Ni90: Hebrews 11-13, Proverbs 16

These concluding chapters of Hebrews are powerful…to say the least. CH. 11 is often called the “Hall of Fame” or the “Hall of Faith” because it details testimony of some of the most notable men of faith in the history of Israel…which in the context of the original audience…is their entire lineage. We (for those of us that this applies to) are “grafted into” this lineage; therefore, this should evoke a strong sense of identity, purpose, and connection.

Key verses for me in these final chapters:

• 11:6. It is not possible to please or to be pleasing to God without faith. This is not the “one time decision” kind of faith; rather, it is the ongoing lifestyle of trusting God and acting on His Word and not our circumstances. (There is no shortage of people who give, pray, and go based on circumstances; however, the actions that please God are those that faithfully do so based on revelation. They align their actions to the Word of God rather than “acting” and then trying to justify these actions by various means.)  A good RULE OF THUMB…is that if your sacrifice/worship/actions don’t cause you to be dependent upon God (i.e. “if God doesn’t show up it won’t happen”), then it is not the faith that pleases God.
• 11:25-26. Moses “considered” the reproach of Christ to be more valuable than all of the comfort in the world. He could have lived comfortably in his circumstances, but chose FAITHFULNESS to God and God’s revealed plan/purpose against his own interests. [Do we consider Christ in the same way?]
• 12:1. “Witnesses.” These heroes in Ch 11 are not super-human. They are simply living their lives…bearing witness to their faith. (See Acts 1:8. We are called to the same life.)
• 12:11. No one likes Godly discipline in the moment, but when we are trained by it, those who are godly appreciate it immensely, because it produces PEACE as a fruit of righteousness. Peace only comes through righteousness.
• 12:16. We often think of Esau as short-sighted and even foolish…selling his birthright (willingly) for a bowl of stew. The language here though is a bit stronger. He is called IMMORAL and GODLESS. He chose momentary comfort over the plan and purpose of God…his birthright. This is not short-sightedness…it is immorality and godlessness.
• 12:17. Scares me. It says that Esau never found repentance though he sought it. [Now I will confess that I don’t know everything that means…and those who are predisposed to certain theological systems about Salvation have “certain” answers…but I do know this: he missed God’s plan and never regained it…because he did not act in faith. (NOTE: To see the opposite type action, see Matt 4 when Jesus refused bread offered by satan to abate His hunger. He acted faithfully…and was ministered to by the angels after the temptation.)
• 13:1. Remembering the brethren is a collective and not an individual idea. This means that we are to remember and be committed to the whole more than the parts of the whole.
• 13:3. Sympathize and empathize with those who are suffering for their faith as if it were you suffering. If you can hear of believers being persecuted and it does not evoke a strong connection and brokenness of compassion, then you have not mastered this verse.
• 13:4. Marriage is to be esteemed and marital sex is to be honored and protected. Marital sex is communion according to God’s plan. Any type of deviance (extramarital sex, premarital sex, deviant or perverse sex, any sex other than that prescribed in the context of a loving and committed MARRIAGE relationship is defiling). Marriage and marital sex is OBVIOUSLY significant…look at where it falls in the list of FAITHFUL instructions.
• 13:7. Imitate the faith of those who lead you spiritually. Leaders…display a faith that God desires to be imitated. You will be held to account (James 3:1).
• 13:17. Submit to the leadership of your spiritual authority…your pastor…in such a way that his job is a joy and not a burden. Pastors, lead…even if it is not joyful. You serve a constituency of One.
• 13:21. Christ’s equipping is not for our comfort but for our service…to do His will.
• 13:22. These are not easy instructions…but stick with them…persevering and desiring to master them.

Proverbs 16:7 is the takeaway today. “When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.”

