We are returning to the book of Hebrews, as we've
been elsewhere for, I believe, nearly a year.
It works out well for us today. Chapter 10, verses
1 through 18, really is the author of Hebrews'
way of almost giving us a summary of the entire
book up to this point. Following this section,
starting in verse 19, the author immediately
shifts to practical exhortations and to practical
applications of all the doctrine and all the
truth that he has expounded up until this point.
So in some ways, this is a bridge between the
doctrine that he's portrayed and he's put forth
in the book of Hebrews. And the practice that
he's going to command, require, and exhort for
the remainder of the book after this section.
Now, we have to remember the context and the
purpose for the author writing this book. He's
writing to Hebrew Christians who are most likely
dealing with a great deal of pressure and persecution
from the outside world. From unbelieving Jews
who reject Christ. Pressuring them to forsake
their following Jesus Christ as the Messiah.
And to return to the sacrificial system of Judaism.
To come back to the synagogues. To come back
to the old covenant. So these Hebrew Christians
are... experience a great deal of pressure to
forsake their confession that Jesus Christ is
the Messiah, that he is the Christ, that he is
God in flesh. So the author of Hebrews writes
this epistle to show these Hebrew Christians
why they ought not to give consideration to forsaking
the Lord Jesus Christ. The author of Hebrews
writes to show them the absolute and the complete
superiority of Jesus Christ and the new covenant
to all the old covenant and everything that is
preceded the coming of the Lord Jesus. The author
writes to show Christ's superiority. To the Old
Covenant revelation. He writes to tell the Hebrew
Christians that Christ is superior and greater
than angels. That he's superior and greater than
Moses and Aaron. That he's greater than the Old
Covenant priesthood. He has a better priesthood.
He has a better... high priest. He has a better
ministry than Aaron and the Levites. He is better.
He's more supreme. He is greater. This is why
the author of Hebrews writes. So today we're
going to consider the insufficiency of the old
covenant sacrifices first. And we'll see how
they're inadequate and they're inferior. To Christ.
His sacrifice and the new covenant. And then
we're also secondly going to see. The sufficient.
And perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We'll
see this really in verses 5 through 14. And then
thirdly. We will see. That the perfect sacrifice
of Christ. Nullifies. The old covenant and its
sacrifices. And it ratifies and establishes the
new covenant and all of its blessings that come
from God. So first, the insufficiency of the
old covenant sacrifices. And we see this in verses
1 through 4. Now as we consider this, I want
to ask us a few questions and answer those questions.
as a means of expounding this. What were the
Old Covenant sacrifices, according to the text,
insufficient to accomplish? What were they insufficient
to do, to bring about? Well, the text says in
verse 1 that they were insufficient to make perfect
those who would draw near. It couldn't perfect
worshipers. Now, it's talking about all of Israel.
It's not just talking about the priests. It's
talking about the Israelites, the people of God,
that would come together for the Day of Atonement
and worship God. He's saying, those sacrifices,
they were insufficient to consecrate and to perfect
and set apart Those people who came to worship
and serve the living God on the Day of Atonement.
But it also says that they were insufficient
to cleanse the conscience of those individuals.
The Old Covenant sacrifices were ineffective
at affecting any good thing inside the Israelites.
It couldn't wash their conscience of shame. It
couldn't deal with the legal guilt that they
have in the sight of God because of their sin
and their transgression. It couldn't make them
or render them fit for service. Because what
is one of the most essential, if not the most
essential aspect to drawing near to God in prayer,
fitly and rightly serving God in this life to
loving others. It's a clean conscience before
God, brothers and sisters. Listen, brothers and
sisters, I could not preach the Word of God rightly
or accurately if I came to this pulpit with a
stained conscience. I could not come and proclaim
the Word of God to you with power or any authority
or any blessing of God or any good thing would
come of it if my conscience is covered with shame
from sin in my life. I cannot rightly or adequately
serve God if my conscience is covered in guilt
and shame because of my sin. We can't serve God
in that capacity. We can't go to God in prayer
and plead with Him. if our conscience is covered
in shame and guilt, the old covenant sacrifices
were incapable of removing that guilt and that
shame on the conscience of God's people. It wasn't
possible for them to do that. They were insufficient
for that. But also we see, that they were insufficient
to remove or deal with sin. We see this really
in verse 3, where the author says, Otherwise
would they not have ceased to be offered, because
the worshippers, having once been cleansed, would
no longer have had consciousness of sins? Sin
remained. undealt with and it remained and it
continued and it persevered in staining the conscience
of the worshippers. Sin remained and thus the
need for sacrifice remained and continued. Why
did they have to continue offering sacrifices
year after year, year after year, year after
year during the Day of Atonement? Why were there
so many precautions? Why was there such great
detail with regards to the precepts and the regulations?
