Category Archives: Gospel Centrality

Gospel Centrality, Growth/Pursuit

Where to focus our gaze

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1–2 ESV)

The author of Hebrews starts chapter 12 with “therefore,” which should always cause to look at what was previously said. In chapter 11, he expanded on how those who went before us walked in faith (trust) in God and not in their own striving, morality or abilities. In light of the fact that those who went before us did not have complete revelation of God’s redemptive plan, but leaned on faith, how much more should we? They endured incredibly difficult things – even death, sustained by a hope that something better was ahead. This “cloud of witnesses” evokes images of the faithful watching us as if in an arena. The image is of the faithful saints watching – and cheering us on – as we run this same race that they have already run.

The call is to look backwards at those who have gone before us as encouragement and then set our sights upward on Jesus and run with endurance. Our part is to root out those things which slow us down – weight & sin. Just like running with a weight is inefficient, so is trying to run this race of faith with a multi-focused mind encumbered with sin and other things. It is interesting that the author separates sin from other things, denoted by weight. It is true that sin encumbers us in our race of faith, but so do many of the morally neutral – or even morally good – things that hold too much affection in our hearts as they border on becoming objects of our worship. Things like our kids, spiritual service, marriage, hobbies or a desire for deep & meaningful relationships.

John Calvin expands on this thought as he defines weight as whatever impedes our progress in this race: “Now there are various burdens which delay and impede our spiritual course, such as the love of this present life, the pleasures of the world, the lusts of the flesh, worldly cares, riches also and honors, and other things of this kind.” This is a significant concept; apparently, there are a number of things which are not sinful that do impede our progress on this journey – unhealthy affection or focus on news, hobbies, sports, pop culture, job, worldly wealth, politics, relationships, family, church trends, and countless others. Let us see these for what they are: fleeting and temporary, meant for our enjoyment, but not as the object worthy of our full weight of worship. Matthew Henry says it like this: “Every weight, that is, all inordinate affection and concern for the body, and the present life and world. Inordinate care for the present life, or fondness for it, is a dead weight upon the soul, that pulls it down when it should ascend upwards, and pulls it back when it should press forward; it makes duty and difficulties harder and heavier than they would be.” This is a continued call to remain faithful, to endure hardship, to persevere – a common theme in Hebrews.

How do we do this? We look to Jesus. This is not some abstract, ethereal instruction – or some trite command. No, this is indeed the full weight of the gospel. He is the FOUNDER and PERFECTER of our faith. Faith starts and ends with God. The author of the letter to the Hebrews does not stop there: the secret to jettisoning all that impedes our progress on this journey of faith is found in a deeper relationship with Jesus – it is in an ever increasing understanding of who God is, what He has done on our behalf and a recognition that we deserve nothing from Him – except His just wrath. And let us not forget what motivated the risen Christ – JOY. What!? What joy is there in bearing the just wrath of the Almighty on behalf of the elect – who rarely, if ever, fully appreciate the sacrifice offered on their behalf? The joy that drove Jesus was a redeemed people and a redeemed creation that would glorify God as originally designed. This is a foretaste of God making all things new. This joy drove Him to endure the horrific suffering, spiritual pain, and humiliation doled out to Him on the cross. But let us never forget that He overcame – that the grave could not hold him – that He now is seated on the throne in heaven, where He rules and reigns. Let His joy become our Joy. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus and remember what He endured on our behalf and strive to see & appreciate how a holy, sovereign, just God would make a way for a rebellious, treasonous and ungrateful people; just tasting this will undoubtedly produce worship – and endurance to run the race.

Faith, Gospel Centrality

Battling Bitterness with the Gospel of Grace

“Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled” (Hebrews 12:14–15 ESV)

This section comes on the heels of the section of scripture (Hebrews 12:3-13) that encourages the reader to endure their difficult circumstances and to view them as God’s loving, fatherly discipline.  He calls them (and us) to strive or work towards being peaceful with others and toward holiness – without which no one will see God.  We know that we are positionally holy because of the perfect life and atoning death of Jesus, but we are also called to live holy lives – to see our outside begin to match what He is doing inside.  The community aspect of our faith comes in to focus in verse 15, as we are called to make sure that no one in the community of faith fails to obtain the grace of God – that is everyone in our community understands and embraces the grace that God extends to the elect.  We are called to preach and press the gospel constantly in our lives and in our churches.

“See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;” (Hebrews 12:15 ESV).  Press the gospel and grace, bathe yourself and your community in it and make sure that there is no “root of bitterness” among you.  This is the same Greek phrase that the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament) uses in Deuteronomy 29:18:  “Beware lest there be among you a man or woman or clan or tribe whose heart is turning away today from the LORD our God to go and serve the gods of those nations. Beware lest there be among you a root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit,” (Deuteronomy 29:18 ESV).  When our heart turns away from God and looks to created things as the object of its worship, bitterness is the common byproduct.  Why?  Because we feel entitled to goodness and blessing and we aren’t getting what we think is due us.  Bitterness indicates a fundamental misunderstanding of grace and it is contagious in a community of faith.  When you find yourself struggling with anger or bitterness, the answer is not “just stop it,” or “try harder.”  The answer is to beg God to help you with your unbelief (Mark 9:24) and to help you to see His spectacular grace (undeserved approval) afforded to you, the chief of all sinners.  Grace is not owed to us, but is freely given in the person of Jesus.

