Hebrews Session 14 - Faith The Greatest Power In The World

The Christ Church Wednesday Bible Study Group is doing a study through the New Testament book of Hebrews. The word better is used thirteen times in the book of Hebrews as the writer shows the superiority of Christ and His salvation over the Hebrew system of religion.  Jesus Christ and the Christian life He gives us are better because His blessings are eternal and they give us perfect standing before God.  This study is not a diet for “spiritual babes” who want to be spoon-fed and coddled. In this letter you will find “strong meat” that demands some chewing and enjoying.

Three words in Hebrews 11:1–3 summarize what true Bible faith is: substance, evidence, and witness. The word translated “substance” means literally “to stand under, to support.”

The word evidence simply means “conviction.” This is the inward conviction from God that what He has promised, He will perform.

Witness (“obtained a good report”) is an important word in Hebrews 11.

This witness was His divine approval on their lives and ministries.

Faith enables us to understand what God does. Faith enables us to see what others cannot see. As a result, faith enables us to do what others cannot do!

These are the notes to Session 14

Hebrews 11:1‭-‬3 KJV Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report.  Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

Three words in Hebrews 11:1–3 summarize what true Bible faith is: substance, evidence, and witness. The word translated “substance” means literally “to stand under, to support.”

The word evidence simply means “conviction.” This is the inward conviction from God that what He has promised, He will perform.

Witness (“obtained a good report”) is an important word in Hebrews 11.

This witness was His divine approval on their lives and ministries.

Faith enables us to understand what God does. Faith enables us to see what others cannot see. As a result, faith enables us to do what others cannot do!

The remainder of this chapter is devoted to a summary of the lives and labors of great men and women of faith found in the Old Testament. In each instance, you will find the same elements of faith: (1) God spoke to them through His Word; (2) their inner selves were stirred in different ways; (3) they obeyed God; (4) He bore witness about them.

The Demonstration of Faith 11:4-40

Abel—faith worshipping (v. 4).

Hebrews 11:4 NIV By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.

 The background story is in Genesis 4:1–10. 

Abel was a righteous man because of faith. Abel obeyed God by faith. In fact, his obedience cost him his life. Cain was not a child of God because he did not have faith. He was religious but not righteous.

Enoch—faith walking (vv. 5–6). 

Hebrews 11:5‭-‬6 NIV By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Our faith in God grows as we fellowship with God. We must have both the desire to please Him and the diligence to seek Him. Prayer, meditating on the Word, worship, discipline—all of these help us in our walk with God. Enoch walked with God in the wicked world, before the flood came; he was able to keep his life pure. Enoch was taken to heaven one day.

Genesis 5:21‭-‬24 NIV When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because  mlm mmmmm.

God took him away.

Abel died a violent death, he was murdered by Cain, but Enoch never died. God has a different plan for each one who trusts Him. 

Noah—faith working (v. 7). 

Hebrews 11:7 NIV By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.

Noah's story is in Genesis 6-9

Noah’s faith involved the whole person: His mind was warned of God; his heart was moved with fear; and his will acted on what God told him. Since nobody at that time had ever seen a flood (or perhaps even a rainstorm), so Noah’s actions must have generated a great deal of interest and probably ridicule as well. Noah’s faith influenced his whole family and they were saved. It also condemned the whole world, for his faith revealed their unbelief.

Genesis 6:9‭-‬13 NIV This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth.  Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.

 Events proved that Noah was right!

Genesis 7:11‭-‬12‭, ‬17‭-‬21 NIV In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, on the seventeenth day of the second month—on that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights.  For forty days the flood kept coming on the earth, and as the waters increased they lifted the ark high above the earth. The waters rose and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water. They rose greatly on the earth, and all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered. The waters rose and covered the mountains to a depth of more than fifteen cubits.  Every living thing that moved on land perished—birds, livestock, wild animals, all the creatures that swarm over the earth, and all mankind.

The patriarchs—faith waiting (vv. 8–22).

Hebrews 11:8‭-‬22 NIV By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.  All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.  By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”  Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.  By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.  By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.  By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones.

The emphasis in this section is on the promise of God and His plans for the nation of Israel (Heb. 11:9, 11, 13, 17). The nation began with the call of Abraham. God promised Abraham and Sarah a son, but they had to wait twenty-five years for the fulfillment of the promise. Their son Isaac became the father of Jacob and Esau, and it was Jacob who really built the nation through the birth of his twelve sons. Joseph saved the nation in the land of Egypt, and Moses would later deliver them from Egypt.

