This has bothered me for more years than I care to think about. Because you see I care a great deal about those who profess to be something they by their own admittance are not. The trouble is that they don't know that they have admitted to be lairs by their own words and actions.
The other thing that has caused me great pain is the fact that when I would see a person come to redemption that there were NOT any to render aid and comfort to them. Oh! They would go out and become a member of one group or another and many times would change from one group to another. But they would never come to a knowledge of Him with whom they have claimed association or taken His name. I've sought to help and aid those in positions of leadership but they to have failed to make the mark.
I saw within God's word that those to whom much has been given much is required and that those in such a position will carry the blood of those under them on their own hands, should they fail to enter God's kingdom. This for years kept me from doing any thing more than to offer aid, but sadly none would accept it, or Him who lives His life through me. So many there are who believe a lie or as the Apostle to the gentiles said, another gospel which is no gospel at all. As there are many forms of a gospel but only One True Gospel, which Is Christ. Yes! He is the Gospel. As His Gospel in Living and full of His Life, just as He is the personification of the New Covenant, who lives forever.
This is what caused the above to be said: Definition of stupid: Knowing the Truth, Seeing the Truth, but still believing the lie.
Many who are in snared in and by Religion fall into this class because they've never come out from among them. They are in the habit of practicing all sorts of iniquity which has become wickedness since the cross and resurrection and ascension of Christ Jesus. The term "from among them" relates to Egypt and the paganism of the worlds church or religious systems which is typified by the old testament Egypt under the Pharaohs. However religion had its roots in the garden and the eating of the forbidden fruit when Adam was separated from God by death which brought about sin, the character of Satan in mans soul/spirit or heart of flesh. Up until then God was seated in mans soul/spirit or heart as his wisdom and life force as found in the light which caused life to become in the beginning. Before the first day became. And John the Apostle in chapter one reveals that this Light of Life is Christ as He is also called the Light of man. And the Light was called into the earth to bring life out of deadness, chaos, the lack of life sustaining ability in the earth that was void and lifeless. From the moment of mans death man began to love the darkness, sin ie...religion more than the light which brings Life to fallen mankind. Yes, by this we can see that sin is equated to religion as in chapter three of Genesis we find that God provides for mans covering by the use of the skin of an animal who gave its blood (death for life). We also find the promise of a redeemer to come in mans flesh to give his life for the many as the seed of woman in verse fifteen as the one who would bruise the serpents (venomous snake, ie...religion as a snake on a pole, to break cover, to lie) heads and the serpent would sting or bruise his heel (to step on liers, ie...to step on religion).
From here now we can begin to see why God had Moses to raise the cross with the brass serpent wrapped around its top as seen in: Numbers 21:8-9 "And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived." Now we have to remember also that Israel was in rebellion during this period of time as well. For they had lost their love of God just as Enoch and Jasher said they would and Deuteronomy also bears witness to these.
Remember that Jesus said, that He came for the lost sheep of Israel and that does NOT include the nations or what is referred to as gentiles or even the church. The lost sheep are and were just that, lost. Because they had broken the covenants, the Law and commandments, oracles, ordinances and regulations imposed on them by God. To teach them His ways and obedience to Him. They did not reform even with Moses, they remained stiff-necked and hardhearted because they like so many of our day did not know that they were full of the devil. They had his nature or character because they were sinners not because they sinned but because that was their nature from birth. For from the moment that Adam chose to eat of the fruit mankind was in sin, the every nature of Satan, they have his character. By his eating of the fruit he and all mankind became a son of Satan. That is why we're to receive the circumcision of the heart. The removal of that evil character and its related love of religion, self-sufficiency, which is darkness and death. Death because when understood it simply means to be separated from God. That is why those who die in that death state go instantly to the lake of fire and torment until the day of Judgment and then the second death. Which is eternal, eternally separated from God and His Love.
Here's what another book no longer in the Bible reveals about this: Now here's what Enoch says about the lost sheep of Jacobs lineage in chapter eighty-eight here Enoch sees this: there was scene a white cow, born to Noah's lineage, who was Abraham in type, who has a white cow and a wild ass born to him. Now we know that the wild ass is Ishmael and the white cow would then be Isaac. Now to Isaac is born a black wild sow, Esau and a white sheep, Jacob. Then it tells us that sheep brought forth twelve sheep and those are his sons. And that one of his sons would be delivered to the Ishmaelites, the wild asses, and these asses would deliver this sheep to the wolves ie..Egyptians.
Now what we need to understand is this not all the lost sheep were in the lower kingdom but they were in the upper kingdom as well. And that from the first captivity many were also scattered among the many nations surrounding Israel ie...the lower kingdom. Who's capital city was Jerusalem. As the harlot it suffered God's judgment because she rejected the offer of the New Covenant in Christ and was thusly destroyed in 70 AD as foretold by Daniel (chapter 9 and 12) and the other prophets.
God also tells us in Deuteronomy many things less known or understood like chapter 30 verse 6: "the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live." Now we can return to chapter 29 and verse 29: "The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law (now here the word law means teaching in the way one is to go in life)." We could look at all the things that were to come upon Israel if she remained in unbelief and hardheartedness but that would take allot of time and space. But suffice it that Paul says in Romans chapter eleven and verse 25 that God has given them over to a deceptive spirit to believe the lie (Rom 11:25 "For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.") now back to verses 7-8: "What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;[Duet. 29:4, Isaiah 6:9, Jeremiah 5:21 and then Ezekiel 12:2] unto this day." Notice He had to only give them a partial blindness. Why? Because they already had a stiffneckness of heart. For Paul goes on to say in verses 9-10: "David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them: Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway." Their table here relates to the religion of Judaism which was seen as a snare or trap and a stumbling block for them. Long before Jesus came on the scene and brings this to its head during His administration of Daniel's three and a half year period of chapter nine as seen in verses 24-27 but had there beginning up earlier therein.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Monday, January 28, 2013
The Epistle to the Hebrews part CCCXII
Hebrews 13:15a
"By him…"
Because of what he has done in that place of reproach, outside the city walls, where the religious community would have nothing to do with Him. Does that ring a bell? Most of Christendom today doesn’t want that much to do with the cross or the blood. They like a social gospel, a humanistic gospel, an evangelistic social humanism that goes beyond God's Gospel, and they don’t like the cross or the blood as these are an offense to them. They sure don’t want the blood, because it’s a place of reproach. For many its an offense to them. These people preach another gospel which sounds close but falls short of our Gospel or this Gospel which answers to God through Christ Jesus. The New Covenant of God's Grace wherein He has promised to do what no mere human could nor can do. Alright, but now then, because of the place of reproach at what He’s accomplished, now we can come back and offer a sacrifice of praise.
Hebrews 13:15
"By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name."
For goodness sakes, what are the lips a part of? Your body! I think you can rightfully tie these two portions together. If you want to live a life that is pleasing to God, a living of self-sacrifice, all you have to do is just use your lips in praise and thanksgiving and God will be pleased. I know He will. Alright, so we offer up the sacrifice of praise once a month? Once a quarter? No! "Continually," Every waking moment of our lives we should be just simply praising God in one way or another. That’s not asking a bit too much. There’s nothing He likes better than to have His children approach Him with praise and thanksgiving for what He’s done, or what He’s doing and for what He is. Do you see that? Now when you do that the next verse just naturally follows.
Hebrews 13:16
"But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."
Now, maybe that could entail some financial sacrifice to help someone in need. Maybe it would involve sacrificing some of your time and using it for the good of someone else. For example if we discover the secrets of God as He opens them up to us they become the blessing laid up as a inheritance for our children and grandchildren unto a thousand generations. They become the blessing that'll see them through and in many cases causes them to turn to God from the world of Satan. As heirs of God through our self-sacrifice. You can use your own inspiration for that. Now verse 17. He comes back to the same admonition that he had up there in verse 7. It’s almost a repetition.
Hebrews 13:17
"Obey them that have the rule over you, (now for the Hebrews this, of course, were the leadership of especially the Jerusalem church - Peter and the Eleven) and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you."
In other words, if you want to bring it into your own church situation, there’s certainly nothing that’s saying you can’t. But if you do, then that tells the whole story. What is the purpose of your church leadership? The welfare of the membership - for the person in the pew, for the young people and so forth, that they can become more spiritually minded and orientated. They're to know Him and learn of Him with point of becoming total dependent on the Holy Spirit. We as elders ie...ambassadors are required to teach the old path way, the revelation of the mysteries or secret things of God. For all are required to know Him and His Will. Sadly many of those who assume a roll or position of leadership don't have a clue of what are the mysteries or secret things of God. Many are only coping that which someone else had done thinking that it was right and good when in fact it was and is not. For all religions have their secrets and only those in positions of leadership know them or are suppose to. God through Christ wants us to know and understand all of His mysteries because we're to rightly divide the Word of Truth. And so always remember that these things all fit together. Now then, in the closing verses of Hebrews, verse 18 to the end. These are just simple requests from the Apostle.
Hebrews 13:18
"Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly."
Now you know the Apostle, especially in the Corinthian letters, emphasized the fact that he never brought them a perverted Gospel. a distorted or watered down Gospel such as we have to-day which is broadcasted on TV or radio and from the pulpits across this country. He brought them nothing but truth. He said, "I didn’t bring to you a perverted product." And remember, way back in Corinthians, we chased the word down in the Old Testament and what it really amounted to - he did not sell them wine that was watered down, 50-50, remember that? Alright, he’s saying the same thing. Paul never approached people with something that was less than honest and that was less than the truth and honorable in everything he said and did. Now verse 19.
Hebrews 13:19
"But I beseech you (or I beg of you) the rather to do this, (to pray for them) that I may be restored to you the sooner."
In other words, the more people would pray for him, the further he could get making his rounds of all the people with whom he had a part. Now verse 20:
Hebrews 13:20a
"Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus,…"
Now what does that tell you? Paul is always reminding us of the Gospel, that for salvation, you must believe in your heart that Jesus died for your sins, was buried and rose again and we where seen as being one with Him in all the finished work. All through his letters, over and over and over, we find this beautiful Gospel that was given only to him for us, the Church Age believer. Those who willingly welcome God and His Christ into their hearts by faith and then maintain a receptive heart wherein God undertakes to do as He has promised. And you know I had a gentleman say, when I saw the truth of all this, I started asking the people that I use to associate with in my church environment, "what is the Gospel? They didn’t know." Why? Because its become so watered down or changed into something that it was never designed for or to be.
Some even thought the whole Bible was the Gospel. Now the Bible contains the Gospel, but you can’t just say, "Well, believe the Bible and be saved." It’s absolutely ridiculous what people, who have been in church all their lives, can come up with and not even come close to the truth. So Paul just says the same thing, "that the Lord Jesus who was brought again to Life from the dead," which is the crowning point of our redemption and salvation. That great Shepherd of the sheep. Now there again, he’s talking using the Jewish language. Which no of our day and western culture understands at least properly that is. Just like the picture language that John used when he penned Revelation, it just throw's people for a loop.
I don’t set this in concrete and I don’t just get all shook up if people don’t agree with me, but if I understand the Scripture, you know that Gentiles were not referred to as sheep. It’s always the Hebrews. It was the Nation of Israel, to whom the 23rd Psalm is really speaking to. "The Lord is my shepherd…" The Lord Himself was always referring to the sheep and the shepherd. And when you get to the last sign miracle of John’s gospel and they’re having the fish on the fire and the Lord puts Peter on the spot and He says, "Peter, lovest thou me more than these?" I’m sure He was pointing to the fish. And Peter says, "Lord, thou knowest I love thee." Jesus then said, "Feed my sheep." And the Lord comes back again with "Peter, lovest thou me more than these?" And Peter answers again, "Lord you know I love you." And again Jesus says, "Feed my sheep." And the third time and every time it was the same answer, "Feed my sheep."
Isn’t it amazing that Peter, a man’s man, agreed to that with a handshake. You don’t know what I’m talking about do you? And I don’t expect you to know. Come back with me to Galatians. A gentleman’s handshake. You know what that involves? Honesty, integrity.
Galatians chapter 2; and remember the setting. Paul has been out ministering to Gentiles for about 15-18 years, but what’s been happening? The Judaizers who were from the Jerusalem church. Those who did not become true believers or Christians there. Are coming under his teaching and confusing the issue by telling Paul’s congregations that they had to keep the Law and practice circumcision and all that. (Acts 15:1-5) So here we come to this Jerusalem counsel to settle the question. And Paul is saying, "Stop having people come and tell my Gentile believers that they have to be circumcised and keep the Levitical Law." So they have this counsel and Peter and James and John finally see the light. I say, finally, because I think it took a long time. But anyway, now look what happens in chapter 2, and verse 8.
Galatians 2:8
"(For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, [or Israel, the Jews] the same [Lord] was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)"
Now here comes that gentleman’s handshake between Peter and Paul.
Galatians 2:9
"And when James, Cephas, (that is Peter) and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived (or discerned, understood) the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; (what does that mean? They shook hands! And what did they agree as they shook hands?) that we (Paul and Barnabas) should go unto the heathen, (or the Gentiles, the religious world) and they (Peter, James and John and rest of the apostles would go where?) unto the circumcision." (The religious Hebrews or the nation of Israel)
Now that was the gentleman’s agreement. You think Peter ever backed off of that? I don’t think so, because he was too much of a man. Now back to Hebrews chapter 13 again. So here we have the whole concept that these Hebrews are Christians and are under the control and headship of the chief shepherd. Now verse 21.
Hebrews 13:21a
"Make you perfect (in other words, get mature, complete) in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, (how?) through Jesus Christ;…"
Throughout this study we've endeavored to reveal the revelation of God's perfect Will or purpose, the one path way which is the doing of the word or revelation when heard with our spiritual ears and then seen with our spiritual eyes. The action that holds us riveted to God unchangeable and unshakable. Now what does Paul tell us in one of his other epistles? "I can do all things through Jesus Christ my Lord." So this is what he’s admonishing. This also tells us that Paul is writing to Hebrew-Christians not just Hebrews who are not yet sold out to Christ but rather those who are but were on the verge of apostasy or the turning of their backs on Him, the falling away from the Lord. Which is actually what has happened just as Revelation the first three chapters warns not to do just as Paul in the epistle has done as well.
Hebrews 13:21-23a
"Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever, Amen. And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words. Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty;…"
Now who would naturally call Timothy his brother? Paul. And so here’s another reason I feel Paul is the writer.
Hebrews 13:23-25
"Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you. Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints, They of Italy salute you. Grace be with you all. Amen."
And so we come to the end of the Epistle of Hebrews.
"By him…"
Because of what he has done in that place of reproach, outside the city walls, where the religious community would have nothing to do with Him. Does that ring a bell? Most of Christendom today doesn’t want that much to do with the cross or the blood. They like a social gospel, a humanistic gospel, an evangelistic social humanism that goes beyond God's Gospel, and they don’t like the cross or the blood as these are an offense to them. They sure don’t want the blood, because it’s a place of reproach. For many its an offense to them. These people preach another gospel which sounds close but falls short of our Gospel or this Gospel which answers to God through Christ Jesus. The New Covenant of God's Grace wherein He has promised to do what no mere human could nor can do. Alright, but now then, because of the place of reproach at what He’s accomplished, now we can come back and offer a sacrifice of praise.
Hebrews 13:15
"By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name."
For goodness sakes, what are the lips a part of? Your body! I think you can rightfully tie these two portions together. If you want to live a life that is pleasing to God, a living of self-sacrifice, all you have to do is just use your lips in praise and thanksgiving and God will be pleased. I know He will. Alright, so we offer up the sacrifice of praise once a month? Once a quarter? No! "Continually," Every waking moment of our lives we should be just simply praising God in one way or another. That’s not asking a bit too much. There’s nothing He likes better than to have His children approach Him with praise and thanksgiving for what He’s done, or what He’s doing and for what He is. Do you see that? Now when you do that the next verse just naturally follows.
Hebrews 13:16
"But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."
Now, maybe that could entail some financial sacrifice to help someone in need. Maybe it would involve sacrificing some of your time and using it for the good of someone else. For example if we discover the secrets of God as He opens them up to us they become the blessing laid up as a inheritance for our children and grandchildren unto a thousand generations. They become the blessing that'll see them through and in many cases causes them to turn to God from the world of Satan. As heirs of God through our self-sacrifice. You can use your own inspiration for that. Now verse 17. He comes back to the same admonition that he had up there in verse 7. It’s almost a repetition.
Hebrews 13:17
"Obey them that have the rule over you, (now for the Hebrews this, of course, were the leadership of especially the Jerusalem church - Peter and the Eleven) and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you."
