FULLVIEW BIBLE STUDY WEDNESDAY NIGHT 6 00 PM
FULLVIEW BIBLE STUDY WEDNESDAY NIGHT 6: 00 PM
Hebrews Chapter Ten Christ the Perfect Sacrifice
The Law Was a Shadow (Hebrews 10: 1 -4) The Law was a shadow of the good things to come: • the law could not perfect anyone or solve our problem of sin. • the priests had to continually offer sacrifices; daily on and on with no sign of ending. • the sacrifices were a shadow of Christ’s death which would once and for all atone for our sins. • the sacrifices could not bring access to God
Failure of the Old Sacrifices • O. T. believers were never freed from the presence and awareness of guilt. (Rom 5 -6) • O. T. sacrifices were only external; they never got to the heart of the problem. • If the atonement was good enough to solve the problem of sin, it wouldn’t need to be made again, but every year it had to be made anew. This in itself shows its inadequacy.
Jesus Our Perfect Sacrifice (Hebrews 10: 5 -10) • Christ’s sacrifice reflects God’s eternal will. • The picture of Messiah being God’s perfect sacrifice is revealed in the Old Testament. (Ps 40: 6 -8; Isa 52: 13 -53: 13 and Psalm 22) • Christ fulfilled what was written about Him before the incarnation. (Jo 5: 39 -40) • The Shadow was removed or set aside for the Image.
Christ’s Sacrifice Perfects the Saints Forever • It gives the believer eternal perfection. • The sacrifice of Christ’s body has separated out those who put their faith in him. This is in contrast to the daily and yearly sacrifice of the first system. • Christ sacrifice was once for all, there was no other sacrifice needed.
A Contrast Between Christ and the Law (Hebrews 10: 11 -18) • Christ’s sacrifice is effective because it removes sin. The priest was required to offer sacrifices daily verses Christ who offered one sacrifice, Himself. • Christ’s sacrifice destroyed His enemies. (Col 2: 15) • One day all of God’s enemies will acknowledge Him, regardless of their wishes. (Phil 2: 10)
Accepting Christ (Hebrews 10: 19 -25) • The division between obedient and believing Brethren and disobedient and unbelieving Brethren is demonstrated in the 10 th chapter. • In Hebrews 10: 25 and 10: 39 a distinction is made between these two groups of brethren. • One group “forsakes the assembling of ourselves together” and “draw back to perdition”. The other group believes to the saving of the soul.
Draw Near in Faith • The basis of drawing near to God is the blood of Jesus: üHaving boldness: To enter God’s presence is a bold act, The High Priest could only enter the “Most Holy”, on the Day of Atonement. üBut with Christ sacrifice, God’s presence is available to all those who are sanctified by the “Blood of Christ” who have the gift of Christ’s righteousness.
Draw Near in Faith • Enter the Holiest: In the Law, the “Most Holy” is the room where the Arc of the Covenant rests, where God’s “Presence” would dwell. This was only available to the High Priest on the Day of Atonement. • The reality was fulfilled by Christ’s death, now we have direct access to God’s throne. • The blood of Christ has opened the door to God’s presence, contrasted to the blood of bulls and goats, which could not.
Successful Christian Living (Hebrews 10: 22 -25) • In these verses the writer is addressing the fellow believers and giving instructions on successful Christian living. • We all have power with God in Christ, but to utilize this power requires we approach his throne in Holiness.
Draw Near: • Before we approach God’s Holiness there are some steps we need to take. a) True Heart: We need to be honest and true. We cannot deceive ourselves. b) Full assurance of faith: We need to believe fully in God’s promises. c) Hearts sprinkled: We need to confess our own sinfulness, repenting from our evil thoughts. d) Body washed: We need confess and repent from bodily sins as well as sins from the heart.
Hold Fast: • We need to persevere in our faith, not giving up when trials or persecutions come our way. üThe confession: Our hope is Christ, we need to turn to Him. üWithout wavering: We must train ourselves to not be moved by circumstances. Many times God allows circumstances to test our faith, because through them He is glorified.
Consider one another: • Our relationship with God, is related to our relationship to those who are made in His image. a) Stir up love: Be proactive in charity. b) Stir up good works: Be also an instrument to cause the brethren to cause good. c) Assembling ourselves: Church, Bible Studies, Fellowship and service with others. d) Exhorting one another: Come along the side of others, help and encourage those who are struggling.
Sinning Willfully (Hebrews 10: 26 -27) • These verses carry the idea of consciously and deliberately rejecting Christ. (Rom 1: 18 -32) • Apostasy is an intentional falling away or withdrawal, a defection. (Mat 24: 10; 1 Tim 4: 1 -2) • Apostasy has two major characteristics: knowledge of the truth of the gospel and willful rejection of it. • The willful sinner sins because of an established way of thinking and acting which he has no desire to give up. (1 John 3: 9)
Sinning Willfully (Hebrews 10: 26 -27) • Willful sinning is habitual. It is not only deliberate, but is the permanent renunciation of the gospel, the permanent forsaking of God’s grace. • A Christian may sometimes lapse into sin and stray from fellowship with Christ. But unless God takes them him to heaven, they will come back. (1 Cor 11: 28 -29)
Consequences of apostasy (Hebrews 10: 28 -34) • The first result of apostasy is that the person no longer has a sacrifice that can atone for their sins. Therefore they are beyond salvation. • The second result of apostasy is greater judgment. To walk away from God is to walk away as an enemy of God. (Mat 13: 49 -50; 2 Thess 1: 7 -9) • There are degrees of sin and judgment. Judgment, like guilt, is in proportion to sin. (Jo 19: 11; Lk 12: 47 -48)
Consequences of apostasy (Hebrews 10: 28 -34) • Apostasy involves total rejection of the godheadthe Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. (Jo 10: 30) • For those who reject God only judgment remains. • The message is that those who are enlightened should look on what they have learned and believe. • Those who believed should remain steadfast and look forward to their rewards.
SPIRITUAL LESSONS • We should always evaluate our heart and make sure we are serving God from our heart for the right reasons. (Ps 51: 17) • Although we are sanctified before God already positionally, there is still the ongoing process of becoming more like Christ in our every day practice which we must pursue. (Jo 17: 19) • God wants to put His law on our hearts and minds. At the same time we have a responsibility to respond to Him. (Ps 119: 11; 2 Tim 2: 15)
SPIRITUAL LESSONS • Do not allow suffering or persecution or the temptations of this world to weaken your relationship with Christ. (Rev 2: 10) • Don’t live your Christian life in isolation. That is a recipe for failure. (Acts 2: 42) • Christ’s sacrifice should motivate us to righteous living.
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