Open your Bibles, if you would,
to Hebrews chapter 9. We'll be looking at one verse
there. Hebrews chapter 9. The name of the message is one
word. Without. Without. Hebrews chapter 9. We'll
be reading verse 22. And then I'll have you be going
over to Ephesians chapter 2. Hebrews chapter 9, verse 22.
We'll read this one verse in Hebrews, and the message name
will be the one word found in our text, without, without. Hebrews 9.22, and almost all
things are by the law purged with blood, excuse me, and without
shedding of blood is no remission. And almost all things are by
the law purged with blood, And without shedding of blood is
no remission. No remission. Now the Greek word
for without there means apart, apart from, parted from, alien
from, distinct from, without the intervention of. apart from the company of, independently
of, without the presence of, and without the employment of.
So think of that with that text there. Without the shedding of
blood is no remission. So independent of the blood is
no remission. No remission. Apart from the
blood, no remission. No remission of sins. Now turn,
if you would, to Ephesians chapter 2. We're considered the first
portion of Scripture with this word without in the context of
our natural state. When we were born dead in trespasses
and sins in this world and Scripture declares we were without Christ. Without Christ. Ephesians chapter
2 verses 11 to 14. Wherefore, remember that ye being
in times past Gentiles in flesh, who are called uncircumcision
by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh made by hands, that
at that time ye were without Christ. Being aliens from the commonwealth
of Israel and strangers from the covenant of promises, a promise,
heaven, no hope. and without God in the world. But now, in Christ Jesus, ye
who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath
made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition
between us. In verse 11 there, the Ephesians
are called upon to remember and consider further in order
that God's grace and mercy to them might be magnified, that
they were not only dead in sin, but they were Gentile dogs, considered the uncircumcision
by the Jews. They were not of the covenant
people, Israel. They were not of the house of
Abraham. They were not of the people to whom the promises and
the prophecies and the sacrifices were given. And they were called
uncircumcised in the way of reproach. It wasn't a nice name. Not at all. It was meant in a
very derogatory way. It was a reproach upon them. And it was said often by the
Jews with contempt. Also, when we were born in this
world, our hearts were uncircumcised. We were dead in trespasses and
sins, beloved. But now we're made alive by the
regenerating power of the Holy Spirit of God. We are circumcised
in the heart by the circumcision made without hands. Colossians
says this, and ye are complete in him. And that's written to believers.
The believers complete in Christ, which is the head of all principality
and power, in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision
made without hands. That's regeneration. and putting off the body of the
sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, buried with him in
baptism, wherein also you are risen with him to the faith of
the operation of God, who has raised him from the dead. So
in Ephesians chapter two, verse 12. Now we see that the scripture
declares we were without Christ. We were aliens, just as the Ephesians
are spoken of here, and so great was the alienation between Jew
and Gentile, that the Gentiles could not dwell or eat with the
Jews. Couldn't trade with them. They were not to speak to them.
They were not to marry with them. They were not to partake in the
Passover. They were not to join with them in worship. No. The Gentiles were alien to the
things of God. And before we were saved, we
were aliens to the worship of God, weren't we? We were. We were alien to the things of
God. We were in the same place as the Ephesian believers. And again, in verse 12, it says
they were without Christ. They were strangers from the
covenant of promises, promise. And we were strangers to the
covenant at Sinai and the covenant of grace. We had no idea about
it, did we? I didn't before the Lord saved
me. I had no clue. No clue about that. We were without Christ. Think back. Did you have a hope
before you knew Christ? I was terrified of death. Now the sting is gone. And I
was without hope, were you? I had no hope. And without God,
I didn't know who he was. That's what that's talking about.
I had no care about Christ. Well, none of us did before the
Lord saved us. No care for God. Did you have
any care for the prophecies concerning Christ? Did you even know what
they were? Now, I know some were raised in the church, but even
hearing, you didn't understand. And those of us who didn't even
have anywhere to go, I had no idea about these wondrous things
in Scripture. They're foreign things. I had no idea about the Savior. I had heard who Jesus Christ
was, but not from a biblical perspective, just from what someone
had told me. I had no idea about the types
and the sacrifices which pictured Christ in the Old Testament. We had no hope. We had no hope of a Messiah.