In other words, if you want to bring it into your own church situation, there’s certainly nothing that’s saying you can’t. But if you do, then that tells the whole story. What is the purpose of your church leadership? The welfare of the membership - for the person in the pew, for the young people and so forth, that they can become more spiritually minded and orientated. They're to know Him and learn of Him with point of becoming total dependent on the Holy Spirit. We as elders ie...ambassadors are required to teach the old path way, the revelation of the mysteries or secret things of God. For all are required to know Him and His Will. Sadly many of those who assume a roll or position of leadership don't have a clue of what are the mysteries or secret things of God. Many are only coping that which someone else had done thinking that it was right and good when in fact it was and is not. For all religions have their secrets and only those in positions of leadership know them or are suppose to. God through Christ wants us to know and understand all of His mysteries because we're to rightly divide the Word of Truth. And so always remember that these things all fit together. Now then, in the closing verses of Hebrews, verse 18 to the end. These are just simple requests from the Apostle.
Hebrews 13:18
"Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly."
Now you know the Apostle, especially in the Corinthian letters, emphasized the fact that he never brought them a perverted Gospel. a distorted or watered down Gospel such as we have to-day which is broadcasted on TV or radio and from the pulpits across this country. He brought them nothing but truth. He said, "I didn’t bring to you a perverted product." And remember, way back in Corinthians, we chased the word down in the Old Testament and what it really amounted to - he did not sell them wine that was watered down, 50-50, remember that? Alright, he’s saying the same thing. Paul never approached people with something that was less than honest and that was less than the truth and honorable in everything he said and did. Now verse 19.
Hebrews 13:19
"But I beseech you (or I beg of you) the rather to do this, (to pray for them) that I may be restored to you the sooner."
In other words, the more people would pray for him, the further he could get making his rounds of all the people with whom he had a part. Now verse 20:
Hebrews 13:20a
"Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus,…"
Now what does that tell you? Paul is always reminding us of the Gospel, that for salvation, you must believe in your heart that Jesus died for your sins, was buried and rose again and we where seen as being one with Him in all the finished work. All through his letters, over and over and over, we find this beautiful Gospel that was given only to him for us, the Church Age believer. Those who willingly welcome God and His Christ into their hearts by faith and then maintain a receptive heart wherein God undertakes to do as He has promised. And you know I had a gentleman say, when I saw the truth of all this, I started asking the people that I use to associate with in my church environment, "what is the Gospel? They didn’t know." Why? Because its become so watered down or changed into something that it was never designed for or to be.
Some even thought the whole Bible was the Gospel. Now the Bible contains the Gospel, but you can’t just say, "Well, believe the Bible and be saved." It’s absolutely ridiculous what people, who have been in church all their lives, can come up with and not even come close to the truth. So Paul just says the same thing, "that the Lord Jesus who was brought again to Life from the dead," which is the crowning point of our redemption and salvation. That great Shepherd of the sheep. Now there again, he’s talking using the Jewish language. Which no of our day and western culture understands at least properly that is. Just like the picture language that John used when he penned Revelation, it just throw's people for a loop.
I don’t set this in concrete and I don’t just get all shook up if people don’t agree with me, but if I understand the Scripture, you know that Gentiles were not referred to as sheep. It’s always the Hebrews. It was the Nation of Israel, to whom the 23rd Psalm is really speaking to. "The Lord is my shepherd…" The Lord Himself was always referring to the sheep and the shepherd. And when you get to the last sign miracle of John’s gospel and they’re having the fish on the fire and the Lord puts Peter on the spot and He says, "Peter, lovest thou me more than these?" I’m sure He was pointing to the fish. And Peter says, "Lord, thou knowest I love thee." Jesus then said, "Feed my sheep." And the Lord comes back again with "Peter, lovest thou me more than these?" And Peter answers again, "Lord you know I love you." And again Jesus says, "Feed my sheep." And the third time and every time it was the same answer, "Feed my sheep."
Isn’t it amazing that Peter, a man’s man, agreed to that with a handshake. You don’t know what I’m talking about do you? And I don’t expect you to know. Come back with me to Galatians. A gentleman’s handshake. You know what that involves? Honesty, integrity.
Galatians chapter 2; and remember the setting. Paul has been out ministering to Gentiles for about 15-18 years, but what’s been happening? The Judaizers who were from the Jerusalem church. Those who did not become true believers or Christians there. Are coming under his teaching and confusing the issue by telling Paul’s congregations that they had to keep the Law and practice circumcision and all that. (Acts 15:1-5) So here we come to this Jerusalem counsel to settle the question. And Paul is saying, "Stop having people come and tell my Gentile believers that they have to be circumcised and keep the Levitical Law." So they have this counsel and Peter and James and John finally see the light. I say, finally, because I think it took a long time. But anyway, now look what happens in chapter 2, and verse 8.
Galatians 2:8
"(For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, [or Israel, the Jews] the same [Lord] was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)"
Now here comes that gentleman’s handshake between Peter and Paul.
Galatians 2:9
"And when James, Cephas, (that is Peter) and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived (or discerned, understood) the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; (what does that mean? They shook hands! And what did they agree as they shook hands?) that we (Paul and Barnabas) should go unto the heathen, (or the Gentiles, the religious world) and they (Peter, James and John and rest of the apostles would go where?) unto the circumcision." (The religious Hebrews or the nation of Israel)
Now that was the gentleman’s agreement. You think Peter ever backed off of that? I don’t think so, because he was too much of a man. Now back to Hebrews chapter 13 again. So here we have the whole concept that these Hebrews are Christians and are under the control and headship of the chief shepherd. Now verse 21.
Hebrews 13:21a
"Make you perfect (in other words, get mature, complete) in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, (how?) through Jesus Christ;…"
Throughout this study we've endeavored to reveal the revelation of God's perfect Will or purpose, the one path way which is the doing of the word or revelation when heard with our spiritual ears and then seen with our spiritual eyes. The action that holds us riveted to God unchangeable and unshakable. Now what does Paul tell us in one of his other epistles? "I can do all things through Jesus Christ my Lord." So this is what he’s admonishing. This also tells us that Paul is writing to Hebrew-Christians not just Hebrews who are not yet sold out to Christ but rather those who are but were on the verge of apostasy or the turning of their backs on Him, the falling away from the Lord. Which is actually what has happened just as Revelation the first three chapters warns not to do just as Paul in the epistle has done as well.
Hebrews 13:21-23a
"Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever, Amen. And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words. Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty;…"
Now who would naturally call Timothy his brother? Paul. And so here’s another reason I feel Paul is the writer.
Hebrews 13:23-25
"Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you. Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints, They of Italy salute you. Grace be with you all. Amen."
And so we come to the end of the Epistle of Hebrews.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
The Epistle to the Hebrews part CCCXI
Now picking back up where we were in yesterdays post.
II Corinthians 5:20a
"Now then we are ambassadors for Christ,…"
To be an ambassador, or elder as the ones who are His witnesses because if our citizenship is in heaven and we’re here on this earth, where are we? Well, we’re in a foreign territory. If we’re a citizen of one country an are representing that country in a foreign area, what do we have to be? An ambassador, an elder, a witness. We are to be a reflection of our homeland, at least we’re supposed to be. We're to exhibit God's Character through Christ, no long Satan's. We've been separated from the world, just as Israel was separated from Egypt and was to be holy into God. Remember that He told them to 'be holy as I am Holy'. This is repeated in 2 Corinthians 6:17 as we've shared elsewhere.
Alright and so the Apostle Paul is bringing it out that when we identify ourselves with the death and reproach that was the cross. The world knows that now because we’re identified in His death, burial and resurrection; that we’re different, that we’re not like they are and hopefully that they can see we’re different in a better vein. But see this is what I think gets to be such a reproach to the Lord - so many Christians are not good ambassadors, elders or witnesses, they’re anything but. They are a bad reflection. This is a result of remaining in religion and doing the religious thing be they what they are. Unless one has gone through the experience of a crucifixion and the cutting away of the dead flesh of sin from the heart they can not be a witness of its effects both on them and in them. If one has not been in the scene of a crime they can not be a witness to that crime and if they give testimony to a crime without actually being in it their testimony if false. This is what Saul of Tarsus and then those who had received Christ on the day of Pentecost as the Holy Spirit, experienced and was then witness of and too. This experience though copied to some degree by Satan within religion can not actually be lived out by those who have gone through the counterfeit, they remain frustrated and perplexed. Many may get lost in rabbit trails seeking and searching for what they don't know. Why, because they remain among the unbelieving and lost within religions shield of deception. Just as the early Hebrew children did after coming out from among them. They wondered through the wilderness of sin ie...Sinai and desired it more than the light of God.
In fact, whenever I speak of our being an ambassador I’m always reminded of the title "The Ugly American." We heard this while serving in Southeast Asia, they called us ugly Americans. We could write the samething of many who call themselves Christians. Ugly Christians are Christians who are a bad reflection of their homeland in heaven. They just don't have the change of character that they through the Holy Spirit are to reflect as He imparts God's character both in and then through us. They are not what they've labeled themselves to be.
So here we are to identify with the reproach of the cross, not a place of something beautiful. It’s the place that becomes glorious when He overcomes all this with His resurrection power. But the cross itself was a thing of reproach. It was God’s wrath being poured out for sinful, religious mankind, on God the Son. Now verse 15.
Hebrews 13:15
"By him (in other words, because of what Christ has done for us in the horrors of the cross) therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our (what?) lips giving thanks to his name."
Now that’s the kind of sacrifice God is looking for. The fruit of our lips, giving thanks to Him continually. Saying Yes Lord Yes! And Holy Holy Holy is Your name! We join the angels exclaiming His righteousness. Not as the worlds church does with banners and dancing as is the custom and manner of some. But with shouts of thanksgiving and praise. Now I think I made a comment - there is nothing that God demands more or appreciates more from the life of a believer than, what? Thanksgiving. If you’re not living a life of thanksgiving, don’t expect God’s blessings, because God has every right for a believer to just constantly be thankful. Whenever I think of this, a verse just comes, I have to think of Romans 12.Come back with me to Romans chapter 12, and I think this will make sense. Here Paul writes to us as blood-bought believers.
Romans 12:1
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies (your flesh and blood body as being hung on the tree) a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."
Now we normally think of a sacrifice as something that what? Gives up its life. But Paul isn’t talking about us going out and laying down our lives and all that. But we are to be "a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." In other words, it isn’t something that God is being unreasonable about. This is something that every believer should be able to do without any problem whatsoever, and that is to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto Him. That is the Will of God and the purpose of Him who came as the seed of man. Now, keep that thought as you come back again the Hebrews chapter 13, and see why I make the connection. Verse 15 again:
Hebrews 13:15-16 "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."
II Corinthians 5:20a
"Now then we are ambassadors for Christ,…"
To be an ambassador, or elder as the ones who are His witnesses because if our citizenship is in heaven and we’re here on this earth, where are we? Well, we’re in a foreign territory. If we’re a citizen of one country an are representing that country in a foreign area, what do we have to be? An ambassador, an elder, a witness. We are to be a reflection of our homeland, at least we’re supposed to be. We're to exhibit God's Character through Christ, no long Satan's. We've been separated from the world, just as Israel was separated from Egypt and was to be holy into God. Remember that He told them to 'be holy as I am Holy'. This is repeated in 2 Corinthians 6:17 as we've shared elsewhere.
Alright and so the Apostle Paul is bringing it out that when we identify ourselves with the death and reproach that was the cross. The world knows that now because we’re identified in His death, burial and resurrection; that we’re different, that we’re not like they are and hopefully that they can see we’re different in a better vein. But see this is what I think gets to be such a reproach to the Lord - so many Christians are not good ambassadors, elders or witnesses, they’re anything but. They are a bad reflection. This is a result of remaining in religion and doing the religious thing be they what they are. Unless one has gone through the experience of a crucifixion and the cutting away of the dead flesh of sin from the heart they can not be a witness of its effects both on them and in them. If one has not been in the scene of a crime they can not be a witness to that crime and if they give testimony to a crime without actually being in it their testimony if false. This is what Saul of Tarsus and then those who had received Christ on the day of Pentecost as the Holy Spirit, experienced and was then witness of and too. This experience though copied to some degree by Satan within religion can not actually be lived out by those who have gone through the counterfeit, they remain frustrated and perplexed. Many may get lost in rabbit trails seeking and searching for what they don't know. Why, because they remain among the unbelieving and lost within religions shield of deception. Just as the early Hebrew children did after coming out from among them. They wondered through the wilderness of sin ie...Sinai and desired it more than the light of God.
In fact, whenever I speak of our being an ambassador I’m always reminded of the title "The Ugly American." We heard this while serving in Southeast Asia, they called us ugly Americans. We could write the samething of many who call themselves Christians. Ugly Christians are Christians who are a bad reflection of their homeland in heaven. They just don't have the change of character that they through the Holy Spirit are to reflect as He imparts God's character both in and then through us. They are not what they've labeled themselves to be.
So here we are to identify with the reproach of the cross, not a place of something beautiful. It’s the place that becomes glorious when He overcomes all this with His resurrection power. But the cross itself was a thing of reproach. It was God’s wrath being poured out for sinful, religious mankind, on God the Son. Now verse 15.
Hebrews 13:15
"By him (in other words, because of what Christ has done for us in the horrors of the cross) therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our (what?) lips giving thanks to his name."
Now that’s the kind of sacrifice God is looking for. The fruit of our lips, giving thanks to Him continually. Saying Yes Lord Yes! And Holy Holy Holy is Your name! We join the angels exclaiming His righteousness. Not as the worlds church does with banners and dancing as is the custom and manner of some. But with shouts of thanksgiving and praise. Now I think I made a comment - there is nothing that God demands more or appreciates more from the life of a believer than, what? Thanksgiving. If you’re not living a life of thanksgiving, don’t expect God’s blessings, because God has every right for a believer to just constantly be thankful. Whenever I think of this, a verse just comes, I have to think of Romans 12.Come back with me to Romans chapter 12, and I think this will make sense. Here Paul writes to us as blood-bought believers.
Romans 12:1
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies (your flesh and blood body as being hung on the tree) a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."
Now we normally think of a sacrifice as something that what? Gives up its life. But Paul isn’t talking about us going out and laying down our lives and all that. But we are to be "a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." In other words, it isn’t something that God is being unreasonable about. This is something that every believer should be able to do without any problem whatsoever, and that is to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto Him. That is the Will of God and the purpose of Him who came as the seed of man. Now, keep that thought as you come back again the Hebrews chapter 13, and see why I make the connection. Verse 15 again:
Hebrews 13:15-16 "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."
Saturday, January 26, 2013
The Epistle to the Hebrews part CCCX
Hebrews 13:13
"Let us (now then as believers) go forth therefore unto him without (or outside where we'll become the reproached because of our trusting of Christ, that is to say our faith is in Christ and God alone) the camp, (or outside the city walls) bearing his reproach."
Before we continue allow me to take you to 1 Peter 4:14 to hear what Peter has to say about this “bearing of His reproach”. As many in religion or the religious world don't want to hear about our having anything to do with reproach or of suffering for our faith in God and His Christ. Religion wants nothing to do with God's way but all to do with the easy gospel of the broad way or as Paul calls it "the other gospel" which Jesus said would lead them to destruction and so it shall in His time not ours. As we sit under God during the enigma of the interim between the first and second coming of God's judgment and Christ's return. Remember that we're to be a living witness of God in Christ's activities within us as Christocentric ones. Set apart from the world, a house of God's occupation, by faith. Now 1 Peter 4:14 and we'll pick it up at verse 10-18 to get the flow:
“As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. (14) If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?”
Now have you noticed that I did not interject any thought or opinion here because I choose to allow the scripture speak for itself, it is plain as can be.
Now, present day Christendom has almost glorified the cross, haven’t they? They’ve glorified it. They’ve all but taken away the enigma and the shame and the reproach of the cross. But oh, it was a place of horrible shame and reproach. All the sin (Religion) of the world, all the filth of mankind’s sin was laid on Christ as He hung on that cross, and we are to comprehend it. For mans religion was judged there as well. How you may ask, 'was our forms of religion there judged.' Through the hands of those who laid theirs on Jesus. Yes, the Hebrews ie...Judaism as its leadership and then the Romans or gentiles as they judged Him who is the righteous one as guilty of their own sin nature and its related religion. There isn’t a man alive that can understand all that took place at that cross. You and I can comprehend it by the spirit only. When God reckoned all the sin and religions of mankind as having been placed on the sin-bearer. We're to be part of that reproach, we share in it and receive the benefits of it as our allotment. By the cutting way of the flesh of the evil heart in which ie...sin and religion were imposed on us at the moment of disobedience or rebellion by Adam and woman. Where we acquired the sin or evil character of the evil one and became son's or children of Satan.
