Hebrews 10:14

Faith

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PRAYER MUSIC SILENCE

Okay, I am really excited to proceed forward today because after verse 18 of chapter 10 the writer finishes making his point about how Christ is better than all the things he has listed, and compared, and contrasted, and from that point on begins to petition his readers toward unrelenting faith . . . in Him. I mean it is the best overall petition to faith in scripture – from chapter 10 verse 18 to the end of chapter 12. Faith in Christ. Belief in Christ. Reliance on Christ. No matter what, no matter where – faith – never let it go. The passages and chapters are just outstanding in their clarity of what it means to be a Christian and what our Christianity is all predicated upon – faith in and on HIM alone.

You guys have hung in there – there has been a lot of ground and some very steep and treacherous terrain we have faced. We’ve lost a lot of people along the way over differing points and we are ever so close to the payoff. But first we have to get through fourteen more verses of . . . insights – some repetitive, some truly illuminating. Now last week we wrapped chapter nine up and it ended with the writer saying:

9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sinMissing the mark of faith and love—no punishment, just lost growth or peace. unto salvation.

And our text for today beginning at verse 1 of chapter 10.

Hebrews 10:1-14

Hebrews 10:1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. 5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: 6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. 7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. 8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law. 9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. 10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

Now, some of the content of these 14 verses have been covered earlier and so I am only going to touch on them quickly (which is why we are going through 14 verses today). There are a couple points, however that the writer brings forth with will consume the majority of our time – which you’ll see when we get to them. Okay, back to verse one.

Hebrews 10:1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. We’ve pointed this out before but it is so very, very intriguing that the writer here refers to the elements of the law – the whole Mosaic economy – as a shadow.

The Greek word is Skia and it means shade, or having a form but not representing the true thing. As we’ve pointed out before, the actual tabernacle (and temple) the actual animals, the actual high priest, and the actual priesthood (all materially real) were considered shadows of the real thing to come. But the “real thing” these material things “shadowed” (you know, the “holy of holies,” our “high priest on high” and the effect of His atonement (by faith)

The Concept of Perfection in Sacrificial Practices

The presented discussion focuses on the invisibility of eternal matters compared to the tangible world, underscoring the ultimate importance of spiritual completeness over worldly possessions. In particular, it explores the concept of 'perfection' in the context of sacrificial practices and spiritual maturity.

The commentary begins by examining how material sacrifices serve as shadows of the invisible, heavenly reality, and recognizes the impossibility of these rites to confer perfection upon their participants. The Greek word for perfect, used in different contexts, shifts from 'tele-os' meaning fulfilled or complete, to 'tele-Oh-oo,’ conveying the ongoing journey towards fulfillment. The writer of the text emphasizes the latter's relevance, stating that animal sacrifices could not initiate this process.

Progression Toward Perfection

In Matthew 5:48, Jesus speaks of perfection as a completed state ('tele-os'), suggesting believers aspire towards completeness as their heavenly Father is complete. This differs from the sacrifices discussed in Hebrews, which could not initiate even the path towards perfection ('tele-Oh-oo'). The tangible practice, despite its repetitiveness, failed to lead to moral and spiritual maturation.

Paul, in Colossians 1:28, addresses this notion of perfection, presenting it as attainable through Christ Jesus. However, the developmental journey ('tele-Oh-oo') is highlighted as a process not possible under the old covenant of annual atonement rituals. Verse 2 discusses the repeated nature of sacrifices: "For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins."

Sacrificial Ineffectiveness

The text further argues that efficiency is evident in irrepeatable acts. If the sacrifices had effectively purged sins, they wouldn't need repetition, similar to a medical treatment effectively curing an ailment without recurrence. The writer reinforces this point by contrasting it to the visible recurrence of rituals: "But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year."

Ultimately, the text stresses understanding the ineffectiveness of past sacrifices to appreciate the path to spiritual completeness possible through Christ. The suggestion is that these ancient rituals symbolize ongoing spiritual immaturity, lacking the transformative capability that Christ's sacrifice offers. The realization of this truth is posited as essential for spiritual progression, underlining the importance of divine essence and eternality in religious understanding.

Understanding Sin and the Christian Life

May the Spirit lead.

Ours is a faith where, unlike the Old Covenant, sin has been removed. It does not exist—the payment has been made in full and as a result, we have the opposite effect of what the Mosaic covenant produced—a remembrance of sin.

Since Jesus paid the debt, the price of sin in its universal entirety, sin (with the exception of the sin of faithlessness—which is not forgivable in this world or in the world to come) is gone. The purpose of church is to encourage believers toward greater faith and love, not to bring to remembrance the false existence of sin long since paid. It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever to preach Jesus and His sacrifice, to tell people that He came to set them free, to testify and swear all over the pulpit that He was crucified for the sins of the world past, present and future, and to then address, or speak to, or threaten believers with the idea that they “are sinning” or are “in sin” or they need to do all they can to avoid committing sin.