Waiting is hard but true faith is able to wait for the fulfillment of God’s purposes in God’s time. But, while we are waiting, we must also be obeying.  

Abraham obeyed.  He obeyed when he didn’t know where he was going (11:8-10).  

Hebrews 11:8‭-‬10 NIV By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

He obeyed when he didn’t know how God’s will would be accomplished (11:11-12). 

Hebrews 11:11‭-‬12 NIV And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

 Both Abraham and Sarah were too old to have children. Yet they both believed that God would do the miracle.

Abraham believed and obeyed God when he did not know when God would fulfill His promises (Heb. 11:13–16).

Hebrews 11:13‭-‬16 NIV All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

None of the patriarchs saw the complete fulfillment of God’s promises, but they saw from “afar off” what God was doing. Dr. George Morrison, a great Scottish preacher, once said, “The important thing is not what we live in, but what we look for.  These men and women of faith lived in tents, but they knew a heavenly city awaited them. God always fulfills His promises to His believing people, either immediately or ultimately.

Abraham obeyed when he didn’t know why God was working the way that He did. (17-19)

Hebrews 11:17‭-‬19 NIV By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”  Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.

Why would God want Abraham to sacrifice his son when it was the Lord who gave him that son? All of a future nation’s promises were wrapped up in Isaac. The tests of faith become more difficult as we walk with God, yet the rewards are more wonderful! And we must not ignore the obedient faith of Isaac.

Hebrews 11:20‭-‬22 NIV By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.  By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.  By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones.

In Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, we have four generations of faith. These men sometimes failed, but basically they were men of faith. They were not perfect, but they were devoted to God and trusted His Word. Isaac passed the promises and the blessings along to Jacob (Gen. 27), and Jacob shared them with his twelve sons (Gen. 48—49).

The faith of Joseph was certainly remarkable. After the way his family treated him, you would think he would have abandoned his faith, but instead, it grew stronger. Even the ungodly influence of Egypt did not weaken his trust in God.

Joseph knew what he believed—that God would one day deliver his people from Egypt 

Genesis 50:24‭-‬25 NIV Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” And Joseph made the Israelites swear an oath and said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place.”

Joseph also knew where he belonged—in Canaan, not in Egypt, so he made them promise to carry his remains out of Egypt at the exodus. 

They did

Exodus 13:19 NIV Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the Israelites swear an oath. He had said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place.”

Joshua 24:32 NIV And Joseph’s bones, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem in the tract of land that Jacob bought for a hundred pieces of silver from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. This became the inheritance of Joseph’s descendants.

We have to admire the faith of the patriarchs. They did not have a complete Bible, and yet their faith was strong. They handed God’s promises down from one generation to another. In spite of their failures and testings, these men and women believed God, and He bore witness to their faith. 

Moses—faith warring (vv. 23–29).

Hebrews 11:23‭-‬29 NIV By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.  By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.  By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.

Moses was fortunate to have believing parents. For them to hide their baby son from the authorities was certainly an act of faith. The account is given in Exodus 2:1–10.

Three great themes relating to faith are seen in the life of Moses. 

Hebrews 11:24‭-‬25 NIV By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.

First, the refusal of faith.

Moses could have led an easy life in the palace. But his faith moved him to refuse that kind of life. He chose to identify with God’s suffering people. True faith causes a believer to hold the right values and make the right decisions. The phrase “pleasures of sin” does not refer only to lust and other gross sins. The phrase describes a way of life that we today would call “successful”—position, prestige, power, wealth, and freedom from problems.

Hebrews 11:26 NIV He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.

The reproach of faith (Heb. 11:26a)

He left the palace and never went back to the old life! He identified with the Jewish slaves! Men and women of faith often have to bear reproach and suffering. The apostles suffered for their faith.

Hebrews 11:26‭-‬29 NIV He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.  By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.

Finally, there is the reward of faith (Heb. 11:26b–29).

God always rewards true faith—if not immediately, at least ultimately.  As Dr. Vance Havner said, “Moses chose the imperishable, saw the invisible, and did the impossible.” Moses’ faith enabled him to face Pharaoh unafraid, and to trust God to deal with the enemy. The endurance of Moses was not a natural gift, for by nature Moses was hesitant and retiring. 

And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”  But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

Exodus 3:9‭-‬11 NIV

Exodus 4:10‭, ‬13 NIV Moses said to the Lord , “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”  But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.”

This endurance and courage came as the reward of his faith.

