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Hebrews 9:15, Romans 6:23

Jesus is the only sin solution!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
January 27, 2020

The Bible makes it clear that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Under the Old Covenant, the blood and death of sacrificial animals were essential for the remission of sin. It wasn’t the blood of bulls and goats however that redeems sinners. They only pictured the redemption to come through the blood and death of Jesus himself. This is what the author of Hebrews means in Hebrews 9:15. He writes, “Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.”  Hagner explains this in his commentary, “The real answer to sins against the commandments of the Mosaic law is found not in the sacrifice of animals, but in the sacrifice of Christ. The new covenant thus contains within it the answer to the failure to abide by the requirements of the old covenant (cf. 8:12; 10:17–18). And, forgiveness experienced during the OT period depended finally—although this was hardly understood at the time—upon an event that was to take place in the future. The sacrifice of Christ is the answer to sin in every era, past and present, since it alone is the means of forgiveness.”[1]

It was a frightening thing for the “Hebrews” addressed by the author to give up their religion and put their full confidence in Jesus. They lived all their lives with the belief that the sacrificial system was the only remedy for their sin. All the rituals, rules and routines that had been part of their entire lives had to be dismissed. It was so difficult that many became “Judaizers.” Paul refers to them frequently in Galatians but also in Titus, and 2 Corinthians. Luke makes them a primary subject in the book of Acts. In the Gospels they are referred to as religions leaders, Pharisees, or Sadducees. The Judaizers attempt to blend their religion with their laws and thereby “corrupt” the pure gospel message. In the Christian denominations today we see these same tendencies. The doctrinal statements of many groups connect faith with works as a necessary part of salvation. Many still argue that one’s eternal inheritance is still obtained by faith plus works. But the overall theology of the New Testament argues that it’s faith only, in Jesus only! Jesus is fully sufficient!

The Judaizers of course were the detractors of the view of salvation by grace through faith alone in Christ alone. They pressured believers not to turn away from the rituals, rules and regulations of their religion saying it was OK to believe in Jesus as long as you maintained the traditions of our ancestors. The Judaizers would cajole, criticize, and even condemn those who turned away from their religion for the sake of Christ alone. The author of Hebrews wanted the new believers to stand firm in their faith in Christ alone, insisting on the failure of the Old Covenant and the sufficiency of Christ, the mediator of the New Covenant, to dispel guilt and shame and cleanse consciences once and for all. Not only is Jesus fully sufficient in dispelling guilt and shame in this generation, he’s the basis of God’s forgiveness of all sin in all generations throughout all time. It was his plan from the beginning and every drop of blood shed during the old economy simply pictured the true sacrifice to come in Christ. Jesus’ blood is the only basis for forgiveness of sin at any time and any place.  William Cowper wrote in his famous hymn, “There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Immanuel’s veins; and sinners, plunged beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains.”

[1] Donald A. Hagner, Hebrews, Understanding the Bible Commentary Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2011), 141.

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Hebrews 9:13-14

Jesus versus dead works!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
January 25, 2020

The Levitical system and the blood of animal sacrifices brought only external purification. It dealt only with physical things. It had no influence over the sinful heart of man. It fulfilled an external requirement that gave one the outward appearance of purity in the community but it did not touch him where he needs it most. Unfortunately, it is often the case that acceptance by the community is all many people want. Following the religious rules, rituals and regulations of the clan helps us fit in and find acceptance. Yet, no religious behavior pleases God. I’ve often argued that the hardest thing for people to give up for Jesus is there religion. The interesting thing to me is that religion is the only thing Jesus really wants us to give up. He wants us to stop trusting in our religions and start trusting in Him and His finished work on Calvary. He is the only hope for our deliverance from the “dead works” of our religions. Hebrews 9:13-14 says, “For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.”

