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Showing posts from October, 2011

New Covenant, One Sacrifice

Hebrews 9:6-15, ´When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing. This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. They are only a matter of food and drinks and various ceremonial washings – external regulations applying until the time of the new order. When Christ came as high priest of good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man made, that is to say, not part of this creation. He did not enter by me

Jesus the High Priest of the Better Covenant

Hebrews 7:11-28 , ´If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the law was given to the people), why was there still need for another priest to come – one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron? For when there is a change in priesthood, there must also be a change of the law. He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, one who has become a priest not on the basis of regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. For it is declared: ¨You are a priest for ever, in the order of Melchizedek.¨(Psalm 110:4), The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing per

Vigilance

Hebrews 6:10-12, ´God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show the same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.´ The Devil is relentless in His quest to make you stumble so that you may not enjoy the inheritance promised to you by God through Christ. He continuously tempts us with sin more so in our moments of weakness. We need to strengthen our faith and develop our spiritual strength so that we become strong in Christ and are able to overcome this temptations. God is faithful and will fulfill His promises to us that we received through and in Christ as we reap each according to what we have sown. But it will be a shame if we lose out because we faltered just when we were about to finish the race, when we were abo

Is Your Faith Bearing Fruit

Hebrews 6:7-8, ´Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessings of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.´ The word of God that we receive is like the rain on a parched land that nourishes it back to life. When we receive this word, we are brought back from the brink of death to an everlasting life. Now to us that have received the word, there are two expectations placed upon us. First we must not remain spiritual infants who are weak and continuously falling into the temptations of Satan and Secondly, we should share the good news and bring others to Christ Jesus. We have a responsibility of facilitating our spiritual growth improving our relationship in and with Christ by reading the scriptures to strengthen our faith and banish our ignorance of the truth, regularly going to God in prayer, continuo

Falling of the redeemed

Hebrews 6:4-6, ´It is impossible for those that have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to a public disgrace.´ Jesus is the truth and the light to the world and when you accept Him into your life as your Mighty Lord ans Savior and surrender your life unto Him, you become enlightened. The truths of this world become clear to you and you gain divine wisdom. You receive the Holy Spirit, joy and peace into your heart because of the love of God you are experiencing in your life. But Satan tempts us every minute of our lives so that we \may fall from God´s grace and if we allow ourselves to fall again from this state of knowledge of the truth and surrender our lives back to Him, the Devil will

Are You A Mature Christian?

Hebrews 6:1-2, ´Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instructions about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.´ How many of us consider ourselves to be mature Christians, to be ready for the solid food, and yet how many of us flounder with what Paul considered to be the fundamental teachings about our Lord. And for those that do know the basics, do you share with those of us that are less knowledgeable, do you have the patience to teach those of us who are slow to learn over and over again. Until and unless we have the basics about Christ through constant use, we will not be able to live in righteousness. So we ask those of us that are mature in Christ, to never give up and be ever patient with us who are slow learners so that we may be in a position to understand the teaching of rig

Confidence in Christ

Hebrews 4:14-16, ´Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.´ A high priest was chosen of God to offer gifts and sacrifices for man´s sins. Jesus offered the perfect gift that is final and complete, and that is Himself, by dying at the cross, so that there is no need for another sin offering to be made on our behalf. Since Jesus walked the earth as the son of man, undergoing all the tests and temptations that men face, he is able to deal with me gently in my ignorance and when I go astray, guide my steps in paths of righteousness, so that by His amazing and abounding gra

Faith the Key to Salvation

Hebrews 4:1-2, ´Therefore since the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith.´ The good news that is the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is preached to everyone through God´s grace so that no one may say I never received it and we may all benefit from it and gain eternal life in Him but for some of us who hear it, our lives are not touched, enriched and ultimately saved from eternal damnation because we do not believe in the good news and in Christ Himself. Salvation of man by the grace of God comes only by faith in Him, through and to whom all things flow, so that no one may boast. There is no other way other than to trust and obey our Lord Jesus Christ, to allow Him to be master over our lives, to do His will, to allow oursel

Jesus the Lamb of God

Hebrews 3:14-18, ´Since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might destroy Him who holds the power of death – that is, the devil – and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels He helps, but Abraham´s descendants. For this reason He had to be made like His brothers in every way, in order that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that He might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because He himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.´ The devil, enticed man to sin, so that he rebelled against God and the law which requires that the wages of sin be death, therefore man´s death was demanded for the law to be fulfilled. But God the Father in His divine plan full of grace, sent us Jesus the Christ, His divine Son, to live as a man, be tested in the same way as we are, yet remaining

In search of God: God´s Amazing Grace

In search of God: God´s Amazing Grace : Hebrews 2:14-18, ´Since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might destroy him who...

God´s Amazing Grace

Hebrews 2:14-18, ´Since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death – that is, the devil – and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels He helps, but Abraham´s descendants. For this very reason He had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service of God, and that He might make atonement for the sin of the people. Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are tempted.´ This scripture reveals the reason why Jesus the Christ had to come to die on earth, it was for me, a wretched sinner, so that I could be freed from the hold of the devil and sin through and in Him therefore overcoming death because He paid the price or requirement of the law in my place that required my death as wages for my sins. Through Him, I a

Joyful Living Amid Trials

Jesus himself told us that this world we live in is full of trouble that we encounter on a daily basis but reassured us that he had already overcome the world. So how are we supposed to live in this world of strife? By being joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer. The scriptures tells us the attitude we need to have when faced with trials and tribulations in James 1:2-4 ´Consider it pure joy , my brothers whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete not lacking in anything.´ We face these trials as a necessity for growth and strengthening of our faith in God and in order to overcome our sinful nature so that eventually we are able to live naturally in the reborn state of righteousness in Christ Jesus. We are God´s workmanship continually being afforded this opportunities of discomfort that are ultimately meant to make us into c