The faith of Moses was rewarded with deliverance for him and his people. (See Ex. 11—13 for the exciting Passover account.) Faith brings us out 

Hebrews 11:28 NIV By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.

Faith takes us through 

Hebrews 11:29 NIV By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.

And faith brings us in

Hebrews 11:30 NIV By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days.

When we trust God, we get what God can do, but when we trust ourselves, we get only what weak people can do. The experience of Moses is proof that true biblical faith means obeying God in spite of circumstances and in spite of consequences.

Bible Study Audio

Hebrews Session 13 - A Solemn Exhortation

The Christ Church Wednesday Bible Study Group is doing a study through the New Testament book of Hebrews. The word better is used thirteen times in the book of Hebrews as the writer shows the superiority of Christ and His salvation over the Hebrew system of religion.  Jesus Christ and the Christian life He gives us are better because His blessings are eternal and they give us perfect standing before God.  This study is not a diet for “spiritual babes” who want to be spoon-fed and coddled. In this letter you will find “strong meat” that demands some chewing and enjoying.

Jesus’ sacrifice is superior to that of bulls and goats.

Hebrews 9:13‭-‬14 NIV The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!

The sacrifice of Jesus Christ is superior to the old covenant sacrifices because;

1.  Christ’s sacrifice takes away sin.

2. Christ’s sacrifice doesn’t need to be repeated

3. Christ’s sacrifice Opens the way to God.

These are the notes to Session 13

Lord, please open our eyes to the truth of your word. I pray for wisdom as we prepare to read your word, I pray for clarity, and discernment as we apply your word to our hearts. Let your word change us.  I pray the truth we find in your word will transform our hearts and minds to follow more after you. Amen.  

Last week we finished our discussion on the superior sacrifice that our Great High Priest offered in the superior sanctuary in heaven.  That sacrifice was superior because it

Takes away sin.

doesn’t need to be repeated

pens the way to God.

A solemn exhortation (vv. 26–31).

Because of this the writer now gives in readers a solemn exhortation.  An exhortation is to emphatically urge someone to do something.   The exhortation here is to stop wilfully sinning.

Hebrews 10:26‭-‬31 NIV If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.”  It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

This exhortation to stop willfully sinning follows three other exhortations we talked about earlier in our study.

The first was to not drift from the Word;

Hebrews 2:1‭-‬4 NIV We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

The second was to not start to doubt the Word:

Hebrews 3:7‭-‬11 NIV So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice,  do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness,  where your ancestors tested and tried me, though for forty years they saw what I did.  That is why I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.’  So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ”

The third was to not become lazy in your spiritual life;

Hebrews 5:11‭-‬14 NIV We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

Drifting, doubting, and becoming lazy would result in despising the Word evidenced by willful sin which the writer was exhorting his readers not to do.

Hebrews 10:26 NIV If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left,

This exhortation is not dealing with one particular act of sin, but with an attitude that leads to repeated disobedience. Under the old covenant, there were no sacrifices for deliberate and willful sins.

Numbers 15:27‭-‬31 NIV “ ‘But if just one person sins unintentionally, that person must bring a year-old female goat for a sin offering. The priest is to make atonement before the Lord for the one who erred by sinning unintentionally, and when atonement has been made, that person will be forgiven. One and the same law applies to everyone who sins unintentionally, whether a native-born Israelite or a foreigner residing among you.  “ ‘But anyone who sins defiantly, whether native-born or foreigner, blasphemes the Lord and must be cut off from the people of Israel. Because they have despised the Lord ’s word and broken his commands, they must surely be cut off; their guilt remains on them.’ ”

Presumptuous sinners who despised Moses’ law and broke it were executed.

Deuteronomy 17:1‭-‬7 NIV Do not sacrifice to the Lord your God an ox or a sheep that has any defect or flaw in it, for that would be detestable to him.  If a man or woman living among you in one of the towns the Lord gives you is found doing evil in the eyes of the Lord your God in violation of his covenant, and contrary to my command has worshiped other gods, bowing down to them or to the sun or the moon or the stars in the sky, and this has been brought to your attention, then you must investigate it thoroughly. If it is true and it has been proved that this detestable thing has been done in Israel, take the man or woman who has done this evil deed to your city gate and stone that person to death. On the testimony of two or three witnesses a person is to be put to death, but no one is to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness. The hands of the witnesses must be the first in putting that person to death, and then the hands of all the people. You must purge the evil from among you.

This explains why David prayed as he did in Psalm 51. Because he deliberately he should have been slain, but he cried out for God’s mercy. David knew that even a multitude of sacrifices could not save him. All he could offer was the sacrifice of a broken heart.