When we think about the high priest and what
the high priest had to go through to enter into
the Holy of Holies once per year, Everything
he had to do. Why was that? Why was it dangerous
for the high priest to enter into the holy of
holies? The holy place of God where his presence
dwelt and the ark of the covenant was and the
law of God was. The nearest to the presence of
God on earth in the midst of God's people. Why,
brothers and sisters? Because sin remains. Because
sin was present. Sin had not been dealt with.
The old covenant sacrifices were incapable of
dealing with sin in the life of God's people.
Now, another question, how do we know that the
old covenant sacrifices were insufficient for
these things, to bring these things about? Well,
two basic and really simple things in the text.
One, the perpetual repetition of the sacrifices.
They kept offering sacrifices. Why? Because the
sacrifices were ineffective. The need remained.
Why would ineffective, why would a powerful,
purifying, Cleansing sacrifice that takes care
of everything and deals with sin completely need
to be repeated. Well, it's because it's inefficient
and it's unaffected, brothers and sisters. It's
not that powerful. It doesn't do anything. It
doesn't actually atone for or deal with sin.
Old covenant sacrifices were kind of like this.
There was this idea of once a year. All the sins
of God's people, they would come together and
they'd offer sacrifices and they'd broom them
all up in one place and then they'd kind of lay
a rug over it. The sins were still there. There
was just a rug or a covering over it. And then
the next year, they'd bring the sins from that
last year and they'd pile those up and then what'd
they do? They'd put a covering over it. They'd
put a rug over it. It was temporary. It didn't
actually deal with the sin. It didn't actually
effectively remove or bring about anything. It
was a temporary covering in a sense. The sin
was undealt with. Thus, the sacrifices continued.
Year after year, they continued to slaughter
animals and to make sacrifices to God. There
was no sacrifice, there was no sacrificial animal
that was ever offered to God that dealt with
sin. That removed it or effectively destroyed
its power or authority in the life of God's people.
So we know that they're insufficient because
they continue to be offered. But also, Because
the conscience of the worshippers remained defiled.
They had a consciousness of sin. They were aware
of the dangers associated with worship. They
were aware of their separation and their need
for sacrifice. Their conscience remained defiled
and they knew it, brothers and sisters. So the
same is true of us when we have fresh acts of
transgression in our life. We don't have legal
guilt that comes upon our conscience any longer,
but we do have shame that's given to us by God
that indicates we need to run to that once for
all sacrifice of Christ. They were conscious
of the reality that they were defiled by their
sin and that The sacrifices did nothing to deal
with their consciences. So why were these Old
Covenant sacrifices ineffective? Why was it that
they didn't work? Why was it that they could
not effectively deal with sin? Well, one, it's
because they were animal sacrifices. Verse 4
says, For it is impossible for the blood of bulls
and goats to take away sins. Think about the
disparity of nature between an animal and an
image bearer. The blood of an animal has no correlation
and no relationship to man's accountability.
to God or his moral obligations to answer that
God. Animals cannot atone for image bearers or
men with a completely and totally different nature
by way of creation. It's not possible. It's almost
as though the author of Hebrews is putting this
statement in verse 4. Listen, this is clear and
obvious. This isn't even a question of saying.