Now listen, we only have a vague notion of sin and religion, for we can’t fathom the depths of it like God does. And yet, He laid it all on Christ, and so it became a place of horrible, horrible reproach. Nothing glamorous about it whatsoever, nothing. And yet it’s in that place of reproach that God poured out, not only His wrath, but also His what? Mercy! See, that’s why I maintain it’s no longer mandatory for us to pray the so called "sinners prayer – God be merciful to me a sinner." Hey, that’s already done. Why ask for something that’s done? It becomes ridiculous. God poured out His mercy on the instrument of destruction. All of heaven’s mercy was poured out to compensate for the wrath of God; and for us to come back and say, "Oh God, be merciful to me." Hey, it’s ridiculous, it’s already done. But that is the way of religion, it denies God His due. And so we say, if you’re going to cry out for mercy, then you’re telling God, He didn’t, but yes He did. So His mercy has already been accomplished and so there is the admonition, the unbelief, the lawlessness which is religion in practice. That is why Christ revealed mans number as 6-6-6 in Revelation as there are many anti-christ's in the world as there are many denominations, cults, and other forms of religion. But only one that stands out as an inter personal relationship between God and man through Christ Jesus. Now then in verse 13 again, so "let us go out and bear that reproach that He bore."
Christianity has never been popular; you know that. From the very onset of Paul’s apostleship it was almost a guaranteed step leading to persecution. Can you comprehend that, as I go back and look at Paul’s early believers who came out of paganism and the religion of Judaism with all of there lust and all of its sexuality and all of its immorality, they turned their back on all of that and stepped into God’s saving Grace; but at the same time, they stepped right into the jaws of persecution. For those stuck in or by religion have carried on a warfare against the knowledge of God in Christ unbeknown to them. It’s amazing that they, the early Hebrew-Christians and Gentile-Christians withstood it. The Thessalonians were the epitome of all that, and that’s why Paul wrote to them first - that they were withstanding the pressures of persecution as new believers, as Christ-ones. Now most of us have been raised up in it, we’ve been told that we're Christians all our life and so we've been led to believe. But if persecution comes, I imagine most of us will be able to withstand it. Or can we? If we have NOT the Son we are none of His, if we have NOT the witness of Christ in us, I don’t think all of us would, but allot of us can. But even for us, it’s something we don’t like to think about. But in the early days of Christianity, it was a guaranteed step out of that which held them, religion, into persecution. It was a place of reproach. How many believers today would be willing to do that? Very few. Why? Because they've not believed nor received Him, they've followed the doctrines of men in the many forms of religion and not learned of Him or sought Him for who He is. Now verse 14.
Hebrews 13:14a
"For here (in this earth, in this life) have we no continuing city,…"
We’re just here for a little while, we’re just passing through; we’re strangers. We’re not even citizens of this planet or the world order ie...governments and religions. I just happened to hear them (the news stations) quote our president, and he claimed to be a citizen of this world. Well, so be it, but I’m glad I’m not in his shoes. I’m not a citizen of this world. The Bible says, I’m a citizen of heaven, and every true believer is. Our citizenship, Paul says, is already in heaven. Paul said, that we're already seated with Christ in the heavens of heavens.[paraphrased] So we can’t be looking for a continuing city on this earth. Now Abraham didn't, we saw that back in chapter 11. Abraham looked for a city whose builder and maker is God. Enoch visited it and described it as one of his visions in agreement with John's Revelation account.
Abraham was of both the earthly and spiritual (which he with his son's saw as in a shadowy type of which they could not speak) promises, and yet he will yet one day experience those promises. As he and those of the first resurrection [early harvest] or those of the captivity were taken into heaven by Christ as shown elsewhere in this study. But for us, our citizenship is in heaven which is the city which even he looked for and his sons and those who went before him. We’re looking for that which is heavenly. Where our citizenship is and we’re just strangers here. You remember, I always use something different instead of the Great Commission (going out into all the world and baptizing people). I like the one a lot better that Paul gives in II Corinthians 5:20. What is it?
2Corithians 5:20-21
"Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
Why is this so? Because of this:
2Corithians 5:14-19
"For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we Him no more.
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their (our) trespasses unto them (us); and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation."
"Let us (now then as believers) go forth therefore unto him without (or outside where we'll become the reproached because of our trusting of Christ, that is to say our faith is in Christ and God alone) the camp, (or outside the city walls) bearing his reproach."
Before we continue allow me to take you to 1 Peter 4:14 to hear what Peter has to say about this “bearing of His reproach”. As many in religion or the religious world don't want to hear about our having anything to do with reproach or of suffering for our faith in God and His Christ. Religion wants nothing to do with God's way but all to do with the easy gospel of the broad way or as Paul calls it "the other gospel" which Jesus said would lead them to destruction and so it shall in His time not ours. As we sit under God during the enigma of the interim between the first and second coming of God's judgment and Christ's return. Remember that we're to be a living witness of God in Christ's activities within us as Christocentric ones. Set apart from the world, a house of God's occupation, by faith. Now 1 Peter 4:14 and we'll pick it up at verse 10-18 to get the flow:
“As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. (14) If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?”
Now have you noticed that I did not interject any thought or opinion here because I choose to allow the scripture speak for itself, it is plain as can be.
Now, present day Christendom has almost glorified the cross, haven’t they? They’ve glorified it. They’ve all but taken away the enigma and the shame and the reproach of the cross. But oh, it was a place of horrible shame and reproach. All the sin (Religion) of the world, all the filth of mankind’s sin was laid on Christ as He hung on that cross, and we are to comprehend it. For mans religion was judged there as well. How you may ask, 'was our forms of religion there judged.' Through the hands of those who laid theirs on Jesus. Yes, the Hebrews ie...Judaism as its leadership and then the Romans or gentiles as they judged Him who is the righteous one as guilty of their own sin nature and its related religion. There isn’t a man alive that can understand all that took place at that cross. You and I can comprehend it by the spirit only. When God reckoned all the sin and religions of mankind as having been placed on the sin-bearer. We're to be part of that reproach, we share in it and receive the benefits of it as our allotment. By the cutting way of the flesh of the evil heart in which ie...sin and religion were imposed on us at the moment of disobedience or rebellion by Adam and woman. Where we acquired the sin or evil character of the evil one and became son's or children of Satan.
Now listen, we only have a vague notion of sin and religion, for we can’t fathom the depths of it like God does. And yet, He laid it all on Christ, and so it became a place of horrible, horrible reproach. Nothing glamorous about it whatsoever, nothing. And yet it’s in that place of reproach that God poured out, not only His wrath, but also His what? Mercy! See, that’s why I maintain it’s no longer mandatory for us to pray the so called "sinners prayer – God be merciful to me a sinner." Hey, that’s already done. Why ask for something that’s done? It becomes ridiculous. God poured out His mercy on the instrument of destruction. All of heaven’s mercy was poured out to compensate for the wrath of God; and for us to come back and say, "Oh God, be merciful to me." Hey, it’s ridiculous, it’s already done. But that is the way of religion, it denies God His due. And so we say, if you’re going to cry out for mercy, then you’re telling God, He didn’t, but yes He did. So His mercy has already been accomplished and so there is the admonition, the unbelief, the lawlessness which is religion in practice. That is why Christ revealed mans number as 6-6-6 in Revelation as there are many anti-christ's in the world as there are many denominations, cults, and other forms of religion. But only one that stands out as an inter personal relationship between God and man through Christ Jesus. Now then in verse 13 again, so "let us go out and bear that reproach that He bore."
Christianity has never been popular; you know that. From the very onset of Paul’s apostleship it was almost a guaranteed step leading to persecution. Can you comprehend that, as I go back and look at Paul’s early believers who came out of paganism and the religion of Judaism with all of there lust and all of its sexuality and all of its immorality, they turned their back on all of that and stepped into God’s saving Grace; but at the same time, they stepped right into the jaws of persecution. For those stuck in or by religion have carried on a warfare against the knowledge of God in Christ unbeknown to them. It’s amazing that they, the early Hebrew-Christians and Gentile-Christians withstood it. The Thessalonians were the epitome of all that, and that’s why Paul wrote to them first - that they were withstanding the pressures of persecution as new believers, as Christ-ones. Now most of us have been raised up in it, we’ve been told that we're Christians all our life and so we've been led to believe. But if persecution comes, I imagine most of us will be able to withstand it. Or can we? If we have NOT the Son we are none of His, if we have NOT the witness of Christ in us, I don’t think all of us would, but allot of us can. But even for us, it’s something we don’t like to think about. But in the early days of Christianity, it was a guaranteed step out of that which held them, religion, into persecution. It was a place of reproach. How many believers today would be willing to do that? Very few. Why? Because they've not believed nor received Him, they've followed the doctrines of men in the many forms of religion and not learned of Him or sought Him for who He is. Now verse 14.
Hebrews 13:14a
"For here (in this earth, in this life) have we no continuing city,…"
We’re just here for a little while, we’re just passing through; we’re strangers. We’re not even citizens of this planet or the world order ie...governments and religions. I just happened to hear them (the news stations) quote our president, and he claimed to be a citizen of this world. Well, so be it, but I’m glad I’m not in his shoes. I’m not a citizen of this world. The Bible says, I’m a citizen of heaven, and every true believer is. Our citizenship, Paul says, is already in heaven. Paul said, that we're already seated with Christ in the heavens of heavens.[paraphrased] So we can’t be looking for a continuing city on this earth. Now Abraham didn't, we saw that back in chapter 11. Abraham looked for a city whose builder and maker is God. Enoch visited it and described it as one of his visions in agreement with John's Revelation account.
Abraham was of both the earthly and spiritual (which he with his son's saw as in a shadowy type of which they could not speak) promises, and yet he will yet one day experience those promises. As he and those of the first resurrection [early harvest] or those of the captivity were taken into heaven by Christ as shown elsewhere in this study. But for us, our citizenship is in heaven which is the city which even he looked for and his sons and those who went before him. We’re looking for that which is heavenly. Where our citizenship is and we’re just strangers here. You remember, I always use something different instead of the Great Commission (going out into all the world and baptizing people). I like the one a lot better that Paul gives in II Corinthians 5:20. What is it?
2Corithians 5:20-21
"Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
Why is this so? Because of this:
2Corithians 5:14-19
"For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we Him no more.
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their (our) trespasses unto them (us); and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation."
Friday, January 25, 2013
The Epistle to the Hebrews part CCCIX
Before we move on I must add the following to what has already been shared dealing with Hebrews 13:10 which states this: “We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.“ Just where to start I'm not sure of but anyway here goes. I'm doing this because while waiting for someone who had called with a need for help, I started thinking on what the Lord has shown in our study earlier yesterday. So I went back to examine the material covered when I found the following. First our altar is not of this world nor is or was it made with human hands. This will become more plane as we move through the scriptures that follow. So first we'll look at a few words with the aid of the Strong's and Thayer's Greek Dictionaries which say this about altar G2379 : “metaphorically, the cross on which Christ suffered an expiatory death: to eat of this altar, i.e. to appropriate to one’s self the fruits of Christ’s expiatory death.” Then the word tabernacle which taken from both the Thayer and the Strong's Greek Dictionaries say G4633 this: from a root of G4639 which is a shadow of something ie...adumbration, a sketchy outline, foreshadow, prefigure, presage; and G4632 which is a vessel, metaphorically: a man of quality, a chosen instrument, specifically a wife as contributing to the usefulness of the husband.
With all that said lets look at what scripture says. To begin turn to Revelation chapter 21 verse 3: John here is speaking: 'I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.' (Leviticus 26:11; Jeremiah 31:33) and this in turn references chapter 7 verses 14-17:
“I (John) said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation (the enigma of the interim in which we now live, the period between His first and second coming), and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.”
Now turning to Colossians chapter 2 verse 11 but to get the flow we'll start with verse 9 and go through 17:
“For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the Head of all principality and power: (11) In Whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ (this is what takes place on the cross when the flesh or heart of natural man, the man of sin, is pealed back or away to destroy the flesh in which the ontological essence of Satan or evil, sin dwells and then God gives us a heart of new flesh in which He by His ontological essence in Christ now indwells us): Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”
For Paul says this in 2 Corinthians chapter 6 verse 16 but again to get the full flow we'll pick it up in verse 14 and go through 18 as this is key to remaining in the Spirit and our walking by the Spirit:
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? [Are we getting the picture as Paul is painting it here? What fellowship has God with Religion or what concord has Christ with Religion? NONE is the correct answer. Now] (16) And what agreement hath the temple (our hearts by faith as revealed in Revelation 21:3 above) of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean (the religions and governments of man) thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”
I have tried as I may not to say too much through the above scriptures but allow them to speak for themselves. Now on with our Hebrews study.
Hebrews 13:11
"For the bodies of those beasts, (those sacrificial animals) whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, (now that of course was a reference to the Day of Atonement) are burned without (or outside) the camp."
Now the same here is a reference to the city of Jerusalem as “without the camp”. And even in the Temple worship those beasts’ bodies were not burned there in the Temple complex, they were taken outside the city walls. Just as Jesus, our passover, was taken outside the city walls to be crucified on our alter, as both the lamb of sacrifice and the scape goat which carried the sins into the wilderness. This helps to tie all the above scriptures together. For all forms of Religion and especially that of Judaism were judged outside the camp as the sins laid on Christ in His vicarious death portrays. Along with verse 12.
Hebrews 13:12
"Wherefore (wherefore since even the sacrificial animals for the Day of Atonement had to be burned outside the city wall) Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, (in other words, His work of the cross, His death, His shed blood, He too) suffered (where?) without (or outside) the gate."
In other words, the Hebrews would have never agreed to have such a horrible spectacle as the crucifixion take place inside their hallowed grounds. So they made sure that the Romans carried out the crucifixion outside the city walls. Alright so it was all in a fulfillment of God’s divine purposes, so Christ also, you see, suffered outside the city walls. All this was prophesied and is in fulfillment of those prophecies. Which fulfills all righteousness and the requirements of the Law now made a religion by the priesthood. Not by God for God told them that they had broken and defiled that which was meant for their good through His prophets.
In his Commentary on the Gospels, James A. Fowler reveals the contrast between Christ and the Religionist's of His day. This is brought out in vivid detail in chapters twelve through fourteen and could be titled Jesus Confronts Religion. We have the link to his web site posted in our link section on this page. He reveals quite will the conflict between the religionists ie...scribes, Pharisee's and Sadducee's and then the nationalist and militant of Jesus' day.
Hebrews 13:13
"Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach."
With all that said lets look at what scripture says. To begin turn to Revelation chapter 21 verse 3: John here is speaking: 'I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.' (Leviticus 26:11; Jeremiah 31:33) and this in turn references chapter 7 verses 14-17:
“I (John) said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation (the enigma of the interim in which we now live, the period between His first and second coming), and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.”
Now turning to Colossians chapter 2 verse 11 but to get the flow we'll start with verse 9 and go through 17:
“For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the Head of all principality and power: (11) In Whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ (this is what takes place on the cross when the flesh or heart of natural man, the man of sin, is pealed back or away to destroy the flesh in which the ontological essence of Satan or evil, sin dwells and then God gives us a heart of new flesh in which He by His ontological essence in Christ now indwells us): Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”
For Paul says this in 2 Corinthians chapter 6 verse 16 but again to get the full flow we'll pick it up in verse 14 and go through 18 as this is key to remaining in the Spirit and our walking by the Spirit:
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? [Are we getting the picture as Paul is painting it here? What fellowship has God with Religion or what concord has Christ with Religion? NONE is the correct answer. Now] (16) And what agreement hath the temple (our hearts by faith as revealed in Revelation 21:3 above) of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean (the religions and governments of man) thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”
I have tried as I may not to say too much through the above scriptures but allow them to speak for themselves. Now on with our Hebrews study.
Hebrews 13:11
"For the bodies of those beasts, (those sacrificial animals) whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, (now that of course was a reference to the Day of Atonement) are burned without (or outside) the camp."
Now the same here is a reference to the city of Jerusalem as “without the camp”. And even in the Temple worship those beasts’ bodies were not burned there in the Temple complex, they were taken outside the city walls. Just as Jesus, our passover, was taken outside the city walls to be crucified on our alter, as both the lamb of sacrifice and the scape goat which carried the sins into the wilderness. This helps to tie all the above scriptures together. For all forms of Religion and especially that of Judaism were judged outside the camp as the sins laid on Christ in His vicarious death portrays. Along with verse 12.
