis) in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise."
The Holy Spirit came in as God’s mark of ownership, when? When we take this in as our own in other wards we take possession of Him, His essence a person of Spirit, that is Christ the Messiah of Life. Here's the question, How much of the house or temple does God occupy? He's the All in all. Now verse 14.

Ephesians 1:14
"Which (this indwelling Holy Spirit in this tabernacle of flesh) is the earnest (down payment, earnest money) of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory."
Now you’ve got to really pick this apart. If the Holy Spirit came into this tabernacle of flesh at the moment of redemption, then you would think that this body was redeemed as well as the soul was, wouldn’t we? But it wasn’t. We were given the right to become, this is not the fulness nor is it full privilege of being a son. Our spirit, soul was redeemed, that seed planted by God hidden within each of us. We know that. The soul and the spirit are already God’s, they’re His, they’re marked as His. When did this take place? Its recorded in Genesis chapter 3 where God is dealing with the woman, the seed is Christ in verse 15. Now the mystery is this that same seed which is Christ Jesus is also the seed hidden in each of us which becomes our spirit alive or awakened from sleep when we receive the word of this revelation in Truth and Light. Our inner heart is the ground of its planting and growth (as a grain the size of a mustard seed which draws it sustenance from the revelation of Life) in the knowledge of Him. But this old body is still down here under the curse, isn’t it? Its made of dirt or earth to house our spirit and acquired flesh life when God birthed into us His breath, again Genesis chapter 1 verses 26a and 27, and chapter 2 verses 6 and 7, Christ is the breath that was breathed or birthed into the house or flesh of mankind. It was this seed which dried up and became dormant until Christ's Eternal Life is received by us.

Not a one of us are immune from sin or pain or suffering or death. None of us. Because this old body is still an unredeemed piece of flesh or dirt. Got that? But, the indwelling Holy Spirit is God’s what? Down payment. And it’s a down payment of such a gift and size that one day He’s going to finish the payment. As we become willing to allow Him to work out our salvation with much fear and trembling on our part. Its so because we resist all that religion and the world through at us to cause us to fall back into sin.

All right, now let’s see, I think I can come to Romans chapter 8. And this all has to do with our physical body of flesh. It’s the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. It’s the dwelling place of our now-redeemed soul and spirit set free and awakened made alive quickened if you will. Consequently, we are responsible with what we do with this dwelling place until we leave it behind. Are we getting how to put the scriptures together and how by the leading of the Spirit they become bread and water to feed us and impart His Life into us? All right, Romans chapter 8 verse 18.

Romans 8:18
"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us. For the earnest expectation of the creature (or the creation, all of creation) waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God."
Or the children of God. Or as said elsewhere the true spiritual Isra-El or the house in which El rules, just as He did in the Son of man, Jesus. You and I. All of creation is waiting for the day when we’re suddenly going to be ready for that glorious Kingdom, the spiritual Kingdom which Jesus Christ revealed within Himself for the 33 years of His first visitation. Now verse 20. But before we go there lets look at 1 Corinthians:

1 Corinthians 6:15, 19-20
"Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.......What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."

The Epistle to the Hebrews part CCXLI

Hebrews 10:20
" (We come boldly) By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;"
So when the body of flesh hung there on that tree/Cross and the blood was shed, this veil that had separated men from God for 2,500 years (the commandment now law [of Genesis 2:17] and the Levitical Law, religion of Judaism among or with all other forms) was now rent from the top to the bottom. This veil symbolized religion and the tearing of it an upon it the forever judgment on religions demise in mans flesh. And now we have full access into the throne room.

Hebrews 10:21
"And having a high priest over the house of God;"
Now this is why, earlier in Hebrews, we spent all that time on the priesthood of Melchizedek – Christ’s High Priesthood on our behalf. Not the Aaronic, external or material priesthood for old Israel or of Judaism – this order of Melchizedek was for the non-Jewish world, as well as the Hebrews. It is an all-inclusive Priesthood. It is this Priesthood that now gives us this free access into that very throne room of Heaven. It is this Priesthood under which all true Christ-like-ones now receive their instructions of worth-ship of El through Christ in them. Now verse 22.