If the ability to sin remains in believers lives, then the remembrance of sin, and the need to constantly deal with the presence of sin is no different than when Jews were under the law. And we ought to put up confessionals or build offices for LDS Bishops and Stake Presidents to start doing worthiness interviews. And put the yoke of bondage back on the backs of everyone Jesus came to set free.

The Burden Removed by Christ

Part of the idiocy of thinking or teaching that believers can still sin—that sin remains to be avoided or completed—lies in the fact that every believer under the sun commits sin by virtue of living in bodies of flesh. If Jesus did not take care of this for us on the cross then the burden remains on all of us because all of us continue to sin!

This approach really gets on my last nerve because it is this very thinking that KEEPS people in sinful activities that they could otherwise overcome if they understood what it feels like to have a slate that cannot be marred. Instead pastors and preachers the world over, entirely missing the mark and proffering up the most idiotic miscombobulation of religiosity preach Jesus and grace and forgiveness with one side of their mouth and condemnation and shame and law with the other.

The writer of Hebrews here (and in the glorious weeks to come) makes it very clear that the major difference between the effectiveness of the old Law and the work of Christ in the new is that when Christ’s work is truly understood and lived there remains NO remembrance of sin . . . NOT because we have stopped our flesh from sinning (that is impossible) but in and through the eternal grace that God offers we have become new creatures and it is impossible for us to sin as such.

The Role of Pastors and Leaders

I mean—please—think about this—let yourselves think about this just for a minute. Jesus either wiped the slate clean once and for all . . . or He didn’t. If the slate is wiped clean for all, especially those who receive His offering of grace by faith, then He, Jesus paid it all and He is the author and finisher of our faith. Stay with me—for a pastor to tell any believer that they are “in sin,” or are committing sin is the height of hypocrisy because by his logic he is too—we cannot get away from it!

So believers either have gotten away from it entirely by and through the shed blood of Jesus OR they have not. If they have, the “supposed” sinner sitting in front of the pastor cannot be condemned (and neither can the pastor) OR, if the ability to sin remains (for humanity) the supposed sinner is in sin BUT SO IS THE PASTOR!

An illustration to cement the point: Joe is a long-time believer who is having an affair. His pastor learns of the affair and calls Joe in to talk. IF the ability to sin exists for a believer then the pastor has no right to call Joe out on His adultery (because the pastor is guilty of sin of some sort and calling Joe out would make him guilty of the sin that seems to tick Jesus off more than any other, religious hypocrisy).

Mercy and Understanding

has been completely removed, then the pastor has not right to reprimand Joe for his adultery – such sins for believers is gone, right! So what does the pastor do or say? He patiently, and lovingly, and with long-suffering talks with Joe about his present actions. He explains them in terms of empathy and understanding. In time, and in love, he explains to Joe how his behaviors are representations of a failing faith in God and love for Him.

“What?” Joe says, “I believe in God, and I love God.” And the pastor explains that while he is sure that Joe loves and believes in God, all Christian failures (in the flesh) are the result of Christians failing to first trust God – trust that He could make his marital problems work, and second a failure to love God more than our own fleshly desires. That’s all. See the difference?

The difference is God is brought into the picture to help and heal Joe – not condemnation, not sin. God. His love, His mercy, the hope we have in Him through His Son – this is what causes believers to turn. Not the law, in which there is always a remembrance of sin. Friends, it is the goodness of God that leads to repentance. It is His grace that lets us say no to destructive dark behaviors. I think this message has nearly been lost entirely… today.

Faithfulness Over Flesh

Getting back to the writer's point, when a man has full evidence of the finished work of Christ, a work which meets all the demands of the law, which secures the complete remission of sin, he knows that there is nothing more. And his conscience can have peace. But when a believer is not convinced of this – by and through the Spirit in their minds and in their hearts – there is great unrest, little liberty, and a burden He came to take away. Listen – such a lack, such an attitude is a form of FAITHLESSNESS. (beat)

Show me a heroin shooting whore who knows Jesus did the work and I will show you a woman far more justified before God (by her faith) than a simple gossip who thinks she is under law to present herself righteous before God, that Jesus' work was just not enough. The writer reiterates… saying (verse 4)

4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

(A point we are completely familiar with now after all these weeks in the book) (verse 5)

5 Wherefore when He cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:

The Incarnation's Implication

Now, if we were to just read this passage and believe it as it is written in the King James, we would have to believe that when Jesus came into the world, he actually said, “Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not…” This is not the case. We have no record of Him saying this anywhere. The better Greek translations, however, present verse five like this: "Wherefore coming into the world, he saith." I would suggest that this is the writer's intent, to say:

“since it was impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sin, Christ (actual) coming into the world said that arrangements for a better sacrifice had been made by His taking on a body.” In other words, the writer is sort of personifying Jesus' incarnation and giving the incarnation a voice, has the actual arrival of Christ in flesh say: “Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me.”

It might be like a star full back being late to the championship game and when he steps out on the field, the announcer says: “And the game just changed, folks.” Personifying the actual purpose of Christ through words. In other words, in the case of verse five, the writer is saying: “this is what His coming to make an atonement implies.”