Hebrews 13:12
"Wherefore (wherefore since even the sacrificial animals for the Day of Atonement had to be burned outside the city wall) Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, (in other words, His work of the cross, His death, His shed blood, He too) suffered (where?) without (or outside) the gate."
In other words, the Hebrews would have never agreed to have such a horrible spectacle as the crucifixion take place inside their hallowed grounds. So they made sure that the Romans carried out the crucifixion outside the city walls. Alright so it was all in a fulfillment of God’s divine purposes, so Christ also, you see, suffered outside the city walls. All this was prophesied and is in fulfillment of those prophecies. Which fulfills all righteousness and the requirements of the Law now made a religion by the priesthood. Not by God for God told them that they had broken and defiled that which was meant for their good through His prophets.
In his Commentary on the Gospels, James A. Fowler reveals the contrast between Christ and the Religionist's of His day. This is brought out in vivid detail in chapters twelve through fourteen and could be titled Jesus Confronts Religion. We have the link to his web site posted in our link section on this page. He reveals quite will the conflict between the religionists ie...scribes, Pharisee's and Sadducee's and then the nationalist and militant of Jesus' day.
Hebrews 13:13
"Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach."
Thursday, January 24, 2013
The Epistle to the Hebrews part CCCVIII
Hebrews 13:9a
"Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines…."
Hey, I surf the Internet. I know what’s out there, and hear it from every direction. Do you realize that you can pick and choose everything from soup to nuts in the realm of spiritual things off the Internet - let alone in the book stores and TV? And what’s it doing? It’s confusing the issue. People don’t know what to believe. I told a fellow a while back after he asked a couple of questions and I said, "Look, you people are getting pied pipered." Oh, he asked back, "What do you mean by that?" Evidently he didn’t go to the same school as a kid that I did. You all remember the story of the pied piper don’t you? Well, he played the flute and the rats, yes, the rat that it said, "Followed him into the river." That’s exactly what the human race is doing today. You've got pied pipers piping the tune and people are just following them to their doom in what is known as religion. And the Scripture is so plain, "Don’t be led away with every strange doctrine," but get rooted in the Word of God. For God is NOT found in any form of mans religion. Why? Because who is the hidden ruler of man? None other than the spirit of this presence darkness, the spirit of the world, the prince of the powers of the air, ie...Satan, and darkness or religion are his realm of deception. Man became Satan's puppet when Adam ate of the fruit when God ontological essence within Adam died and became separated of God and the ontological essence of Satan's spirit moved in as a strong man. And therefore His activities through his religion has hindered and blocked God for hundreds if not thousands of years. Of mankind's history. For this is the teaching of John's Revelation.
Hebrews 13:9
"Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. (teachings, that’s the other word for doctrine) For it is a good thing that the heart be established with (not the Levitical Law but with what?) grace; (the freedom, the liberty, the benefits of our benefactor, the activity of God doing what only God is able and wants to do) not with meats, (or foods, this is not as supposed for when seen in the way Paul has been relating things this has to do with religious customs, rites and traditions of Israel's law) which have not profited them that have been occupied therein."
What is Paul saying? Hey when you’re under Grace, you’re not under a set of rules and regulations of religion in how to approach God with this particular sacrifice or how to be in the Temple at this particular day and hour and so forth. We’re set free from all that religiousness. We now have free access into the throne room, any moment of any day. And we point out to people every once in awhile that back there in the Book of Acts, the disciples went up to the Temple to pray about the 9th hour. Why? Because for them it was a stipulated hour of prayer under the Levitical Law and their religious custom or tradition as a habit. Or as Paul has said elsewhere, "as is the habit of some" (paraphrased). Here he is relating back to chapter 9 verses 9-10 and Deuteronomy 14:3-21; Romans 14:17 and 1 Corinthians 8:8, Colossians 2:16-20; Titus 1:14-15. Now in the next verse we need to have our ears open and our eyes opened to hear what the Spirit through Paul is saying clearly. Listen to God's voice closely and with much attention.
Hebrews 13:10
"We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle (or meaning the Temple)."
In other words, those still under the Levitical Law in all it's religious form. Now don’t forget, and we mentioned this before, that while Paul is writing this, the Temple in Jerusalem is still going. It won’t be destroyed for another several years. Now we don’t know exactly when Hebrews was written, some have estimated in about 65 AD and the Temple wasn’t destroyed until 70 AD. So never forget that the Temple is still going while our New Testament is being written.
In fact, I think I made mention of it in one of the earlier parts of our Hebrews study; that wasn’t it amazing that God didn’t permit any of the other empires or even the Romans to destroy the Temple until Paul and Peter's epistles were completed. Because, after all, until Paul’s epistles were completed, and the Age of Grace was now made available, the Temple was necessary. It was the only approach to God. But now with the Age of Grace opened up and Paul’s epistles finished, God could permit the Temple and the city of Jerusalem to be leveled and destroyed and they were. For the flag of the Roman general was the sign of desolation that destroys as prophesied through Daniel's visions. Alright, but now, when he’s writing, it’s still operating. So they still had an access to God in part, but, that the end of it was near, those who were still under Temple worship didn’t understand because they were steeped in religion and they had a hardness of heart, ie...unbelief. But, with the revelation that this system of religion under Judaism and the Levitical priests could not offer sacrifice on the alter of the cross of Christ. And that those who did those old things have no part in our alter as there are no meat offerings to be found on our alter, the cross. The cross is now empty as the thumb is empty. They who practice such have NO fellowship with God or His Christ. They through their practice are enmity to God.
Do you remember what we found out about the word enmity? Enmity means: from a primary echtho (to hate); hateful (passively, odious, or actively, hostile); of the devil who is the most bitter enemy of the divine government. Webster's 1828 Dictionary says this: "The quality of being an enemy; the opposite of friendship; ill will; hatred; unfriendly dispositions; malevolence. It expresses more than aversion and less than malice,and differs from displeasure in denoting a fixed or rooted hatred, whereas displeasure is more transient.
I will put enmity between thee and the woman. Gen 3:15.
The carnal mind is enmity against God.Rom 8:7.
A state of opposition.
The friendship of the world is enmity with God. James 4:4." So to be friends with the world and its many forms of religion and governments makes us enmity or hostile to God, His Christ and their rule.
Hebrews 13:11
"For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp."
"Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines…."
Hey, I surf the Internet. I know what’s out there, and hear it from every direction. Do you realize that you can pick and choose everything from soup to nuts in the realm of spiritual things off the Internet - let alone in the book stores and TV? And what’s it doing? It’s confusing the issue. People don’t know what to believe. I told a fellow a while back after he asked a couple of questions and I said, "Look, you people are getting pied pipered." Oh, he asked back, "What do you mean by that?" Evidently he didn’t go to the same school as a kid that I did. You all remember the story of the pied piper don’t you? Well, he played the flute and the rats, yes, the rat that it said, "Followed him into the river." That’s exactly what the human race is doing today. You've got pied pipers piping the tune and people are just following them to their doom in what is known as religion. And the Scripture is so plain, "Don’t be led away with every strange doctrine," but get rooted in the Word of God. For God is NOT found in any form of mans religion. Why? Because who is the hidden ruler of man? None other than the spirit of this presence darkness, the spirit of the world, the prince of the powers of the air, ie...Satan, and darkness or religion are his realm of deception. Man became Satan's puppet when Adam ate of the fruit when God ontological essence within Adam died and became separated of God and the ontological essence of Satan's spirit moved in as a strong man. And therefore His activities through his religion has hindered and blocked God for hundreds if not thousands of years. Of mankind's history. For this is the teaching of John's Revelation.
Hebrews 13:9
"Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. (teachings, that’s the other word for doctrine) For it is a good thing that the heart be established with (not the Levitical Law but with what?) grace; (the freedom, the liberty, the benefits of our benefactor, the activity of God doing what only God is able and wants to do) not with meats, (or foods, this is not as supposed for when seen in the way Paul has been relating things this has to do with religious customs, rites and traditions of Israel's law) which have not profited them that have been occupied therein."
What is Paul saying? Hey when you’re under Grace, you’re not under a set of rules and regulations of religion in how to approach God with this particular sacrifice or how to be in the Temple at this particular day and hour and so forth. We’re set free from all that religiousness. We now have free access into the throne room, any moment of any day. And we point out to people every once in awhile that back there in the Book of Acts, the disciples went up to the Temple to pray about the 9th hour. Why? Because for them it was a stipulated hour of prayer under the Levitical Law and their religious custom or tradition as a habit. Or as Paul has said elsewhere, "as is the habit of some" (paraphrased). Here he is relating back to chapter 9 verses 9-10 and Deuteronomy 14:3-21; Romans 14:17 and 1 Corinthians 8:8, Colossians 2:16-20; Titus 1:14-15. Now in the next verse we need to have our ears open and our eyes opened to hear what the Spirit through Paul is saying clearly. Listen to God's voice closely and with much attention.
Hebrews 13:10
"We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle (or meaning the Temple)."
In other words, those still under the Levitical Law in all it's religious form. Now don’t forget, and we mentioned this before, that while Paul is writing this, the Temple in Jerusalem is still going. It won’t be destroyed for another several years. Now we don’t know exactly when Hebrews was written, some have estimated in about 65 AD and the Temple wasn’t destroyed until 70 AD. So never forget that the Temple is still going while our New Testament is being written.
In fact, I think I made mention of it in one of the earlier parts of our Hebrews study; that wasn’t it amazing that God didn’t permit any of the other empires or even the Romans to destroy the Temple until Paul and Peter's epistles were completed. Because, after all, until Paul’s epistles were completed, and the Age of Grace was now made available, the Temple was necessary. It was the only approach to God. But now with the Age of Grace opened up and Paul’s epistles finished, God could permit the Temple and the city of Jerusalem to be leveled and destroyed and they were. For the flag of the Roman general was the sign of desolation that destroys as prophesied through Daniel's visions. Alright, but now, when he’s writing, it’s still operating. So they still had an access to God in part, but, that the end of it was near, those who were still under Temple worship didn’t understand because they were steeped in religion and they had a hardness of heart, ie...unbelief. But, with the revelation that this system of religion under Judaism and the Levitical priests could not offer sacrifice on the alter of the cross of Christ. And that those who did those old things have no part in our alter as there are no meat offerings to be found on our alter, the cross. The cross is now empty as the thumb is empty. They who practice such have NO fellowship with God or His Christ. They through their practice are enmity to God.
Do you remember what we found out about the word enmity? Enmity means: from a primary echtho (to hate); hateful (passively, odious, or actively, hostile); of the devil who is the most bitter enemy of the divine government. Webster's 1828 Dictionary says this: "The quality of being an enemy; the opposite of friendship; ill will; hatred; unfriendly dispositions; malevolence. It expresses more than aversion and less than malice,and differs from displeasure in denoting a fixed or rooted hatred, whereas displeasure is more transient.
I will put enmity between thee and the woman. Gen 3:15.
The carnal mind is enmity against God.Rom 8:7.
A state of opposition.
The friendship of the world is enmity with God. James 4:4." So to be friends with the world and its many forms of religion and governments makes us enmity or hostile to God, His Christ and their rule.
Hebrews 13:11
"For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp."
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
The Epistle to the Hebrews part CCCVII
We're picking back up with our thought on dispensation, where we left it.
But without using the word, you can do this as well as I can, you just go back to these people that almost detest dispensational teaching, which is rightly dividing the Word of Truth, and say, "Now look. Do you mean to tell me that when Adam and Eve came out of the Garden of Eden after the fall, and everything was the same as it was before?" "No." "Well, you agree that everything had changed?" "Yeah." "Alright, let’s go a little further. When Noah and his families came off the ark, are you going to stand there and tell me that nothing had changed? Everything was the same? Is it? No!" Everything was different. Now they can kill food and eat meat. They now have to institute capital punishment. They now have a whole change in weather. Everything is different. But what has remained the same? God. God doesn’t change. He’s immutable. He’s the same, yesterday, today and forever. But He changes the modus operandi of His dealings with mankind. And His way of dealing is what is meant by the term dispensation. Its like going to a Doctor and getting a prescription and taking that prescription to a druggist to be filled and the druggist then dispenses to you your drugs per that prescription. His dispensing is the same as God's dealings with humanity and is called a dispensation. For it lasts for a determined amount of time set by God and known usually only to Him. That is why Jesus was able to say that no man knows the day or the hour of His return (paraphrased). Though He was able to allude to events that would happen in the future of a not yet event. Like both Daniel and John in Revelation reveal. And has been termed the enigma of the interim by some theologians or Bible students or disciples of Christ.
In other words, when Adam and Eve were in the garden, they didn’t have to worry about dealing with sin. It hadn’t been committed yet. They didn’t have to worry about death. They hadn’t faced it yet. But as soon as they came out of the garden, now God has to make provision for what? For their sin problem. For their now being separated from Him, their receptivity of His glory has ceased to flow between Him and them. And how does He do that? He introduces the blood sacrifice. He gives them clothing to wear made from the skin of the animal sacrificed. And though it does not name the animal we can surmise that it was a lamb (Revelation 5:12) through other scriptures that state such. Well the same way after the flood. Now God makes provision for a whole new economy that they knew nothing of. What is that? It’s a change in dispensation. It’s a change in administration, stewardship or economy.
Now we come up through world history. Here comes Abraham - and any student of Scripture has to admit that now, all of a sudden, you’ve got things totally different. What is it? You’ve got the appearance of a whole new race, ethnic grouping and nation of people through which God is going to send both the Word of God, through which the Redeemer would come, as promised (Genesis 3:15). The nations for the most part are not within His dealings with this new nation. That’s never been heard of before. And oh, I could just go on and on. You come out of the Old Testament and into the New in the book of Acts, and Israel is still under the Levitical Law, Temple worship, and they’re under the sacrifices. Until the appointed time of the end of their dispensation and God does something new. He had the Romans destroy both the Temple and the city of Jerusalem. He told them that they had broken His Covenants, ordinances and statutes ie...their word to Him and His word to them. They did it! Just as Deuteronomy said they would. He exacts His judgment, His wrath, anger due to their idolatry just as foretold by His prophets but not understood until now. As we're nearing the end of this dispensation of the Church Age, the Age of Grace in which the promised New Covenant came about. Through which He has been about building His Body of faithful believers, the righteous ones ie...saints.
And here we come; and here comes the Apostle Paul going to the Gentile world now, after the work of the cross, and he says, "You’re no longer under the Levitical Law!" You’re going to tell me nothing has changed? Everything has changed. The Hebrews are no longer under the Levitical Law. They don’t have to go to the Temple. They don’t have to have a priesthood. We’re all now under Grace. You see, that’s all dispensationalism so far as I’m concerned. It’s just simply breaking the Scriptures down to realize that God’s immutable, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. He never changes! But He changes His way of dealing with mankind, according to the circumstances that have come about on the planet. So now we are in what we call the dispensation of the Grace of God, the promised New Covenant based on the power of an Endless Life. And God's infilling of those who become His willing subjects, His house wherein He by the ontological essence of the resurrected Christ indwells us as promised. Wherein He goes about doing what only He is about doing, developing His character within us, and restored to us. It’s never been this way before. Mankind never had full access to the Father of spirits like we have.
Unheard of! Because the Hebrews had to approach Him through sacrifice and priesthood and so forth. So that’s all dispensation means. You will hear somebody throw that word out at you, and say, "Don’t listen to any one who talks about, dispensationalism." And listen, it’s happening. Don’t think we don’t know that. It doesn’t bother me a bit, because, we can just blow them out of the water with what we’ve just said. How can you tell us that things have never changed when we know everybody realizes it has. And every change is just a change in administration in the way God chooses to deal with man. So don’t let that disturb you when someone says, "Oh don’t listen to that fellow, He’s dispensationalist." To me it’s almost laughable. For me it is a sad thing for people not to want to know God or His Christ in the way that He has required of us all. Yes! It requires faith, for the just and the righteous ones are to walk by His Faith until the end....this end maybe in the term of our lifespan or His second coming...don't know when or the day or hour. He may require His Spirit and our breath this day, if so we'll be instantly with the LORD of spirits.
Alright, the part that got me started here is that even though all these changes have come upon the human race, God never changed. He’s the same, yesterday, today and forever. Which is what? His character. His character never changes though His way of dealing with humanity does and will at His discretion. Now then verse 9. The people who think we're teaching strange doctrines are the ones to whom we’ll have to say, "Hey, wait a minute. Let’s put the shoe on the other foot." we’ll come back and say, "Don’t you follow strange doctrines, cause that’s what the Scripture says." It says that, We're too "Rightly divide the Word of God." We're to delineate it properly that simply means to draw a straight line such a using a plumb-bob (vertically) for building a square wall with the use of a framing square (for right angles). Now Paul is reaching his ending of this letter and reenforces his warnings which it contains.