How do you think that an animal made not in the
image of God can bear the sins and remove the
sins and the guilt of an image bearer made after
the image of God? He puts it forth almost as
this axiomatic, clear and obvious statement for
the people. But also, We see from the text that
the law of God, meaning the ceremonial law, served
primarily a negative function in the life of
Israel. And what was that negative function?
To remind the people of God of their sin. To
continually remind them and show them of their
weaknesses, their sinfulness. and their need.
But ultimately, the reason that they could not
make perfect those who drew near and remove sin
and bring men into fellowship with God is because
it was not the design or intent of God for them
to do so. God never intended for animal sacrifices
to atone for the sins of men. The text in verse
1 says, for the law, since it has only a shadow
of the good things to come, and not the very
form of the things. Meaning, the law was given
for a purpose that shows the form and the shape
of things to come. but it had no substance or
power. The realities that it gave the form and
the frame of wasn't present in the ceremonial
law. There was no saving power in those sacrifices.
They put forth images. They put forth shadows
and types. They put forth portraits. But it wasn't
the real thing. It was a copy. It was meant to...
point forward to something that would come, that
would arrive, that is the substance and the power
and the effectiveness. The reality and the substance
would be Christ and his sacrifice. God never
designed the Old Testament ceremonial law to
save sinners, brothers and sisters. The author
of Hebrews wants his readers to know, listen.
God didn't make a mistake. It's not that God
tried to save you through these things, but God
never intended for these things to redeem you,
to bring you into fellowship with God, or to
cleanse your conscience of defilement. It has
to do with the purpose and the intent and the
design of the old covenant sacrifices. So this
brings us to the second thing we have to consider,
the sufficient and perfect sacrifice of Jesus
Christ. We see this in verses 5 through 14. It's
signaled in verse 5 where he begins, And then
he quotes from Psalm 40 in verses 6 through 9.
And the author brings in, the Old Testament Scriptures.
He wants to show them a few things. He wants
to remind them of a few things. One, he wants
to remind them he's not saying something novel.
He's not saying something that is new or something
that he has come up with. But he also wants to
show them, brothers and sisters, that the...
true, real, substantial sacrifice that does all
those things, finds its source in the Messiah
that does the will of God, the Lord Jesus Christ.
So we see in this quotation that David was well
aware, and we see this in Psalm 51 as well, at
the end of Psalm 51, and we see this in the latter
prophets, the post -exile prophets, Very, very
often as well. But we see that David was aware
that it wasn't sacrifice and offerings that God
wanted from him. It wasn't ceremonial, ritual
actions devoid of a devotional heart that God
delighted in that God was satisfied. David knew
the essence of drawing near, the essence of worshiping
God, is delighting in the law of God and having
a heart that is devoted to him, having a heart
that is reverent toward him. Now, we know that
David had his spots and David had his blemishes,
did he not, brothers and sisters? He had his
issues. So David did this by way of faith. David
believed and David trusted in the sacrifice that
would come out of a heart of devotion, and that
is what satisfied God toward David. But we also
see in the text that the son of David, the greater
David, the descendant and the offspring of David,
the Lord Jesus Christ, would be the one who would
actually, fully, completely, and totally delight
in doing the will of God. Holy and completely
love God with his entire being. Jesus says in
John, I believe it's John chapter 8. He says,
I always do what pleases my Father. Consider
the wonder of the truth in that text when Jesus
says that. Consider that. I always. Do what pleases
my Father. In every instance, in every case,
no matter the time, no matter the day, no matter
the situation, no matter where he's at or no
matter what he's doing, the Lord Jesus was conscious
of the reality and the truth that he was always
pleasing to me. God the Father. That's an incredible
statement, brothers and sisters, that he did
everything and the Father was always pleased
with everything that he said, thought, and did.
He always delighted in doing the will of God,
even at the end of his earthly life when he goes
to the cross. You see, it's his delight in doing
the will of God that actually takes him and compels
him and sustains him in getting to the cross.