Psalms 51:16‭-‬17 NIV You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.  My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.

How does an arrogant attitude affect a believer’s relationship with God?  It is as though he cheapens the precious blood that saved him and insults the Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 10:29 NIV How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?

This is just the opposite of the exhortation given in Hebrews 10:19–25! 

Hebrews 10:19‭-‬25 NIV Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Instead of having a bold profession of faith, hope, and love, a backslidden believer lives so that his actions and attitudes bring disgrace to the name of Christ and the church.

What can this kind of a Christian expect from God? He can expect severe discipline.

We will be talking about that when we get to chapter 12.

Hebrews 10:26‭-‬29 NIV If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?

There is no need to water down what we read in these verses.  

We have already seen from the history of Israel that hardly anybody who was saved out of Egypt entered into the promised land. Nearly all of them died in the wilderness.

There are a couple of examples in the New Testament too.

1 John 5:16 NIV If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that.

1 Corinthians 11:30 NIV That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.

God does not always take the life of a rebellious believer, but He always deals with him. 

Hebrews 10:30‭-‬31 NIV For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.”  It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. 

While this is not a warning about losing one’s salvation we have determined that salvation is eternal and you can never lose it.  The thought of discipline is important.  It is important that every Christian obey God and please the Father in all things.There is a warning about “the sad consequences of forgiven sins.” God forgave David’s sins, but David suffered the sad consequences for years afterward.

2 Samuel 12:7‭-‬15 NIV Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! This is what the Lord , the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’  “This is what the Lord says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight. You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’ ”  Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord .” Nathan replied, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for the Lord , the son born to you will die.”  After Nathan had gone home, the Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and he became ill.

What should a believer do who has drifted away into spiritual doubt and dullness and is deliberately despising God’s Word? He should turn to God for mercy and forgiveness. There is no other sacrifice for sin, but the sacrifice Christ made is sufficient for all our sins. It is a fearful thing to fall into the Lord’s hands for chastening, but it is a wonderful thing to fall into His hands for cleansing and restoration. David said, “Let me fall now into the hand of the Lord; for very great are his mercies” 

1 Chronicles 21:11‭-‬13 NIV So Gad went to David and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Take your choice: three years of famine, three months of being swept away before your enemies, with their swords overtaking you, or three days of the sword of the Lord —days of plague in the land, with the angel of the Lord ravaging every part of Israel.’ Now then, decide how I should answer the one who sent me.”  David said to Gad, “I am in deep distress. Let me fall into the hands of the Lord , for his mercy is very great; but do not let me fall into human hands.”

Let's end this discussion about Jesus’ superior sacrifice with an encouraging confirmation (vv. 32–39).

Hebrews 10:32‭-‬39 NIV Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.  You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For, “In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.”  And, “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.”  But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.

His readers had given every evidence that they were true Christians. He did not expect them to despise God’s Word and experience the chastening of God!

The readers had been willing to suffer reproach and persecution, even to the spoiling of their goods. When they were not being persecuted themselves, they courageously identified with the other Christians who were in danger, even to the point of sharing their bonds (imprisonment). At that time, they had great confidence and hope, but now they were in danger of casting away that confidence and going back into their old religion.

The secret of victory was in their faith and patience (“courageous endurance”). It is here that the writer introduced the “text” around which Hebrews is written: “The just shall live by faith” (Heb. 10:38). 

The quotation is from Habakkuk 2:4, 

Habakkuk 2:4 NIV “See, the enemy is puffed up; his desires are not upright— but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness —

and it is also used in Romans 1:17 and Galatians 3:11. Romans emphasizes “the just, or righteous ” 

Romans 1:17 NIV For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

Galatians deals with “shall live,” 

Galatians 3:11 NIV Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.”

and Hebrews centers on “by faith.” 

Hebrews 10:38 NIV And, “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.”

We are not just saved from our sin by faith; we also must live by faith. This is the theme of Hebrews 11—13.

 

The believer who lives by faith will “go on unto perfection”.

Hebrews 6:1 NIV Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God,

But the believer who lives by sight will “draw back unto perdition” (Heb. 10:39). 

Hebrews 10:39 NIV But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.

What is “perdition” in this context? The Greek word translated “perdition” is used about twenty times in the New Testament and is translated by different words: “perish”, “die”, “destruction”, and

“waste”. The word can mean eternal judgment, but it need not in every instance. A believer who does not walk by faith goes back into the old ways and wastes his life.