Hebrews 13:9
"Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein."
But without using the word, you can do this as well as I can, you just go back to these people that almost detest dispensational teaching, which is rightly dividing the Word of Truth, and say, "Now look. Do you mean to tell me that when Adam and Eve came out of the Garden of Eden after the fall, and everything was the same as it was before?" "No." "Well, you agree that everything had changed?" "Yeah." "Alright, let’s go a little further. When Noah and his families came off the ark, are you going to stand there and tell me that nothing had changed? Everything was the same? Is it? No!" Everything was different. Now they can kill food and eat meat. They now have to institute capital punishment. They now have a whole change in weather. Everything is different. But what has remained the same? God. God doesn’t change. He’s immutable. He’s the same, yesterday, today and forever. But He changes the modus operandi of His dealings with mankind. And His way of dealing is what is meant by the term dispensation. Its like going to a Doctor and getting a prescription and taking that prescription to a druggist to be filled and the druggist then dispenses to you your drugs per that prescription. His dispensing is the same as God's dealings with humanity and is called a dispensation. For it lasts for a determined amount of time set by God and known usually only to Him. That is why Jesus was able to say that no man knows the day or the hour of His return (paraphrased). Though He was able to allude to events that would happen in the future of a not yet event. Like both Daniel and John in Revelation reveal. And has been termed the enigma of the interim by some theologians or Bible students or disciples of Christ.
In other words, when Adam and Eve were in the garden, they didn’t have to worry about dealing with sin. It hadn’t been committed yet. They didn’t have to worry about death. They hadn’t faced it yet. But as soon as they came out of the garden, now God has to make provision for what? For their sin problem. For their now being separated from Him, their receptivity of His glory has ceased to flow between Him and them. And how does He do that? He introduces the blood sacrifice. He gives them clothing to wear made from the skin of the animal sacrificed. And though it does not name the animal we can surmise that it was a lamb (Revelation 5:12) through other scriptures that state such. Well the same way after the flood. Now God makes provision for a whole new economy that they knew nothing of. What is that? It’s a change in dispensation. It’s a change in administration, stewardship or economy.
Now we come up through world history. Here comes Abraham - and any student of Scripture has to admit that now, all of a sudden, you’ve got things totally different. What is it? You’ve got the appearance of a whole new race, ethnic grouping and nation of people through which God is going to send both the Word of God, through which the Redeemer would come, as promised (Genesis 3:15). The nations for the most part are not within His dealings with this new nation. That’s never been heard of before. And oh, I could just go on and on. You come out of the Old Testament and into the New in the book of Acts, and Israel is still under the Levitical Law, Temple worship, and they’re under the sacrifices. Until the appointed time of the end of their dispensation and God does something new. He had the Romans destroy both the Temple and the city of Jerusalem. He told them that they had broken His Covenants, ordinances and statutes ie...their word to Him and His word to them. They did it! Just as Deuteronomy said they would. He exacts His judgment, His wrath, anger due to their idolatry just as foretold by His prophets but not understood until now. As we're nearing the end of this dispensation of the Church Age, the Age of Grace in which the promised New Covenant came about. Through which He has been about building His Body of faithful believers, the righteous ones ie...saints.
And here we come; and here comes the Apostle Paul going to the Gentile world now, after the work of the cross, and he says, "You’re no longer under the Levitical Law!" You’re going to tell me nothing has changed? Everything has changed. The Hebrews are no longer under the Levitical Law. They don’t have to go to the Temple. They don’t have to have a priesthood. We’re all now under Grace. You see, that’s all dispensationalism so far as I’m concerned. It’s just simply breaking the Scriptures down to realize that God’s immutable, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. He never changes! But He changes His way of dealing with mankind, according to the circumstances that have come about on the planet. So now we are in what we call the dispensation of the Grace of God, the promised New Covenant based on the power of an Endless Life. And God's infilling of those who become His willing subjects, His house wherein He by the ontological essence of the resurrected Christ indwells us as promised. Wherein He goes about doing what only He is about doing, developing His character within us, and restored to us. It’s never been this way before. Mankind never had full access to the Father of spirits like we have.
Unheard of! Because the Hebrews had to approach Him through sacrifice and priesthood and so forth. So that’s all dispensation means. You will hear somebody throw that word out at you, and say, "Don’t listen to any one who talks about, dispensationalism." And listen, it’s happening. Don’t think we don’t know that. It doesn’t bother me a bit, because, we can just blow them out of the water with what we’ve just said. How can you tell us that things have never changed when we know everybody realizes it has. And every change is just a change in administration in the way God chooses to deal with man. So don’t let that disturb you when someone says, "Oh don’t listen to that fellow, He’s dispensationalist." To me it’s almost laughable. For me it is a sad thing for people not to want to know God or His Christ in the way that He has required of us all. Yes! It requires faith, for the just and the righteous ones are to walk by His Faith until the end....this end maybe in the term of our lifespan or His second coming...don't know when or the day or hour. He may require His Spirit and our breath this day, if so we'll be instantly with the LORD of spirits.
Alright, the part that got me started here is that even though all these changes have come upon the human race, God never changed. He’s the same, yesterday, today and forever. Which is what? His character. His character never changes though His way of dealing with humanity does and will at His discretion. Now then verse 9. The people who think we're teaching strange doctrines are the ones to whom we’ll have to say, "Hey, wait a minute. Let’s put the shoe on the other foot." we’ll come back and say, "Don’t you follow strange doctrines, cause that’s what the Scripture says." It says that, We're too "Rightly divide the Word of God." We're to delineate it properly that simply means to draw a straight line such a using a plumb-bob (vertically) for building a square wall with the use of a framing square (for right angles). Now Paul is reaching his ending of this letter and reenforces his warnings which it contains.
Hebrews 13:9
"Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein."
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
The Epistle to the Hebrews part CCCVI
Hebrews 13:5
"Let your conversation (the word here is manner of living. Let your manner of living) be without covetousness; (in other words, we’re not to live by keeping up with the Joneses) and be content with such things as ye have; for he hath said 'I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.'"
Many take this with a grain of salt. but Paul does not say, "Just throw your worries to the wind and don’t worry about where your next day’s bread comes from." He doesn’t say that. In Timothy he admonishes the parents to take care of their families. "Lay up for the children," so that children don’t have to take care of the parents. So always remember that you have to look at more than one portion. When he says here, "Just be content with what you have," and he says, "I’ll never leave you or forsake you," that doesn’t mean that you can just carelessly say, "I don’t have to worry about tomorrow, God will take care of me." That’s not the name of the game in this Age of Grace. We are to work (Genesis 3:19), Paul says, if you don’t want to work, you don’t eat! That’s plain and simple. But on the other hand, we have the promise that He (God in Christ) will never leave us nor forsake us. Now verse 6. When we enter into this kind of a relationship with the Lord, constantly meeting our needs, Our needs are not of material things but rather our knowledge of Him and our active receptivity of all that He and the Father of spirit's want to do within and then through us. Remember at the cross all was changed to the spiritual no longer the external and material. Remember also that we're in something New a relationship where we each have our parts to do God in Christ does His and we in ours do ours. Sit under God listening waiting on Him to do and complete the good thing within us. Then we can speak boldly,
Hebrews 13:6
"So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man shall do unto me."
Now let’s take a verse again out of Romans. Go back to Romans chapter 8, and you’ll see this is in the same vein or light.
Romans 8:31-32
"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, (and Hebrews just told us that He will never leave us nor forsake us.) who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?"
See, that’s the promise. That’s what we have - that God will see to our every spiritual need but not in the material or earthy realm as before with Israel. For someplace it says that He worked first in the earthy then in the Heavenly or (who can accuse) of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that cspiritual realm.(1 Corinthians 15:46) Then verse 33:
Romans 8:33-34
"Who shall lay any thing to the charge (who can condemneth? (Satan is no longer before the throne as an accuser) It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, (which is where? In the heavenlies!! See, we come right back full circle every time. All of these things fit.) who also maketh intercession for us."
I like to show that Scripture fits; it dovetails from one end to the other. Alright, back to Hebrews again, chapter 13, and verse 7. Now of course, this was especially applicable to these Hebrew-Christians who were under the priesthood first, and then came under the authority of the Twelve, especially back there in the early half of Acts. So this is especially appropriate to the Hebrew-Christians.
Hebrews 13:7
"Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation." (or their manner of living.) Now if you want to bring that on into the local church, I won’t object to that. But since he is still talking to the Hebrew-Christians, I prefer to think he’s still talking to the leadership of the Jerusalem church in particular, and to some of the other Jewish congregations, which of course, these people were a part of. Now verse 8:
Hebrews 13:8
"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."
In other words, He never changes, He’s immutable. You know if people have an argument with us, they don’t like the fact that we separate Paul from Peter and the Church from the Hebrews (Judaism). And they’ve now picked it up in the word dispensationalism. I didn’t use that word very much, but now they don't understand this word “dispensation”. It makes a few people up tight. And this is my main point or obstacle when somebody opposes this word. Their first argument is, "Well, he’s dispensational." Well, of course I am not. But I make no apology for the use of it. Because God has chosen to deal with us differently than He did the Hebrews in Judaism. What they (those in religion) don't know or want to acknowledge is the fact that God judged Judaism and indeed all religions be they occult, or Judaism, or what ever label we may call them on the cross as dead and good for nothing in His eyes. This is the hidden under current of the scriptures and which Revelation so pointedly points out.
"Let your conversation (the word here is manner of living. Let your manner of living) be without covetousness; (in other words, we’re not to live by keeping up with the Joneses) and be content with such things as ye have; for he hath said 'I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.'"
Many take this with a grain of salt. but Paul does not say, "Just throw your worries to the wind and don’t worry about where your next day’s bread comes from." He doesn’t say that. In Timothy he admonishes the parents to take care of their families. "Lay up for the children," so that children don’t have to take care of the parents. So always remember that you have to look at more than one portion. When he says here, "Just be content with what you have," and he says, "I’ll never leave you or forsake you," that doesn’t mean that you can just carelessly say, "I don’t have to worry about tomorrow, God will take care of me." That’s not the name of the game in this Age of Grace. We are to work (Genesis 3:19), Paul says, if you don’t want to work, you don’t eat! That’s plain and simple. But on the other hand, we have the promise that He (God in Christ) will never leave us nor forsake us. Now verse 6. When we enter into this kind of a relationship with the Lord, constantly meeting our needs, Our needs are not of material things but rather our knowledge of Him and our active receptivity of all that He and the Father of spirit's want to do within and then through us. Remember at the cross all was changed to the spiritual no longer the external and material. Remember also that we're in something New a relationship where we each have our parts to do God in Christ does His and we in ours do ours. Sit under God listening waiting on Him to do and complete the good thing within us. Then we can speak boldly,
Hebrews 13:6
"So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man shall do unto me."
Now let’s take a verse again out of Romans. Go back to Romans chapter 8, and you’ll see this is in the same vein or light.
Romans 8:31-32
"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, (and Hebrews just told us that He will never leave us nor forsake us.) who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?"
See, that’s the promise. That’s what we have - that God will see to our every spiritual need but not in the material or earthy realm as before with Israel. For someplace it says that He worked first in the earthy then in the Heavenly or (who can accuse) of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that cspiritual realm.(1 Corinthians 15:46) Then verse 33:
Romans 8:33-34
"Who shall lay any thing to the charge (who can condemneth? (Satan is no longer before the throne as an accuser) It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, (which is where? In the heavenlies!! See, we come right back full circle every time. All of these things fit.) who also maketh intercession for us."
I like to show that Scripture fits; it dovetails from one end to the other. Alright, back to Hebrews again, chapter 13, and verse 7. Now of course, this was especially applicable to these Hebrew-Christians who were under the priesthood first, and then came under the authority of the Twelve, especially back there in the early half of Acts. So this is especially appropriate to the Hebrew-Christians.
Hebrews 13:7
"Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation." (or their manner of living.) Now if you want to bring that on into the local church, I won’t object to that. But since he is still talking to the Hebrew-Christians, I prefer to think he’s still talking to the leadership of the Jerusalem church in particular, and to some of the other Jewish congregations, which of course, these people were a part of. Now verse 8:
Hebrews 13:8
"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."
In other words, He never changes, He’s immutable. You know if people have an argument with us, they don’t like the fact that we separate Paul from Peter and the Church from the Hebrews (Judaism). And they’ve now picked it up in the word dispensationalism. I didn’t use that word very much, but now they don't understand this word “dispensation”. It makes a few people up tight. And this is my main point or obstacle when somebody opposes this word. Their first argument is, "Well, he’s dispensational." Well, of course I am not. But I make no apology for the use of it. Because God has chosen to deal with us differently than He did the Hebrews in Judaism. What they (those in religion) don't know or want to acknowledge is the fact that God judged Judaism and indeed all religions be they occult, or Judaism, or what ever label we may call them on the cross as dead and good for nothing in His eyes. This is the hidden under current of the scriptures and which Revelation so pointedly points out.
Monday, January 21, 2013
The Epistle to the Hebrews part CCCV
Hebrews 13:3a
"Remember them that are in bonds,…"
Or those who are in prison and prison here is religion. So Paul says don’t forget those folks who are in religion as it is a prison for it works against their faith. For I know it will be even worse in the heavier Tribulation peroid. Now, you say, how do you know that? Well, I always have to do everything with Scripture, don’t I? Come back with me to Matthew 25. Here in Matthew 25, we have the survivors of the Tribulation and remember, they are brought to Jerusalem, supernaturally, of course. We know this is after the Tribulation because the King has just established the Kingdom and He’s ready to get the ball rolling to re-populate the planet. We know from Isaiah 24 that there will be some survivors after the horrors of the Tribulation, about 1/3rd of the worlds population. Alright, here they come, supernaturally brought through, and let’s begin with verse 31.
Matthew 25:31-32a
"When the Son of man shall come in his glory (the second coming at the end of enigma of the interim in which we now live), and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: (in other words, as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. As King, on His throne there in the New Jerusalem) And before him shall be gathered all nations:…"
These survivors of the great Tribulation from all the nations. Now there won’t be all that many. Just a few, and so he brings them all to New Jerusalem - and since there will be saved and lost amongst the survivors, the first thing he does is separate them. This is borne out in Enoch and other books of scripture such as Psalm 1:5, 50:3-5; Ezekiel 20:38, 34:17-22 and Malachi 3:18 to mention a few. He puts the saved on one side and they’re likened to the sheep, the lost and unbelieving go to his left and they are likened to a shepherd dividing his goats. But all I want you to see is that they are going to be visiting people in prison during the Tribulation and nourishing them with their gifts of food when he says in verse 34:
Matthew 25:34-36
"Then shall the King (Christ) say unto them on his right hand, (the believers) Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom (they can go into this thousand-year reign with Him) prepared for you from the foundation of the world: (now, here it comes) For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat, I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink, I was a stranger and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me."
Now of course, we know that the ones He’s talking about are not only the 144,000 as this number is representatives of all those who are witness's of Christ through the great Tribulation for they are the witnesses that God will seal - that no doubt suffered the privations listed here. But when the lost and unbelieving people became believers as a result of hearing those 144,000 witness's message, they risked their own neck in order to visit them in prison or where ever.
Now an exert from Enoch chapter 38 parable the first this is taken from no less then two separate accounts of this book:The First Parable.
"When the community of the righteous appears and the sinners are judged for their sins and are driven from the face of the dry ground. And when the Righteous One appears, in front of the chosen righteous (those who have chosen the way of greatest resistance, the narrow path), whose works are weighed by the Lord of Spirits. And when light appears to the righteous and chosen who dwell on the dry ground. Where will be the dwelling of the sinners? And where will be the resting place of those who denied the Lord of Spirits? It would have been better for them, if they had not been born. And when the secrets of the righteous are revealed, the sinners will be judged, and the impious driven from the presence of the righteous and the chosen (those who have chosen His way). And from then on, those who possess the earth will not be mighty and exalted. Nor will they be able to look at the face of the Holy ones, for the light of the Lord of the Spirits will have appeared on the face of the Holy, the righteous, and the chosen. And the mighty kings will at that time be destroyed and given into the hand of the righteous and the Holy.
And from then on no one will be able to seek the Lord of Spirits for their life will be at an end. And it will come to pass in these days that the chosen and holy children will come down from the high Heavens and their offspring will become one with the sons of men. In those days Enoch received books of indignation and anger and books of tumult and confusion. And there will be no mercy for them, says the Lord of Spirits." Again Enoch is quoting that which he had heard which comes along side of what we've been sharing here. The quote is paraphrased by me. Now back to Hebrews.
