Hebrews chapter 10. We're looking at several verses
in this text, but I'm going to focus a lot of our attention
this morning just on verse 1, as it is an introduction to this
chapter. The title of the message this
morning is, The Shadow of the Law. shadow. Our text says, for the law having
a shadow of good things to come and not the very image of the
things can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year
continually make the comers thereunto perfect. Now, the apostle in
the previous chapter tells us that the ordinances, the services
of the first tabernacle, which is the law, are only a figure,
a picture, a type, and as he says in this verse, a shadow.
A shadow. If you look at chapter 9 and
verse 8, Chapter 9 and verse 8, Paul says,
"...the Holy Ghost," this signifying that the way to the holiest of
all was not yet made manifest, "...while the first tabernacle
was yet standing, which was a figure." for the time then present in
which were offered both gifts and sacrifices that could not
make him that did the service perfect as pertaining to the
conscience which stood only in meats and drinks and divers washings
and carnal ordinances imposed on them until the time of reformation
until the time of christ so this is the first point i want this
to see is that the law is a shadow the law is a figure the law is
a tight The law having a shadow of good things to come. But listen,
Paul says it was not the very image of the thing. It was just
an image. It was not the very thing. It
was not the good thing. The law is good. There's nothing
wrong with the law. But the law, because it could
not make the comers thereunto perfect, it was only a shadow
of Him who should make us perfect. It was a shadow of Christ who
was the good thing to come. The good thing to come. And so
in our text, we are confronted with this same truth, the Law,
the Law of Moses. And I want you to understand,
when the Law is mentioned, men divide the Law. God's Word does
not divide the Law. The Law is the Law is the Law
is the Law. God who commanded those 10 gave
those 10 commandments, also gave all of the ordinances, all of
the governmental regulations, all of the dietary laws, all
of the tithing laws were the law. Every part of the law is
the law. And so when the law is mentioned,
men divide it so that they can try to keep certain parts of
it for their own glory. But God does not divide it. So
the sacrifices, the governmental rule, the priest, the tabernacle,
Ten Commandments and all, the whole law is the law. And you listen. If you don't
get anything else, get this. The law was never meant to save. Never was the law meant for the
purpose of salvation in any part toward the sinner. But the law
is a shadow of good things. See, salvation is a good thing. It is the good thing God has
designed. Salvation of sinners. But the
law is only a figure of this salvation. Itself is not the
truth. It is not the salvation. It's
only a picture. But many today are bewitched.
Either they are deceived or they are willingly deceived concerning
this matter. That salvation in some part,
acceptance with God in some part, is based on their obedience to
the law. Now that is a deception. That is a lie. Salvation is in
no way dependent upon the obedience of man in any part. This is why in 1 Corinthians
chapter 1 and verse 30 it says, but God made Christ to be our
wisdom, our righteousness, listen, our sanctification and our redemption. Why? Why did God make Christ
to be all of those things for us, so that no man should receive
glory? That's why. If you have anything
to do with your salvation, you have somewhat to glory over another. But God will receive glory for
salvation, and not us. And this is no new heresy, but
one that is One that has been treated very fully even by the
Apostle Paul in these first days, these first years after Christ's
ascension. This heresy is very old. Go to
the book of Galatians. Hold your place here, but go
to the book of Galatians. In this church, Galatians, we're
going to look at Galatians 3, but in this church at Galatia,
these people profess to be believers in Christ. They professed to
believe the gospel that Paul preached to them. But some men
had come into this church and started teaching something. They
started teaching one law, one part of the law. They said Christ
was good, Christ was necessary. You must believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ, but... You must also be circumcised
as part of the law. You must obey this one part. They added one part of the law.