We had no hope of salvation through Christ. And before we were regenerated,
we were enemies in our minds with God. By our actions, by our thoughts, that's where we were. And if
someone says, well, that wasn't me, I would doubt if you're born
again, you don't know Christ. Because the scripture says this. This was our state. No hope. No knowledge of who God is or
was. Without the knowledge of what
it means to worship God. No idea about a proper sacrifice. Did any of us know before the
Lord saved us that Christ was the one satisfying sacrifice
for God? We may have heard. I didn't even
hear that. But some of you who were raised
in the church may have heard that, but you didn't understand
it. We were trusting in ourselves.
We were trusting in ourselves to approach God by works of our
own self-righteousness, and therefore we had no hope. No hope, and
that's the state of the unsaved believer now, or unsaved person
now. They have no hope. Now they may say they have a
hope, but they really don't. Their hope is either in themselves,
which will lead to their doom if God leaves them in their sin. It was said that he who dwells
outside the land of Israel is like one who has no God. And
this was our natural state before we were born again. We were without
Christ. Now, we're always being a sheep. It's not that. But in our minds,
we were enemies with God. We didn't have a clue who he
was. That's what that's what Paul is bringing forth here to
the to the Ephesian believers. But look at verse 13, beloved.
But now in Christ, those who were without Christ, but now
in Christ, Jesus, you sometimes were far off, are made nigh by
the blood of Christ. We who are redeemed in Christ
called the faith in Christ and we who are believers in Christ
are our botanist, which means to be close. We we now have access to God. In and through Christ Jesus,
our Lord. We were far from his law at one
time. We were far from his people, weren't we? Did you want to be
around God's people before the Lord saved you? No, we didn't, did we? But now
God's people are the only people we want to be with. This is the
place we want to be. This is our oasis, beloved. To
come here and hear about our Savior, to hear about Christ, We're now made one with God's
people in and through Christ. He's the vine and we're the branches. And we who believe are united.
In Christ, we have the same father. We have the same spirit and praise
God, we have the same savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. And now in Christ, we're bought
nigh, we have access to God now. We're bought nigh by the blood
of Christ. And look at verse 14. For he
is our peace who hath made both one. Jew and Gentile are now
one in Christ's blood. And have broken down the middle
wall of partition between us. There's nothing blocking anymore
the Gentiles from being amongst the Jews now. And this is talking
spiritual Israel. The elect of God is spiritual
Israel. And it's comprised of Jew and
Gentile. And it's all in Christ. For he is our peace, turn if
you would to Colossians chapter one, it says there, for he is
our peace. Who has made both one? Look at
Colossians one. This statement there in Ephesians
2 comes alive in Colossians 1. In light of Colossians 1, look
at verses 20 and 21. In having made peace. Now we know
from Ephesians 2.14, he's our peace. And we know from Romans
that we have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord. And look
at what it says here. In having made peace. How did
Christ make peace for us? through the blood of His cross. It's all about Christ. It's all
about what He's done. It's about His work. By Him to
reconcile all things unto Himself, by Him I say whether they be
things in earth or things in heaven. And you who were sometimes
alienated, remember Ephesians 2? We were aliens and strangers
to the commonwealth of Israel. And you that were sometimes alienated,
And enemies in your mind, there it is. That's what it means to
be without Christ. Enemies in our minds. At enmity
with God in our minds. By wicked works, yet now hath
he what? Reconciled. Praise be to God. We are reconciled
to God in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. This is my hope. This is why we cry out, He is
our everything. Because without Christ, we have
nothing. Without Christ, we're lost. But in Christ. We have peace all through the
blood of his cross. Through his sacrifice, it's him
who has broken down the middle wall of partition between us,
as Ephesians 2 says. Let's go back to Ephesians chapter
2. Beloved in Christ, we are reconciled. We are fellow citizens
with the household of God. Look at verse 19. Remember it said we were without Christ and aliens from
the commonwealth of Israel and strangers, in verse 12, from
the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the
world. Look at verse 19 now. Now therefore ye are no more
strangers. Why? Because we're brought nigh
by Christ. We're brought close. Jew and Gentile are one now.