To be saved is the opposite of “waste.” To walk by faith means to obey God’s Word and live for Jesus Christ. But we can be confident! As we walk by faith, our Great High Priest will guide us and perfect us!

Faith, The Greatest Power In The World - Hebrews 11

This chapter introduces the final section of the epistle (Heb. 11—13).   The fact that Christ is a superior person (Heb. 1—6) and that He exercises a superior priesthood (Heb. 7—10) ought to encourage us to put our trust in Him. The readers of this epistle were being tempted to go back into Judaism and put their faith in Moses. Their confidence was in the visible things of this world, not the invisible realities of God. Instead of going on to perfection (maturity), they were going “back unto perdition [waste]”.

In Hebrews 11, all Christians are called to live by faith. In it, the writer discusses two important topics relating to faith.

1.  The description of faith 11:1-3

2. The demonstration of faith 11:4-40

1. The Description of Faith (11:1–3)

Hebrews 11:1‭-‬3  NIV Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.  By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

This is not a definition of faith the dictionary defines faith as 

1. complete trust or confidence in someone or something.

2. strong belief in God or in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof.

This is actually a description of what faith does and how it works. True Bible faith is not blind optimism or a manufactured “hope-so” feeling. Neither is it an intellectual assent to a doctrine. It is certainly not believing in spite of evidence! That would be superstition.

True Bible faith is confident obedience to God’s Word in spite of circumstances and consequences. 

This faith operates quite simply. God speaks and we hear His Word. We trust His Word and act on it no matter what the circumstances are or what the consequences may be. The circumstances may be impossible, and the consequences frightening and unknown; but we obey God’s Word just the same and believe Him to do what is right and what is best.

The world fails to realize that faith is only as good as its object, and the object of our faith is God. Faith is not some “feeling” that we manufacture. It is our total response to what God has revealed in His Word.

Three words in Hebrews 11:1–3 summarize what true Bible faith is: substance, evidence, and witness (NIV confidence, assurance, commended for).

The word translated “substance” means literally “to stand under, to support.” Faith is to a Christian what a foundation is to a house: It gives confidence and assurance that he will stand. So you might say, “Faith is the confidence of things hoped for.” When a believer has faith, it is God’s way of giving him confidence and assurance that what is promised will be experienced.

The word evidence simply means “conviction.” This is the inward conviction from God that what He has promised, He will perform. The presence of God-given faith in one’s heart is conviction enough that He will keep His Word.

Witness (“obtained a good report”) is an important word in Hebrews 11. It occurs not only in verse 2, but also once in verse 4 and once in verse 39. When we get to chapter 12 it talks about a great cloud of witnesses.  Remember what we said about being an effective witness on Sunday to be effective: a witness must know something, say something and be something.

Faith is a very practical thing.  Faith enables us to understand what God does. Faith enables us to see what others cannot see (note Heb. 11:7, 13, 27). As a result, faith enables us to do what others cannot do!  

The best way to grow in faith is to walk with the faithful. The remainder of this chapter is devoted to a summary of the lives and labors of great men and women of faith found in the Old Testament. In each instance, you will find the same elements of faith: (1) God spoke to them through His Word; (2) their inner selves were stirred in different ways; (3) they obeyed God; (4) He bore witness about them.

Hebrews Session 12 The Superior Sacrifice

The Christ Church Wednesday Bible Study Group is doing a study through the New Testament book of Hebrews. The word better is used thirteen times in the book of Hebrews as the writer shows the superiority of Christ and His salvation over the Hebrew system of religion.  Jesus Christ and the Christian life He gives us are better because His blessings are eternal and they give us perfect standing before God.  This study is not a diet for “spiritual babes” who want to be spoon-fed and coddled. In this letter you will find “strong meat” that demands some chewing and enjoying.

Jesus’ sacrifice being superior to that of bulls and goats.

Hebrews 9:13‭-‬14 NIV The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!

The sacrifice of Jesus Christ is superior to the old covenant sacrifices because;

1.  Christ’s sacrifice takes away sin.

2. Christ’s sacrifice doesn’t need to be repeated

3. Christ’s sacrifice Opens the way to God.

These are the notes to Session 12.

We talked about Jesus’ sacrifice being superior to that of bulls and goats

Hebrews 9:13‭-‬14 NIV The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!

Let’s talk more about that sacrifice.