One cannot serve the living God as long as he is following religious rules and rituals. He first must be set free from religious shackles. Fruchtenbaum writes, “The author’s argument, in verses 13–14, can be summarized in five points: (1) the means of cleansing was the blood of Jesus; (2) the basis of cleansing was the voluntary death of Jesus; (3) it was without spot or blemish since there was no moral failure on His part (Peter makes the same point in 1 Peter 1:19); (4) the object was to purge the conscience from dead works; these dead works were the works of the Levitical system; works which are now dead because they have come to an end as far as God is concerned; and, (5) the goal of Jesus’ death was for the believers to serve the living God; they are not to return to the dead works of the Levitical system but to serve the living God.”[1]

Putting our faith in the full sufficiency of Jesus sets us free from our religion. Religion itself is opposed to God’s grace for it prescribes formulas, procedures and practices designed to gain favor with God which cannot be done apart from Christ. It’s either God’s grace as seen in Christ or it’s a system of works. It cannot be a combination either as many attempt to make it. All religions stand in opposition of Christ. Kent explains, “Appropriation of His merits brings to the regenerated soul true peace of conscience through the knowledge that eternal redemption has been secured. Dead works are here viewed not just as useless or inactive but as defiling and causing the need for cleansing. Involved are legalistic ceremonies which cannot impart life (cf. 6:1), seen not only as mere externals which are not defiling per se, but as the expressions of sinful hearts bent on spurning the grace of God in favor of a system of works righteousness.”[2]

[1] Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, The Messianic Jewish Epistles: Hebrews, James, First Peter, Second Peter, Jude, 1st ed. (Tustin, CA: Ariel Ministries, 2005), 121.

[2] Homer A. Kent Jr., The Epistle to the Hebrews: A Commentary (Winona Lake, IN: BMH Books, 1983), 173.

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Hebrews 9:11-12

Jesus is the Answer!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
January 25, 2020

In the first part of Chapter 9 of Hebrews, the writer speaks about the practices of the priesthood as they were performed on behalf of sinners in the Tabernacle.  The only thing these things provided the sinner was an external ritual that had no lasting impact on his guilt and shame. All of the tabernacle practices, procedures and accoutrements simply served as an illustration of what was to come. The one and only High Priest for all mankind, the Priest who came not in the order of Aaron and the Levitical system, but one who came in the order of Melchizedek, was to put the finishing touches on the system illustrated by the tabernacle for all sinners once and for all. Whereas the Aaronic system failed, Jesus succeeded. Hebrews 9:11-12 says, “But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.”

Any and all religious systems along with any and all law codes can do nothing to cleanse a violator of their transgressions. These systems of practices, regardless of their nature, offer us nothing but a rigorous routine to follow over and over again. These rituals only have an effect in the here and now. They don’t lay up a ladder for us from earth to heaven. They don’t breach the physical realm and stretch into the plane of eternity. Only Jesus does that! No religion can provide what sinful humans need most. Every ritual, every observance, every sacrifice we offer leads only to another one that will come tomorrow and the day after! Nothing in religious systems is solid and secure. Where religion fails, Jesus succeeds. Brown says, “Our writer’s passionate desire is to expound the gospel against the background of law, the new covenant in the light of the old, all its incompleteness contrasted with the present secure blessings.”[1]

In 1967, Jefferson Airplane sang, “When the truth is found to be lies And all the joy Within you dies, don’t you want somebody to love?” Well, actually, I don’t want somebody to love. I want somebody to love me! Religious leaders lay burdens on people that are too heavy for them to carry. And none of their exhortations and threats can really make a difference in anyone’s life. When one finally realizes that all the religious rituals, rules and regulations do not bring peace with God, what can you do? When religion fails us and we end up broken, forlorn, and repentant, there is only one thing left for sinners. Brown describes it, “He calls to God for help, and this epistle, possibly more than anywhere else in the New Testament, gives the answer to his cry. The blood of Christ is God’s answer to man’s disturbed conscience. He can be cleansed and know he is forgiven.”[2]

[1] Raymond Brown, The Message of Hebrews: Christ above All, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988), 152.

[2] Raymond Brown, The Message of Hebrews: Christ above All, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988), 158.