Believing Jew and believing Gentile are one in Christ. Now, therefore,
ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens
with the saints in the household of God. And in Christ, we are
the building of God. We've been looking at that in
1 Peter, but look at Ephesians 2, 20 and 21. And are built up upon the foundation
of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the
chief cornerstone. in whom all the building fitly
framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord, in
whom ye also are built together for inhabitation of God through
the Spirit. And this ties right in with our
study in 1 Peter, which says that the believers are a spiritual
house and holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. It's wonderful. So without Christ,
we had none of this. But in Christ, beloved, we are
bought nigh. Now turn, if you would, to Hebrews
chapter 9, where we looked at, to open up our text, we look
at verses 22 to 26, where the apostle is bringing forth that
redemption is through Christ's blood. and not the blood of the
Old Testament sacrifices, which were but pictures and types that
pointed pointed to Christ, pointed to Christ. And we'll pick up
our text in verse twenty two again. And the next point I'd
like us to consider in the first point was without Christ. The
next point I'd like us to consider is without blood. Without blood. Look at Hebrews chapter nine,
we'll read the twenty six, twenty two to twenty six. In almost
all things are by the law purged with blood, and without the shedding
of blood is no remission. It was therefore necessary that
the patterns of things in heaven should be purified with those,
but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices of God
for us. nor yet that he should offer
himself often as the high priest entereth into the holy place
every year with the blood of others. So they had to keep offering
the sacrifices because they'd never take away sin. For he for
then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world,
but now once in the end of the world, hath he appeared to what
put away sin by the sacrifice of himself once? Once. And notice there without the
shed and the blood. Is no remission. And then look
at Hebrews 10 verses one to four. For the law having the shadow
of good things to come and not the very image of things can
never, with those sacrifices which they offered year by year,
continually make the commerce there unto perfect. So they couldn't
they couldn't take away sin. For then would they not have
ceased to be offered. So if they could have taken away
sin, they wouldn't have to be continuously offered. Because
that the worshipers once purged should have their conscience
or once purged should have had no more conscience sin. But in
those sacrifices, there is a remembrance again made of sins every year,
for it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should
take away sin. Note in verse 23 of Hebrews 9
that the shedding of blood is necessary. Look, it was therefore
necessary. It's necessary. The shedding
of blood is necessary in the sacrifices because it pictures
Christ shedding his blood for his people at Calvary's cross. That's why. Cain's offering was
not accepted, there was no blood. It was without blood. and Abel's
was accepted because it was with blood. The priest was not to come to
the Holy of Holies without blood. Look at verse 6. Look at Hebrews chapter 9. Verse six, now when these things
were thus ordained, the priest went always into the first tabernacle,
accomplishing the service of God. Actually, verse seven, but
into the second went the high priest alone, once every year,
not without blood. He had to have blood, he had
to have a blood sacrifice, beloved, which he offered for himself,
because he's a sinner too. and for the errors of the people.
Now Christ offered his blood up, he's the sinless sacrifice.
He's offering his blood up for our sins. But note there it says,
not without blood. Not without blood. Our high priest offered His own
blood for us. Look at Hebrews 9, verses 11
to 14. But Christ being come and high priest of good things
to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made
with hands, that is to say, not of this building, neither by
the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood, He entered
in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption
for us. for if the blood of bulls and
of goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean
sanctifying to the purifying the flesh how much more shall
the blood of Christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself
without spot to God he offered himself up to God without spot
the sinless sacrifice to purge Your conscience from dead works
to serve the living God. Jesus Christ, the God man, offers
himself up for the sins of all his people. And then look a little
further down in verses 24 to 28. For Christ is not entered
into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures
of the true, but into heaven itself now to appear in the presence
of God for us, for us, for believers. Nor yet that he should offer
himself often as the high priest entered into the holy place every
year with the blood of others. They bought in the blood of the
sacrifice. For then must he often have suffered
since the foundation of the world, but now once in the end of the
world, after he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of
himself, he offers his own blood. And it is appointed unto man
once to die, but after this the judgment. So Christ was once
offered to bear the sins of many, not all, no, not all. That's
a lie out there when folks say Christ died for everyone. He
didn't die for everyone, but He did die for every one of His
elect. He did. Every one of His people. And
that's a number that no man can number. None to them that look for him
shall he appear the second time, note, without sin. There's another one. Without
sin unto salvation. He offered himself up to God
for us without spot, without blemish. He was without sin,
beloved, and he will appear again, beloved God, without sin. And
in Christ we have all that is needed for us to come before
God, to be bought nigh. Remember, we're bought nigh by
the blood of Christ. In Christ, we have everything
to be bought nigh to God, to be about to be about close to
God, to be in the presence of God. And remember that when we're
in glory, we're we're we're only there because of Christ. We're
only there. We're clothed in the wedding
garment, which is the righteousness of Christ. And we will sing praises
unto our savior for the wonderful things he done for us. Oh my, turn if you would to Hebrews
chapter 11, the next point I'd like us to consider is that without
faith, again the word without, without faith it is impossible
to please Him. I remember a long time ago talking
to someone about this and telling them, and they just about blew
a gasket with me when I told them that without faith it's
impossible to please God. It just is. And people blow a
gasket when they hear that because they think that that their own
works or their own merit will allow them to approach God. No. No. Remember, faith's a gift.