The tenth chapter of Hebrews emphasizes the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ, in contrast with the imperfect sacrifices that were offered under the old covenant. Our Lord’s superior priesthood belongs to a better order—Melchizedek’s and not Aaron’s. It functions on the basis of a better covenant—the new covenant—and in a better sanctuary, in heaven. But all of this depends on the better sacrifice, which is the theme of this chapter.

The writer presents three benefits that explain why the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is superior to the old covenant sacrifices.

1.  Christ’s sacrifice takes away sin.

2. Christ’s sacrifice doesn’t need to be repeated

3. Christ’s sacrifice Opens the way to God.

Christ’s Sacrifice Takes Away Sin Once For All

Hebrews 10:1‭-‬10 NIV The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.  Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me;  with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased.  Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll— I have come to do your will, my God.’ ”  First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law. Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Why was there the need for a better sacrifice?

Sin, of course, is man’s greatest problem. No matter what kind of religion a man has, if it cannot deal with sin, it is of no value. By nature, man is a sinner, and by choice, he proves that his nature is sinful. It has well been said, “We are not sinners because we sin. We sin because we are sinners.”

Hebrews 10:1‭-‬4 NIV The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

The very nature of the old covenant sacrifices made them inferior. The law was only “a shadow of good things to come” and not the reality itself. The sacrificial system was a type or picture of the work our Lord would accomplish on the cross. This meant that the system was temporary, and therefore could accomplish nothing permanent. The very repetition of the sacrifices day after day, and the Day of Atonement year after year, pointed out the entire system’s weaknesses.

Animal sacrifices could never completely deal with human guilt. 

Now God did promise forgiveness to believing worshippers who made the sacrifices;

Leviticus 4:20‭, ‬26‭, ‬31‭, ‬35 NIV and do with this bull just as he did with the bull for the sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for the community, and they will be forgiven. He shall burn all the fat on the altar as he burned the fat of the fellowship offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for the leader’s sin, and he will be forgiven.  They shall remove all the fat, just as the fat is removed from the fellowship offering, and the priest shall burn it on the altar as an aroma pleasing to the Lord . In this way the priest will make atonement for them, and they will be forgiven.  They shall remove all the fat, just as the fat is removed from the lamb of the fellowship offering, and the priest shall burn it on the altar on top of the food offerings presented to the Lord . In this way the priest will make atonement for them for the sin they have committed, and they will be forgiven.

But this was a judicial forgiveness and not the removal of guilt from people’s hearts. People lacked that inward witness of full and final forgiveness. They could not claim, “I have no more consciousness of sins.” If those worshippers had been “once purged [from guilt of sin]” they would never again have had to offer another sacrifice.

I mentioned the Day of Atonement which happened once a year.  The Day of Atonement was very very important in the life of the Hebrews and the entire nation. 

The Day of Atonement is Yom Kippur This was the most solemn holy day of all the Israelite feasts and festivals, occurring once a year on the tenth day of the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar. 

Leviticus 23:27‭-‬28 NIV “The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves, and present a food offering to the Lord . Do not do any work on that day, because it is the Day of Atonement, when atonement is made for you before the Lord your God.

On that day, the high priest was to perform elaborate rituals to atone for the sins of the people. The atonement ritual began with Aaron, or subsequent high priests of Israel, coming into the holy of holies.  That’s where the ark of covenant was.  

We talked a little about the ark a couple of weeks ago.  The ark of the covenant, a wooden chest three feet, nine inches long; two feet, three inches wide; and two feet, three inches high. On the top of this chest was a beautiful “mercy seat” made of gold, with a cherub at each end. This was the throne of God in the tabernacle.

The seriousness of the day of Atonement was underscored by God telling Moses to warn Aaron not to come into the Most Holy Place whenever he felt like it; he could only come on this special day once a year, lest he die. This was not a ceremony to be taken lightly, and the people were to understand that atonement for sin was to be done God’s way.

Before entering the tabernacle, Aaron was to bathe and put on special garments  (v. 4), then sacrifice a bull for a sin offering for himself and his family (v. 6, 11). The blood of the bull was to be sprinkled on the ark of the covenant. 

 

Leviticus 16:4‭, ‬6‭, ‬11 NIV He is to put on the sacred linen tunic, with linen undergarments next to his body; he is to tie the linen sash around him and put on the linen turban. These are sacred garments; so he must bathe himself with water before he puts them on. “Aaron is to offer the bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household. “Aaron shall bring the bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household, and he is to slaughter the bull for his own sin offering.