Ni90: Hebrews 9-10, Proverbs 15

In this chapter, the writer continues with the defense of Jesus as the only means of covenant with God. He demonstrates that the Tabernacle/Temple design even testified of this by typology…with an outer court for worship and an inner part called the Holy of Holies. Only the High Priest could enter there…and there the High Priest could enter into the presence of God. Each High Priest could only enter with blood of a sacrifice for his own sins and also for the sins of others. Now, as Christ has entered with the blood of sacrifice…His own blood…the sacrifice is sufficient perpetually. IOW: The work is finished and there is now no worship court other than the one through Jesus.

A couple of observations:

• 10:11-15. When Christ finished His work, He sat down at the right hand of the Father. There was and is no more work to do to settle sin debts of any and all of humanity. They are all settled in Christ and He is the ONLY Door through which one may enter into the presence of God.
• 10:19-25. Because of what Christ has done, we must realize and hold firm to the fact that there is no other way to righteousness with God than through Christ. As such, we can confidently approach God through Christ. Not only CAN WE, but we SHOULD approach Him…drawing near to Him with a sincere heart that is cleansed by Christ (v.22), and bodies/hands/actions that testify of our clean hearts. The faith required to do this is not an easy faith…but we MUST hold fast to it and encourage one another in the difficulties that make this faith position a struggle.

Having tasted the finished work of Christ, how could we ever fall back? This is the point in the last observation…if we turn back from God, we have trampled the blood of Christ…His sacrifice under foot.

• 10:31. We do not want to face the God who saves when we trample His Salvation under foot.

The point of this observation…is the “casual” manner we often take in accepting sin in our lives. We sometimes even grin at “backsliding” or other expressions of carnality in the Christian life. How can we treat that which God so hates (sin) casually?

Someone recently said (and I think it is John Piper…but may be mistaken) that no clearer picture of God’s hatred of sin can be seen than the Cross. On it…God judged all sin in the crucifixion of His own and only Son. HOW CAN WE treat “casually” that which God so hates?

Thank God that we don’t have to settle our own sin debt… At the same time, the settling of our sin debt by grace ought to provoke a faithful and surrendered life to Him who saves.

Proverbs 15:1 is the takeaway today. “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” [Remember this the next time you want to give him or her a "piece of your mind."]

Ni90: Hebrews 6-8, Proverbs 14

From the outset of this post, let me say that it requires great restraint not to go into tremendous detail…especially about CH 6 and the “falling away.” I have written extensively on these passages over the years and will try not to rehash everything here. At the same time, there is deep theological truth in this section pertaining to the role of Jesus as our High Priest and His superiority to every other intermediary with God. (Remember that is the point here…that some are considering returning to Judaism because it is less difficult.)

My observations today:

• 6:1-3. Maturity in Christ is the design. We should be growing in our knowledge and discernment about things of God if we are truly IN Him.
• 6:4-9. Once you have experienced the superior, how could you ever go back to the inferior and have hope? This is the warning/question/implication of the text. There is no hope in returning to Judaism since you have already come from it in pursuit of the Hope that is in Christ Jesus. [The same could be said for those who have forsaken the pursuits of the flesh and then returned to them as if they had any power to bring hope.]
• vv.9-10. Good works that glorify God and minister in His Name ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS accompany salvation. To claim Salvation and not to have works that testify of a transformed life…new concerns that are in line with God’s concerns…is incompatible.
• For those who would object…and claim that Jesus was not a Levite and therefore not a proper High Priest, the writer explains that Jesus was a High Priest in the order of Melchizedek…who preceeded the Levites…and was honored as a High Priest by Father Abraham. (In Jewish terms…this is a POWERFUL argument!) Jesus, unlike a Levitical Priest did not need to make sacrifices for His own sins…since He was/is sinless. He sacrificed Himself ONCE for ALL (7:27) and now intercedes for those who follow.
• 8:13. The new covenant in Christ makes the old covenant in the Law obsolete. This does not mean God “improved” on the covenant; rather, it displays the fact that the first covenant was always a shadow/image of the true covenant in Christ (8:4-13).

So…to summarize it…once you have experienced Jesus who is, in every way, superior to even the Law of Moses…how could you ever expect to go back to that which you left? To do so and to be comfortable in it…is to declare (by your actions) that there is no hope for you…there is no way for you to be delivered because you chose the inferior over the superior.

