2018-05-18
Good Morning Dear Ones,
The Scriptures have some supernatural qualities that should get our attention. The most obvious one is that the more we read it, the hungrier for God’s word we become. But there are others. The Bible is the only book we have that is consistent from GN 1: 1 to REV 22: 21, i.e. God’s teaching is wholly consistent. One important notion put forth is almost always supported by others in the Scriptures. That’s what I’m led to write about today-support for the principles God gives us through Paul in the book of Colossians.
HE 2: 9, 14-18 helps us to better understand the One Who leads us to salvation, Jesus Christ. Jesus, for a little while, was made lower than the angels, so that through God’s grace He should die for everyone. Because of the death He suffered, He is now crowned with glory and honor. Jesus became like us, i.e. a person of flesh and blood [mortal], sharing our nature. He did this, so that through His death on the cross, He might destroy the evil one [Satan], who, in turn, has the power over death. This way, Christ set us free from slavery to fear of death. He became like the Jews, as their merciful High Priest in service to the Father, so that their sins would be eternally forgiven [1 JN 1: 9]. Because He experienced temptation and overcame it, He understood what mankind’s suffering is like [HE 4: 15]. This explains why He is both human and divine, and what He brings to believing mankind by what happened to Him. We must understand that on Yom Kippur (the Jewish Day of Atonement) forgiveness was for only one year, until Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. His death made forgiveness eternal and attainable. Animal sacrifices were no longer necessary, because Christ’s death once for all was enough [HE 7: 27].
Christ is a High Priest forever, in the type of Melchizedek, as a part of a solemn vow made by the Father. This signaled the coming of the new covenant sealed in Christ’s blood. This would be a new and better covenant, because the Law of Moses alone could not make anything perfect. HE 13: 8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Through acceptance of Christ as one’s personal Savior and genuine confession of sins, we can gain eternal life and be purified from our sins. Our sanctification this way and dedication to living according to God’s teaching sets us apart from those who live in fear of death. HE 8: 5-6 helps us understand that the work Christ does as our High Priest in heaven is superior to the building of the Tabernacle in the wilderness done by the human Levitical priests found in EX 35:4- 40: 38. God gave the latter a plan with specific instructions to follow, which Moses first received on Mt. Sinai. God gave Christ a better and new covenant for believers with Him, based on promises of better things. God says, “I will put My laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be My people…I will forgive their sins and will no longer remember their wrongs” [HE 8: 10b and 12].
The heavenly Holy Place and Holy of Holies were not built by human hands [HE 9: 11b]. Christ’s death on the cross was His entrance into the heavenly Holy of Holies, once for all, and the blood of animals wasn’t required. By shedding His own blood, He opened the heavenly Holy of Holies to us all, obtaining eternal salvation for us [HE 9: 12 & 10: 19]. By doing this, He purified our consciences from useless rituals, so that we might serve the living God. This is what makes Christ the Mediator of the New Covenant. HE 9: 22, “Indeed, according to the Law almost everything is purified by blood and sins are forgiven only if blood is shed” [LV 17: 11]. Feeling guilty is not a part of eternal forgiveness for sins, as it was in the old covenant. Animal blood shed couldn’t take away sins, because it only reminded people of their sins [HE 10: 2-4].
We are to present ourselves to God, willing to do His bidding and live by His teaching. If we obey God as Christ did, we are purified from sin by the offering He made on the cross. God has promised not only to forgive us, but also to forget our sins and evil deeds [HE 10: 17]. We are reminded to: come near to God with a sincere heart and sure faith; hold firmly to the hope we possess; trust God to keep His promise; show the love of Christ and concern for one another; continue meeting together; encourage one another as the Day of the Lord comes nearer. God has told us clearly that He will take revenge on our (and His) enemies, so it’s unnecessary for us to do this [DT 32: 34-35; RO 12: 19; HE 10: 30]. HE 12: 2 reminds us not to give up on being faithful, keeping our eyes upon Jesus Christ, and to see the joy that awaited Him as He did. Our Lord Jesus is now seated at the right hand of God’s throne [COL 3: 3-4]. Both PS 103: 13 and HE 12: 8-9 express God’s position as our Father, Who is merciful and responsible, as a Parent, showing mercy and compassion, while sometimes giving us discipline out of His love for us. 1 JN 4: 4 tells us “the Spirit in us is more powerful than the spirit in the world.” It is Christ, Who sent the Holy Spirit to dwell within us [JN 14: 16-17].
PRAYER: O Lord, by what is written above, we acknowledge the important blessings You have given us through both Your Son and Your Spirit. Your teaching, like Your Son, is perfect. We have much to learn from You that will keep us on the difficult path through the “narrow gate and along the rough road” [MT 7: 13-14]. You have told us not to judge others, knowing full well that being judgmental leads us into evil trials [MT 7: 1-2]. We understand Your attempts to protect and provide for us. You teach us the value of Your word [2 TIM 3: 16-17]. What You tell us is designed to lead us into thinking and praying first, before speaking. It is to help us avoid trouble, that You dedicate Your advice. You sent Your Son to be the perfect Sin-Sacrifice on the cross, so that we might be eternally forgiven, justified, and saved [1 JN 1: 9; RO 4: 3; JN 3: 16]. We offer You our utmost thanks and praise for this and all, in the holy/mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
NEXT WEEK: There are more supporting verses and passages in the Bible to the teaching shared in the book of Colossians. We will continue with that next week. I feel charged with certain responsibilities, due to my own faith in Jesus Christ. The most important one is to spend time considering the impact on my life of Christ’s death on the cross. Afterward, I must encourage other believers to do the same thing. This will give us some idea of what our faith in Him means to both our earthly and our heavenly life. Every thought, attitude, decision, and action we take rests on this faith. There is divine pressure on believers to learn God’s word well and to pass it on to other potential believers. My own experience has been to have my life completely changed for the better and to dedicate my life to serving God in ministry. Formerly, my life was chaotic, lacked direction, and miserable. With Christ, the believer becomes alive in Him. Orderliness replaces chaos; lack of direction is replaced with dedication and direction. And this is only a small part of the blessings faith in God gives us! Praise be to Him!
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn
JS 24: 15
© Lynn Johnson 2018. All Rights Reserved.
<-- Back to Archives