10 1-18b
Hebrews Series- Fellowship Baptist Church
Passage: Hebrews 10:1-18
Theme: The Character of the Two Covenants
Proposition: The New Covenant is the reality of God’s plan of redemption
Introduction:
Illustration of Terri’s shadow
Read Hebrews 10:1-18
The point of this passage is to bring to a conclusion what the author has been seeking to communicate regarding Christ’s sacrifice and the New Covenant. It is the reality, the culmination of all of God’s plan of redemption since before the creation of the world.
He wants us to see again, that the Old Covenant was not the answer to man’s problems. That it was not in the Old Covenant that God finished His work of freeing man from His slavery to sin, of cleansing man of the stain of sin, and of allowing man into His presence. The Old Covenant merely pointed to the New Covenant, helping us to realize that the Old was insufficient, while the New is what we desired.
One more time, he will show us the nature and inability of the Old, and contrast it with the nature realities of the New by pointing us to the sacrifice offered in both.
The Old Covenant – 10:1-4
Its nature – It is a shadow and ineffective
Simply put, it is not real. It is only a form that hints at what is real.
Hebrews 8:5, 9:23; Col. 2:17
Just as a shadow can have little to no impact in life, so the Old Covenant with its requirements and sacrifices had little real impact on humans.
Shadows tell us that there is something of substance nearby, we are not intended to be absorbed with the shadow, but with the reality casting the shadow.
Its Inability
Illustration of the Passover slaughter – From MacArthur, Hebrews commentary
300,000 lambs killed in the week preceeding
Specially designed channels in the temple that carried the blood from the place of slaughter to the Brook Kidron outside
Said that the brook ran red with blood at this time of the year.
It cannot deal with the sin problem of man – can never make perfect v. 1; it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. v. 4, v. 11
It cannot remove the stain of the sin – not cleansed
It cannot remove the guilt of his sin – perceived guilt
It reminds the worshipper of his sin – annual reminder
The New Covenant
Its Nature – it is real and effective
It accomplished God’s will
God’s found no pleasure in the slaughter of animals. This was not why He required the sacrifices. It was the heart attitude of the worshipper that accompanied the sacrifice . This is what motivated Christ – the fulfillment of the Father’s will.
What was that will?
The sacrifice of His own Son to pay for the sins of mankind so that man could experience the forgiveness of sin and have complete and permanent access to Him.
It was final – vv. 11-12, 14, 18
Illustration of attending class with Wesley, comparison of the teachings regarding the Lord’s Table.
Ludwig Ott, a Roman Catholic theologian, explains this perpetual sacrifice dogma, which was made official by that church at the Council of Trent in the middle of the sixteenth century. “The holy Mass,” he writes, “is a true and proper sacrifice. It is physical and propitiatory, removing sins and conferring the grace of repentance. Propitiated by the offering of this sacrifice, God, by granting the grace of the gift and the gift of Penance, remits trespasses and sins however grievous they may be.” In other words, God’s satisfaction regarding sin depends upon the weekly mass. That is why attending mass is so important to Catholics. But the theory of the perpetual offering of Jesus Christ is in absolute and direct opposition to Scripture.
He has sat down
The Old Covenant priests never rested when it was time to offer sacrifices. Whether it was the daily sin offering or the day of Atonement, there was never a time to sit because their work was never finished. Day after day, year after year, there was always work to do because there was always sin to be paid for.
In contrast to the Old Covenant sacrifices Christ offered one sacrifice for all time. As the Great High Priest, His work is finished.
Is He finished because the people of God no longer sin?
There is no longer a need for atonement, covering of the sin because the one sacrifice of Christ’s blood covers the sin and cleanses the sinner, permanently.
He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified - ESV
KJV – For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
DARBY – For by one offering he has perfected in perpetuity the sanctified.
ASV – For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
RSV – For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.
There is no longer a need for atonement because God has chosen to forgive and not remember, permanently. – v. 17-18.
Where are you in relation to God’s will for your redemption?
Are you still trying to keep the law, hoping that He will accept you if He deems you good enough?
Are you following another plan, some type of Old Covenant variation where if you do enough good works, He will deem you good enough?