Hebrews 13:3
"Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body."
"So remember those who are in bonds," Paul says: if they need food, take it to them. And "as bound with them; and those who suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body" That’s why I’m sure that Paul wrote this. Only Paul speaks of the Body of Christ in Scripture. So this is what he’s telling these believers, that if they step on in and experience Paul’s salvation offer of faith in our Lord’s death, burial, and resurrection, as their own then they are members of the Body of Christ. And as such we're to do as required in supporting those who become witnesses and will ultimately become martyrs for their witness of the resurrected LORD. This is just one of the few times in Hebrews that he says something that is intrinsically Pauline. Now, Paul shifts gears, as I’ve said so often.
Hebrews 13:4
"Marriage is honourable in all, the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge."
Well that falls right in line with what he says in Galatians 5, that those who live by the flesh are adulterers and fornicators and so forth, and they will have no part in the kingdom of heaven. This again is a Pauline odium of picture language. Because everyone who would have read this Epistle would be able to relate to what he was meaning by its usage. Alright now, verse 5:
Hebrews 13:5
"Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."
"Remember them that are in bonds,…"
Or those who are in prison and prison here is religion. So Paul says don’t forget those folks who are in religion as it is a prison for it works against their faith. For I know it will be even worse in the heavier Tribulation peroid. Now, you say, how do you know that? Well, I always have to do everything with Scripture, don’t I? Come back with me to Matthew 25. Here in Matthew 25, we have the survivors of the Tribulation and remember, they are brought to Jerusalem, supernaturally, of course. We know this is after the Tribulation because the King has just established the Kingdom and He’s ready to get the ball rolling to re-populate the planet. We know from Isaiah 24 that there will be some survivors after the horrors of the Tribulation, about 1/3rd of the worlds population. Alright, here they come, supernaturally brought through, and let’s begin with verse 31.
Matthew 25:31-32a
"When the Son of man shall come in his glory (the second coming at the end of enigma of the interim in which we now live), and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: (in other words, as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. As King, on His throne there in the New Jerusalem) And before him shall be gathered all nations:…"
These survivors of the great Tribulation from all the nations. Now there won’t be all that many. Just a few, and so he brings them all to New Jerusalem - and since there will be saved and lost amongst the survivors, the first thing he does is separate them. This is borne out in Enoch and other books of scripture such as Psalm 1:5, 50:3-5; Ezekiel 20:38, 34:17-22 and Malachi 3:18 to mention a few. He puts the saved on one side and they’re likened to the sheep, the lost and unbelieving go to his left and they are likened to a shepherd dividing his goats. But all I want you to see is that they are going to be visiting people in prison during the Tribulation and nourishing them with their gifts of food when he says in verse 34:
Matthew 25:34-36
"Then shall the King (Christ) say unto them on his right hand, (the believers) Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom (they can go into this thousand-year reign with Him) prepared for you from the foundation of the world: (now, here it comes) For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat, I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink, I was a stranger and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me."
Now of course, we know that the ones He’s talking about are not only the 144,000 as this number is representatives of all those who are witness's of Christ through the great Tribulation for they are the witnesses that God will seal - that no doubt suffered the privations listed here. But when the lost and unbelieving people became believers as a result of hearing those 144,000 witness's message, they risked their own neck in order to visit them in prison or where ever.
Now an exert from Enoch chapter 38 parable the first this is taken from no less then two separate accounts of this book:The First Parable.
"When the community of the righteous appears and the sinners are judged for their sins and are driven from the face of the dry ground. And when the Righteous One appears, in front of the chosen righteous (those who have chosen the way of greatest resistance, the narrow path), whose works are weighed by the Lord of Spirits. And when light appears to the righteous and chosen who dwell on the dry ground. Where will be the dwelling of the sinners? And where will be the resting place of those who denied the Lord of Spirits? It would have been better for them, if they had not been born. And when the secrets of the righteous are revealed, the sinners will be judged, and the impious driven from the presence of the righteous and the chosen (those who have chosen His way). And from then on, those who possess the earth will not be mighty and exalted. Nor will they be able to look at the face of the Holy ones, for the light of the Lord of the Spirits will have appeared on the face of the Holy, the righteous, and the chosen. And the mighty kings will at that time be destroyed and given into the hand of the righteous and the Holy.
And from then on no one will be able to seek the Lord of Spirits for their life will be at an end. And it will come to pass in these days that the chosen and holy children will come down from the high Heavens and their offspring will become one with the sons of men. In those days Enoch received books of indignation and anger and books of tumult and confusion. And there will be no mercy for them, says the Lord of Spirits." Again Enoch is quoting that which he had heard which comes along side of what we've been sharing here. The quote is paraphrased by me. Now back to Hebrews.
Hebrews 13:3
"Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body."
"So remember those who are in bonds," Paul says: if they need food, take it to them. And "as bound with them; and those who suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body" That’s why I’m sure that Paul wrote this. Only Paul speaks of the Body of Christ in Scripture. So this is what he’s telling these believers, that if they step on in and experience Paul’s salvation offer of faith in our Lord’s death, burial, and resurrection, as their own then they are members of the Body of Christ. And as such we're to do as required in supporting those who become witnesses and will ultimately become martyrs for their witness of the resurrected LORD. This is just one of the few times in Hebrews that he says something that is intrinsically Pauline. Now, Paul shifts gears, as I’ve said so often.
Hebrews 13:4
"Marriage is honourable in all, the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge."
Well that falls right in line with what he says in Galatians 5, that those who live by the flesh are adulterers and fornicators and so forth, and they will have no part in the kingdom of heaven. This again is a Pauline odium of picture language. Because everyone who would have read this Epistle would be able to relate to what he was meaning by its usage. Alright now, verse 5:
Hebrews 13:5
"Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."
Sunday, January 20, 2013
The Epistle to the Hebrews part CCCIV
Picking up with 2 Peter 3 and our comment on it.
II Peter 3:10-12
"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements (that is all the things that make up this and other planets) shall melt with fervent heat; the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things (that is the things of this earth) shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness. Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?"
These statements are in agreement with Jude 6, 14-15, Isaiah 2:12, Joel 1:15, 2:1, 31, 3:14, Malachi 4:5 and with the vision as recorded by Enoch in his second parable. But don’t give up - don’t despair, because that’s not the end. Let’s look at the next verse:
II Peter 3:13
"Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness."
Which of course is looking all the way past the 1,000 year Kingdom Age, and into eternity. So now if you’ll come back to Hebrews 12 once again we know that God is going to deal harshly with this planet someday. And the day will come, and many feel, that it will be totally melted down and destroyed and made over for the eternal earth that’s still coming. At the consummation of the ages. That maybe, now verse 28:
Hebrews 12:28
"Wherefore…"
Seeing that the Creator God can do whatever He wants to do, and yet we are under His protective care –
Hebrews 12:28
"Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, (cannot be destroyed) let us have grace, (the favorite term of the Apostle Paul and those who willingly come into or under its control) whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:"
Remember, for us as believers, we don’t shake in our boots in the presence of God. Quite the opposite. We are instructed to come boldly into His presence because He has already removed everything that stood between Himself and us. That’s been done through the blood and the finished work of the cross. We are now made as one in Him. We are, as we saw, joint heirs with and in Christ. Never forget that. So we don’t have to serve Him, shaking in our boots with fear (as in terror of) - but it is a reverential and loving fear knowing that He is still the God of all creation. And then verse 29, as we’ve already seen from Peter.
Hebrews 12:29
"For our god is a consuming fire."
This was said in chapter 10 verse 27 and as revealed in Exodus 24:7 and then again in Numbers chapters 11 and 16 and Deuteronomy 4 and 9. Then Paul ties it all together in 2 Thessalonians 1:8. He’s going to destroy this earth with fire one day and prepare everything for the eternal. Alright, now we will go into chapter 13. He says in verse 1:
Hebrews 13:1-2
"Let brotherly love continue (that is between the believers). Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: (one of the earmarks of true Christianity is hospitality) for thereby some have entertained angels unawares."
Now, I think there’s two ways you can look at this. We know that back in Biblical history, angels were entertained by mortal man. The first time was Abraham in Genesis 18 as recorded within our standard KJV Bible. This is without such books as Enoch, Jasher and those called the lost books. Through which we can gain much wisdom and understanding of the things revealed through those earlier writters. Now back to our thought on Abraham. When he saw three men coming down the path and he hasted out to meet them, having no idea who they were. They were just wayfaring strangers, so far as Abraham was concerned. He set the table, killed the fatted calf and come to find out, and offered them something to eat. Who were his three visitors? One was the Lord Himself and the other two were angels. So he actually entertained angels unawares. We know that Lot did, not realizing who was escorting him out of Sodom the same two who had been with Abraham.
I don’t think that the Scripture teaches that if we’re hospitable, that we’re actually going to have angelic creatures visiting our abode - but I think I can testify to the fact that you know when people stop in from all parts of the country (total strangers), it’s like having had angels in our attendance. One evening while I was working as a desk clerk for a motel chain here in town. I remember having such a stranger come into the lobby. We talked for a while and he said something like this, “the peace of God and His presence is very strong here and with you” then he left, just walked out the front doors and was gone. It was a joyful experience and I think that’s what the Apostle Paul is talking about here. Don’t close your door to strangers. Be hospitable, because you might be experiencing an angelic experience, even though it won’t be of the winged variety. It will just simply be a fellow believer or will he? Take no thought of it, it'll just happen. Alright, so "some have entertained angels unawares." Now then, verse 3, and this was especially appropriate in Paul’s day and, of course, in some areas of the world now - and will also be appropriate in the Tribulation period, the very period that we're possibly now passing through in the enigma of the interim, when he says:
Hebrews 13:3
"Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body."
II Peter 3:10-12
"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements (that is all the things that make up this and other planets) shall melt with fervent heat; the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things (that is the things of this earth) shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness. Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?"
These statements are in agreement with Jude 6, 14-15, Isaiah 2:12, Joel 1:15, 2:1, 31, 3:14, Malachi 4:5 and with the vision as recorded by Enoch in his second parable. But don’t give up - don’t despair, because that’s not the end. Let’s look at the next verse:
II Peter 3:13
"Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness."
Which of course is looking all the way past the 1,000 year Kingdom Age, and into eternity. So now if you’ll come back to Hebrews 12 once again we know that God is going to deal harshly with this planet someday. And the day will come, and many feel, that it will be totally melted down and destroyed and made over for the eternal earth that’s still coming. At the consummation of the ages. That maybe, now verse 28:
Hebrews 12:28
"Wherefore…"
Seeing that the Creator God can do whatever He wants to do, and yet we are under His protective care –
Hebrews 12:28
"Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, (cannot be destroyed) let us have grace, (the favorite term of the Apostle Paul and those who willingly come into or under its control) whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:"
Remember, for us as believers, we don’t shake in our boots in the presence of God. Quite the opposite. We are instructed to come boldly into His presence because He has already removed everything that stood between Himself and us. That’s been done through the blood and the finished work of the cross. We are now made as one in Him. We are, as we saw, joint heirs with and in Christ. Never forget that. So we don’t have to serve Him, shaking in our boots with fear (as in terror of) - but it is a reverential and loving fear knowing that He is still the God of all creation. And then verse 29, as we’ve already seen from Peter.
Hebrews 12:29
"For our god is a consuming fire."
This was said in chapter 10 verse 27 and as revealed in Exodus 24:7 and then again in Numbers chapters 11 and 16 and Deuteronomy 4 and 9. Then Paul ties it all together in 2 Thessalonians 1:8. He’s going to destroy this earth with fire one day and prepare everything for the eternal. Alright, now we will go into chapter 13. He says in verse 1:
Hebrews 13:1-2
"Let brotherly love continue (that is between the believers). Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: (one of the earmarks of true Christianity is hospitality) for thereby some have entertained angels unawares."
Now, I think there’s two ways you can look at this. We know that back in Biblical history, angels were entertained by mortal man. The first time was Abraham in Genesis 18 as recorded within our standard KJV Bible. This is without such books as Enoch, Jasher and those called the lost books. Through which we can gain much wisdom and understanding of the things revealed through those earlier writters. Now back to our thought on Abraham. When he saw three men coming down the path and he hasted out to meet them, having no idea who they were. They were just wayfaring strangers, so far as Abraham was concerned. He set the table, killed the fatted calf and come to find out, and offered them something to eat. Who were his three visitors? One was the Lord Himself and the other two were angels. So he actually entertained angels unawares. We know that Lot did, not realizing who was escorting him out of Sodom the same two who had been with Abraham.
I don’t think that the Scripture teaches that if we’re hospitable, that we’re actually going to have angelic creatures visiting our abode - but I think I can testify to the fact that you know when people stop in from all parts of the country (total strangers), it’s like having had angels in our attendance. One evening while I was working as a desk clerk for a motel chain here in town. I remember having such a stranger come into the lobby. We talked for a while and he said something like this, “the peace of God and His presence is very strong here and with you” then he left, just walked out the front doors and was gone. It was a joyful experience and I think that’s what the Apostle Paul is talking about here. Don’t close your door to strangers. Be hospitable, because you might be experiencing an angelic experience, even though it won’t be of the winged variety. It will just simply be a fellow believer or will he? Take no thought of it, it'll just happen. Alright, so "some have entertained angels unawares." Now then, verse 3, and this was especially appropriate in Paul’s day and, of course, in some areas of the world now - and will also be appropriate in the Tribulation period, the very period that we're possibly now passing through in the enigma of the interim, when he says:
Hebrews 13:3
"Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body."
Saturday, January 19, 2013
The Epistle to the Hebrews part CCCIII
Hebrews 12:25a
"See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn from him that speaketh from heaven:"
Now to the casual reader those who will just gloss right over that, not having the foggiest notion of what he is talking about. But for us what’s he saying? You know that when God was dealing with the Hebrews in the Old Testament economy, and Israel would just simply spurn God; and they would go on their own marry way and go into idolatry, what did God do? God judged them! When they went into the depths of idolatry, He sent old Nebuchadnezzar (2Kings 24 and then again in 1 Chronicles 6 where both kingdoms [Northern and Southern] are carried away) from the east and Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the Temple - and the city and the nation was uprooted and taken captive all the way out to Babylon for 70 years. Why? Because His wrath fell upon a disobedient and rebellious people. And over and over God would do that throughout Israel’s history. And He was speaking with them while they were, you might say, His objects of affection and everything, on earth. Because of His Oath and covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But now we’re under a far greater responsibility - now read on: "if they escaped not who refused him (God through Moses and the prophets) that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn from him (God through Christ) that speaks from heaven:"
We’ve got to look at the big picture. While God was dealing with The Hebrews in the Old Testament, almost exclusively, there were a lot of things that they didn’t have going for them that we do. For example, they didn’t have the indwelling Holy Spirit. Though He rested upon some of them who were or remained trusting of Him though limited in that trust. They didn’t have our benefit. All they had was that table of Law set in stone and the Levitical Laws written in a book of remembrance for them, all they could do was condemn them. Then they requested a king or government to rule them but God told that this was NOT in His program but He allowed it. Then they had the sacrificial system, which wasn’t always that easy to keep. But nevertheless, they didn’t have a lot of the advantages that we have today, and yet God held them responsible and accountable for their choices and actions of choice. God punished them when they turned in unbelief. Because of their vial and evil hearts. They quite literally turned their backs to Him. Don't fail to remember and realize that at the cross the religion of mankind and the Judaism of Israel was judged. When God laid on Jesus the sin guilt of not only the nation of Israel but also the whole world. From Adam until the end of time as man knows it. Alright so now the comparison is, if God would punish Israel back in those days when they didn’t have all this going for them, how much more will His wrath fall on those who reject Him as He speaks from heaven, now. And I have to add, in the enigma of the interim of the not yet, the period between Christ's first coming and that of His promised second coming as King of kings and LORD of lords.
When we say He speaks from heaven, let’s come all the way back so we get the big picture. You can’t just pick and choose, you have to look at the whole scenario. Back in Acts chapter 1, He has just finished His 40 days after the resurrection. He’s been with the Eleven and now they’re on the Mount of Olives and He was about to ascend back to glory. The Father is now beckoning Him to come and sit at His right hand. So, look at what it says: Verse 9.
Acts 1:9-11a
"And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; (we’re speaking of Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified, resurrected Christ) and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven (now have you got the picture? He is leaving earth and He is going up into heaven) as he went up, behold, two men (angels, messengers) stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven,…"
That’s what I want you to see. So where is He? He’s in heaven! So from this point on whenever He speaks, He speaks from heaven! That’s obvious isn’t it? Alright, now then, the Apostle Paul is constantly letting us know that that’s where he got his marching orders; from the Christ in heaven. Let me stop while you’re still in Acts, let’s jump over to chapter 22 and this is just an example of how Christ spoke to him from heaven. Acts 22 verse 17.
Acts 22:17-18
"And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance; And saw him (Now Christ Jesus, the Christ, in heaven) saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me,"
Now just jump across the page to chapter 23, verse 11. And Paul is under all the pressure now from those hateful fellow Jews.
Acts 23:11
"And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome."
Where is he speaking from? From heaven! Alright now come all the way up and stop with me at Galatians chapter 1 and again, he’s rehearsing his experience on the road to Damascus and he’s letting us know that everything that he’s writing now in the Pauline Epistles comes from the ascended Lord Who is in heaven. Galatians 1 starting at verse 11, and all we want you to see is that Hebrews says how that so much more responsibility is upon us in this Age of Grace because He’s speaking from heaven but through the Apostle Paul. Just as He will be doing shortly with John when he records His Revelation.
Galatians 1:11-12
"But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, (by men, but how did he get it?) but by the revelation of Jesus Christ."
From where? From heaven! So everything now comes back quickly to Hebrews. Though we could look again at the time Peter by way of inspiration of revelation spoke saying in effect you are the Christ from heaven. And Jesus said that Peter had been shown this by His Father and that this would be the foundation upon which He would build His church. In the same way he received the revelation. Hebrews 12 again, verse 25:
Hebrews 12:25b
"…For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:"
Remember we were talking about how that, if God Who spoke while dealing with the Hebrews on earth was something to be feared, how much more we should respect that Voice that speaks from heaven. And of course, for the most part, for us today in this Age of Grace, that comes through the epistles of the Apostle Paul, to whom God revealed all of these doctrines that are for us today. Now that doesn’t mean the rest of scripture isn’t appropriate or that it’s not valid. All Scripture, even Paul himself writes, "All Scripture is profitable for reproof in instruction, in inspiration and so forth." But for those of us living in this Age of Grace, Romans through Philemon becomes our paramount place of instruction. But through the Holy Spirit ie...the Spirit of Christ and His working within the sons of obedience. Those who operate in the same faith accredited to Abraham are God's son by faith. For we're to live by faith and not by sight or what could be called the earthiness of man. He speaks Alright now in verse 26:
Hebrews 12:26-27
"Whose voice then shook the earth: (God was dealing from Mt. Sinai) but now he hath promised, saying, 'Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.' And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made(religion, governments, idolatry), that those things which cannot be shaken may remain."
Now, in my own mind, I couldn’t help but think of shaking and sifting grain. And whenever you sort grain with the sieve, the chaff and the junk falls through and the good remains. Well, I think you’ve got the same analogy here - that God’s just going to shake things and that which is superfluous and is unimportant will disappear and only that which counts will remain. This is the lesson that is so over looked by the church world because it wants to remain under the old system of religion and government or a mixture of both but even here we're told that is not to be so. The things made referees to the earthy, governments, the law, the Levitical Law and all the false religions that man has made for himself will be shaken. The heavenly or spiritual is not able to be shaken for those who have received Him are witnesses that He has indeed come in the flesh of redeemed men. Men made perfect by the ontological essence of Christ restored to them who walk by His faithfulness to do as He has promised. They'll not deny Him for their testimony is the testimony of Paul which we've been sharing here.(Galatians 2:20)
Of course, there are those who think Paul is probably making reference here, inspired by the Holy Spirit, to what Peter writes more in detail in his little epistle of II Peter chapter 3. Now you might want to turn over to that passage, and we’ll start with verse 10 - and of course, this is way out into the future, but nevertheless, it’s coming when God is going to judge this planet.
2Peter 3:10-12
"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?"
"See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn from him that speaketh from heaven:"
Now to the casual reader those who will just gloss right over that, not having the foggiest notion of what he is talking about. But for us what’s he saying? You know that when God was dealing with the Hebrews in the Old Testament economy, and Israel would just simply spurn God; and they would go on their own marry way and go into idolatry, what did God do? God judged them! When they went into the depths of idolatry, He sent old Nebuchadnezzar (2Kings 24 and then again in 1 Chronicles 6 where both kingdoms [Northern and Southern] are carried away) from the east and Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the Temple - and the city and the nation was uprooted and taken captive all the way out to Babylon for 70 years. Why? Because His wrath fell upon a disobedient and rebellious people. And over and over God would do that throughout Israel’s history. And He was speaking with them while they were, you might say, His objects of affection and everything, on earth. Because of His Oath and covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But now we’re under a far greater responsibility - now read on: "if they escaped not who refused him (God through Moses and the prophets) that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn from him (God through Christ) that speaks from heaven:"
We’ve got to look at the big picture. While God was dealing with The Hebrews in the Old Testament, almost exclusively, there were a lot of things that they didn’t have going for them that we do. For example, they didn’t have the indwelling Holy Spirit. Though He rested upon some of them who were or remained trusting of Him though limited in that trust. They didn’t have our benefit. All they had was that table of Law set in stone and the Levitical Laws written in a book of remembrance for them, all they could do was condemn them. Then they requested a king or government to rule them but God told that this was NOT in His program but He allowed it. Then they had the sacrificial system, which wasn’t always that easy to keep. But nevertheless, they didn’t have a lot of the advantages that we have today, and yet God held them responsible and accountable for their choices and actions of choice. God punished them when they turned in unbelief. Because of their vial and evil hearts. They quite literally turned their backs to Him. Don't fail to remember and realize that at the cross the religion of mankind and the Judaism of Israel was judged. When God laid on Jesus the sin guilt of not only the nation of Israel but also the whole world. From Adam until the end of time as man knows it. Alright so now the comparison is, if God would punish Israel back in those days when they didn’t have all this going for them, how much more will His wrath fall on those who reject Him as He speaks from heaven, now. And I have to add, in the enigma of the interim of the not yet, the period between Christ's first coming and that of His promised second coming as King of kings and LORD of lords.
When we say He speaks from heaven, let’s come all the way back so we get the big picture. You can’t just pick and choose, you have to look at the whole scenario. Back in Acts chapter 1, He has just finished His 40 days after the resurrection. He’s been with the Eleven and now they’re on the Mount of Olives and He was about to ascend back to glory. The Father is now beckoning Him to come and sit at His right hand. So, look at what it says: Verse 9.
Acts 1:9-11a
"And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; (we’re speaking of Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified, resurrected Christ) and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven (now have you got the picture? He is leaving earth and He is going up into heaven) as he went up, behold, two men (angels, messengers) stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven,…"
That’s what I want you to see. So where is He? He’s in heaven! So from this point on whenever He speaks, He speaks from heaven! That’s obvious isn’t it? Alright, now then, the Apostle Paul is constantly letting us know that that’s where he got his marching orders; from the Christ in heaven. Let me stop while you’re still in Acts, let’s jump over to chapter 22 and this is just an example of how Christ spoke to him from heaven. Acts 22 verse 17.
Acts 22:17-18
"And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance; And saw him (Now Christ Jesus, the Christ, in heaven) saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me,"
Now just jump across the page to chapter 23, verse 11. And Paul is under all the pressure now from those hateful fellow Jews.
Acts 23:11
"And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome."
Where is he speaking from? From heaven! Alright now come all the way up and stop with me at Galatians chapter 1 and again, he’s rehearsing his experience on the road to Damascus and he’s letting us know that everything that he’s writing now in the Pauline Epistles comes from the ascended Lord Who is in heaven. Galatians 1 starting at verse 11, and all we want you to see is that Hebrews says how that so much more responsibility is upon us in this Age of Grace because He’s speaking from heaven but through the Apostle Paul. Just as He will be doing shortly with John when he records His Revelation.
Galatians 1:11-12
"But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, (by men, but how did he get it?) but by the revelation of Jesus Christ."
From where? From heaven! So everything now comes back quickly to Hebrews. Though we could look again at the time Peter by way of inspiration of revelation spoke saying in effect you are the Christ from heaven. And Jesus said that Peter had been shown this by His Father and that this would be the foundation upon which He would build His church. In the same way he received the revelation. Hebrews 12 again, verse 25:
Hebrews 12:25b
"…For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:"
Remember we were talking about how that, if God Who spoke while dealing with the Hebrews on earth was something to be feared, how much more we should respect that Voice that speaks from heaven. And of course, for the most part, for us today in this Age of Grace, that comes through the epistles of the Apostle Paul, to whom God revealed all of these doctrines that are for us today. Now that doesn’t mean the rest of scripture isn’t appropriate or that it’s not valid. All Scripture, even Paul himself writes, "All Scripture is profitable for reproof in instruction, in inspiration and so forth." But for those of us living in this Age of Grace, Romans through Philemon becomes our paramount place of instruction. But through the Holy Spirit ie...the Spirit of Christ and His working within the sons of obedience. Those who operate in the same faith accredited to Abraham are God's son by faith. For we're to live by faith and not by sight or what could be called the earthiness of man. He speaks Alright now in verse 26:
Hebrews 12:26-27
"Whose voice then shook the earth: (God was dealing from Mt. Sinai) but now he hath promised, saying, 'Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.' And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made(religion, governments, idolatry), that those things which cannot be shaken may remain."
Now, in my own mind, I couldn’t help but think of shaking and sifting grain. And whenever you sort grain with the sieve, the chaff and the junk falls through and the good remains. Well, I think you’ve got the same analogy here - that God’s just going to shake things and that which is superfluous and is unimportant will disappear and only that which counts will remain. This is the lesson that is so over looked by the church world because it wants to remain under the old system of religion and government or a mixture of both but even here we're told that is not to be so. The things made referees to the earthy, governments, the law, the Levitical Law and all the false religions that man has made for himself will be shaken. The heavenly or spiritual is not able to be shaken for those who have received Him are witnesses that He has indeed come in the flesh of redeemed men. Men made perfect by the ontological essence of Christ restored to them who walk by His faithfulness to do as He has promised. They'll not deny Him for their testimony is the testimony of Paul which we've been sharing here.(Galatians 2:20)
Of course, there are those who think Paul is probably making reference here, inspired by the Holy Spirit, to what Peter writes more in detail in his little epistle of II Peter chapter 3. Now you might want to turn over to that passage, and we’ll start with verse 10 - and of course, this is way out into the future, but nevertheless, it’s coming when God is going to judge this planet.
2Peter 3:10-12
"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?"
Friday, January 18, 2013
The Epistle to the Hebrews part CCCII
Hebrews 12:24
"And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, …"
There’s the 6th item. It’s in the realm of the spiritual. It’s not a physical mountain like Sinai. It’s not thunder and lightening and voices like they heard. But these are all things taken and kept, that we take in by His faith. So the fact that He is the mediator of this new arrangement, this New Covenant as Paul uses the word right here. The New Testament is the word that we’re accustomed to hearing though Covenant and Testament are inter changeable. We have the promised New Covenant as our resource and Christ's working out within us, through His Grace activity, of its promised benefits. By the dynamic ontological Life of God in Christ Jesus and then Christ's ontological dynamic Life restored to receptive man or humanity. In the humanity of God's original intent and for His purposes. As Grace is the personage of the resurrected Christ, in the person of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is composed of Elohim or God the Father of spirits, God the Son of spirits and God the Spirit of spirits. Grace through faiths receptivity is to function moment by moment within us just as He did in Jesus as the Son of man. Through whom Grace and Truth was given and revealed to all mankind.
Hebrews 12:24
"And to Jesus the mediator …"
We’ve used it before so let’s use it again. Come back to 1 Timothy, chapter 2, because I prefer to let the Scripture do the talking. I think we’ll just start with verse 1 so we can pick up the flow - and of course this is Paul admonishing his son in the faith, Timothy. And so he says:
I Timothy 2:1-2a
"I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings,…"
That’s why I’m always stressing, you pray for the president and all those in authority every day. You pray for him and all men that they'd come to the knowledge of Christ and faith in Him and Him alone. Because the worlds churches, or governments and denominations will not save any one. For they are all but the work of the deceptive one and are but pones of his destructive nature. Because the Scriptures instructs us to.
I Timothy 2:2-5a
"For kings, and for all that are in authority; (and the end result is for our own pursuit of happiness, as our Constitution puts it) that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, (God’s not willing that any should perish) and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.. For there is one God,…"
One! Not several! Just as there is only one way to God's intended end and that is through the cross and the risen Christ Jesus. Don’t you believe this old hogwash that you can pick and choose and take or make your own way. There is only One. Someone said to me one time that we're teaching an exclusive gospel. At first I didn’t know what he meant, but I do now. And when I say exclusive, I mean there is no other. The Scriptures are full of it – "There is no other name given under heaven among men whereby we must be saved." Paul says in I Corinthians, "Lord I have laid the foundation. There is no other foundation, but Christ Jesus and the Way of the Cross." Here it is again.
I Timothy 2:5
"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;"
Remember, as we’ve come through Hebrews, Paul has been stressing the position of God the Son. The Son, but He was a man, He was human, He walked, He talked, He ate; but He never stopped being God. As such then, He can be the mediator between men and the invisible God. Alright, so read it again, verse 5: "There is one God, one mediator between that one God and man, and it’s the man Christ Jesus." Which of course, comes back to the fact that as a member of the Trinity (Elohim), God the Son (Yehovah) is just as much God, as God the Father; and in their Triune headship, they are one. But nevertheless, Jesus the Christ (Yeshua or Yehovah) is the Mediator between man and God. Yehovah remember was the one who revealed Himself to Enoch, Methuselah, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and at times and in various ways to the prophets of old. He has always been the active communicator between El and man. Alright, back to Hebrews chapter 12. And so this is one other part of the seven attributes there in the spiritual realm:
Hebrews 12:24a
"And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling,…" That we already saw referenced in Romans chapter 3, that it is the blood that was the price of redemption that had to be paid for the satisfaction of our sin debt. That it is through the flesh and blood of Christ we're to pass in the likeness of His physical and spiritual death and all its ramifications, the mystery which had been hid in God's heart until the day of Christ. His first visitation and departure.
Hebrews 12:24b
"…that speaketh better things than that of Abel."
The blood of Christ is far Better than that animal sacrificial blood and the blood of Abel. I would hope you haven’t been misled in Sunday school or anywhere else - that the comparison here is between the blood of Christ and the blood of Abel, who was murdered. That’s not what this is teaching. That has nothing to do with it whatsoever. What we’re saying is that the blood of Christ was so far better than the animal blood that, of course, which was used by Abel? It had to be. Animal blood was the requirement in all the Old Testament economy. Remember, just back up a page or two and we’ll see how God was satisfied with that animal sacrifice offered by Abel, Because it is what was required at that time Yehovah Himself set the standard as recorded in Genesis 3:21. And that’s in Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 4:
Hebrews 11:4a
"By faith (because this is what God instructed Adam and that’s what Abel did, he applied action to the which was known) Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain,…"
Now we are not going to take time to go back to Genesis, but why was Abel’s more excellent than Cain’s? Abel brought the firstling of his flock, which implies (it doesn’t say it was a lamb, but) that it was a lamb. Maybe a goat, but I prefer to think it was a lamb. Whereas you see, Cain brought of that which grew out of the ground, a bloodless offering, and God rejected it. Because Cains heart was not right in God's sight. Abel applied trust to his action of obedience, the action warranted. Alright, now, so the comparison is, here the blood of Christ is so far above the animal blood of the sacrifice that Abel offered, because of what God has now done. It reaches over the blood which the Hebrews spilled throughout the years of animal sacrifice. Let’s look at it and we’ll move on.
Hebrews 12:24
"And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel."
The blood that He shed, is from the perfect Lamb of God. It is far better than the blood sacrifice that Abel offered. Now let’s go on to verse 25. Now, this is a warning, and remember who He’s talking to. These verses are written first and foremost to Hebrew-Christians who were having a hard time breaking away from Judaism. He’s not talking so much to us Gentiles, as we said at the beginning of the study of Hebrews. This is primarily to Hebrew-Christians who were fighting the battle of making the break from religious legalism and Judaism and the Temple forms of worship. Remember, the Temple is still going, and they had to step out of all that into this glorious Age of Grace. That’s the whole purpose of this Epistle of Hebrews. But, as we’ve seen now in the last 12 chapter, there is so much for us to learn. My, I’ve learned, I hope you have. I’ve learned as I’ve prepared these lessons out of this Epistle of Hebrews, even though it is not directly written to me, it’s written to the Hebrew-Christians. Yet, oh, how we learn. In our quest for more of Him. He has shown us many who have received the revelation of this epistle, which we have drawn from their wisdom and understanding.