Proverbs 14:9a is the takeaway today. “Fools mock at sin…”

Ni90: Hebrews 3-5, Proverbs 13

Sort of hard to believe that today is Day 73. 17 days to go following today to have read through the NT in 90 days. Great job to those of you who have persevered! What a great accomplishment.

Two major themes emerge in these chapters…the status/role of Jesus as the Great High Priest and the believer’s Rest. [NOTE: You might go back through and just circle the references to the word "rest." It will highlight just how big of a deal this was/is to the narrative.]

Remember that the temptation for the hearers is to return to Judaism as an “equally valid” religious faith…because their lives have been horribly difficult as Believers. The arguments presented show that the Jewish faith was a form of what was to come (i.e. all of the tenets point to God’s Salvation which is ultimately and Only in Christ). It was not and is not an equal system for relating to God.

• 3:1-6. While Moses was faithful to God in the same way that a trusted servant is faithful, Jesus was faithful as a Son to the Father. Both are faithful but only Jesus has an inheritance. He is like the Father. He is the rightful ruler/heir of all that is the Father’s. To return to Moses is to choose the servant over the Son. There can be no return to Moses and still profess the hope that is in Jesus (3:12-14). Salvation and assurance come only in remaining in Christ. This Salvation and assurance is the Believer’s Rest.
• 4:1. Fear God and hold fast to our confession in Christ, lest we miss out on the hope of Christ at all.
• 4:2. This Rest for the believer is appropriated when we hear and place our trust in. Both knowledge (God’s revelation and work) and our response (faith) are needed to benefit from the work of Christ. To negate this by failing to remain faithful…is to forsake the benefit God has revealed…our Rest.
• 4:3-11. The writer now argues that the Rest of God was never offered apart from Christ; therefore, returning to Judaism is to forsake all real hope, because one has forsaken the finished work of Christ. And for those who tink that is harsh, the writer illustrates that the Word (God’s revelation) cuts deeply and precisely to delineate between error and truth (4:12).
• 5:8-9. Christ is our perfect High Priest, providing us Rest, because He obeyed the will of God. [NOTE: This is weedy so don't stray into the ditch. Focus on the argument and not the side trails.] While Christ is God and as such is perfect, He was PERFECTED (made perfect) through obedience. Without His obedience, there would be no Salvation. Because of His obedience to the Father (and not begrudging obedience, but willful obedience), there is Salvation for us! IN THE SAME WAY, we must obey God to experience Salvation. [Note: Many say (wrongly) that all one must do is "believe" in Jesus to be saved. This is true but what is erroneous is the definition of "believe" in their statement. Believing in Jesus has ALWAYS BEEN (in the biblical record) to "faith" in Jesus...IOW: to act on knowledge and to trust in Him. It is more than simply saying, "I believe in Jesus" Or "I believe Jesus is God." Even the demons and the devil himself acknowledged that (cf. Mark 5, Matthew 4). A confession without corresponding action is not to truly "believe" as the Bible uses the word for Salvation. Believe and OBEY are uses synonymously in these verses. "Christ became the source of eternal Salvation [rest] to all those who obey (truly believe and trust in) Jesus. Notice: The writer knows that this is “weedy” which is why he speaks now of “dullness in hearing”, maturity and discernment. HE IS ABOUT to say one of the most shocking things ever to the original audience…
• As a final note…the writer’s purpose is not to cause a disturbance in our assurance; rather, it is to point to the finished work of Christ which is sufficient for all of us. He desires for his audience to respond by BELIEVING and returning to fidelity to Christ with a “white-hot” passion.

Proverbs 13:3 is the takeaway today. “The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; the one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.” [Carefully choose your words and hold your tongue often. This is the recipe to success.]