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Hebrews 9:9-10, Ezekiel 36:26

Jesus & a New Heart!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
January 25, 2020

The repetitive sacrificial system of Israel offered no relief from guilt. The author of Hebrews explained that in Hebrews 9:8-10. He said, “According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.” External ritual does not resolve the sinful hearts of man. Brown writes, “But our writer knows that the real barrier between man and God is not merely a physical one. The heavy curtain is symbolic. The problem is not purely external; it is internal, within our hearts and minds. The real trouble is what Bunyan described as ‘a wounded conscience.’ The old covenant did all it could possibly do. But it could not bring help to man at a point where it was needed most desperately, in his conscience. All the sacrifices and gifts in the world could not ease the most seriously disturbed part of man’s inner life. The better covenant offered full and complete inward cleansing.”[1]

Now Hebrews 9:7 explained that the sacrifice of the High Priest on behalf of the people didn’t deal with deliberate sin. It says that the sacrifice that the priest brings is “for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people.” What happens to our “intentional” sin? Again, let me quote how Brown handles this issue. He writes, “No atonement was offered here for transgressions and offences which were of a deliberate nature. Man was seriously troubled by the fact that he had sinned not only inadvertently, through carelessness or ignorance, but consciously and rebelliously. What could the law do about people like us who are, in Forsyth’s words, ‘not even stray sheep, or wandering prodigals merely; we are rebels taken with weapons in our hands’? Can anything be done for the blameworthy sinner, overwhelmed with remorse, longing for release from the oppression and tyranny of unrelieved guilt?”[2]

In Hebrews 8:12 the author quoted from Jeremiah 31 to explain God’s attitude toward the rebelliousness of man. God says, “For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” The old system reminded them of their sins just as the frequent visits to the dialysis machine reminds the patient of his illness. Just as a new kidney would remove the need for dialysis, so too does a new heart through faith in Jesus, remove the need for sacrifices, rituals, rules and regulations. According to Ezekiel 36:26, the new order involved a transplant. God speaks and says, “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you.” No work or ritual of man can clear a conscience. Only Jesus can do that. Stedman concludes, “Those who today try to earn a sense of being pleasing to God by good behavior need to hear this lesson. Never knowing when they have done enough, they feel troubled and restive without any heart-peace and thus are often driven to extreme measures of self-punishment and despair. They need to cease from their efforts and trust in Christ’s completed work.”[3]

[1] Raymond Brown, The Message of Hebrews: Christ above All, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988), 153–154.

[2] Raymond Brown, The Message of Hebrews: Christ above All, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988), 154.

[3] Ray C. Stedman, Hebrews, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series (Westmont, IL: IVP Academic, 1992), Heb 9:6.

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Hebrews 9:8-10, Luke 21:6

Jesus is for the “Average Joe”

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
January 25, 2020

My favorite Catholic joke involves a conversation between a Catholic school boy and his protestant neighbor. The neighbor quizzed the Catholic about how confession worked. The catholic school boy said “we take our sins to the priest in confession and he pardons our sins.” The protestant asked, “What does the priest do with his sins.” The Catholic boy responded, “He takes them to the Bishop and the Bishop pardons him.” The comeback of course was, “what does the Bishop do with his sins?” The boys said, “He takes them to the cardinal, and the cardinal pardons him.” Of course the next question was, “What does the Cardinal do with his sins.” The answer as expected was, “He takes them to the Pope and the Pope pardons him.” Finally the protestant boy asks, “What does the Pope do with his sins?” The Catholic boy replied, “Well, he takes them to God directly who forgives him.” His neighbor jubilantly replies, “The Pope must be a protestant because that’s what we do!”

With the advent of our Great High Priest, Jesus, the system of barriers which kept the common person from God’s presence was torn from top to bottom. The Jewish system consisted of the outer court which limited a Gentile’s approach to God, the inner court in which the Jewish believers were restrained, the Holy Place where only priests could enter, followed by the Most Holy Place where only the one High Priest in every generation could enter and only once a year. As long as this system remains in effect there is no way for a normal person to establish a personal connection with God. This system was an external one and had no contact with one’s inner being. Hebrews 9:8-10 says, “By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing (which is symbolic for the present age). According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.”

Jesus predicted that the temple and its system would be destroyed completely. Luke 21:6 tells us that Jesus said there will not be “one stone left upon another” when the Temple is destroyed. This literally happened in 70 A.D. when Titus, the Roman General, razed the Temple to the ground. The whole sacrificial system was a parable that the Holy Spirit uses to point to Jesus. His sacrifice “rent” the barriers between God and the normal person. Further, the repetitive nature of the earthly sacrifices served as a constant reminder of sin. There was no relief for sinners. Hughes summarizes his comments on this passage, “Average Joes, like most of us, were several ecclesiastical layers removed from access to God’s presence—and their consciences never rested easy.”[1]

[1] R. Kent Hughes, Hebrews: An Anchor for the Soul, vol. 1, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1993), 229.