Let's turn to Matthew chapter 26. It's the Lord
Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Starting in
verse 36. Then Jesus came with them. to a place
called Gethsemane and said to his disciples,
Sit here while I go over there and pray. And
he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee
and began to be grieved and distressed. Then
he said to them, My soul is deeply grieved to
the point of death. Remain here and keep watch
with me. And he went a little beyond them and
fell on his face and prayed, saying, My father,
if it is possible, let this cup pass from me,
yet not as I will, but as you will. And he came
to the disciples and found them sleeping and
said to Peter, So you men could not keep watch
with me for one hour. Keep watching and praying
that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit
is willing, but the flesh is weak. He went away
again a second time and prayed, saying, My father,
if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, your
will be done. Again he came and found them sleeping,
for their eyes were heavy. And he left them again
and went away and prayed a third time, saying
the same thing. The Lord Jesus, Longed to do
the will of God. Even to the point of death.
We read in Philippians chapter 2. Have this attitude
in yourselves, which was also in Christ Jesus.
Who, although he existed in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God a thing to be
grasped. but emptied himself, taking the form
of a bondservant and being made in the likeness
of men. Being found in appearance as a man, he
humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point
of death, even death on a cross. It was Christ's
desire and his longing to do the will of God
that compelled him to make himself a servant,
brothers and sisters. that compelled him to be
obedient and faithful, to suffer at the hands
of wicked men and to give up his spirit and to
die for undeserving sinners. This is the man,
the Messiah, the Christ, Jesus Christ, that is
the perfect, once for all, sacrifice that could,
in fact, remove sin. That could in fact cleanse
the conscience. It's Christ giving himself and
being the perfect sacrificial lamb on behalf
of God's people. The text says that this sacrifice
is once for all. It's complete. It's perfect.
It's final. It's effective. Here again, don't
we see the need, the necessity of the incarnation,
brothers and sisters, so clearly? Why does Christ
have to take on flesh, brothers and sisters?
Why does God have to take on a human nature?
Why did Christ have to come into the world? Because
redemption of his people necessitated and required
that he be a man that he could offer himself
in the flesh and suffer and die. God cannot suffer.
God cannot die. God cannot experience pain. He
cannot be hurt. He cannot suffer for our sins.
But Jesus Christ, who takes on a body, flesh
and bones, can in fact die for our sins and redeem
us, brothers and sisters. That's the necessity
of the cross. That's the necessity of the incarnation.
Hebrews is pointing us to the reality that God
had to be a man in order to redeem us once for
all and fully and finally. If Christ had not
taken on flesh, We would be in our sins and we
would be destined for hell and we would justly
suffer under the wrath of God for all eternity.
But God sent His Son to be born of a woman to
live perfectly under the law of God, delighting
in the law of God and giving Himself as the perfect
sacrifice. The once for all sacrifice. on behalf
of God's people. It was this willing self -sacrifice
of the Lord Jesus, not an animal, that brought
about the full and final redemption of God's
people. Now when it says once for all, that's
important for us, isn't it? Because the old covenant
sacrifices were continual. And repeated. They
were over and over and over, year by year, again
and again and again. But Christ's sacrifice is
once. One time. It's effective. It's powerful.
It's permanent. And it's complete. Christianity,
unlike so many other religions, almost unlike
every other religion that I can think of, is
a one -sacrifice religion, brothers and sisters.
And what are the implications of that? The implications
of that are this. You and I cannot atone for
our own sins. You and I cannot cover up our own
sins. You and I cannot appease the wrath of God.
It's all accomplished and it's all done by one
man. That's taken place in history on the cross.
An objective, complete, historical reality that's
true, separate and regardless and apart from
our experience as men. It's an objective and
completed reality. Now, we may think, well, I'm
not going around offering animal sacrifices,
trying to atone for my transgressions. I know
I lost my temper. I know that I sinned. I know
that I broke God's law. I know that I did whatever
it was I did. Now I'm going to work harder this
week. This time, I'm going to make God happy.