Ni90: Hebrews 1-2, Proverbs 12

The book of Hebrews has always been an intriguing study for me. I have a fascination with the Jewishness of the Gospel. (Some think that the OT was given tot he Jews but that the NT was given to Gentiles. Not so. All of it is divinely preserved for all people; however, the context of the writing if the NT is predominately Jewish. In fact, nearly all of Jesus’ ministry in the Gospels is done among the Jews.) The writer of Hebrews is writing to Jewish believers who, due to various reasons, are in danger of walking away/falling away from their commitment to Christ. They are tempted to embrace again the ways of their Jewish traditions. With this backdrop, the writer labors to demonstrate Christ’s superiority to all of the Jewish traditions and even to the Law. From this…we who read are given enormous insight into key theological truths that aid us in interpreting God’s instructions elsewhere.

• 1:1-3. God has been revealing Himself to and through His Creation to all people from the very beginning. Jesus is the ultimate expression of God’s revelation…He is God with “skin on.” Since He is the ultimate expression, and since He “sat down” after providing satisfaction to God’s judgment against sin (propitiation), there is no revelation or Savior other than Jesus.
• 2:8. This illustrates the difference between “positional” and “possessional” as it relates to the rule and reign of Christ in the world. The entire world is subject to Christ as King; however, the entire world is not under control of Christ as King (yet). The Kingdom is given but not all enemies have been conquered. This is true, not only of Jesus, but of every believer. We (as believers) are wholly His but we are not yet wholly holy. (Read it slowly…it makes sense.). We are “crucified with Christ” but we must die daily. We are in the process of progressive sanctification. We are conquerors in Christ, and yet we must flee sin. We are victorious in our relationship with Him, and yet we struggle for victory daily. (One day though…the struggle will be over and we will be like Him!)
• 2:17-18. Christ was like us (man) in every way while still being God in every way. He wasn’t half and half. He was fully God and fully man. As man He was tempted in every was as we are yet without sin and, as such, He is our faithful and qualified High Priest who helps us even during our temptation. NOTE: God gives help to us before we sin…help to avoid sin by overcoming the temptation! (See also 1 Cor 10:13). Avoiding sin and resisting temptation is a real and prevalent part of being a disciple.

Oh this is going to be a good Book to study together!!

Proverbs 12:14 is the takeaway today. “A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his words, and the deeds of a man’s hands will return to him.”

Take Two: Hebrews 13, Proverbs 24

This concluding chapter of Hebrews moves quickly through a couple of matters and then ends with a benediction.

Heb 13:1 is an encouragement to continue in the love/devotion to the Christian community (brethren). In many ways, the community was a closer connection than even one’s own natural family. This is a statement that reminds the reader to not grow weary, but to support/ encourage/love one another.

Heb 13:2 Be hospitable to strangers. This was a cultural norm for the readers but also was an exhortation to not shrink back from it. A temptation to withdraw hospitality might be normal for those who were experiencing difficulty in their circumstances (financial/persecution) etc.

Heb 13:3 Remember those in prison. This is not a general exhortation to remember prisoners who were incarcerated (which one may do). It is a reminder to not forget about those who were imprisoned for their faith and had been removed from the Christian community.

Heb 13:4 Honor the institution of marriage and do not dishonor ones spouse or defile the marriage bed. Honoring ones mate and protecting oneself from sexual immorality is a necessity for a healthy and happy marriage.

Heb 13:5-6, Trust in God, not in possessions. Do not covet and hold onto your possessions and neglect the needs around you within the community and the needs of the “Mission.”

Heb 13:7 Honor those who have taught you the Word and led you. Imitate their lives so that you will experience the outcome as they have. (By the way…some of those leaders are in prison for their faith. Imitate that.) Heb 13:17 also speaks of submitting to the authority of these leaders since the leaders are watching over and protecting the people…and will give an account to God for how they have led.

Heb 13:8-9. Because Christ is unchangable…do not be carried away by the “new” idea some guy wrote about. Be strengthened by the Orthodox beliefs. Those of Salvation by grace…not in some action that brings a warm and fuzzy feeling.

