The Epistle to the Hebrews part CXXXIII

I Corinthians 3:10
"According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder. (the head contractor)I have laid (not a foundation, but what)the (the only) foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon."

Get the picture. We had to leave that foundation that was offered to the Hebrews under the Gospel of the Kingdom, because that is now moot, rolled up and put away. But now we move to a New foundation which is that which this Apostle Paul has laid. Now, we have to be careful. Paul isn’t claiming to be the foundation. He’s merely the master contractor. He only laid the foundation. Now the next verse,

I Corinthians 3:11
"For other foundation can no man lay that that which is laid, and that is (what?) Jesus Christ."

That’s the foundation on which everything now rests. So it’s a moving, progressive thing. On your way back to Hebrews just stop at Galatians for a moment. Galatians chapter 1. Verses that we use so often.

But I use Galatians 1 so often in order to show the progressiveness of Paul’s writings, and let’s begin with verse 11, where Paul writes primarily to Gentiles. Now we’re not leaving the Hebrews out - they certainly have access to the Gospel of Grace the same as we do. But, it’s now primarily Gentiles who are to be responding, and this we get from Romans chapter 12. And so he says:


Galatians 1:11-13a
"I certify you, brethren, that the gospel (this Gospel of the Grace of God) which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, (by other men) but (here it comes now) by the revelation (what’s the other word for revelation? Revealing, or inspiration. What’s a revealing? Taking off the mask, see? Or the opening of a sealed book Revelation 5. And so) of Jesus Christ. For ye have heard of my conversation (or manner of living) in times past in the Jews’ religion,…"

This is what he’s addressing back in Hebrews. He knew where those people were, because he’d been there. How do we say it today? Been there and done that? Yeah, that’s what Paul could have said, I’ve been there, done that. But you see, he’s had these new revelations concerning Christ Jesus. Now finishing verse 13.

Galatians 1:13b
"…how that beyond measure I persecuted the church (or assembly) of God, and wasted it:"
Then he goes on to say how that all of these truths that now come from his pen were revealed to him by the ascended Lord, where in his inward parts just the same as with us. In the same fashion that Peter was enabled to answer Jesus, "though are the Christ of God" (Matthew 16:16, John 6:69).

Galatians 1:16a
"To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen: (Gentiles)

We’re getting through to people. The Apostle Paul speaks of Christ on this side of the Cross. After the finished work of death, burial and resurrection. The Four Gospels are before the Cross with possibly one exception that of John and most people can’t understand that. Back to Hebrews 6.


Hebrews 6:1b
"…not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and faith toward God."

That was the very tenets or the precepts of the Gospel of the Kingdom that Jesus and the Twelve proclaimed to Israel. And Paul says, 'That’s moot.’ That’s no longer of any count. It is in the past, now gone forever. Now what are they? Six of them. In pairs. "Don’t lay again the foundation of repentance from dead works and faith toward God."

Now goodness sakes, didn’t all the Old Testament understand those two. Why of course. Israel was told more than once to repent of their iniquity and wickedness. Abraham was a man of what? Strong Trust which was accounted as Faith! So these were two concepts or precepts that weren’t new to the Hebrews. That was part and parcel of their history, see? And so Paul says, don’t just stay on that which has now become elementary. Now Dead works, wow!

We take you right back to Galatians. Let’s just go back. I should have used that before I went to Hebrews. Galatians 1 where we just were, 13 and 14 again. This is why he knew whereof he spoke. And even though every word is inspired by the Holy Spirit, we’ll never take that away from it, yet Paul had firsthand knowledge of what the Spirit was causing him to write. Alright, remember now what he says, not to lay the foundation of repentance from dead works. The old form of the Aaron's priesthood, the Levitical priesthood that is which only dealt in the external or material realm as it had no power or right to deal in the spiritual, in which we are now. It also had no means of redemption or a way of saving some one as there was no grace through it.