But in chapter 2, Paul sets forth the theme. Look at chapter 2
and verse 16. Now, this is the theme. If you
want to know the theme of Galatians, here it is. Knowing that a man
is not justified by the works of the law, well how is a man
justified how is a man and made acceptable to god not by the
works of the law but by the faith of jesus christ that is a vital statement and
if you have a concordance or uh... you look it up on computer, and you type in that
specific phrase, the faith of Jesus Christ, you will see that
that's exactly what it means, the faith of Jesus Christ. We
are justified by the faithfulness, by the obedience, by the righteousness,
not of ourselves, but by the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. That's where justification comes
from. It comes from His faith. His obedience, His faithfulness
and obedience to the law of God, He has by this obtained righteousness. Matter of fact, that's what it
says exactly, this in Romans chapter 3 and verse 22, it says,
even the righteousness of God, listen, which is by the faith
of Jesus Christ. Same thing. By the faith of Jesus
Christ was righteousness obtained. And so then in Galatians 3, Paul
asks this question. He starts grilling them about
this. He says, Who in the world has
bewitched you? He said, O foolish Galatians,
who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth? Before
whose eyes Jesus Christ had been evidently set forth, crucified
among you. This only what I learn of you
received you the spirit by the works of faith works of the law
or by the hearing of faith How did you how were you saved? were you saved by your doing
by your obedience to the law or were you saved by the hearing
of the gospel and belief of the truth and Well, that's a very
simple question. If you believe, you understand
which one it was. You know which one it was. So
then how then are you begun in the spirit, Paul says, and finished
by your own obedience? How is that? You can't answer
that because there's no way you can finish this. This is either
of works or it is of grace. It is no way mixed. You cannot
earn salvation. That's what he's telling us.
You cannot do it. It's either all of Christ, or
it is all of you. Even so, with all those who are
blessed, who know this, he mentions Abraham in verse 6, even as Abraham
believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness. This
is how it is accounted to us for righteousness. How? Through
faith in Christ. Through faith in Christ. You
see, righteousness is not obtained by our faith, it is only received
by our faith. If I'm starving to death and
you put a piece of bread in my hand, what thanks does my hand
get? It only receives. It gets no glory. so it is you who believe you
have obtained righteousness by receiving what Christ is merited
in our stead and so Paul then goes on in verse
verse 24 look at this he asked the question well if salvation
is not by the law then what's the purpose The law has a purpose,
doesn't it? In our text, what does Paul say
the law has a purpose of? It is a shadow of good things
to come. It has a purpose. It's not the
very thing, but it has a shadow of good things to come. And so
Paul says, wherefore then serveth the law? I'm sorry, verse 19, not verse
20. 19, it says, wherefore then serveth
the law? Listen. it was added because
of transgression it was added because of transgression i want
you to understand the purpose of the law it is to expose in and of itself only exposes
the guilt. It is added because of the transgression. How should you know you transgressed
except you hear the law? The law has a purpose. It is to show you your depraved
and ruined condition. That's what it does. Paul says this in Romans 3, he
says, now we know that whatsoever thing the law saith, it saith
to them under the law. You under the law? Are you in any part
under the law? Would you obey Sabbath days?
Would you obey feast days? Would you obey tithing? I know
that's a big deal. People say, well, I need to give
my tithes. You listen, that is a legal precedent under the law. You should not tithe, you should
give. Why? Because you're not under
the law. But you that want to be under
the law, I want you to hear the purpose of the law. He says, that every mouth may be stopped
and the whole world become guilty before God. That is the purpose
of the law. To shut our mouth. lay us out having no excuse for
our sin that's it therefore by the deeds of the
law shall no flesh be justified in his sight listen for by the
law is the knowledge of sin You see, I'm not justified when
I read the law, thou shalt not lie. You see, I'm not justified
by saying, well, I don't lie, liar. Well, I didn't today, you did
yesterday. What good is that? You've already
broken the law. The law does nothing but condemn
you, condemn you, condemn you, condemn you. It doesn't justify
you. So you that would say, I obey
the law, it... No, you haven't. The law only
condemns you for what you have not done. It never justifies
you for what good you think you've done. The law can only expose sin.
The law shows us by these priests and offerings our need of a mediator. He said that in the next verse.
He says that now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God
is one. You see, the law of the priest,
all of the ordinances, what does that testify of? That you need
a sacrifice, that you sinned against God, and you need someone
to die on your stand. That's what the law tells you. In verse 21 of Galatians 3 it
says, and the law is against the promise of God, God forbid.
For if there had been a law given, which could have given life,
verily righteousness should have been by the law. Now that's true.