Hebrews 10:22a
"Let us draw near (let us take advantage of this access into the throne room) with a true heart in full assurance of (what?) faith."
Now you see faith and feelings are miles apart. Faith does not demand feelings and feelings do not confirm faith. Faith is something that stands by itself. You just simply take God at His Word without any confirmation. Without anything physical. Without any emotion. Faith is that abiding ability to trust the Word of God the Living Christ. Do you see that little word used? the word “true” what is another word often used “pure” or with a pure heart in full assurance. How's the heart pure by the blood and living water that is now to flow from our inner parts. The living word now seated within us flows from us to those around us all the time. Now completing the verse.

Hebrews 10:22b
"…having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience,…"
This word sprinkling goes all the way back of course, to the sacrificial worship in the tabernacle first, and then later on in the Temple. Now, when the high priest would go in on the day of atonement, he’d come in and he’d make his way back behind the veil (once a year). And what would he do? He would take the blood of that sacrificial animal and he would sprinkle it. In other words, he wasn’t just pouring the blood all over that golden piece of furniture. For it was a sprinkling. But first he had to be cleansed he had to be washed with pure water or flowing living water. And it was God’s way of accepting the fact that the blood had now been offered and it covered the sins of the Hebrew only for a short time. They didn’t have to be completely bathed in blood; it was a sprinkling that God recognized as sufficient. The next word I’m going to spend a little more time on as we complete verse 22.

Hebrews 10:22c
"…having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and with our bodies washed with pure water."
The blood of Christ has cleansed us. Because it’s been applied to our hearts by faith and our bodies washed with pure water. Now that’s not baptism. Some people will try to associate it because this is the custom of all religions, but this is not a reference to baptism. For again, it’s a symbolic thing that we have to understand; that, even though all of these things we’ve been speaking about are in the realm of the spirit and the soul and we speak of the salvation of the soul, where is the soul residing? In this body.

And so what does Paul teach concerning the body? Hey, it’s the Temple, it’s the Tabernacle, it’s the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, the Godhead. And we’re supposed to treat it accordingly. This is not just some ramshackle piece of cloth that’s a tent. This body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, the Godhead and Christ the Messiah when we become a true believer. And so it has to be reckoned as such and we are to reckon it as cleansed by faith.

Now there’s several verses that refer to the body. Go back if you will, to Ephesians chapter 1, starting with verse 13. The same writer that writes these things in Hebrews; the only thing is, he’s writing to the Hebrews who had an understanding of the Old Testament economy, which of course, the Gentiles of Paul’s day knew almost nothing of it – but nevertheless, he brings about the same basic truths only from a different perspective.

Ephesians 1:13
"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,"

The Epistle to the Hebrews part CCXL

Colossians 2:9
"For in him (that is in Christ) dwelleth (that means just exactly what it says. For in Christ dwells, or abides) all the fulness of the Godhead (how?) bodily."
That body that Hebrews said was given to Him in the womb. That body of flesh that was prepared for thirty-three years of living on this planet for the sole purpose of going to that Cross, to shed divine blood as payment for mankind’s sin thusly breaking the power of sin and the devil from man.

So we have to picture this veil, the veil of the Temple, then as Christ’s body of flesh because it stood for the sin of mankind. Now, come back to II Corinthians. Not that Christ was a sinner; don’t ever get that idea. He was holy. He was perfect. He was righteous. He restored mans humanity to him. In true Godliness and Holiness. But, in order to fulfill the demands of a Holy God, what did He have to agree to do? To become sin for us. Now here again, these are things that are beyond mere human comprehension. I can comprehend it. For I can take what I understand by faith because I'm now a new creature in Christ. These are so profound that it’s way beyond the natural man, but we take it in through living faith. For living faith is solely expressed in our being receptive of His divine activity within us. Remember that our trust become living faith after we've passed through a crisis, a pattern of death.

II Corinthians 5:21a
"For he (God) hath made him (Jesus the Christ) to be sin (why?) for us,…"
Do you see that? He became the veil, that sin for us, that stood between us and the presence of God. But when that flesh was given up on the Cross, what happened to this veil? Well, in the Temple at the day of the crucifixion, you all know the account. It split from top to the bottom. Well what was the purpose? To show now that the way into the Holiest of Holies [the hearth of God] is now wide open. But, what did the Hebrews of that day do? They sewed it up. With no understanding of what they were doing, they closed it back up. They totally rejected Him and His offer of the kingdom by way of their religiosity, which is Satan's character. But you can’t undo the work of God. And so, spiritually speaking, they didn’t close it up. They couldn’t because it was a, once for all, done deal forever. That now, the way into the Holiest of all is made possible through the flesh, the body, the crucified body of the Son of God. Now we'll look at Peter and what he said concerning this in 1 Peter chapter 2 as he agrees with the Prophet Isaiah 53:5-6, verse 24 we'll start at verse 21 to get the flow:

“For even hereunto were we called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow His steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth: Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed to Him that judges righteously: Who His own self to bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes we were healed. For we were as sheep [for our paganism, religion and self-righteous attitudes] going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.”
Now for those who by choice remain carnal or practical and earthy the word “healed” means a physical healing. But for those who have by way of personal choice relinquished their will into His care, by way of death. A spiritual revelation of our being one in Christ and become partakers with Him. This means to be re-connected or restored to the former position of wholeness, union, to be one with Him. Do you see it? All right, come back to Hebrews 10:

Hebrews 10:19a
"Having therefore, brethren, boldness…"
No trepidation. There’s no shrinking back. We can just come right in and say, "Lord, I belong here. This is where I’m supposed to be. I’m not on strange territory, this is my home." Now, do you see what I meant when I said that I was reading about true spirituality back there in my early thirties and on; I just thought there was no way I could attain to this kind of an action and that kind of behavior. Me? Able to come into the very throne room of God – boldly? Now I can tell you, and it isn’t just William, it’s every one of you. Every one of you, if you’re a believer have become a receiver then it is possible for you also, you’re in the same position I was in, now we can. We can go right into the throne room of Heaven. This is a place that the religionist will never have a room or place of acceptance.

Now when I say that He changed my life, God has had a part in my life before. But now, I can says, "I talk with Him all day long." What a difference! Well can you say that? Do you talk with Him all day long? Don’t feel that you have to have some sort of a special status or you have to have some special way of approach. No. We can come in twenty-four hours a day, at any moment. Whatever you’re doing, you can come and you can approach the Father with your prayer needs and intersessions.

Now of course, I’m a great proponent of a prayer time. I think every believer should have a few moments every day where you can come in and spend some time on your knees or any other attitude of position you may want to take. But that’s not the only way of prayer. You can pray all day long, wherever you are. Because we have the right to go boldly into the very throne room, the Holy of Holiest.

Hebrews 10:19
"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus."
The Holy of Holiest. That place in the Temple that was behind the veil. That place up in Heaven where Christ went and presented His blood which removed and destroyed the smoke screen of separation, He cleansed the presence for our access. And when we've been blessed of God with the Holy Spirit He takes His rightful place within our heart and it become the Holiest of all. Because it has been cleansed and sweep clean of all defilement By His Word. Now verse 20.

Hebrews 10:20
"By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;"

The Epistle to the Hebrews part CCXXXIX

Hebrews 10:18
"Now where the remission of these is, (that is their sins and iniquities that God has now cleansed them of) there is no more offering for sin."
It’s all over. No more animal sacrifices, no more washings, no more tithes, no more religious holidays or holy days as such. As Christ is the fullness of the requirements for God's Christianity is derived from above, as religion is derived from below, the earthy and devilish, and is therefore demonic. No more crucifixion. It’s all done with that one-time offering of Christ. All right, now in verse 19, we’re going right back again up into the throne room of Heaven as it were.

Hebrews 10:19a
"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest…"
The very Holy of Holiest in Heaven, and we can enter in boldly. How through the eternal blood of Christ, through the veil of His human flesh which housed Him and houses us. Now how is this beyond human comprehension that you and I have access literally, not in physical ways but by the spirit in Spirit. We have it in the realm of the Spirit where we can enter into the Holy of Holiest boldly because of what?

Hebrews 10:19b
"…by the blood of Jesus."
The blood of Christ. That all sufficient sacrificial price that was paid for our total redemption and the working out of our salvation. But the working out is NOT by way of physical labor or religious works but is our sitting under God in patient anticipation of receptivity of His activity. Much like a small child of the streets flows the mark for the reception of a gift, a blessing. For such is the meaning of, suffer not the children to come onto me (Matthew 19: 14, Mark 10:14; Luke 18:16).