I'm going to live better. I'm going to do better
than I did last time. Now God will be satisfied
with me. God will be pleased with me. That's
not offering an animal sacrifice, brothers and
sisters, but that's doing the exact same thing.
It's attempting to atone for your own transgressions.
Your own sins. It's trusting in yourself. To
make God happy or pleased or satisfied with you.
This is something the world does all the time,
brothers and sisters. The culture is all about
reparations. It's getting a little less, praise
God. But the culture is all about reparations.
Why do reparations need to take place? According
to the world and the culture and society. To
make up for what we've done in the past. To atone
for our sins. We cannot atone for our sins. Christ
accomplished that work by himself one time on
the cross. It was once for all. That means that
when Christ died, he was acting as a representative
on behalf of all of God's people. So that when
God was dealing with him on the cross, it's as
though God was dealing with all his elect on
the cross. So that as God punished the sin that
was imputed to Christ, it's as though... He was
punishing you and I on the cross. But it also
means that as God poured out His wrath on that
sin, as He was propitiated, as He was satisfied,
as He was appeased in His wrath and His righteous
anger, brothers and sisters, that also means
that His wrath and His righteous anger is appeased.
It is satisfied. It is propitiated for all those...
Christ represented in that once for all sacrifice.
That's the glory of substitutionary atonement.
That's the glory of the cross and the gospel
and the Christian faith. Christ did it. Christ
accomplished it. I don't do anything. God is
gracious. God is merciful. He gives me faith
to believe in that work. He draws me through
the Word of God. He gives me new life by the
Spirit of God so that I can enjoy those realities.
It's because of His grace and it's because of
His mercy. That's the only reason we enjoy and
that's the only reason we are in Christ. How
do we know? Who was represented on the cross?
God's merciful, kind, and sovereign good pleasure.
He did not have to choose anyone, brothers and
sisters. Yet He has. He's merciful. He's gracious.
He's good. And He's kind. And He has accomplished
redemption in Christ on this once for all, in
this once for all sacrifice on the cross. That
means that we have to continually, over and over,
Look to his sacrifice. And remind ourselves that
he's done it. That he's accomplished it. I don't
have to die on a cross for my sins. He has atoned
for my sins. The author of Hebrews beautifully
demonstrates the finished character of Christ's
work here in these verses. when he talks about
the high priest and he quotes from Psalm 110,
he talks about the fact that old covenant priests,
when they were offering the sacrifices, they
never, ever sat down. Why? Because their work
was never complete. Their work was never over.
Their priestly work of atonement was continual.
And they continued and persevered in the work,
so they remained standing. But the author of
Hebrews tells us, and he reminds us of something
beautiful for our souls. Christ is not standing
up anymore. He's telling us that Christ has sat
down at the right hand of the Father. Why is
that significant for you and me? Because his
priestly work of atonement is completely and
totally finished. With regards to atonement,
with regards to suffering and humiliation, with
regards to propitiation, brothers and sisters,
Christ's work is done. He's finished. There's
nothing left for him to do. And the author even
says in verse 13, waiting from that time onward
until his enemies be made a footstool for his
feet. We've entered into a new phase of redemption.
No longer are we in the atonement phase of redemption,
but Christ is building his church. He's judging
and ruling the world, and he's waiting. And what
is he waiting for? He's waiting for the day of
culmination. He's waiting for the day of the
Lord, the day of judgment, the next great and
final redemptive event that takes place in the
history of the world when Christ comes, not as
a lamb slain, not for the purpose of atoning.
Not for the purpose of suffering and dying. Not
for the purpose of giving himself over to the
wicked desires and wicked wills of evil men.
But he comes on that great and future day to
crush his enemies. He comes as a king protecting
and guarding and gathering his people. His work
of atonement is over. And the next thing we see
at the end of history is Christ coming and judging
and punishing his enemies and fully and finally
redeeming his people. So there's a few things
that we should be reminded of every time. we
look up to heaven by faith. Every time we ask
ourselves, if only Jesus were here with me right
now, why is Christ separated physically from
us at the moment? Every time we think about the
work of the Spirit of God in our hearts and our
minds, every time we look to the throne of God
in faith, believers should be reminded. That
their sins are dealt with. That Christ is sitting.
