October 8, 2008

• Hebrews 10 by Pastor Don

  I got to Bible study late, for I left church to pick up someone who needed a ride.  So here is where I came in. I am not certain of the question that prompted this response, but the subject is good, and something I used to struggle with, feeling forgiven.

  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.

  If we truly do that, we can know we are forgiven.  When we do not fully believe the above verse, we still hold onto our sins and the guilt of them.  But God removes our sins, and we do not have to be conscious of them.

  Hebrews 10:2  For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins.

  Pastor Don told us that we need to rebuke our own thoughts.  He said if I told a bold faced lie on Monday at 3:00, at 3:05 I realized the sin and told the truth to the person I lied to.  At 3:06 I asked God to forgive me.  At 3:07 I should be sure that, as the Bible tells us, as sure as Jesus is Lord, I should know that I am forgiven.  I have repented, said that I am sorry, and told the truth.  At 3:30 I should not still be crying about it. By 4:00 if the memory of that sin keeps coming up and making me feel guilty, it has to be the devil trying to prevent me from being assured of God’s forgiveness.  On Tuesday 9:00, if that sin keeps coming to mind, he would have to rebuke his mind and move away from those thoughts.  No more consciousness of sin.

  2 Chronicles 7:14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

  Hebrews 10:3-4 But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.

  For us, we have the blood of Christ to permanently take away our sins, something that the blood of bulls and goats could not accomplish.

  Someone asked about why the Israelites are trying to rebuilt the Temple and find the red heifer.  It is because they haven’t accepted the truth of Jesus Christ.  It is no different than asking the pope to give up his throne for Jesus.

  We are forgiven.  No matter how offensive our sins were to God, Christ died to atone for them.  This is both sins of commission and sins of omission.  This also covers any sins we are currently in the midst of committing.  But as Pastor Don points out to us, as we grow in Christ, we should be sinning less and less.

  We need the blood of Jesus.  We cannot use works to eliminate our sins.  No matter how much we volunteer, how much we do as a servant, how often we confess our sins one to another, it is only the act of repentance to God and Jesus’ sacrifice that frees us from sin.  Repentance should be followed by change, a 180 degree turn around.

  Do you or don’t you believe that it was done at the cross, that Jesus paid for our sins past, present, future?

  Pastor Don told us that we have to turn up the volume or change the station.  Are we on the Oh me, poor me station?  Are we on the Days to Praise station? 

  We need to be done with doing penance to get God to help us. He already paid for our sins, and is looking for servants to work until He comes. We need to get past our sins and the guilt of them and begin doing what we can do for Him.

  Someone asked about the elections and voting.

  When God judges a nation He judges from the top down, not the bottom up.  Solomon permitted some of his wives to worship other gods for political reasons. 

  Some people in our country are bringing their idols from other countries, and selling them.  People are buying them and keeping them in their houses, often not realizing that these items were consecrated to other gods.  Hindu statues and gods are right here, as are other pagan gods and images.

  We need to reach the lost with the Gospel.  We are members not of one nation, but of the Kingdom of God, and as ambassadors we need to be bringing the truth of God to the nations we are residing in.  People in the nations, no matter how ungodly the nations are, can be saved.  We want to bring them into the Kingdom of God. We want to train up our kids to hold the Kingdom view, not the world view.  It is not local politics that are important, but the Kingdom of God.  The world itself is under the influence of the antichrist, those who speak against Christ.  So we are to build up the Kingdom.

  Romans 13:1-2 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.

  We are to obey the laws of the country we are in.  Yet we are to be salt and light, and show the light of Christ where we are placed.  We need to go vote, yet know that no matter who is in the office, God is sovereign.

  Not all the issues are black and white.  Sometimes we vote on one issue such as abortion, but there are other areas where the candidate is weak.  We need to pray and vote.

  Hebrews 10:11-13  And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool.

  Jesus is in Heaven waiting for His enemies to be made His footstool.  We are being perfected in Christ.

  Hebrews 10:15-17  But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,”  then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

  God will remember our sins and lawless deeds no more.

  Hebrews 10:18 Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.

  There is nothing you can offer now to pay for our sins, our sins are gone forever.

  Pastor Don had us read the next verse three times out loud.

  Hebrews 10:19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus,

  Jesus as our High Priest made it possible to enter the Holy place, the Heart of God.  We can go into God’s presence with boldness. He is in the midst of us, and we can have the confidence to know that God’s got it, He loves us.  We can bring everything to Him, and lay it at His feet.  

  Hope this blesses you.

  Heather

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