Pursue peace and holiness as a community; in order to do this we must keep the gospel of God’s grace as the central component in our minds or else unbelief & idolatry can sneak in and produce bitterness in our lives and in our communities of faith.

Belief, Gospel Centrality

Let us confidently draw near to God

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:19–25 ESV)
“For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one.” (Hebrews 10:34 ESV)

Since we’re forgiven, the alter is closed, and our sacrifices are no longer accepted,

  • Let us confidently draw near to God because of the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus, the great high priest.  His sacrifice ripped the veil (signifying separation from God; Matthew 27:51, Mark 15:38, Luke 23:45), in two.  v19-22
  • Let us draw near because of Jesus’ atoning work that cleanses the inner parts of us and creates hearts that long to worship rightly! v19-22
  • Let us hold fast to this truth, and not waiver.  Our battle is one of belief. v23
  • Let us consider how to stir up (provoke) one another up to love and good deeds. v24.  This is not a solo endeavor, but a community effort – as we seek to meet together to encourage, challenge and bolster belief, we provoke one another to love and service.
  • Let us remember that this is not our home – a better, eternal, perfect inheritance is in store for those who believe.  This hope is the fuel for joy.  v34
  • Let us remember that our right standing before God has nothing to do with us, our performance or progress, but solely on the perfectly lived life and sacrificial death of Jesus.  LET US LIVE BY FAITH (trust in Another).  v38.

In light of this, endure, persevere, stay faithful, make your salvation sure, stick with it, do not lose hope – for God Himself will keep you.  “But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.” (Hebrews 10:39 ESV)

Gospel Centrality

We’re forgiven, the alter is closed, your sacrifices are not accepted

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“For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” (Hebrews 10:1–4 ESV)

“And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. 

And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, ‘This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,’
then he adds, ‘I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.’  Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.” (Hebrews 10:10–18 ESV)

The Law (or our adherence to a moral ethic) is powerless to make perfect those who follow it.  It reveals and restrains sin, but is powerless to restore or renew.  The Law and its sacrifices are but a shadow of that which was to come, namely the perfect fulfillment of it – JESUS.  If the law could have offered true, lasting forgiveness then worshipers would not have had to continue to offer sacrifices annually, but it cannot cleanse the conscience from sin.  The sacrifices served the worshiper by reminding them of their sin, its grip on their lives and their debt to God, but the blood of bulls and goats can’t take away sin.  The entire Hebrew sacrificial system was built upon sacrifices being offered for the remission of sin, but the author is saying that the blood of animals is powerless to take away our sins – last years sacrifice won’t cover this year’s sins.  Additionally, the blood of goats and bulls can’t cleanse the conscience – a permanent solution to sin is required.  The entire sacrificial system is looking forward to the only acceptable sacrifice that would ever be offered.  Something far greater and more powerful was required to not just pay for sin, but to kill it – once for all.  Jesus’ single sacrifice was sufficient – so much so that He reigns in heaven with authority over all things.  His single sacrifice for sin “has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:14 ESV)  Old Testament believers were saved the same way that we are – by placing their absolute trust in the provision of God for their salvation.  God does not delight in sacrifices and offerings, He is after hearts that are fully His.  The sacrifices had no intrinsic value in and of themselves – the value was in communicating the costliness of sin and the extreme price that would have to be paid to deal with our treasonous hearts.  We are sanctified (made holy and grow in holiness) by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

As a result of the singular sacrifice of sin, God has now fulfilled the promise to write His laws on our hearts and minds.  This means that we now desire to know God, follow Him, and obey Him – though not perfectly, but with a new affection for Him that the law was powerless to produce.  Anytime we become dependent upon the law to prove ourselves righteous, try to change, or earn God’s approval, we fail because law based living is powerless to take away sins.  Only the grace of God and the new heart that desires to know and obey God produces lasting transformation.  Which of these most accurately reflects your faith:  1) I obey because it is my responsibility, God says to, it will make God happy with me, to earn His approval, to pacify His wrath, to increase His love for me, to work Him into my debt so that He owes me or the more faithfully I obey, the more God will bless my life.  2) I obey because God loves me unconditionally, did not spare His own son to redeem me, set His redeeming affections upon me before He placed a star in the sky, I am perfectly loved and accepted by God because of the sacrifice of Jesus or I want to know Him more and see His glory.  We’re forgiven, the alter is closed, your sacrifices are not accepted.  “Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.” (Hebrews 10:15–18 ESV)  We look to Christ for our growth and perfection.  He has earned it for us.  Instead of personal, hard fought, self disciplined effort, the believer looks to Christ for a cleansed conscience, complete forgiveness, power to change and complete perfection in the future.  For we will be made perfect – our rebel hearts will be overthrown (Hebrew 11:40, 12:23)

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.

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.