The Impact of Assurance

Defining A Christian

How would we to find a Christian? I'm not talking about defining people that believe a certain side of things are subscribed to a certain religion. The question I'm asking this morning is, what character traits would the world notice and conclude hey, that person must be a follower of Christ. — How are we defined to the world?

I think it would be very easy for us to describe certain characteristics to other religious groups. A couple of guys riding their bikes down the street, wearing ties and going door-to-door are going to strike us as being Mormon. People who on religious grounds refrain from consuming caffeine or celebrating holidays and birthdays immediately allow us to conclude that they are Jehovah's Witnesses. A family that worships together on Saturday and doesn't eat pork, well that sounds like a Jewish family to me.

These are all stereotypes, but stereotypes are usually created because they tend to define a significant portion of the people being considered.

We have plenty of stereotypes of a lot of people groups whether they are warranted or not. But what stereotypes define a Christian? I am afraid for some that it often falls into two categories:

Some people see Christians as boring and kinda mild-mannered. Well, maybe not you but it's probably not me. Others unfortunately and usually because of some ugly past experience that they have see Christians as being hypocritical or judgmental. I hope that's not me.

This morning as we continue in Hebrews chapter 10 looking at verses 19 through 25 we are going to observe what gives us our assurance as Christians, but more specifically what that assurance generates in the life of a believer. Other words, what other people should say about you and then to the conclusion that you must be a Christian.

How long with me if you have your Bibles Hebrews chapter 10 starting in verse 19 and we will be down to verst 25.

Hebrews 10:19–25 KJV 1900

19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21 And having an high priest over the house of God; 22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) 24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Our message this morning is entitled The Impact of Assurance as we continue our Series A Once For All Life

Let’s Pray

In Name

Adjudicated

I am afraid that there are a lot of Christians who are Christians in name only. Not by reputation or by deed.

I don't know who originated this question, but you've likely heard it before. And though it is trite I am still going to ask this morning.

If our country were to enact the laws that many Middle Eastern countries have, laws that prescribed the death penalty for those convicted of being a Christian — and yeah authorities came to your house to arrest you. Would there be enough evidence to convict you, in a court of law, of being a Christian.

Even if we denied it. I've seen a lot of courtroom drama over the last month or so with the Johnny Depp and Amber Herd trial being so publicly litigated. I wonder if we were cross examined by a team of expert lawyers, if the jury would decide that we are beyond a reasonable doubt Christians.

Doers

The book of James starts off hitting hard, and doesn’t really let up until the period right before the book of 1 Peter. In Chapter 1 James says this:

James 1:22–25 KJV 1900

22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

I am afraid that a lot of Christians would see themselves being Christian because they are defined by certain outward appearances. How they dress, the music they listen, the kind of activities they do or do not engage it, or the company that they keep.

All of those things to some degree are probably a good thing, at least at some level. But if outward things, are the things that define us as Christians then our faith is probably about an inch deep.

As James writes we should be defined as those who are doers of the word. Do we have a correctable spirit?

This is pretty easy to measure. If we were confronted by a sermon that was really touching on some sensitive issues fo us, and confronting our sin in a way that almost seemed personal. Would you get upset? Or, would you hear the word of God and allow it to be transformative in your life. Can you allow the teaching of truth to rub you a bit raw and to reinjur old wounds and be glad for it because you know that it is under that kind of preaching that word of God can be transformative in our lives.

Productive Christianity

Hebrews 10 tells us that we are to have a productive Christianity.

We have the benefits of the faith — as mentioned in verse 19 — which are foundational. First year which is pretty astounding is that we get to enter into the holiest by the blood of Christ.

If you have been with us from the beginning as we have studied the book of Hebrews you will remember that the temple had this outer and inner courtyard. In the inner courtyard was the temple building itself. — that building had a rise of steps and a porch and then some doors to the holy place. Only priests could go into that holy place. But beyond that even was a second room. The Holy of Holies, the most holy place. Only the high priest could enter there, it was obscured by a large curtain and it was where the Ark of the Covenant was, at one time placed, having upon it the Mercy Seat, where God’s presence was made known to man.

In Matthews account of the crucifixion, we read the following in Chapter 27 vv 50-51

Matthew 27:50–51 (KJV 1900)

50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom ...

A Picture

We have to remember that if the book of Hebrews starts anything it's that the temple is a picture of the true heavenly temple.

As the Jews understood the temple that room the holy of holy that is where God was. The veil separated man from God it was only to be accessed once a year by the high priest. — understand that when the curtain, in the temple was torn it pictured that in the true temple in Heaven — Where God truly resided — the veil of separation between God and man had been removed.

When v19 says that we enter into the presence of God by the blood of Jesus — We can see the picture of the High Priest making for himself sacrifice before he was worthy to enter before the presence of God. — In the same way our High Priest made sacrifice for us so that we could enter into the presence of the Father.

