Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Hebrews 10 The old way - the Law - was a shadow, not the substance of what God planned for mankind.  It was given for a purpose, so that we could all know the perfection of holiness that God desires for every one of His creation.  A perfection that none of us could ever maintain.  The sacrifices offered under the old covenant, the blood shed and the burnt offerings presented - were temporary coverings, but could not please God, especially when they were offered with unclean hands and hardened hearts.

God desires people to be holy.  Since we could not do it without Him, He sent His Son, Jesus, who offered Himself for sins, "once for all". ( v10).
That One offering is sufficient for all sins, for all time. (v12)
That offering "perfected for all time those who are sanctified". (v14)
This is the new covenant that God makes with us - He will write His laws on our hearts and minds, and He will take our sins and lawless deeds and "... will remember no more".
"Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin." (v 18)

What Christ has given to us through His offering is a "new and living way" into the Holy of holies.
Our great high priest has opened the veil and brought us into God's Presence. So:
"let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith..." (v22)
"let us hold fast the confession of our hope..."(v23)
"let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds.."(v24)
And, let us not forsake "our own assembling together.... but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the day drawing near." ( v25)

We need to draw near, hold fast, and not forsake...

If those who violated the first covenant, the Law, were judged and punished, how much more, the writer tells us, "do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified and has insulted the Spirit of grace?"   and  " It is a  terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God".

We must remember and remain confident in the Truth of the gospel.  We need "endurance".  We must not "shrink back" but continue to live by faith "to the preserving of the soul".

The day is drawing near.  We need to keep fighting the good fight, stand firm in the evil day, and not shrink back from following our Lord. " For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay".

Father, we see the things that have happened ( and are happening)  in our nation and all over this world.  We see that the Truth of the Gospel of Christ has been and is being trampled.  Oh Father, help us to stand firm and endure until the day of His return.  We draw near to You with sincere hearts, with full assurance of faith, holding fast our confession of hope, encouraging one another... anticipating the coming of our Lord.  Keep us firmly in Your grasp we pray. Amen.

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