It's given to us. But without faith, it's impossible
to please God. We see this in Hebrews 11, six.
But without faith, it is impossible to please him. For he that cometh
to God must believe that he is. And that he is a rewarder of
them that diligently seek him. And the only reason we hunger
and thirst after righteousness, the only reason that God's people
seek Him, because He made us willing. See, it's very humbling
when you tell people that salvation is all a work of God. Because
people want to have something, that we are wired for works.
In our natural state, we think that we have to do something.
And so it goes right against the grain of our pride. And it
goes against the grain of who we are. in our dead natural state. What? You mean I don't have to
do anything? No, just look and live. Look
to Christ and live. Rest and trust in the One who's
done all the work. All of it. Because without faith
it's impossible to please Him. My. Look at verses 3 and 4 in
this chapter. Through faith we understand that
the worlds were framed by the Word of God. So through faith
we understand that the Lord Jesus Christ spoke everything into
existence. We've been taught by God that
these things are true. Which are seen, were not made
of things which do appear. And then look at verse 11. By
faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain.
Cain offered the fruits and labors of his hands. He offered a bunch
of vegetables. They were excellent vegetables.
but they were the fruit of his hands, beloved. And remember,
without the shed and the blood, what? There's no remission. There's
no blood sacrifice in a bunch of vegetables. But Babel, he
offered a more excellent sacrifice, didn't he? He offered a blood
sacrifice, beloved, which pictured Christ, which pictured Christ,
a more excellent sacrifice. And by faith, he did this. By
faith, Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than
Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous. God testifying
of his gifts, and by it, he being dead yet speaking. Then look
at verse seven, Noah was moved by fear, and he believed what
God said by faith. Noah, being warned of God of
things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to
the saving of his house, by the which he condemned the world
and became heir of righteousness, which is by faith. Do you see
how this ties in with verse six? But without faith, it's impossible
to please him. Without faith, it's impossible
to please God. And there was a time, there was
a time for every believer when we were without faith. We were. We didn't believe what the Bible
said. We didn't believe the things
of Christ. We were without faith. We were without faith in God's
word, weren't we? Because we didn't believe it.
We didn't believe it. But now we who are born again,
we speak what we believe. This is Paul brought forth this
in 2 Corinthians 4, verse 13. We having the same spirit of
faith according as is written, I believe, therefore have I spoken.
We also believe and therefore speak. We speak of what we believe. We profess of what we've been
taught by God. But there was a time when we
did not confess Christ, when we were without faith. But now,
by faith, we confess Christ. We confess him as Lord. And remember,
that faith is a gift. God's given it to you who believe.
It's a gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should
boast. And without faith, it's impossible
to please him. It's impossible to please him.
Think of this. Without faith, it's impossible
to please him. Without faith in the sacrifice of Christ, of
the shedding of his blood. Was there a time when you didn't
believe in the sacrifice of Christ? When it meant nothing to you? Yeah, there was, wasn't it? We, at one time, rejected the
only sacrifice that God accepts, the Lord Jesus Christ. So do
you see? Who's our faith in now? Our faith
is in the one, the only one, who God accepts. Without faith,
it's impossible to please Him. It's impossible to please Him.