Heb 13:10-16. Do not be caught up in offering sacrifices to please God. Those who worship at “that” altar have no part in the genuine worship of God. Rather, bring the sacrifice of giving thanks continually and praise to God. If you become a “reproach” to those around you…remember that Jesus was a reproach.

Heb 13:18-19. The writer, who was well known to the audience even though he is not identified here in this letter…asks the church to pray for him…since he wanted to do the “right thing” in the midst of difficulty.

Heb 13:20-25 is a closing benediction. Praise be to God!

Proverbs 24:27 is the takeaway today. Wisdom dictates that there is a “best” order in which to do things. It would be strange to meet a man who was a farmer who had a nice home and no fields. In fact, if one were insightful…much of the financial crisis in our country today is caused by violating this principle. The magnitude of “credit” and the lack of “equity” is an outcome of building ones house before one builds the source which will provide for the house. Another way of speaking of this is “delayed gratification.” While it is not original to him, Don teaches in his financial principles class at our church that we should “live today like others won’t, so we can live tomorrow like others can’t.” This is another way of articulating this principle. Who knows what the future holds? Only God. We should do what is necessary now so we can used of God greatly in the days ahead.

Tomorrow we move back tot he OT book of Amos! See you there!

Grace,

Take Two: Hebrews 12, Proverbs 23

Hebrews 12 begins with the conclusion/point of the list of saints that was given in chapter 11. Since we have so many witnesses/examples to look to, let us also do these things: Lay aside sin and the things that hold us back or trip us up; run the race before us with endurance; fix our eyes on Jesus…our example…considering how He lived so that we won’t become discouraged and quit (Heb 12:1-3).

Heb 12:4-11 deals with the subject/question of discipline. The writer answers the unasked question about why God allows (causes) the difficulties the people are enduring. The answer is that God disciplines those whome He loves. God corrects His own children.

Heb 12:12-17 is a word of encouragement to address those things that need to be. Bind up what is weak, clear one’s path of obstacles, pursue a peaceful existence, pursue sanctification (the process of godliness), and guard oneself against ungodly attitudes toward others.

Heb 12:18-24 speaks of the contrast between the God who was feared and the God who gave His own life to satisfy (make propitiation for) the wrath of God against sin.

All of these statements of address are necessary for consideration since…there is a day coming when God will judge (Heb 12:25-29) all things and that which is not prepared will be destroyed. In light of that…knowing that judgment will come…those who know and love God should serve Him joyfully…in full realization that they can never be shaken…because of the sufficiency of Christ.

Proverbs 23:9 is the takeaway today. This is a difficult balance for me to consider. On one hand, I am called to proclaim truth to those where God has opened the door to hear it. On the other hand…I am told of the foolishness of proclamation to the foolish one. How are the two reconciled?
A “fool” or “foolish one” is a person who is unteachable. It does not mean one who does foolish things per se, since we all do those. It is one who refuses to stop doing foolish things. I think of the people I have gone back to time and again to try to “convince them” to see God and become Christ-followers. Often times, my words were wasted and the conversation digressed to a debate over extraneous information. It is those conversations…with those who show no teachability that God refers to here in Proverbs. God must do a great work of preparation in their hearts before they will be able to receive His wisdom…from you, me, or from anyone else.

Take Two: Hebrews 11, Proverbs 22

Hebrews 11 is pretty familiar territory for some…so it is easy to “gloss over” if we are not careful. (I catch myself doing that with familiar passages. I assume I know and have understood them…so I speed read them.) There really is no part of Scripture though that is so familar that we can afford to just “gloss over.” Even things we can recite from memory…sometimes produce new thoughts when we read the words slowly and methodically.

The chapter continues the thought that has been the them all along. Because we have the “Perfect” (Jesus), then we can never go back to the “imperfect” (The Law…or any other inferior system for relating to God.)

So how do we know if we have “Jesus”? After all, shouldn’t it get easier? And, if we do have Him…what do we do when things are tough?

