Christ created all things, he became flesh like his creation, he died like his creation does, but his death brought salvation for all of his creation. He is now our high priest who understands our weaknesses as humans. We don’t deserve it because of our sin, but we will share in his inheritance.
We must believe what God said. Israel was an example in the wilderness with Moses where God didn’t allow them to enter His rest because of their unbelief. We must expose our heart to the bible because it can “judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart”. The bible will expose our faith and help to confirm if it real.
Since we have the scriptures to learn about God we should be maturing in our growth rather than staying as ‘babes’ in our Christian walk. The believer’s our goal is for our faith to grow in depth and breath, so that we will “not become spiritually dull and indifferent”
Because of the cross, we can have confidence to approach God. But we approach with humility and respect because God is a consuming fire, but we know that His wrath won’t be exercised on believers.
Christ is our high priest. The Levitical responsibility ended at the death of Christ, but Christ was priesthood was from the line of Melchizedek and hasn’t ended. And has a priest, Christ intercedes for us on our behalf. Christ established the new covenant and under the new covenant “I will make with the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds so they will understand them, and I will write them on their hearts so they will obey them. I will be their God, and they will be my people” By reading and studying the scriptures, the Holy Spirit writes God’s law (the bible) into our heart and mind. If we are growing, then we should see more of the scriptures lived out in our lives.
The blood of animals was a foreshadow of Christ sacrifice. Priest would enter the Holy of Holies once a year to offer a sacrifice for himself and for the people. Christ blood, being human, was the final sacrifice for all. Christ didn’t require a sacrifice for himself, but instead he was the high priest offering himself for the people. Christ sacrifice “will purify our hearts from deeds that lead to death so that we can worship the living God” because “without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins”. Because of Christ sacrifice, God says, “I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds”
As new creatures, people free from the bondage of sin, we are to encourage believers to “outbursts of love and good deeds”. But we can only due this if we do “not neglect our meeting together” Encouraging fellow believers is critical. Believers outside of the US, are martyred, persecuted, etc. understand that “You knew you had better things waiting for you in eternity” and we are to live to with this understanding also. Furthermore, “not throw away this confident trust in the Lord, no matter what happens. Remember the great reward it brings you!”, because we haven’t seen heaven we live by faith and “a righteous person will live by faith.” Even more so, “We have faith that assures our salvation.” Bottom line, we live our life by faith.
As we live our faith, we see that God will discipline His children -“Lord disciplines those he loves”. God’s discipline is always good even though we know that “No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening--it is painful”, but we are aware that “afterward there will be a quiet harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.”
We must understand that our God “a consuming fire”. Believers don’t experience the wrath of God, but God is still a consuming fire. We are free to approach God, but we need to approach with reverence and humility and worshipped “with holy fear and awe”
Now that we know Christ is our high priest, that Christ sacrifice cleared us from the guilt of sin, that we can humbly approach God and that we are continue to enough other believers we are to “Suffer with them as though you were there yourself. Share the sorrow of those being mistreated, as though you feel their pain in your own bodies”. Chapter 13 gives us a some concluding items to reminder:
- “Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage”
- We are to be “be satisfied with what you have”
- God says, “I will never fail you. I will never forsake you” Because of this we can say “The Lord is my helper, so I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”
- “this world is not our home; we are looking forward to our city in heaven, which is yet to come”
“And now, may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, all that is pleasing to him. Jesus is the great Shepherd of the sheep by an everlasting covenant, signed with his blood. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen”
We must believe what God said. Israel was an example in the wilderness with Moses where God didn’t allow them to enter His rest because of their unbelief. We must expose our heart to the bible because it can “judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart”. The bible will expose our faith and help to confirm if it real.
Since we have the scriptures to learn about God we should be maturing in our growth rather than staying as ‘babes’ in our Christian walk. The believer’s our goal is for our faith to grow in depth and breath, so that we will “not become spiritually dull and indifferent”
Because of the cross, we can have confidence to approach God. But we approach with humility and respect because God is a consuming fire, but we know that His wrath won’t be exercised on believers.
Christ is our high priest. The Levitical responsibility ended at the death of Christ, but Christ was priesthood was from the line of Melchizedek and hasn’t ended. And has a priest, Christ intercedes for us on our behalf. Christ established the new covenant and under the new covenant “I will make with the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds so they will understand them, and I will write them on their hearts so they will obey them. I will be their God, and they will be my people” By reading and studying the scriptures, the Holy Spirit writes God’s law (the bible) into our heart and mind. If we are growing, then we should see more of the scriptures lived out in our lives.
The blood of animals was a foreshadow of Christ sacrifice. Priest would enter the Holy of Holies once a year to offer a sacrifice for himself and for the people. Christ blood, being human, was the final sacrifice for all. Christ didn’t require a sacrifice for himself, but instead he was the high priest offering himself for the people. Christ sacrifice “will purify our hearts from deeds that lead to death so that we can worship the living God” because “without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins”. Because of Christ sacrifice, God says, “I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds”
As new creatures, people free from the bondage of sin, we are to encourage believers to “outbursts of love and good deeds”. But we can only due this if we do “not neglect our meeting together” Encouraging fellow believers is critical. Believers outside of the US, are martyred, persecuted, etc. understand that “You knew you had better things waiting for you in eternity” and we are to live to with this understanding also. Furthermore, “not throw away this confident trust in the Lord, no matter what happens. Remember the great reward it brings you!”, because we haven’t seen heaven we live by faith and “a righteous person will live by faith.” Even more so, “We have faith that assures our salvation.” Bottom line, we live our life by faith.
As we live our faith, we see that God will discipline His children -“Lord disciplines those he loves”. God’s discipline is always good even though we know that “No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening--it is painful”, but we are aware that “afterward there will be a quiet harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.”
We must understand that our God “a consuming fire”. Believers don’t experience the wrath of God, but God is still a consuming fire. We are free to approach God, but we need to approach with reverence and humility and worshipped “with holy fear and awe”
Now that we know Christ is our high priest, that Christ sacrifice cleared us from the guilt of sin, that we can humbly approach God and that we are continue to enough other believers we are to “Suffer with them as though you were there yourself. Share the sorrow of those being mistreated, as though you feel their pain in your own bodies”. Chapter 13 gives us a some concluding items to reminder:
- “Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage”
- We are to be “be satisfied with what you have”
- God says, “I will never fail you. I will never forsake you” Because of this we can say “The Lord is my helper, so I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”
- “this world is not our home; we are looking forward to our city in heaven, which is yet to come”
“And now, may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, all that is pleasing to him. Jesus is the great Shepherd of the sheep by an everlasting covenant, signed with his blood. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen”
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