Our faith is in Christ. So there was a time when we were
without faith in the one sacrifice that pleases God, the Lord Jesus
Christ. We were without faith in Him. We were without faith
in His blood. We were without faith in the
only sacrifice that's pleasing to God, the one sacrifice that
all the Old Testament sacrifices were pointing to, the Lamb of
God, the Lord Jesus Christ. Look over in Hebrews 12, verse
24. His blood speaks. His blood speaks. Look at this.
Hebrews 12, 24. And be thankful if you have faith
in Christ now. It's a gift from God. And this. Our faith is in the only one
who God accepts, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Look at Hebrews 12,
24, and to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant, and to the
blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
Now, Abel's sacrifice was an excellent sacrifice, wasn't it?
But beloved, it was just a shadow of the one who's the substance,
and that's the Lord Jesus Christ. Right here, it says that. And
Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant, into the blood of sprinkling,
and that's Christ's blood, that speaketh better things than that
of Abel. God's people rest and trust in the one who shed his
blood for us. Now, two things are here suggested.
Abel's blood, the blood that Abel offered, the sacrifice of
the lamb, Abel shed blood. cries for vengeance and wrath.
And Christ's blood cries for pardon and peace, pardon and
peace. And the blood of Abel's sacrifice
is here referenced as his sacrifice was the first blood sacrifice
mentioned in scripture. And it was offered by faith.
We know that from the text we looked at earlier. And it pointed
to Christ's sacrifice. It was typical of the blood of
Christ, pictured. However, the blood of Christ
is not typical. It's not typical. It's effectual. And it perfects all for whom
it was shed, leaving no remembrance of sin. And we who believe on
the Lord Jesus Christ believe and rest in this precious truth,
don't we? We rest in that truth that all our sins are washed
away by Christ. Turn, if you would, to Romans
chapter six, Romans chapter six or sorry, Romans chapter four.
I'm sorry. Versus six to eight. Without faith, it is impossible
to please Him. Without faith, it's impossible
to please Him. Without faith, we don't believe then in the
imputed righteousness of Christ, do we? No. Did you know about the imputed
righteousness of Christ before the Lord saved you? We didn't
have a care about it, did we? So now we see, again, without
faith. it's impossible to please him,
because the believer believes in the imputed righteousness
of Christ without works. Man, again, is wired to work
in our natural state, give a man something to do, and to try to
gain merit and favor with God, and he will run to it. I'm telling
you, he will. He will. Tell him salvation is all of
grace, and grace alone, and that person will either laugh you
the scorn or berate you. But this is a precious truth
to the believer. This is a precious truth to the
believer. We have faith in the one whose righteousness is imputed
to us without works, without works. Precious truth that's taught
to God's people, and by faith we believe it. Look at Romans
4, verses 6 and 7. Even as David also described
Describe it, the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputed
righteousness. Look at that, without, just underline
that. If you ever get someone who talks
to you about works, or talks to you about being sanctified
by their own works, bring that verse up to them. And remember,
works there means anything you can do in your mind, or anything
you can do physically. And look at this marvelous scripture,
beloved. Romans chapter four, verses six.
Even as David also described it, the blessedness of the man
unto whom God imputed righteousness without works. Does that really
mean what it says? Yes, beloved, it does. Isn't
that wonderful? That we have the imputed righteousness of
Christ without works. That means without our works.
It's all about what he did, his works, right? Remember he lived
the perfect life and he died the substitutionary death, right?
Substitution, substitution, satisfaction. That's what it's all about. And
this verse is marvelous, beloved. And then look at verse seven,
saying, blessed are they whose iniquities are what? Forgiven.
So now here's, it's just blessing on top of blessing. Righteousness
without works, iniquities forgiven, and then whose sins are covered? By the blood of Christ, beloved.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin, because
our sins were all imputed to Christ, beloved. And He paid them all. He paid
them all. Oh, hallelujah, what a Savior.
Then look at verses 21 to 25 in the same chapter, Romans chapter
4. in being fully persuaded that what he had promised he was able
also to perform and therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed
to him, but for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe
on him that raised up Jesus. our Lord from the dead, who was
delivered for our offenses and was raised again for our justification. So righteousness is imputed without
works. It's wonderful. It's absolutely
wonderful. Turn, if you would, to James
chapter two, James chapter two. Without faith, it's impossible
to please him because faith without works is dead. Faith without
works is dead. And a lot of people will pull
this portion of scripture out and try to say, see, see, look
what the scripture says. Faith without works is dead,
but they never go to Romans 4.6. These works spoken of by James are evidence of our faith. They
in no way justify us at all. James chapter 2 verses 20 to
26. But will thou know, vain man,
that faith without works is dead? Faith without works is dead just
as the body without the spirit is dead. That's what that's talking
about. You see, look at verse 24, you
see then how that by works a man is justified and not by faith
only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works
when she had received the messengers and had sent them out another
way. For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith
without works is dead also. Now these words spoken of again
in no way justify the believer because we saw over in Romans
chapter 6, blessed is the man unto whom God imputed righteousness
without works. So this isn't talking about our
being justified before God. No, this is evidence of our faith,
beloved. This is evidence of our faith.
We are to love the brethren. If one says they love Christ
and do not love the brethren, then faith without works is dead
in that aspect. We love the word of God and we
love Christ. We love to assemble together
under the preaching of the gospel of Christ. And in the context
of these verses, when the brethren are in need, we help them. These things in no way justify
us, but they are evidence that we're born again. Again, turn, if you would, to
Hebrews chapter 12, Hebrews chapter 12, verse 14. And so take us
to our next point. Without faith, it is impossible
to please him without holiness. No man shall see the Lord. Without
faith, we do not believe on Christ, we see no need for Christ. Without
faith, we see no need for holiness, and we do not care about it at
all. But as believers, we know that all our holiness comes from
Christ. In ourselves, we're dead in trespasses
and sins, in our natural state. But in Christ, we are made holy.
And it's only because of him that we see God. Look at verse
14 of Hebrews chapter 12. Follow peace with all men and
holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. Beloved, we are made holy by
Christ. We are sanctified in Christ,
in Christ alone. And those who by faith have come
to God through the Lord Jesus Christ have been washed in his
blood. Turn, if you would, to Ephesians
chapter one, verse three. Those who by faith have come
to God through the Lord Jesus Christ, having been washed in
His blood, are now, without blame before Him, in love. Look at
Ephesians 1, verses 3-6. Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessings, in heavenly places in Christ, according as he has
chosen us in him before the foundation of the world. Now, now we always
stop there and marvel election, don't we? We do. But look at
the latter part of this verse. That we should be holy. And remember
what it said in Hebrews 12, 14. Follow peace with all men and
holiness. without which no man shall see
the Lord. Tie it in there that we should be holy. We're holy
in Christ, beloved, and without blame before him in love. Having
predestinated us into the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to
himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the
praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he has made us accepted
in the beloved. My. Those who by faith have come
to God through the Lord Jesus Christ, having been washed in
His blood, are now a glorious church. Turn, if you would, a
couple chapters over in Ephesians there, to Ephesians chapter 5. We are now called a glorious
church. We're washed in His blood. And
we are without spot and blemish. Paul writing to the church, the
elect of all the ages, the bride of Christ, whom Christ gave himself
for, look at verse 26 and 27, that he might sanctify, make
you holy, and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
that he might present it to himself a glorious church. Now this is
speaking of sinners who are saved by the grace of God. A glorious
church, not having spot. They're spotless. or wrinkle,
or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish. My, oh my. My, oh my. Those who by faith have come
to God through the Lord Jesus Christ, having been washed in
His blood, and have died in the faith, are now without fault
before the throne of God. Look at Revelation 14. Revelation
14, and we who remain here on earth will one day be with them,
worshiping our great God and King. One day we will be. One
day this will be our state, beloved. This will be our state. Revelation
14, verses 1 to 5. And I looked, and lo, a Lamb
stood on the Mount Zion, and with Him a hundred and forty
and four thousand, having His Father's name written in their
foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of
many waters, and as the voice of great thunder. And I heard
the voice of harpers harping with their harps. And they sang,
as it were, a new psalm before the throne. and before the four
beasts and the elders, and no man can learn that song but the
144,000 which were redeemed from the earth." This just pictures
the elect of God, beloved. This pictures the church. These are they which were not
defiled with women, for they are virgins. They are they which
follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed
from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. And
in their mouth was found no gout, for they are without fault before
the throne of God. Now let that sink in below. Those
beloved brothers and sisters that we know have gone home to
be with the Lord are before the throne of God without fault. And one day we'll be there too.