Now before I go any further, I’m reminded of a couple books that I read when I was still rather young. I imagine I was in my thirties and I was just beginning to really get interested in the Word of God. And I read two books, both titled ‘True Spirituality.’ One was written by Dr. Francis Schaeffer, a tremendous Swiss theologian. But his was so deep that I would sometimes have to go back and read it over three, four, five times before I could get what he was trying to say. I finally came to the conclusion that I just couldn't attain to that level of spirituality that he was writing about. It just seemed so far beyond me that I finally got it.

Then about the same time I read another book titled the same way, ‘True Spirituality,’ by Watchman Nee, a Chinese man. Well, I had the same response to that one. I thought, there’s a way – I can become or get this spiritual. I can get to where these guys are. I just have to become receptive, thou I didn't fully understand how. You know we read many books or autobiographies that did not reveal the background trials that the people of these books were written about went through. Not until we were led by the Holy Spirit to Ian Thomas and Andrew Murray did we begin to get the understanding of how God works within us through Christ. But then only if Christ's essence has been restored within us.

Another was titled “The Holiest of All” written by Andrew Murray and we've read it many times because like the Bible it just became our Life’s story, a living reality. Then there's William Law and Major William Ian Thomas who is credited with doing a rewrite of the papers of a Germany boot maker named Jacob Behoem. Now I must add to these some commentaries written by James Fowler of “Christ In You Ministries” titled “Gospel Commentary” and “Galatians Commentary”. He has a third on this book of Hebrews but we haven't opened it at this time.

But you see, I can see now why young believers, or maybe even young people in physical age, cannot get exercised or excited by these things because it just seems so unattainable, because we’re so wrapped up with the things of this world. After all, we’re trying to be successful in life. We’re in school, work or raising our kids, and all the things associated with it and then these things just become almost mundane or given no thought or at best little thought.

But I hope and pray that I can get people out of that rut regardless of where they’re at – that this is very attainable. Even for the young person. Even for the teenager. Even for the thirty-something covered up with activity. Yet, God wants us to understand that we can enter into the Holiest of Holiest, right now today. And so it’s not something unattainable, it’s not something that only some great theologian or evangelist can attain. But you see, I try to keep myself at your level, as a child, so you and I can attain all this together. I’m not one foot above any one of you. As Paul said, “I'm all things to all people,” well that's my and our attitude also. We've found the key and have passed through the veil and are now in the Lord's strength, we trust we're a help to others. Not as a know it all but as an aid for only you can decide to allow Him in to do what is in His power and His Will to do in you through you.

And so now look what he’s talking about, that we have this boldness because of that tremendous sacrificial price of the blood of Christ and the finished work of the cross, that we can now come into the very throne room of Heaven, the presence of God.

Hebrews 1:20a
"By a new and living way,…"
Again, that Greek word translated in English ‘living’ is more than what meets the eye. But it’s an ongoing thing that has potential for how long? Eternity. This living way is not just alive for today. It will be alive to the extent of eternity, an Everlasting or Endless Life, the power of resurrection, the power that over comes, victory. It’s never going to run down.

Hebrews 1:20b
"…which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;"
Now I’m sure many of you have heard the term that the body of Christ was ‘the veil.’ Or the veil was the body of Christ. And it’s always been an enigma to me. I think you know what an enigma is. It’s when you see somebody through a frosted glass and all you can see is the outline. You can’t see detail. Well, this whole concept of the body of Christ being the veil was an enigma for me, I think, until I started this series in Hebrews.

Now finally and hopefully I can pass it on to the ordinary everyday believer. When Christ took on human flesh and He became sin for us, it was that body of flesh then and that shed blood that opened up the way into the Holy of Holiest. You know, that back there in the Tabernacle and later on in the Temple, this was the veil. Huge, Thick as the width of a man’s hand. And they would come in from the east and here were the furnishings of the front and right behind the veil was this Ark of the Covenant, with the wings of the cherubim over spreading it and so forth.

Anyhow the veil is what kept the priests of Israel from coming into the presence of God because, after all, from Adam’s fall, what separated mankind from God? Sin! There was a veil of smoke that was in the Heavenlies Holiest place that separated sin from God. Mans sin went up into the Holiest as smoke raising from a fire. Sinful men could not come into the presence of such a holy and a righteous God. So it was that great veil that just kept us out. All right, but now when Christ came bodily – come back with me to Colossians, and the other one is in II Corinthians chapter 5 and then Peter's letter.

Colossians 2:9
"For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily."