Before we get into this study we need to again express that Paul as a called out Apostle was given an unique position and message from the risen LORD. And when we by or through the Holy Spirit learn Christ we find that all of the scripture from beginning to end is Christocentric. That He did not come to judge anyone but to reveal the change in the dimension of God's dealing with man through Christ and IN Christ and coupled with this change is the decrease and ultimately the demise of the Jewish religion and in fact all religion and the people of Israel as the primary focal point as they have served the purpose and function to bring Christ into the world. For the Jewish religion like all others is and remains but an external and material religion tied to mans flesh and self gratification. Within Christ we learn of the spiritual change [as God is now in personal relationship within each of us, as sons of God] and a heavenly kingdom that will one day rule. James A. Fowler as a modern day theologian in his commentaries on the Gospels, Galatians and Hebrews brings out the Christ ontological message as hid in the scriptures that Christ reveals in Himself. He by this reveals the shock value as Christ spoke, or as God spoke in Jesus as we're to hear and learn of Him. Which had been hid to those of the past (theological commentaries) and veiled in the prophets of old as they wrote from a perspective of their particular religious flavor and by this reveal their blindness and absence of the Spirit of Christ.
This said lets get back into our study. Picking up in Hebrew chapter 10 and Paul indictment against Judaism and religion in general because they oppose all that God planned to reveal in and through His Son as revealed in Galatians and here in Hebrews.
Hebrews 10:26
"For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,"
Now in order to understand this you’ve got to get the big picture. Who are the Hebrews? Jews! What is their belief system? Judaism. And what was Judaism based on? The Temple worship, the sacrifices, the feast days and all the various demands – for a particular sin, you would bring this particular sacrifice. Now this whole Epistle of Hebrews as I’ve been stressing, was written first and foremost to those Hebrew-Christians as believers. As they were having such a hard time breaking from their old religious system of Judaism with Temple worship and the sacrifices and the whole ‘nine yards.’
As I explained, you take people who have come out of a cult, and cults are satanically capable of brainwashing people to such an extent that it’s almost impossible to bring them out of it except for the power of God, but I have had some that have broken free. And the first thing they tell me, "But Bill, it’s so hard to break with what we have been taught for a whole lifetime." This is also true of those bond by religion. I know that, it is hard. But if you’re going to be a believer in the Word of God that’s what you have to do. To start they have to renounce all ties to what ever holds them and then profess faith in the Blood and Christ. Which those from an occult understand the meaning and power there of. But for those bond by religion its another matter all together as they are resistant because they feel they're doing the wrong thing not realizing that the Jesus they know is NOT the Christ Jesus of these gospels. Well, these Hebrews were the same way. They had been so steeped in Judaism ever since 2000-1500 BC. Israel was under the Levitical Law and they were so steeped in Temple worship with all of its attendant sacrifices and man made ordinances.
Now then, the key to this whole verse is the last part of the verse; that if you’re going to willfully turn away from Paul’s revelations of the Grace of God and go back into Judaism, what would they be practicing? Sacrifices? No Lawlessness. Idolatry and whoredom with the spirit of religion the mystery harlot of Babylon. They’d be going back to their animal sacrifices, but would it do them any good? No. And that’s what this verse is screaming at them. If you’re going to turn around and walk away from this that has been revealed to you by the Grace of God and you’re going to go back into Judaism with all of its Temple worship and sacrifices, then hey, you’re out of it. God is no longer dealing with people on the basis of the animal sacrifices because Jesus as the son of man, He is and was the complete, perfect sacrifice.
And when people turned around and say, "Well, I’m going back to my Temple worship. I’m going back to the animal sacrifices;" they were, as it says in chapter 6 ‘crucifying the Lord afresh.’ How? By telling Him that His sacrifice counted for nothing! That animal’s blood is better than His. Do you see the picture? Can you see the lawlessness in it all? To do such is to make yourself an enemy of God in greater magnitude than ever before. For us as a “Christian” to do the same or to flow in the spirit of the world places us under the same penalty due them. God's wrath and hells fire or the pit of utter darkness.
All right, verse 27. That after they’d received the knowledge of the truth and there remains no more sacrifice (animal sacrifices or any other form of religious worship, won’t help you). But if you’re going to go back into Judaism there is:
Hebrews 10:27
"But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries."
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