The call has been and continues to be that we exercise faith in God. What is “faith.” It is the confident belief in that which is not yet measurable (Heb 11:1). We have faith in God, not yet having SEEN Him. We have faith in heaven, not yet having BEEN there. If we “confidently believe” in something…we act accordingly. This is the point that jumps off of the page in Hebrews 11. Abel offered a better sacrifice by faith (Heb 11:4). Enoch lived his life pleasing God (Heb 12:5). Abraham obeyed God (Heb 11:8-12). All of these died without ever seeing God face to face…yet they lived as though they would (Heb 12:13). This living according to their faith made it evident that they were trusting in a world still unseen…and God was not ashamed to call them His children (Heb 11:14-16).

With each of those saints that followed, the same is true. They believed…and acted by faith. Sometimes…their faith was rewarded in the short-term with observable victory (Heb 11:32-35); at other times, it resulted only in long-term victory (Heb 11:35-38). In both cases, they acted by faith and in both cases they received a victory. Yet…as the writer is about to point out…none of them ever even saw the Messiah…yet they demonstrated perfect/perfected faith.

By a man’s actions…we can know what He believes in his heart. Some people are “into Jesus” for the short-term benefit. As long as they have health and prosperity…they are good with Christianity. Others are “into Jesus” but only on their terms. Those who are truly Christ-followers…choose Him over all things…whether they experience blessing or hardship…knowing that they have a hope waiting– that exceeds every expectation.

Proverbs 22:15 is the takeaway today. This is a verse I have read many times and have even quoted to folks along the way. As I read it this morning…I was impressed that God disciplines us for the same reason and with the same goal. When we receive the discipline of God…it is because…at our core…we are unwise/foolish (rebellious against God). We will not relinquish this attitude/disposition easily. In fact, it is bound up within us. We will not choose to forsake it…until it is so costly/painful to keep it…that we choose to let it go. Therefore, God disciplines us.

Discipline is good. It reminds us of the love of God which is displayed in His desire to see us live free from that which binds us up.

Grace,

Take Two: Hebrews 10, Proverbs 21

Hebrews 10 draws some conclusions for us and provides a warning based on those conclusions. The writer has built a great argument for why one can never go back to an insufficient system after he has experienced the perfect redemption in Christ.

Keeping the Law was never intended to be a sufficient satisfaction of God’s judgment against sin. One of the obvious reasons why…is that no one can keep the Law. If so, there would never be a sense of consciousness/guilt for our sins. That is the point of Heb 10:1-10. Christ nullified the “copy/shadow” system (the Law) as the way to relate to God when He fulfilled it. He took away the “Law System” in order to establish the New Covenant (Heb 10:10).

Christ demonstrated the sufficiency/superiority of His sacrifice when He sat down at the right hand of God. Every other priest stands continually in the temple (no chairs) because his work is never done (Heb 10:11-18). Since Christ’s sacrifice is eternally sufficient, there are no more sacrifices to make, so He sat down ( a picture of the finished work).

Here is the conclusion: Since we have a confident approach to God through Christ’s sacrifice (Heb 10:19-20), and a Great High Priest (Heb 10:21), Let’s act on them and draw near with “CONVINCED HEARTS” and STAND FIRM in our conviction and confession…and encourage one another to STAY THE COURSE (Heb 10:22-25). To do otherwise…to turn back…is to declare by our actions that Christ’s sacrifice is INSUFFICIENT and lacks POWER…a sin we can be sure God will punish (Heb 10:26-31).

The writer is not concerned that the readers are going to give up their salvation and be judged by God. This is not the issue. He is trying to motivate them (stimulate them to good works) to stand firm. This is very clear in how the writer closes out the chapter. In Heb 10:32-39, the writer reminds his audience that they had already experienced salvation, that it had cost them, and that they did it anyway. He knew this…because they were compasionate toward those in society in need (a sure sign of Christ’s heart). So, they should not turn back or shrink back from their faith which saves.