And it's all because of what Christ has done. Let's close
now with some exhortations from the word of God to we who believe. To we who believe. In light of
this word, without. Let our love for one another
be without dissimulation, which means without hypocrisy, and
let our love for one another be sincere. Romans chapter 12
verse 9 says this, let love be without dissimulation. Abhor
that which is evil, cleave to that which is good. Number two,
let us be sincere without offense until the day of Christ Philippians
chapter 1 verses 9 to 10 says this in this I pray that your
love may abound yet more and more knowledge and on all judgment
that she may approve things that are excellent and that you may
be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ being
filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ unto
the praise unto the glory and praise of God number three Let
we who believe speak the word of truth without fear. Let us
proclaim the wonderful things that Christ has done for us without
fear. Don't fear man. We don't fear man. We fear he
who can destroy both body and soul in hell. We don't fear what
man can do to us. Scripture declares this, Philippians
1 verse 14. And remember, Paul's in prison.
And many of the brethren in the Lord waxen confident by my bonds
are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Without fear. Number four, this is a tough
one. Let us do all things without
murmuring. Philippians chapter two, verses 13 to 16. for it is God which worketh in
you, both the will and to do of his good pleasure, do all
things without murmurings and disputions, that ye may be blameless
and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst
of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights
in the world, holding forth the word of life, that I may rejoice
in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored
in vain. Philippians chapter two, verses
13 to 16. And these are exhortations for us from the word of God.
Let us walk in wisdom, number five, to them that are without.
And without there means the unsafe, those without Christ. that we
may walk honestly toward them that are without. Colossians
chapter four or five says, walk in wisdom toward them that are
without redeeming the time. First Thessalonians 4.12, it
says that she may walk honestly toward them that are without
and that she may have lack of nothing. And then in First Thessalonians
5.17, pray without ceasing. without ceasing. That just means
lift up your voice to God in prayer. Just lift up your voice
to God in prayer and don't tell anybody about
it. Just lift up your voice to God in prayer. Lift up your brothers
and sisters in prayer when you can. Hebrews chapter 10. Turn there if you would, we'll
look there. Hebrews chapter 10, verses 23 to 25. We are exhorted to hold fast
our profession of faith without wavering. Hold fast to the things
that we believe, beloved. Hold fast to these precious truths,
these gospel truths, the truth of salvation in Christ alone,
the truth of the righteousness imputed to us, the righteousness
of Christ imputed to us without works. Hold fast to these truths,
beloved. They're precious to the believer.
Hebrews 10 verses 23 to 25. Let us hold fast the profession
of our faith without wavering, for He is faithful, that promised. And let us consider one another
to provoke unto love and to good works, not forsaking the assembling
of ourselves together as the manner of some is. We're not
to forsake gathering together around the word of God, but exhorting
one another. And so much the more as you see
the day approaching. So we're exhorted. Now turn,
if you would, to Hebrews 13. Hebrews 13, verse five and six.
Now, Hebrews 13, five is a verse for me that is so very, very,
very dear. When I was going through a real
tough time in my life, this is one of the verses that just the
Lord just burned into my heart. The fact that he will never,
and in the Greek it's in the negative, I've said this before,
never, not ever, never, it's in a triple negative, that he
will never leave his people. Hebrews 13 5. Look at this. Let
your conversation be without covetousness and be content with
such thing as you as you have. For he has said, I will never.
That word never there is never, not ever. Never. It's in the
triple here. Never leave his people. It's
so comforting. I'll never leave thee nor forsake
thee. Others may leave us. Friends and family may leave
us. But Christ will never leave his
people. So that we may boldly say, the
Lord is my helper and I will not fear what man shall do unto
me. Now conversation there is our
conduct in life. Be content with what God has
given you. For God himself has said, I will
not in any way fail you nor give up on you nor leave you without
support. One commentator said, And he
will never leave nor forsake his people. So the believer in
Christ can boldly say, the Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. What a savior. What a redeemer. Oh, my, we have a blood sacrifice,
don't we? And it's Christ himself who offers
His own precious blood for our sins. It's wonderful. Aren't
you thankful that God saved you?