The Product

Having that boldness to be able to enter boldly before the throne of God should make an impact on your life. vv22-25 list what evidence should come from having access to the Father through Christ. — Warren Wiersby calls these the Three Great Christian Virtues: Faith, Hope and Love

Virtue #1 - Faith

We find faith in v22

Hebrews 10:22 KJV 1900

22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

It makes reasonable sense that faith would produce assurance, after all the only way you could have assurance in something is if you had faith in it. That you had a confidence in it being what it purported.

There is an allusion here to both salvation and baptism

Sprinkled

Having our hearts sprinkled carries with it the weight of the Jewish sacrifice for purification. The blood would be sprinkled

I like the way that Charles Spurgeon summed it up when he said:

In many cases the sprinkling of the blood meant purification. If a person had been defiled, he could not come into the sanctuary of God without being sprinkled with blood. There were the ashes of a red heifer laid up, and these were mixed with blood and water; and by their being sprinkled on the unclean, his ceremonial defilement was removed. There were matters incident to domestic life, and accidents of outdoor life, which engendered impurity, and this impurity was put away by the sprinkling of blood. This sprinkling was used in the case of recovery from infectious disease, such as leprosy; before such persons could mingle in the solemn assemblies, they were sprinkled with the blood, and thus were made ceremonially pure.

Washed

But then v22 talks about our bodies being washed. A reference to Baptism.

I have always found it interesting that we never really get a bunch of people asking John the Baptist what Baptism pictured, yet there he is, on the banks of the Jordan, baptising people.

The Jewish people baptised. Nobody asked why, because everyone understood why. The Qumran community took baptising very seriously and in their Rule Of Community this was written:

The Person “cannot be purified by atonement or cleansed with water for impurity. He cannot be sanctified in seas or rivers, or cleansed with any lustral water … It is through an upright and humble spirit that a man’s sin will be expiated, and through his self-submission to all God’s ordinances that his flesh will be cleansed, so that he may have water for impurity sprinkled on him and be sanctified by means of cleansing water.”

The act didn’t do anything. But, it pictures an upright and humble heart before God. A heart that cries out: I was dirty in sin but have been washed clean by the blood of Christ.

Baptism demonstrates an obedient heart. It is troubling to hear of any to make a profession and then put off baptism.

The waters of Baptism should beckon the new believer in obedience to God. — A truly converted believer will have the heart of the Ethiopian Eunuch in the book of Acts where upon understanding that Baptism is commanded of God asked What prevents me from being baptized?

Obedience is an outpouring of faith, and what little can be said for faith that isn’t obedient.

Virtue #2 - Hope

The next expected virtue is Hope v23 says

Hebrews 10:23 KJV 1900

23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

Both v22 and v23 use the word faith in the King James Version. While it may be similar in English the underlying Greek is different here.

In v22 we find the word faith from the word we typically see translated faith πίστις (pistis). And it means just like it is translated. Faith

But the word we find in v23 translated faith is ἐλπίς (elpis). This word in most cases in Classical Greek literature and in every case in the New Testament means to have an expectation of good. Hope.

If our hope is in Christ and not in own ability. Or some other thing that can fail. Then we can have true hope, a true expectation of good

#3 - Love

And then in v24 we read

Hebrews 10:24 KJV 1900

24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

I like this. The idea that as Christians are supposed to be provoking each other.

There is an accountability in church. And some positive peer pressure. But consider what it is for — for love and good works.

To quote Wiersby again, he says

It is interesting to note that the emphasis here is not on what a believer gets from the assembly, but rather on what he can contribute to the assembly

It’s our duty to stir each other up. To encourage one another to love even when love comes hard. To encourage one another to serving God, even when the going get’s tough

Present

But you have to be present to provoke. We need you, and you need us, and when you are missing when the church is meeting — we suffer and so do you.

v25 says this in context of provoking each other. That we are

Hebrews 10:25 KJV 1900

25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

If you are a Christian, you are part of the Body of Christ and i want to ask you this: If you don’t show up at church, would the church suffer?

If you can respond, “not really” then respectfully I would like to suggest that you aren’t serving in the church the way that you ought to be. — If a member of any other body didn’t show up there would be problems wouldn’t there. — If my knees didn’t show up one morning, I would have a hard time bending my legs. If my eyes didn’t show up, I would be greatly impacted by not being able to see.

The only way that you not showing up to church wouldn’t hurt the church is if when you do come to church, you really aren’t showing up to church.

Closing

If I could summarize our passage this morning I would do it this way:

Our salvation demonstrates itself by faith, hope, and love. — And this — Church — Is where the love of Christ is communicated through each of us, to each other.

In a moment we are going to close in prayer. I’d like you to reflect for just a moment asking yourself, am I being used of God to provoke others to love? Or to good works? If not, why?

Maybe it’s because you aren’t a follower of Christ. If that is the case, when we close I ask that you don’t leave here without talking to me. I would love to tell you more about our savior in hope that you will turn from your sin and put your faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for your salvation.

Let’s Pray