Both of these approaches seek to avoid the one way which He established through the death of His Son. Both are systems that are not final, that provide no permanence of forgiveness and cleansing, thus both are rebellion to His will and plan.
Thus no one gains acceptance through these ways.
Its Results
It Frees the Worshipper – v. 9
The New Covenant Abolishes the Old Covenant
At the core of the Old Covenant was the Law of Moses
Summarized by the shema – Deut. 6:1-9; Lev. 19:18; Matt. 22:37
The word translated commandment in Deut. 1 is singular in the original language.
Expanded as the Decalogue, 10 commandments - Exodus 20:1-21
Detailed rules given in Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy
No one can “pick and choose” what parts of the law are relevant or not relevant—it must be obeyed completely or it is fully violated.
Galatians 5:3; James 2:10
There is no room or purpose for the Old Covenant in the life of the believer
Col 2:16-23 – Paul in the previous verses has told us that the record of debt with its legal demands has been cancelled through the cross and the blood of Christ. The result is that none of that law has any demands upon us today.
Galatians 2:15-3:6 – To place ourselves under the law is to rebuild what has been destroyed for us through the work of Christ.
The law cannot justify anyone v. 16
I have died to the law v. 19
I live by faith in Christ v. 20
If I seek to keep the law to please God, I make Christ’s death of no purpose v. 21
We do not receive the Spirit of God by keeping the law, nor do we mature as believers through keeping the law v. 2, 3
To place myself under the law as a believer is to be bewitched and foolish, and therefore following false teaching.
Freedom from the law does not mean that there are no expectations regarding the believer’s person and behavior
Antinomian or Libertarian view – because of grace, I am free to choose what I believe is appropriate. If anyone tells me I am doing something wrong, they are legalistic.
Galatians 5:13ff – do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh
If you are led by the Spirit you are not under law (18); if we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit (25)
Works of the flesh vs. fruit of the Spirit
The believer does not look to the OT for his standards of conduct but to the NT.
To do otherwise is to:
become a slave to what he has been freed from
to walk away from grace living
to rob the believer of the joy and kindness of Christ
create a life of obedience out of duty rather than obedience out of love and gratitude.
It Sanctifies the Worshipper
What is Sanctification?
Sanctification can refer to God setting the person apart for service and identification to Him and His cause. Since holiness is primarily the attribute of God, what is ‘sanctified’ is removed from ‘profane’ or ‘secular’ use and reserved to the Lord. (Harpers Bible Dictionary)
It refers to the act by which God cleanses the person from sin
1 Cor 6:9-11; Ephesians 5:26; 2 Thess. 2:13; Titus 3:1-7
It refers to the continuing process in which we cooperate with God in his work of making us more like Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit
Romans 6:17-19; 1 Thess. 4:3; Col. 3:10;
Which of these does this passage refer to?
Since the context of the passage is the work of Christ on the cross and the results of His sacrifice, we must conclude that the second usage is in mind here. V. 10, 14
He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified - ESV
KJV – For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
DARBY – For by one offering he has perfected in perpetuity the sanctified.
ASV – For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
RSV – For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.
What should we learn from this passage regarding our sanctification?
That God now views us, positionally, in the righteousness of Christ. He no longer chooses to see our sin. He never sees you as soiled again.
We are justified – our sin is never remembered and Christ’s righteousness has been credited to us
Romans 3:19-24 – law cannot bring us to God, it condemns us. God’s grace justifies us and gives us His righteousness.
Romans 5:12-17 – through Adam’s sin we all received condemnation and death. Through God’s grace we are justified and receive the gift of righteousness in Christ.
2 Cor 5:16-21 – We no longer view Christ as we did before salvation. Now we understand His work of transforming us, reconciling us to God, and making us righteous before God.
Galatians 3:1-6 – Righteousness cannot be attained through the keeping of the law, but rather is the result of our faith, produced by God’s grace, as evidenced in the life of Abraham.
That this sanctification is permanent – v. 14-18
This is a primary thrust of chapters 8-10
The Old Covenant was temporary leading to the New which is final.
The Old Sacrifices could only temporarily cover the sins of the past. The New not only covers the sin, God chooses to remember them no more, period.
The Old sacrifices could do nothing about the future. The New deals with all sin, past, present, and future. If not, then Christ would have to offer further sacrifices for sins not covered.