Now, what the writer has Christ’s arrival say IS written in Psalm 40. There has been debate as to whether the Psalm is Messianic, and I would suggest that in the end, all of it can be read Messianically. Whatever the answer, it is certain the writer was moved by the Holy Spirit of God to cite it and apply it to the context and point at hand here – in this I trust.

The Purpose of Christ's Sacrifice

“Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not.” “In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.”

(Then in verse 7) “Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.” Again, we are not quite sure what volume of book the writer is speaking of here – it could have been the Pentateuch or one of the other Old Testament writings, but we know that in coming the Messiah was here to do the will of God.

The writer in verse 8 then cites what he has presented so far from the Old Testament and says:

8 Above when he said, “Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; 9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God.”

Establishment of the Second Covenant

And then he makes his point: “He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.” From what I can tell this is the reason he quotes verses five through nine – to prove that God, through sending the Messiah, took away the first covenant of repeated animal sacrifice so that He could set up or establish the second covenant in and through His Son. (verse 10, and speaking of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice the writer says)

10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. That is, by Christ obeying God in the manner specified we, again by His obedience, are sanctified once and for all. This plays into my point about sin and it either continuing to exist or not. If the sacrifice is once and for all, the sin is done for – paid – and therefore gone. Again, and reiterated time and time, this is the whole point – that through the Body of Christ everything has been completed.

His point here was not that Jesus merely doing the will of God (with His decisions and life in general) but that He actually took His body (in the ultimate place of all other Jewish sacrifices) for them (first, because He came to them first) and then for the rest of the world. Philippians 2:8 summarizes the point well, saying: “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto deathSeparation from God—now overcome. Physical death remains, but it no longer separates us from life with God., even the death of the cross.”

This is the writers point – made over and over again – to bring the Hebrew reader to a total and complete realization that all the elements of the former economy were more than done, were better fulfilled, by Christ.

Sanctification Through Christ

The Greek word here for sanctified (“hagiatzo”) is different from the specific process which we commonly call sanctification (hagiaosmos) (or the process of making the soul holy after it is renewed. This word here in verse ten specifically alludes to the fact that everything by which we are made holy in the sight of God – justification, sanctification, regeneration – whatever is good and holy and renewed – can all be traced to the fact that Jesus became obedient unto death, and was willing to offer his body as a sacrifice for sin.

The writer returns to the point he continually reiterates (verse 11) in preparation for what’s coming:

11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; The word man is not in the original here. The Greek is literally "but this;" to wit, this “priest” by comparison, “After he had offered one sacrifice for sins,” (by dying on the cross – which He did once and for ever) “sat down on the right hand of God.” We know that the Old Covenant priests never sat, as their work was never done, but Christ sitting at the right hand of God (THINK ABOUT IT – SITTING IN GOD’S PRESENCE???!!) shows complete and total confidence that the reconciliatory work was DONE.

There He reigns over His Kingdom. Now look at the imagery. He came and did the work which we COULD NOT DO. And having DONE WHAT WE COULD NOT DO HE SAT DOWN at the right hand of God – resting. What are we doing as His followers but looking to His finished work and believing upon it?

Why would we be religiously attempting to do ANYTHING to justify ourselves before God? Why would any believer attempt anything

Christ's Ultimate Triumph

To clear away their sin knowing He did it for us . . . and then sat at the right hand of the Father! What am I saying? I am stoking the fires for what the writer is going to make very clear in five verses.

Look to Him and live. Look to Him and walk in faith. He has done it ALLL, all, all.

And after sitting at the right hand of the Father we read:

13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.

From that time forward expecting or waiting for all things to be subdued under Him. Now, we know the promise and idea – that Christ will reign over all until all are subdued.

The Reign of Christ

In 1st Corinthians 15 we read the following beginning at verse 23:

“But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. 24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. 28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

The enemies of the Redeemer are Satan, the wicked of the earth, and all the evil passions of the heart. There are people who believe this is complete – I would wholly disagree as I believe the wicked and evil passions of the heart are alive and well in the earth (and beneath it). But we do know (from passages like 1st Corinthians 15) that all things are yet to be made subject to his will –either by a cheerful and cordial submission to his authority (through faith) or by being crushed beneath his power (through purging fires).

The Offering of Eternal Perfection

But the Great Redeemer, having performed truly the single most magnificent work ever possible in the universe by giving himself as a sacrifice on the cross, is now represented as calmly waiting until this glorious triumph is achieved and God’s promise and purposes are fulfilled. Let’s wrap it up at verse 14 where the writer, once again, and what I think is the last time in the book of Hebrews, makes a comparison to Christ and the priests of the OLD Covenant says:

14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. By one, perfect, eternal, sufficient offering HE (not us, HE) hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.

That word perfected? Tele-oh-oo, and it means He cleared the path for completion to happen NOT that completion HAS happened folks. He has laid the foundation of the eternal perfection for all who abide and pursue by faith, which is the subject the author will now turn . . . and we will turn to next week.

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