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Hebrews 9:6-7, Genesis 22:14

It’s Jesus plus nothing!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
January 25, 2020

After the author of Hebrews describes the items resting in the Holy place and the Most Holy place, he then explains how each place was used. Hebrews 9:6-7 says, “These preparations having thus been made, the priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties, but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people.” The phrase “unintentional” sin is often referred to as “sins of ignorance.” The truth of the matter is that at the Day of Atonement the nation acknowledged its overall sinfulness. It focused on the reality that everything we do comes from a depraved heart and mind. It’s not so much the single sings that are atoned for on this day but the very fact of human sinfulness as a whole. Guzik writes, “Sins of ignorance were the specific aim of the Day of Atonement. It was assumed that known sin would be taken care of through the regular sin offerings and the daily sacrifices.”[1]

Andrew Trotter writes, “Lastly, atonement covers all the sins — intentional, unintentional, heinous, trivial of those for whom it is intended. No one was to enter the Tent of Meeting until the ritual was over because what was taking place there was for the whole of the community of Israel ( Lev 16:17 ), presumably because any interference with the sovereign action of God’s cleansing might bring an impurity into the equation that would nullify the purificatory act. The comprehensive nature of the sacrifice of atonement prefigures the comprehensiveness of the shedding of Christ’s blood on the cross…” (see https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/atonement/)

The purification of man’s ultimate sinful nature is a purification that is fully performed by God. God Himself, provided the sacrifice just as he promised Abraham. Instead of demanding Abraham’s only begotten son as the sacrifice, God provided His only begotten son as the sacrifice for the sins of the world. Abraham named that place in Genesis 22:14 which reads, “So Abraham called the name of that place, ‘The LORD will provide’; as it is said to this day, ‘On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided.’” This is the “lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.” Nothing else can be added to Christ’s work on our behalf. As the Lamb, he was the sacrifice. As the High Priest, he offered himself. Anything that one might want to add to the full sufficiency of that “sovereign act of God’s cleansing might bring an impurity into the equation that would nullify the purificatory act.” We can’t add anything to what Christ accomplished on our behalf and we can’t take anything away from it! When Jesus said “it is finished” he meant it!

[1] David Guzik, Hebrews, David Guzik’s Commentaries on the Bible (Santa Barbara, CA: David Guzik, 2013), Heb 9:6–7.

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Hebrews 9:5, Matthew 27:51, Genesis 28:12

Jesus is the ladder to God!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
January 21, 2020

After he mentions the contents of the Holy Place and the Most Holy place, the author of Hebrews then describes the gold angels on the mercy seat covering the ark of the covenant. Hebrews 9:5 says, “Above it (the mercy seat) were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.” The mercy seat was “…the ornate ‘lid’ for the ark of the covenant, made with the designs of cherubim upon it. The blood of sacrifice was sprinkled upon it for the forgiveness of Israel’s sin on the Day of Atonement (Exodus 25:17–22).  As God looked down into the ark, He saw the symbols of Israel’s sin, rebellion, and failure. But when the blood of sacrifice was applied to the mercy seat, God saw that blood covering over the sin of Israel, and He looked at the blood instead of the sin of Israel.”[1] This was done once a year on the day of atonement. But Jesus does it once for all people, for all time! The sweet smelling aroma from the altar of incense that the priest brought into the Holy of Holies was the center of God’s attention, representing the sacrifice of His only begotten son who was “well pleasing” in life and in death. When God looks down on believers, He doesn’t see our sin, He sees His Son!