That He has made purification for the sins of
His people. Every time we look to heaven, brothers
and sisters, be reminded, there is now no condemnation
for those in Christ. God's wrath is satisfied
toward me. He is a loving Father. He is no longer...
a wrathful judge toward me. He is a loving father
and he views me when he loves me with the same
love that he has for his own blessed and dear
son. So believers ought to be reminded of the
certainty that their sins are finished. that
their sins are dealt with, atonement has been
made. Now, we're speaking primarily with regards
to our legal standing and so forth with God.
We're not talking about the realm of sanctification,
holiness, and godliness at the moment. We know
that sin dwells within us. That's an ongoing
battle that we have to fight. But brothers and
sisters, Sin no longer has dominion over us.
We are free from the consequences and the judgment
and the condemnation of sin. And brothers and
sisters, it has no power over us as believers.
And when Christ returns, he'll remove sin from
our very presence. But there's also a sober reminder
for those that don't know Christ. as we consider
the fact that Christ is not with us. There's
a sober and an absolute certainty in the reality
and the fact that Christ has sat down. Just as
believers ought to remember, and they ought to
recall and delight in the reality that their
sins are dealt with because Christ has sat down
at the right hand of the Father, unbelieving
men, Ought to be reminded of the reality and
the fact that their sins are not dealt with.
That their sins still condemn them. That the
wrath of God is still upon them and that judgment
will come when Christ returns. So it's an urgent
plea to look to Christ and realize He's not here.
Why is He not here? He's sitting at the right
hand of God. And that means that one day he will
come in power and authority and might to judge
all those who are not found in Christ by faith.
So it's an urgent plea. Every time you think
of a spiritual reality or truth, every time you
hear the name, Jesus Christ. Every time you hear
of the Christian religion, non -believer, you
ought to be reminded that your sins remain. That
you need to flee to Christ. That you need to
examine your life. And that you need to put your
faith and trust in Jesus Christ for eternal salvation
and look to His once for all. to atone for your
sins. So his work is finished. We can say clearly,
and we can say authoritatively based on this
text, that Christ's sacrifice is perfectly sufficient.
It is completely sufficient. Nothing left. There's
nothing left, nothing remaining for him to do
with regards to the atonement. Now the author
wants to show us one more thing. And this is
the reality that Christ's perfect sacrifice nullifies
the old covenant sacrifices and ratifies the
new covenant and all of its blessings. What I
mean by this is that the death... of Christ nullifies
the sacrifices and the sacrificial system that
was instituted for Old Covenant Israel. Why?
Because the once for all sacrifice is the substance
and the reality that those Old Covenant sacrifices
were shadows and types of. It means That Christ's
sacrifice supersedes all the Old Covenant sacrifices.
So think about the Jews or the Hebrew Christians
that are reading this letter. Think about their
situation. Think about the pressure to forsake
Christ as Messiah. The pressure to forsake Christianity
and go back to Judaism and the Old Covenant ceremonial
system. And to trust in that for fellowship with
God and right standing with the Lord. The author
of Hebrews is persuading them. Don't do that.
Those sacrifices are useless. Those sacrifices
are vain and pointless because the true sacrifice
is here. Is present. And among us. But we also
see. That the death of Christ. Ratifies the new
covenant. And all of its blessings. The author
in verses 16 and 17. Lists those blessings. Generally
speaking. In verse 16. He speaks of the subjective.
And inward blessings. Where he says. I will put
my laws. Upon their heart. Talking about the
inward and experiential blessings that come as
a result of the new covenant and redemption and
salvation in Christ. But then in verse 17, he
speaks of the objective and completed work of
God because of Christ. Free pardon and the forgiveness
of sins. I love that the author puts this in
here. Because it really shows the connection
between Christ's completed work on the cross
as once for all sacrifice and how it makes its
way to the believer, to the sinner. It closes
the gap, in a sense, between the two. God, because
of Christ's sacrifice, can now treat all of God's
people. in a covenantal sense, as children of
God. I heard R .C. Sproul say one time, the most
miraculous thing about justification by faith
alone is not necessarily justification by faith
alone, but the reality that God in fact treats
us as though we are justified. God treats us.