Then Aaron was to bring two goats, one to be sacrificed “because of the uncleanness and rebellion of the Israelites, whatever their sins have been” (v. 16), and its blood was sprinkled on the ark of the covenant. The other goat was used as a scapegoat. Aaron placed his hands on its head, confessed over it the rebellion and wickedness of the Israelites, and sent the goat out with an appointed man who released it into the wilderness (v. 21). The goat carried on itself all the sins of the people, which were forgiven for another year (v. 30).

Leviticus 16:15‭-‬16‭, ‬21‭, ‬30 NIV “He shall then slaughter the goat for the sin offering for the people and take its blood behind the curtain and do with it as he did with the bull’s blood: He shall sprinkle it on the atonement cover and in front of it. In this way he will make atonement for the Most Holy Place because of the uncleanness and rebellion of the Israelites, whatever their sins have been. He is to do the same for the tent of meeting, which is among them in the midst of their uncleanness. He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites—all their sins—and put them on the goat’s head. He shall send the goat away into the wilderness in the care of someone appointed for the task. because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. Then, before the Lord , you will be clean from all your sins.

So the annual Day of Atonement did not accomplish remission of sin but only “reminder of sin” . The annual repetition of the ceremony was evidence that the previous year’s sacrifices had not done the job. True, the nation’s sins were covered, but they were not cleansed. Nor did the people have God’s inward witness of forgiveness and acceptance.

There was a desperate need for a better sacrifice because the blood of bulls and of goats could not take away sins. It could cover sin and postpone judgment, but it could never effect a once-and-for-all redemption. Only the better sacrifice of the Son of God could do that.

The provision of the better sacrifice (vv. 5–9). 

Hebrews 10:5‭-‬9 NIV Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me;  with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased.  Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll— I have come to do your will, my God.’ ”  First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law. Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second.

It was God who provided the sacrifice and not man. The quotation is from Psalm 40:6–8, and it is applied to Jesus Christ. The quotation makes it clear that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the old covenant sacrifices.

This quotation is interesting because the writer of Hebrews quotes from the Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures. For this reason, Hebrews 10:5 and Psalm 40:6 are often phrased differently, in English, in the same translation. 

Hebrews 10:5 NIV Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me;

Psalms 40:6 NIV Sacrifice and offering you did not desire— but my ears you have opened — burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.

The writer of Hebrews was quoting from the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament.

The literal Hebrew phrasing in Psalm 40:6 refers to God "digging ears" for the Psalmist. 

This seems to be a Hebrew idiom which implies God forming ears which allowed a person to receptively hear His Word. This also implies the idea that God is the one who has fashioned the body of the speaker. The Septuagint translator, as quoted by the writer of Hebrews, seems to have emphasized the latter aspect of the idiom. The point referenced from the Old Testament, then, is that God has "digged ears," or "dug ears," or "given open ears," or "created the body" of the person speaking.

The word sacrifice refers to any of the animal sacrifices. Offering covers the meal offering and the drink offering. All of these things are written into the Law of Moses and each of these offerings typified the sacrifice of Christ and revealed some aspect of His work on the cross.  

Twice in this paragraph,once in verse 6 and once in verse 8 the writer stated that God “had no pleasure” in the old covenant sacrifices. 

This does not suggest that the old sacrifices were wrong, or that sincere worshippers received no benefit from obeying God’s law. It only means that God had no delight in sacrifices as such, apart from the obedient hearts of the worshippers. No amount of sacrifices could substitute for obedience.

For example;

1 Samuel 15:22 NIV But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord ? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.

Psalms 51:16‭-‬17 NIV You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.  My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.

Hosea 6:6 NIV  For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.

Jesus Christ has taken away the first covenant and established the second. 

The effectiveness of the better sacrifice (v. 10). 

Hebrews 10:10 NIV And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Believers have been set apart (“sanctified”) by the offering of Christ’s body once for all. No old covenant sacrifice could do that. An old covenant worshipper had to be purified from ceremonial defilement repeatedly. But a new covenant saint is set apart finally and completely.

2. Christ’s Sacrifice Doesn’t Need To Be Repeated (10:11–18)

Hebrews 10:10‭-‬18 NIV And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.  Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.  The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says:  “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.”  Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.”  And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.

The fact that Jesus sat down after He ascended to the Father is proof that His work was completed.

We read that at:

Hebrews 8:1‭-‬2 NIV Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being.

The ministry of the priests in the tabernacle and temple was never done and never different: They offered the same sacrifices day after day. This constant repetition was proof that their sacrifices did not take away sins. What tens of thousands of animal sacrifices could not accomplish, Jesus accomplished with one sacrifice forever!