Several commentators, including John Calvin, argue that the details of the various items in the tabernacle are not important and the author of Hebrews means to dismiss the importance of seeing Jesus in each and every item. According to these commentators this is what the author of Hebrews means when he closes verse five with the comment, “Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.” But I see the author of Hebrews implying just the opposite. The details are important to him and they deserve some attention that’s why he mentions them. He couldn’t speak of them “now” but may have spoken of them later. But now he was interested in pointing out the superiority of Christ to the entire religious system not the particulars. As Fruchtenbaum says, “The point of the whole overview is to show that the old system consisted of a system of barriers between the worshipper and God. The Outer Court separated Gentiles from Jews. The Inner Court separated Levites from non-Levites. The first veil separated priests from non-priests. The second veil separated the High Priest from common priests.”[2]

When Jesus died on the cross, the veil of the Temple was torn in half in the midst of the thunder and lightning of God’s wrath being poured out on Jesus on our behalf. Matthew writes in 27:51, “And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.” In Genesis we see the “curtain” separating the spiritual realm from the physical realm torn open from top to bottom also. Matthew took the beginning of his statement from Genesis 28:12. It says, “And behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it!” Another way to look at the word “ladder” would be a “breach.” Some translations use “stairway.”  It connected the physical world with God at the top of the ascent. The angels ascending and descending were represented by those embroidered on the veil itself. Jesus told Nathaniel “You will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” He was making it clear that He was the “breach” between heaven and earth! The only way to the Father is “through” Jesus!

[1] David Guzik, Hebrews, David Guzik’s Commentaries on the Bible (Santa Barbara, CA: David Guzik, 2013), Heb 9:1–5.

[2] Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, The Messianic Jewish Epistles: Hebrews, James, First Peter, Second Peter, Jude, 1st ed. (Tustin, CA: Ariel Ministries, 2005), 114–115.

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Hebrews 9:4, Exodus 30:10, Leviticus 16:17

Christ’s Sacrifice is Sufficient

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
January 21, 2020

According to Hebrews 9:4, there were three things in the Ark of the Covenant. It reads, “in which was a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron’s staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant.” These three items rested in the ark “under” the lid called the mercy seat.  There is much discussion of whether all three item were “within” the Ark or just “beside it.” Many commentators argue from several ancient texts that the Ark only contained the two tablets of the Covenant that Moses brought down from Sinai. The other two items were in the Holy of Holies but beside the ark and not within it. Regardless of their exact location the three items seem to be reminders of Israel’s failure, their sins. Guzik argues, “The manna reminded Israel of God’s provision and their ungratefulness.  Aaron’s rod reminded Israel of their rebellion against God’s authority. The tablets of the covenant reminded Israel of their failure to keep the Ten Commandments and the rest of the law.”[1]

In contrast to human failure with our ingratitude, rebellion, and disobedience is the life of Jesus who did not come to destroy the law but to fulfill it on our behalf. This seems to be pictured beautifully by the mercy seat and its function. Hughes argues, “The mercy-seat symbolized Christ’s work. Moreover, Jesus fleshed out the contents of the Ark. He perfectly fulfilled the stone tablets of the Law (Deuteronomy 10:5; Matthew 5:17). Aaron’s staff that budded when it confirmed him as high priest (Numbers 17:1–11) is fully flowered in Christ’s priesthood. And the manna again speaks of him who is the ultimate Bread of Life (cf. Exodus 16:33, 34; John 6:35ff.).”[2]

No one could mediate regarding the sins of the people except the high priest. He would enter into the Holy of Holies only once a year to bring the blood of the sacrifice and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat. This obligation was solemnly entrusted to Aaron as High Priest and his descendants in each generation. This is recorded in Exodus 30:10. It reads, “Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once a year. With the blood of the sin offering of atonement he shall make atonement for it once in the year throughout your generations. It is most holy to the LORD.” The word “atonement” appears three times in that short verse.  According to Leviticus 16:17, “No one may be in the tent of meeting from the time he enters to make atonement in the Holy Place until he comes out and has made atonement for himself and for his house and for all the assembly of Israel.” It was the High Priest’s role and his alone. No one else could contribute to the atonement made for the sins of the people but the High Priest. Thus, Christ’s High Priestly commission was His and His alone. No one and nothing can be added to His work on our behalf. To attempt to do so is to defile the process. Christ’s sacrifice is sufficient!

[1] David Guzik, Hebrews, David Guzik’s Commentaries on the Bible (Santa Barbara, CA: David Guzik, 2013), Heb 9:1–5.

[2] R. Kent Hughes, Hebrews: An Anchor for the Soul, vol. 1, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1993), 225.

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