So, who knew that “salvation” (the ongoing aspects of salvation/ sanctification) was so much work? It would seem foolish to think that salvation is about saying a prayer and being baptized. These are only the first steps of a lifelong journey…which consists of challenges, trials, distresses…as well as joy, peace, and hope. EARNING Favor with God (Justification) requires no effort…only a decision to trust Him; however, EXPERIENCING God requires great effort in the battle between the flesh and the spirit. You cannot walk away from God and experience the benefits of relationship. The life of a Christian is such that we must continue day by day to choose Him and pursue Him with great effort.

Proverbs 21: 3 is the takeaway today. It is not that God does not desire sacrifice. He does. He prescribed this as a means of worship. However, sacrifice (religious worship) alone is insufficient. Real sacrifice (religious worship) ALWAYS involves living out ones religion in everyday life.

Take Two: Hebrews 9, Proverbs 20

The writer continues the discussion on why the New Covenant is superior to the Old Covenant. He begins by pointing out that there were two parts to the tabernacle/temple structure (Heb 9:1-5). There was the Holy place where the priests ministered…and there was the Holy of holies where only the High Priest ministered. This is analogous to the fact that the priests ministered under the Old Covenant while only Jesus ministered under the New Covenant.

This is necessary, as the writer’s argument goes, since the Old Covenant could not cleanse a person’s conscience (Heb 9:9). The ongoing requirement to offer again sacrifices at the temple reminded the worshipper that their “work” was never done under the Old Covenant.

Heb 9:11-14 then shifts and explains that Christ, however, finished the work and made the “perfect/cleansed” conscience possible. Because of this, there would never be a reason to return from the “perfect” to the imperfection of the Old Covenant (Heb 9:15-22). This new and perfect covenant is made possible as with all covenants…through the shedding of blood. Under both the Old and New Covenants, blood must be shed as an offering for forgiveness of sin (Heb 9:22), however there is a difference. Under the Old Covenant, there was the need for continual/ ongoiing sacrifices to be made in the temple/tabernacle. It is not that the blood sacrifices ACTUALLY saved. To the contrary…the act of sacrificing by faith was the response to God that saved. The sacrifices, like the temple/tabernacle were types/copies the “perfect” which was to come.

(CHEW ON THAT FOR A MINUTE)

The obedient response to God, by faith, in dealing with sin as God required was the act that unlocked Salvation. That is a major theological point and is exactly what the writer wants the reader to grasp. Obedience to the Old Covenant was fine under the Old Covenant…but once the New Covenant comes, it is just disobedience. As one person said, “Delayed Obedience is simply Disobedience.” Trust in disobedient worship is no different as far as its “efficacy” (ability to accomplish the work) than trusting in some more flagrantly sinful philosophy. Once one knows what to do…substituting anything for obedience is an “in your face” afront to God!

Let’s apply that:

• God wants me to serve Him as a missionary but I choose to teach Sunday School instead. It is SIN.
• God wants me to teach my children to love Him, but I feel inept and send them to Christian School or Bible College instead…it is SIN.
• God wants me to tithe my income, but I give it to save starving whales off the coast of Alaska (or buy a nicer car, take a family vacation, or put extra gas in the fuel tank)…it is SIN.
• Anything…no matter how good it is, that is not what God has prescribed for us to do…is sin.

There is only one righteous response to God…it is the response that mirrors Jesus’ conduct. We are to give our lives to God and live as He would have us to…regardless of our view/perception/ or beliefs on the subject. Only then can our conscience be perfected and God be truly glorified and enjoyed.

Proverbs 20:4 is the takeaway today. This hit me for two reasons. We live in a culture today when a person’s “desires” are accentuated to the point that we are somewhat hedonistic (focused on personal pleasure) above all else. We say to a person who wants to work at McDonalds and can’t feed their family…”it is ok. Do what you think is best/want to do.” This is not so. There is a level of responsibility that is required of every person. To shirk that responsibility…is to find oneself in “need” and simply suffer by going without (often causing the suffering of others under one’s care as well). There is no obligation on the part of those who “have”…to prop up those who “have not”…by choice or dereliction of duty.