All posts by Bruce Henry

Gospel Centrality, Growth/Pursuit

You’re not worthy, but He set His saving affections upon you anyway

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“But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.  Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.” (Hebrews 9:11-15 ESV)

“For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” (Hebrews 9:24–28 ESV)

Jesus came from the perfect place of heaven and entered in to the holy of holies by means of His own atoning blood.  The alter is now closed, the veil has been ripped in two (Matthew 27:51, Mark 15:38, Luke 23:45), it is finished, a superior sacrifice has been offered and has been accepted.  No other sacrifice is required (like your hard fought obedience to the rules).  Jesus has secured an eternal redemption for all who believe.  Jesus entered in to the heavenly dwelling in the presence of God, after paying the debt for sinners.  This process was once, for all who will believe.  The alter is now closed, no other sacrifice is required.  You don’t have to earn your way, you don’t have to prove that you are worthy (because you’re not).  You can’t add anything to the completed work of Christ.  Walk freely in this truth – there is no place for striving or proving in the life of a Christian.  His sacrifice was adequate, He lived the perfect life that we should have lived and then paid the ultimate price that we couldn’t pay so that we could be redeemed.  You’re not worthy, but He set His saving affections upon you anyway according to His sovereign grace.  Allow this truth to produce worship in your soul!

Gospel Centrality

Rule laden Christianity can’t produce worshippers

“Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness. For a tent was prepared, the first section, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the Presence. It is called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain was a second section called the Most Holy Place, having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron’s staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant. Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.
These preparations having thus been made, the priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties, but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people. By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing (which is symbolic for the present age). According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.” (Hebrews 9:1–10 ESV)

The Most Holy place was only entered 1x per year on the Day of Atonement by the high priest and he always brought blood to atone for his sin and the sin of the people.  Under the old covenant, access to God in the holy place and the most holy place was restricted to Levitical priests.  People are too sinful to have direct access to God; this is still true today, we are too sinful to have direct access to God without Someone mediating on our behalf.  “According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper,” (Hebrews 9:9 ESV) under the old covenant the soul of the worshiper was not changed because he could not draw near to God’s mercy & peace.  However, the veil has now been removed and we have direct access to God and new hearts that worship (8:10–12; 9:14; 10:22; also 10:14; 11:40; 12:23).
This “outward,” law driven method of worship was powerless to transform the conscience, heart or life.  Just like then, a rule laden Christianity that is marked by what the worshiper needs to do, how the worshiper needs to act and what the worshiper needs to accomplish is equally powerless to transform the heart or conscience.  We are all built to worship, the only question remaining is what will be the object of our worship.  If you are trying to worship God by performing, then you will always come up short.  The call of scripture is to draw near to God and allow Him to change your heart – allow Him to right your worship.

Gospel Centrality

A better Hope

“For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.” (Hebrews 7:18–19 ESV)

Jesus is not a priest of the Levitical line of Aaron, He is of a higher, eternal, preeminent priestly order:  Melchizedek.  He establishes the eternality of His priesthood by overcoming the grave (v16).  The former covenant of the Mosaic Law has been set aside “because of its weakness and uselessness (for the law made nothing perfect)” (7:18–19).  It is weak in that it is only able to diagnosis the problem of sin, but contains no power to heal the problem of sin.  But “a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.” (7:19).  Through the sacrifice of Christ we can now draw near in authentic relationship to God, no other priest is required to intercede on our behalf, we have direct access to the Creator.  Jesus is the guarantor of this better hope, of this new covenant that God makes with those who believe (7:22); Our high priest is “holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens,” (7:26) and has no needs in and of himself.  He does not need to make offerings for His sins first, He is sinless – He did this once, for all.  Jesus, the perfect priest, is now reigning and interceding.  Draw near to God with confidence that His sacrifice has covered all of your sins, come and be renewed.

Meditations

Old Gospel or New Gospel

Which Gospel do you believe?

OLD GOSPEL NEW GOSPEL
Proclaims a God who saves A God who enables man to save himself
Salvation dependent upon the work of God Salvation dependent upon the work of man
Faith is part of God’s gift of salvation Faith is man’s contribution to salvation
All the glory of salvation is given to God Divides the glory between God, Who, so to speak, built the machinery of salvation, and man, who by believing operated it.
Spotlight is shined on God Spotlight is shined on us
Showcases what God has done for us Makes us slaves by showcasing what we must do
God centered Man centered

Concepts taken from J.I. Packer’s introductory Essay to John Owen’s The Death of Death in the Death of Christ (here) (PDF)

Growth/Pursuit

Jesus is restoring Shalom

“We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God,” (Hebrews 6:19–7:1 ESV)

