Hebrews 10:1-18

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Hebrews 10:1-18 1For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. 2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? 3 But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5 Consequently, when Christ came into the world, He said, “Sacrifices and offerings You have not desired, but a body have You prepared for Me; 6 in burnt offerings and sin offerings You have taken no pleasure. 7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God, as it is written of Me in the scroll of the book.’” 8 When He said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), 9 then He added, “Behold, I have come to do Your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. 10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until His enemies should be made a footstool for His feet. 14 For by a single offering He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. 15 And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, 16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put My laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” 17 then He adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” 18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.

Text Explained

Hebrews 10:1-18 1For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. 2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? 3 But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. As we come to verses 1-4 we are quickly reminded of the truth that the shadow of the Old Covenant could NOT actually purify a person from sin. This is a point that the author of Hebrews has been hammering on repeatedly. The very fact that the sacrifices had to be made year after year after year was a demonstration of the inadequacy of the Old Covenant. The author makes the point that the repetitive nature of the sacrifices was proof/evidence that the Old Covenant was incapable of actually cleansing people from their sins. Culminating the declaration that “it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” Yet we also know that the Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death...” And Hebrews 9:22 “...without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” So, the blood of bulls and goats was insufficient to actually purify anyone who has sinned.

5 Consequently, when Christ came into the world, He/Jesus said, “Sacrifices and offerings You/God have not desired, but a body have You/God prepared for Me/Jesus; herein we have a unique glimpse into the Trinity working together to bring about the plan of salvation. 6 in burnt offerings and sin offerings You/God have taken no pleasure. The blood of bulls and goats were insufficient. Nothing else could pay the debt of sin. 7 Then I/Jesus said, ‘Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God, as it is written of Me in the scroll of the book.’” Here we see a quote from Psalm 40:4-6 that the author of Hebrews immediately elaborates upon.

8 When He/Jesus said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law) In other words, the works of the law/the old covenant could not save, 9 then He/Jesus added, “Behold, I/Jesus have come to do Your/the Father’s will.” As you read the Gospel accounts, you will see again and again that Jesus came to do His Father’s will. His life of obedience to the Father is the reason He was able to be the perfect sacrifice. He/Jesus does away with the first in order to establish the second. By doing the Father’s Will in perfect obedience, Jesus does away with the Old Covenant. 10 And by that will Whose will? the will of God the Father, through the obedience of Christ as we read in Philippians 2:8 “And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” By Christ’s active obedience to the Will of God the Father, we have been sanctified through the offering/the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. The wages of sin is death and Jesus, who did NOT earn those wages, obeyed the Will of the Father to the fullest degree by being obedient up to and including death on the cross. Conversely, 11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. The priests would repeatedly offer animal sacrifices b/c those sacrifice were never enough. The Shadow of the Heavenly Reality.

12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God, when Jesus offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice, the perfect substitute, fully paying the wages of sin on our behalf, the debt was paid in full. No more sacrifices need to be made. Jesus sat down, demonstrating His work was finished, and He sat at the right Hand of God, demonstrating that God the Father was pleased. And now Jesus is 13 waiting from that time until His enemies should be made a footstool for His feet. Jesus’ work of salvation is done, now we wait for His return. The Great And Terrible Day of the Lord. A wonderful day for those in Christ and a day of terror for those who are not. Yet the author of Hebrews does not focus on that future day, but rather on what has already accomplished.

14 For by a single offering He/Christ has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. The author points to a truth we as Christians need to remember. When we are saved, we are no longer sinners. We have been made perfect. We are fully and completely justified. We are saved. Yet this verse also tells us that we are being sanctified. We are being made holy. This is the truth. When we believe, we are positionally made perfect. Yet you and I know that we still sin. Those in Christ are thus being convicted of the sin that we do and little by little, moment by moment, and day by day, we put off the sin that so easily besets us and the Holy Spirit who indwells every believer is making us more like Christ. 2 Corinthians 3:18 “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image the image of Christ from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” This is what the author of Hebrews points toward. Our position has changed from sinner to saint and our earthly lives demonstrate that growth/change that the Holy Spirit of God works in all those who have believed.

15 And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; 2 Corinthians 1:22 “and who/the Father has also put His seal on us and given us His Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” The Holy Spirit of God the third Person of the Trinity indwells every believer. He lives within us and it is through Him that the law of God is not written on stone tablets, but written in our hearts and minds. As the Holy Spirit testified through the Prophet Jeremiah. for after saying, 16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put My laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” Side note: Some have taken this to mean that they can close their Bibles and simply listen to the Holy Spirit inside them. That is ignorant, arrogant, and biblically foolish. Remember Jesus’ prayer for His disciples AND ALL who will believe. John 17:17–19 “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate Myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.” The Word of God is the Truth of God. It is through the written Word that Holy Spirit who indwells, illuminates the believer. Do not fall into the lie that you can trust your own impressions and feelings more than the clearly written Word. You can be wrong, the Bible never is. Back on point. Rather than a Law written on tablets of stone, the Holy Spirit writes the Laws on our Hearts and Minds and the Holy Spirit adds the wonderful truth and point of this entire section. Through the sacrifice of Jesus, any who repent/believe, God’s response is this: 17 then He/the Holy Spirit adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. Jesus’ sacrifice was sufficient to pay the debt of the most vile sinners, and there is no need for any more sacrifices. It is in Christ alone, that our hope is found.

Text Applied

Your Debt of Sin is Paid in Full: Dear Christian, when Christ died on that Cross, He perfectly paid the debt you owed. This does not mean that we are free to continue in sin. God forbid! It means that when we sin, our debt of sin was paid for on the Cross. 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Last week we considered that the wages of sin is death and the animal sacrifices were a continual reminder that our sin deserved death, yet you and I, because of Christ’s death, are free. Your debt is paid. Every evil thought, every evil action that you have or will ever have is forgiven. Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” This does not mean that there will be no earthly consequences, but it means we can have a right relationship with God.

You are being Sanctified: For the Christian, your position is secure in Christ. From this standpoint, we are indeed perfect in Christ. Yet it is also true that we have not achieved the completion of our salvation. As the text said, we are being sanctified. Full sanctification will only be achieved when we see Jesus face to face. There is no such thing as a perfect Christian here on this earth. Rather scripture teaches us that God’s will for us is our sanctification. 1 Thessalonians 4:3 “For this is the will of God, your sanctification:” The process of sanctification is described as putting off and putting on. Like a person takes off the old dirty clothes and puts on the new. Ephesians 4:20–24 “But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” We put off the Old, by renewing our minds through knowing Scripture and obeying it. The more we do the will of Christ, in the same way Christ did the will of the Father, we will be putting on the new.