As though we are justified, brothers and sisters.
He acts that way toward us. That is his disposition
toward us. He sees us with love. He sees us as
children. Think about John 17. And Jesus' prayer
for the disciples and then Jesus' prayer for
the... the future of the disciples that would
come from them. He talks about the fact, brothers
and sisters, that God loves disciples the same
way that he loves Christ. With the very same
love. That's an incredible statement. Why is
that feasible? Why is that possible? Because
Christ died for the sins of those people and
God's wrath was satisfied on their behalf. so
that He can extend His love to them. It's because
of Christ's objective and completed work on the
cross that God treats us and works in us and
sanctifies us and He applies redemption to all
His elect throughout history. So what do we do
with these realities? Well, first, I think we
have to train ourselves. To think rightly about
God and ourselves. We have to train ourselves
over and over and over and over. When we're having
a difficult day. When our emotions are up and
our emotions are down and maybe our hearts are
cold and unaffectionate. Remind ourselves. We
have to remind ourselves. We have to train ourselves
to think it's completed in Christ's sacrifice.
That has nothing to do with my feelings. The
death of Christ has nothing to do with my affections.
The forgiveness of sins remains. My justification
is unchanging. It is unwavering. Why? Because
it's based on the completed righteousness. In
Christ. That's the glory of the gospel, brothers
and sisters. We have to train our minds to think
about God and to think about ourselves and our
own identity rightly in accordance with the gospel.
We should not wake up dreading the day, facing
God, thinking that He's out to get us. Why? Because
that is erroneous thinking according to the gospel
of God. He is a father to his people in Christ.
He loves his people in Christ. He's for them.
He works for them. He works everything on behalf
of them for their good, brothers and sisters.
He's not out there trying to make you stumble
and make you trip and push you around trying
to get you to fall. He's working in your life
to bring holiness because He knows that is what
is best for you and He loves you dearly. He loves
us and He treats us as He does Christ. That's
why every time the Bible says, in Him, it's so
important. Why is Ephesians 1 so important? In
Him, in Him, in Him, over and over. Because every
one of those spiritual blessings is in Christ.
And if a person is in Christ, then all of those
blessings, all of those redemptive blessings,
are true of them in Christ. So we have to train
our thinking to think rightly about God and ourselves.
But we also have to believe these particular
promises concerning the gospel. When the Bible
says that he will remember our sins no more in
Christ because of a sacrifice, we need to believe
that reality, brothers and sisters. We need to
trust that reality. So thinking about thinking
in that, should we dwell? And wallow. In our
past sins. Should we condemn ourselves. If God
himself does not condemn us. Should we dwell
in the past. Should we dwell. In the wickedness
that we have completed. If it's forgiven in Christ.
Brothers and sisters, we are new creatures in
Christ. His once for all sacrifice has accomplished
that work. And he's brought it about. We have
to believe those realities. When the word of
God says that sin no longer has dominion over
you as a believer. And a person struggling with
besetting sin, something they can't get over.
They just can't do it. It remains and it sticks
around. What do they need to believe? What do
they need to trust? By faith they need to understand
the reality and they need to look to the reality
that the Spirit of God dwells within them. That
they are a new creature with a new nature in
Christ and that no longer do they live in the
sphere or realm of sin. But sin is a nuisance
in our side. And we have authority over it in
Christ. We are dead to sin because we've been
crucified with Christ. We have to appropriate
these particular blessings and promises of the
gospel by faith in our own lives. And we have
to constantly every day, hourly, brothers and
sisters, look to the once for all sacrifice of
Jesus Christ. It is the source of hope. It is
the source of strength. It is the source of joy.
It is the source of praise and contentment. Looking
to what He has fully, finally, and completely
accomplished, by Himself, apart from us.