Melchizedek means king of righteousness and he was the king of Salem, which has the same Hebrew root word as Shalom (peace).  The best Hebrew word to describe our ancestor’s existence in Eden is Shalom.  There was a restful rhythm to life in the garden that was free of frustration, futility and conflict.  The garden was a safe and prosperous place; it was good, friendly, healthy, perfect and the welfare of everyone was ensured – justice, fairness and equity reigned.  Jesus came to take back this rebel world from the throughs of sin and evil; He came to conquer our rebel hearts and set up His rule and reign in them – He came to reestablish shalom.  This is God’s mission in His Son:  to reconcile rebel hearts to Himself and reestablish shalom for His glory and our joy.  There is coming a day when King Jesus, our high priest, makes all things new, and reestablishes Shalom on a global & cosmic scale.  The safe, just, fair, meaningful existence marked by prosperity, goodness, health and perfection that we all long for will return.  Our hope is a Person: Jesus, who is a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul; this Hope is returning us to the restful rhythm of a life lived in the presence of our Creator.

Growth/Pursuit

A fruitless faith can’t deliver hope

“Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” (Hebrews 6:9–12 ESV)

This section is on immediately following one of the most difficult passages of scripture in the Bible (Hebrews 6:4-8).  Though the previous section was difficult and perhaps a bit harsh, the author is confident that there are better things in store for His readers.  Why?  Because he has observed their lives – He has seen things that belong to salvation.  It is important to recall that we add nothing to the gospel and that it is the finished work of Jesus alone that saves and sustains us, but the saved person has a regenerated heart that has an increasing appetite for God and godliness and their lives begin to bear fruit.  If there is not fruit – often times seen in an affection for God and fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) then there is no evidence of regeneration.  Tim Keller says that “you are saved by faith, not fruit. But you will never be saved by fruitless faith. Real faith will inevitably lead to growth” (here).

God never overlooks our faithful efforts to obey when driven by a heart that is surrendered to Him. The author wants them to have the “full assurance of hope until the end;” this is inextricably tied to their authentic faith.  The theme of perseverance, a major theme in Hebrews, again comes in view.  This sounds similar to Paul in Romans 5:  “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:3–5 ESV).  The call is to endure difficulty “so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” (Hebrews 6:12 ESV).  Apparently, according to the scriptures, suffering, hardships and difficulties are a prerequisite to hope.  Despite the degree of difficulty and suffering in this life, stay faithful, patient and have your hope strengthened.  Fix your eyes on things to come when things are made new!

Growth/Pursuit

Priveleged People

“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14–16 ESV)

 

Because we have a sovereign, all powerful high priest who is seated in the place of all authority at God’s right hand let us not grow faint, let us persevere in today’s difficulties and hardships.  For Jesus is able to empathetically identify with our weakness and the brokenness of this world because He lived in it and experienced every type of trial and temptation that we experience and He never gave in to sin’s enticement.  He overcame!  Because He rules on high, understands our broken condition and overcame sin, we can confidently approach God by His grace and receive His mercy and grace when we are in need.  We are privileged people who can approach the Creator of the cosmos and speak plainly and honestly without fear of punishment or retribution.

Gospel Centrality, Growth/Pursuit

Need some Rest?

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“Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.
For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, “As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest,’” although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” And again in this passage he said, “They shall not enter my rest.”
Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”
For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.
Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:1–13 ESV)

The seventh day rest that existed in Eden still exists today and the offer of reconciliation and rest still stands to all who will abandon self willed, self reliant effort and trust completely in the finished work of Jesus (v3-5).  The Sabbath day rest of God is centered around the completed work of God in creation, just as the eternal rest of God is centered around the finished work of Jesus on the cross.  Both are finished and provided for by God to those who will believe and receive (v6-7); this means resting in the certainty of the finished work of Jesus on the cross – all spiritual striving which reflects our uncertainty of our ultimate home now ceases.  The joy of being reconciled with the Creator ensues. The same contentedness of soul that Adam & Eve experienced in Eden before the fall is now being restored to humanity; this abiding, peaceful, safety (shalom) in the presence of God is being returned as those who trust have been reconciled with the Creator of the cosmos.  We begin to taste this now as the rule and reign of the Messiah is set up in our hearts, but will be ultimately culminated at the end of time when Jesus himself makes all things New (Revelation 21:4-5).  We see this offer of rest being extended to the Israelites in the rest extended in the promised land, but they did not enter into God’s rest because they did not have faith; belief is the activator of this rest.  There should be a sober mindfulness in us regarding those who have not yet entered in to the rest of God.  Do you have rest in your soul?  It is still available TODAY!  Persevere in your faith, battle against unbelief, lean on God’s revealed word for conviction, encouragement and assurance of His rest for you.  Let us strive to enter the rest of God by fortifying our belief in Him and His promises.  We must remember that we are not saved or sustained by our own good works, but rather by the finished work of our preeminent high priest, Jesus.