We study the Old Testament on the same basis. The Old Testament isn’t written to us. When the Old Testament speaks of sacrifices and offerings and so forth, we don’t do that. But we certainly learn from it. And that’s the purpose. Well, the same way in the Four Gospels. Our Gospel of Grace isn’t found in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John - you can’t find it, their all part and parcel of the history of the Hebrews. Does that mean we throw it away? No! My goodness, we can learn so much of Christ’s compassion, of His power, and of His miracle working. And His hostility toward the Jewish religionists of His day. Remember that they finally realized that His parables and metaphors were directed toward them and revealed their true nature and God's anger towards or with them. This should not have been a surprise to them as the Prophets had all spoken of and revealed this long before Jesus or John the baptist came on the scene. And they're all for the purpose of instruction and proofing of His deity, being housed in human form as prophesied. But that’s not the plan of salvation. It’s just simply things for our learning, that prepare us, then, for this apostle of Grace who brings these thing out. Then, this glorious Gospel of Grace in I Corinthians 15:1-4, and Romans 10:9-10 and many other places in his writings. And John's Revelation of God and His Christ verses Religion and the diabolical schemes of the evil one that are taking place during the enigma of the interim until the day of the LORD. So now then, verse 25. The warning is to these Hebrew-Christians, to these Hebrew-Christians who were having a hard time making the break.
"And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, …"
There’s the 6th item. It’s in the realm of the spiritual. It’s not a physical mountain like Sinai. It’s not thunder and lightening and voices like they heard. But these are all things taken and kept, that we take in by His faith. So the fact that He is the mediator of this new arrangement, this New Covenant as Paul uses the word right here. The New Testament is the word that we’re accustomed to hearing though Covenant and Testament are inter changeable. We have the promised New Covenant as our resource and Christ's working out within us, through His Grace activity, of its promised benefits. By the dynamic ontological Life of God in Christ Jesus and then Christ's ontological dynamic Life restored to receptive man or humanity. In the humanity of God's original intent and for His purposes. As Grace is the personage of the resurrected Christ, in the person of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is composed of Elohim or God the Father of spirits, God the Son of spirits and God the Spirit of spirits. Grace through faiths receptivity is to function moment by moment within us just as He did in Jesus as the Son of man. Through whom Grace and Truth was given and revealed to all mankind.
Hebrews 12:24
"And to Jesus the mediator …"
We’ve used it before so let’s use it again. Come back to 1 Timothy, chapter 2, because I prefer to let the Scripture do the talking. I think we’ll just start with verse 1 so we can pick up the flow - and of course this is Paul admonishing his son in the faith, Timothy. And so he says:
I Timothy 2:1-2a
"I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings,…"
That’s why I’m always stressing, you pray for the president and all those in authority every day. You pray for him and all men that they'd come to the knowledge of Christ and faith in Him and Him alone. Because the worlds churches, or governments and denominations will not save any one. For they are all but the work of the deceptive one and are but pones of his destructive nature. Because the Scriptures instructs us to.
I Timothy 2:2-5a
"For kings, and for all that are in authority; (and the end result is for our own pursuit of happiness, as our Constitution puts it) that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, (God’s not willing that any should perish) and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.. For there is one God,…"
One! Not several! Just as there is only one way to God's intended end and that is through the cross and the risen Christ Jesus. Don’t you believe this old hogwash that you can pick and choose and take or make your own way. There is only One. Someone said to me one time that we're teaching an exclusive gospel. At first I didn’t know what he meant, but I do now. And when I say exclusive, I mean there is no other. The Scriptures are full of it – "There is no other name given under heaven among men whereby we must be saved." Paul says in I Corinthians, "Lord I have laid the foundation. There is no other foundation, but Christ Jesus and the Way of the Cross." Here it is again.
I Timothy 2:5
"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;"
Remember, as we’ve come through Hebrews, Paul has been stressing the position of God the Son. The Son, but He was a man, He was human, He walked, He talked, He ate; but He never stopped being God. As such then, He can be the mediator between men and the invisible God. Alright, so read it again, verse 5: "There is one God, one mediator between that one God and man, and it’s the man Christ Jesus." Which of course, comes back to the fact that as a member of the Trinity (Elohim), God the Son (Yehovah) is just as much God, as God the Father; and in their Triune headship, they are one. But nevertheless, Jesus the Christ (Yeshua or Yehovah) is the Mediator between man and God. Yehovah remember was the one who revealed Himself to Enoch, Methuselah, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and at times and in various ways to the prophets of old. He has always been the active communicator between El and man. Alright, back to Hebrews chapter 12. And so this is one other part of the seven attributes there in the spiritual realm:
Hebrews 12:24a
"And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling,…" That we already saw referenced in Romans chapter 3, that it is the blood that was the price of redemption that had to be paid for the satisfaction of our sin debt. That it is through the flesh and blood of Christ we're to pass in the likeness of His physical and spiritual death and all its ramifications, the mystery which had been hid in God's heart until the day of Christ. His first visitation and departure.
Hebrews 12:24b
"…that speaketh better things than that of Abel."
The blood of Christ is far Better than that animal sacrificial blood and the blood of Abel. I would hope you haven’t been misled in Sunday school or anywhere else - that the comparison here is between the blood of Christ and the blood of Abel, who was murdered. That’s not what this is teaching. That has nothing to do with it whatsoever. What we’re saying is that the blood of Christ was so far better than the animal blood that, of course, which was used by Abel? It had to be. Animal blood was the requirement in all the Old Testament economy. Remember, just back up a page or two and we’ll see how God was satisfied with that animal sacrifice offered by Abel, Because it is what was required at that time Yehovah Himself set the standard as recorded in Genesis 3:21. And that’s in Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 4:
Hebrews 11:4a
"By faith (because this is what God instructed Adam and that’s what Abel did, he applied action to the which was known) Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain,…"
Now we are not going to take time to go back to Genesis, but why was Abel’s more excellent than Cain’s? Abel brought the firstling of his flock, which implies (it doesn’t say it was a lamb, but) that it was a lamb. Maybe a goat, but I prefer to think it was a lamb. Whereas you see, Cain brought of that which grew out of the ground, a bloodless offering, and God rejected it. Because Cains heart was not right in God's sight. Abel applied trust to his action of obedience, the action warranted. Alright, now, so the comparison is, here the blood of Christ is so far above the animal blood of the sacrifice that Abel offered, because of what God has now done. It reaches over the blood which the Hebrews spilled throughout the years of animal sacrifice. Let’s look at it and we’ll move on.
Hebrews 12:24
"And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel."
The blood that He shed, is from the perfect Lamb of God. It is far better than the blood sacrifice that Abel offered. Now let’s go on to verse 25. Now, this is a warning, and remember who He’s talking to. These verses are written first and foremost to Hebrew-Christians who were having a hard time breaking away from Judaism. He’s not talking so much to us Gentiles, as we said at the beginning of the study of Hebrews. This is primarily to Hebrew-Christians who were fighting the battle of making the break from religious legalism and Judaism and the Temple forms of worship. Remember, the Temple is still going, and they had to step out of all that into this glorious Age of Grace. That’s the whole purpose of this Epistle of Hebrews. But, as we’ve seen now in the last 12 chapter, there is so much for us to learn. My, I’ve learned, I hope you have. I’ve learned as I’ve prepared these lessons out of this Epistle of Hebrews, even though it is not directly written to me, it’s written to the Hebrew-Christians. Yet, oh, how we learn. In our quest for more of Him. He has shown us many who have received the revelation of this epistle, which we have drawn from their wisdom and understanding.
We study the Old Testament on the same basis. The Old Testament isn’t written to us. When the Old Testament speaks of sacrifices and offerings and so forth, we don’t do that. But we certainly learn from it. And that’s the purpose. Well, the same way in the Four Gospels. Our Gospel of Grace isn’t found in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John - you can’t find it, their all part and parcel of the history of the Hebrews. Does that mean we throw it away? No! My goodness, we can learn so much of Christ’s compassion, of His power, and of His miracle working. And His hostility toward the Jewish religionists of His day. Remember that they finally realized that His parables and metaphors were directed toward them and revealed their true nature and God's anger towards or with them. This should not have been a surprise to them as the Prophets had all spoken of and revealed this long before Jesus or John the baptist came on the scene. And they're all for the purpose of instruction and proofing of His deity, being housed in human form as prophesied. But that’s not the plan of salvation. It’s just simply things for our learning, that prepare us, then, for this apostle of Grace who brings these thing out. Then, this glorious Gospel of Grace in I Corinthians 15:1-4, and Romans 10:9-10 and many other places in his writings. And John's Revelation of God and His Christ verses Religion and the diabolical schemes of the evil one that are taking place during the enigma of the interim until the day of the LORD. So now then, verse 25. The warning is to these Hebrew-Christians, to these Hebrew-Christians who were having a hard time making the break.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
The Epistle to the Hebrews part CCCI
Starting at Romans 3:26 we'll pick it back up where we left off.
Romans 3:26
"To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus."
It’s something that anybody can do. There are no strings attached. That’s what makes it so simple. That God, the Righteous One, Who paid the price of redemption for every human being, through the finished the work of the cross. That we, in turn, might be the One who He justifies, sanctifies makes righteous and holy by His ontological presence within us. Anyone who believes, then receives by faith and by faith sees himself in that finished work. God has promised to do all that we in and of ourselves can NOT do, Christ's essence within us restored by faith does the works of God and thereby God gets all the glory do Him. It’s that simple. And oh, my goodness, as I have used the illustration over and over since we’ve come past Hebrews chapter 1, that twice in all of Biblical history, starting back in Genesis, God did something so perfect, so immaculately perfect, there wasn’t anything He could do but sit down to show that it was finished. The first one was creation and He looked at creation and everything was so perfect, there wasn’t anything He could correct.
In fact, I asked, "How many of you have built a new home and, after you’ve moved in, you have to call your contractor back to correct mistakes?" I had one guy, my father-in-law who could have really nodded his head. He wasn’t the guy who had the new home built - but he was the contractor! He knew only too well what it was to go back and correct little errors that they had made. Truth is that he never finished the house inside or out. So his boys were left with the work of fixing what ever was needed whether it be a cupboard door that didn’t fit or something like that. My point is that God didn’t have to do that. It was perfect and He sat down. The second time was, as Hebrews places it, that when He had purged us from our sin, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty. And again, why? Because the work of redemption and then our salvation, is all contained as the work of the cross is so perfect there isn’t anything He could do; it was all done. Sin, death and religion had been judged and destroyed in the action of Jesus who was declared God's Christ through His obedience, as it had been written before the foundation of the world.
Then I use this analogy. How would you like to have a little two-year-old come along, after you had a brass lamp or say the lower part of a glass windowed front door and after it was perfectly polished, and smear it up? Well, that’s what man has done with God’s perfect plan of salvation. They have smeared it all up with their additions of "do this" and "do that's" of mans religion. But religion had its roots all the way back in the garden when Adam ate of the forbidden fruit as we endeavored to explain earlier and elsewhere in this study. So mans religion has marred the perfect work and the finished work of the cross. For John's book of Revelation when understood reveals the out workings or continuum of Christ and God's doing battle through the enigma of the interim between Christ's return to glory and giving of His Spirit to man and His second coming. The very thing that Daniel had seen and heard but was told to seal up unto the end. When the sons of God would by way of revelation see and hear what the Spirit is saying through the prophecy written by John.
How it must break the heart of God when He has made it so available that no matter who it is, no matter how vile they are, or how steeped in a false cult or religion they may be - the moment they believe in the finished work, God justifies them! He declares them just. He declares them righteous. God sanctifies them. He calls them His sons and heirs. And He through the ontological essence of Christ's Spirit begins the out working of His, so Great a Salvation. The re-establishing of His Divine character within us, which Adam lost through his disobedience. Oh, that’s beyond natural human comprehension and I don’t expect people to understand it, just believe it and receive it; God will take care of all the rest. Just believe it. So now, if you’ll come back with me to Hebrews, maybe that verse will just jump off the page at you the next time you see it.
Hebrews 12:23c
"…and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,"
He’s the "Judge of all and the spirits of just men," or righteous men. That’s what the word "just" here means. "Of righteous men made perfect." That is in God’s eyes. Not in the eyes of men, but in God’s eyes, the righteous Judge. Its the action and activity of God restored within us by the ontological presence of His Holy Spirit. Not a religious act because God will share His Glory with NO man. As if man could glorify God in his own merit or self-righteousness or acts of piety. This has long been the teachings of religion for religion don't get what is meant by "we're to live by faith and faith alone". Religion wants to add what ever pleases it to this thusly nullifying God's action. Now let’s move into verse 24, and this would be numbers 6 and 7 of our seven items that are in the area of the spiritual, now, instead of the physical, earthy realm. Verse 24:
Hebrews 12:24
"And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel."
Romans 3:26
"To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus."
It’s something that anybody can do. There are no strings attached. That’s what makes it so simple. That God, the Righteous One, Who paid the price of redemption for every human being, through the finished the work of the cross. That we, in turn, might be the One who He justifies, sanctifies makes righteous and holy by His ontological presence within us. Anyone who believes, then receives by faith and by faith sees himself in that finished work. God has promised to do all that we in and of ourselves can NOT do, Christ's essence within us restored by faith does the works of God and thereby God gets all the glory do Him. It’s that simple. And oh, my goodness, as I have used the illustration over and over since we’ve come past Hebrews chapter 1, that twice in all of Biblical history, starting back in Genesis, God did something so perfect, so immaculately perfect, there wasn’t anything He could do but sit down to show that it was finished. The first one was creation and He looked at creation and everything was so perfect, there wasn’t anything He could correct.
In fact, I asked, "How many of you have built a new home and, after you’ve moved in, you have to call your contractor back to correct mistakes?" I had one guy, my father-in-law who could have really nodded his head. He wasn’t the guy who had the new home built - but he was the contractor! He knew only too well what it was to go back and correct little errors that they had made. Truth is that he never finished the house inside or out. So his boys were left with the work of fixing what ever was needed whether it be a cupboard door that didn’t fit or something like that. My point is that God didn’t have to do that. It was perfect and He sat down. The second time was, as Hebrews places it, that when He had purged us from our sin, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty. And again, why? Because the work of redemption and then our salvation, is all contained as the work of the cross is so perfect there isn’t anything He could do; it was all done. Sin, death and religion had been judged and destroyed in the action of Jesus who was declared God's Christ through His obedience, as it had been written before the foundation of the world.
Then I use this analogy. How would you like to have a little two-year-old come along, after you had a brass lamp or say the lower part of a glass windowed front door and after it was perfectly polished, and smear it up? Well, that’s what man has done with God’s perfect plan of salvation. They have smeared it all up with their additions of "do this" and "do that's" of mans religion. But religion had its roots all the way back in the garden when Adam ate of the forbidden fruit as we endeavored to explain earlier and elsewhere in this study. So mans religion has marred the perfect work and the finished work of the cross. For John's book of Revelation when understood reveals the out workings or continuum of Christ and God's doing battle through the enigma of the interim between Christ's return to glory and giving of His Spirit to man and His second coming. The very thing that Daniel had seen and heard but was told to seal up unto the end. When the sons of God would by way of revelation see and hear what the Spirit is saying through the prophecy written by John.
How it must break the heart of God when He has made it so available that no matter who it is, no matter how vile they are, or how steeped in a false cult or religion they may be - the moment they believe in the finished work, God justifies them! He declares them just. He declares them righteous. God sanctifies them. He calls them His sons and heirs. And He through the ontological essence of Christ's Spirit begins the out working of His, so Great a Salvation. The re-establishing of His Divine character within us, which Adam lost through his disobedience. Oh, that’s beyond natural human comprehension and I don’t expect people to understand it, just believe it and receive it; God will take care of all the rest. Just believe it. So now, if you’ll come back with me to Hebrews, maybe that verse will just jump off the page at you the next time you see it.
Hebrews 12:23c
"…and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,"
He’s the "Judge of all and the spirits of just men," or righteous men. That’s what the word "just" here means. "Of righteous men made perfect." That is in God’s eyes. Not in the eyes of men, but in God’s eyes, the righteous Judge. Its the action and activity of God restored within us by the ontological presence of His Holy Spirit. Not a religious act because God will share His Glory with NO man. As if man could glorify God in his own merit or self-righteousness or acts of piety. This has long been the teachings of religion for religion don't get what is meant by "we're to live by faith and faith alone". Religion wants to add what ever pleases it to this thusly nullifying God's action. Now let’s move into verse 24, and this would be numbers 6 and 7 of our seven items that are in the area of the spiritual, now, instead of the physical, earthy realm. Verse 24:
Hebrews 12:24
"And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel."
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