Those who have trusted Him need not fear, for they have been “perfected forever”

Hebrews 10:14 NIV For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

Believers are “complete in him”. We have a perfect standing before God because of the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Colossians 2:9‭-‬12 NIV For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

How do we know personally that we have this perfect standing before God? Because of the witness of the Holy Spirit through the Word.

Let’s read again;

Hebrews 10:15‭-‬18 NIV The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says:  “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.”  Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.”  And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.

The witness of the Spirit is based on the work of the Son and is given through the words of Scripture. The writer again quotes just as he did in Hebrews 8:7–12.

Jeremiah 31:33‭-‬34 NIV “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord . “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.  No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord ,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord . “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

The old covenant worshipper could not say that he had “no more conscience of sins”. But the new covenant believer can say that his sins and iniquities are remembered no more. There is “no more offering for sin” and no more remembrance of sin!

Hebrews 10:18 NIV And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.

When a sinner trusts Christ, his sins are all forgiven, the guilt is gone, and the matter is completely settled forever.

3. Christ’s Sacrifice Opens the Way to God (10:19–39)

No old covenant worshipper would have been bold enough to try to enter the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle. Even the high priest entered the Holy of Holies only once a year. The thick veil that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies was a barrier between people and God. Only the death of Christ could tear that veil and open the way into the heavenly sanctuary where God dwells. And that is what happened at Calvary.

Mark 15:37‭-‬38 NIV With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.  The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

A gracious invitation (vv. 19–25). 

Hebrews 10:19‭-‬25 NIV Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

“Let us draw near.… Let us hold fast.… Let us consider one another.” This threefold invitation hinges on our boldness to enter into the holiest. And this boldness rests on the finished work of the Savior. 

On the Day of Atonement, the high priest could not enter the Holy of Holies unless he had the blood of the sacrifice. But our entrance into God’s presence is not because of an animal’s blood, but because of Christ’s shed blood.

This open way into God’s presence is “new” and it is “living” because Christ “lives to make intercession” for us.  We come to God through Him, our High Priest.  

When He died and said “it is finished”, God tore the veil in the temple. This symbolized the new and living way now opened for all who believe.

On the basis of these assurances we have boldness to enter because we have a living High Priest—we have an “open invitation” to enter the presence of God. The old covenant high priest visited the Holy of Holies once a year, but we are invited to dwell in the presence of God every moment of each day. What a tremendous privilege! Now let’s look at this threefold invitation I mentioned before; “Let us draw near.… Let us hold fast.… Let us consider one another.”

First, Let us draw near (v. 22). 

Hebrews 10:22 NIV let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

Of course, we must prepare ourselves spiritually to fellowship with God. The Old Testament priest had to go through various washings and the applying of blood on the Day of Atonement. Also, during the regular daily ministry, the priests had to wash before they entered the Holy Place (Ex. 30:18–21). The New Testament Christian must come to God with a pure heart and a clean conscience.

 Fellowship with God demands purity.

1 John 1:5-2:2 NIV This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.  If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.  My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

(2) Let us hold fast (v. 23). 

Hebrews 10:23 NIV Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

The readers of this epistle were being tempted to forsake their confession of Jesus Christ by going back to the old covenant worship. The writer did not exhort them to hold on to their salvation, because their security was in Christ and not in themselves. Rather, he invited them to hold fast “the profession [confession] of … hope.”

When a believer has his hope fixed on Christ and relies on the faithfulness of God, then he will not waver. Instead of looking back (as the Jews so often did), we should look ahead to the coming of the Lord.

(3) The third invitation, Let us consider one another (vv. 24–25). 

Hebrews 10:24‭-‬25 NIV And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Fellowship with God must never become selfish. We must also fellowship with other Christians in the local assembly. Apparently, some of the wavering believers had been absenting themselves from the church fellowship. 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. We have talked before and even some in this study of how important your gifts are to the body of Christ.  

Faithfulness in church attendance encourages others and provokes them to love and good works. One of the strong motives for faithfulness is the soon coming of Jesus Christ. In fact, the only other place the word translated “assembling”is used in the New Testament is in 2 Thessalonians 2:1, where it’s translated “gathering” and deals with the coming of Christ.

2 Thessalonians 2:1‭-‬2 NIV Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come.

The three great Christian virtues are evidenced here in these three invitations: faith (Heb. 10:22), hope (Heb. 10:23), and love (Heb. 10:24). 

They are the fruit of our fellowship with God in His heavenly sanctuary.