If it were possible, if it were possible for you to be saved
by the law, then surely God should, if there was a law that you could
obey, Then Christ should not have come down and had to die. But you listen, there is no law
you could ever obey. Adam had one rule, one law. One
tree, one fruit not to eat. Simple. And yet the best of us
failed. So what law would you propose? you are proposing unjust law
you are pro-rosa a law that you think you could obey but i tell
you you put up any law and you'll break it you have to amend it won't you
why these church constitutions are so large they they set up
a bunch of rules and guidelines for people and then they have
to amend it because they themselves wouldn't touch it with a ten-foot
pole they can't reach it but the scriptures You listen,
the Scriptures have concluded this, Paul says in verse 22,
this is why no law in the world could work, because the Scriptures
have concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of,
there it is again, of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. the scriptures conclude all understand
all born dead in trespasses now how what is the most on capable
person that you think of the dead person they're the most
in at most on able to do anything and that's exactly how god describes
us by nature incapable and not only incapable obstinately unwilling
to obey the law of god this is this is just in our nature wet
paint do not touch you'd put that in front of a child now
they would not fall twice about touching that into you made a
law and when you made a law the first thing the heart does is
desire to adult disobey the law then could never say
because We were already sinners at birth. Matter of fact, you listen. That
Jacob's new baby. He came forth from the womb speaking
lies. And so did you. So did you. And so what then is the law?
Paul says this, he said, the law then is a schoolmaster. schoolmaster wherefore the verse
24 the of Galatians 3 wherefore the law as our schoolmaster to
bring us to Christ that we might be justified by faith the law
then by exposing the sinner he jails the sinner he shuts the
sinner up to his own self-worth and self-righteousness he becomes
stripped of That's what the law does. It strips us before God. We are naked before God. It is a schoolmaster. If the law of God, then, is a
rule of life, if you are still under the law in any part for
your wisdom, righteousness, redemption, or sanctification, listen. Paul
then concludes by the beginning of chapter 5, he says this, if you be circumcised. And that was the one that they
were trying to obey. Now you listen. If you keep the
Sabbath, if you tithe, if you sacrifice, if you fast, if you
do any part of the law so as to attain favor with God, Christ
shall profit you nothing. That's as clear language as can
get. Christ will profit you nothing. You, Paul said, are fallen from
grace. Why? Because works and grace
cannot mix. They cannot. It's either or. It's not both. And all who teach Jesus plus
obedience to the law of Moses, Paul says at the very beginning
of this book in Galatians, he said, let them be accursed. Let
them go to hell. Whoever believes such and teaches
such, let them alone and let them go to hell. Because that's
exactly where they're headed. But we who have been shut up,
Have you been shut up? Is that what the law does for
you? Does it for me. Shuts us up. Guilty in every
part. What does this schoolmaster then
lead us to? To Christ. The schoolmaster always,
this is the good thing about the law, if the law exposes us,
we have no place else to go but Christ. That's what it's for. We come to Christ to be justified. And so after faith cometh, Paul
says this, look back in Galatians, he says, but after that faith
has come. What do we need the what was
when the service alone now after faith has come? What's the purpose
of the law? It says we are no longer under
a schoolmaster This is the precious part Paul
says plainly to those whose wisdom righteousness redemption sanctification
That is ordained of God purchased by faith of Jesus Christ received
by the grace of faith given by the Holy Spirit you listen Christ
is the end of the law for righteousness the end of the law for righteousness
to everyone that believeth so when faith comes what do we need
the law for what is the purpose of the law now in stronger language justin just
to make sure you get in stronger language the apostle says in
roman seven you are dead to the law dead to the law so that you
might be married to christ if a person is dead if i my wife
then would be free to marry she'd be free now then if she had another husband
would then she go back to the grave where i'm at and try to
obey me That would be adulterous for
her to revert back to her former husband. No! We're married to
Christ. He is our rule of life. He is
our husband. He is our lawgiver. And His law
is this. Believe on me. That's His law. Love me. That's His law. Have hope only in me. That's
His law for us. Yeah, I'm not antinomian. I'm
not lawless. I have a husband. It's just not
the law. My husband is Christ. And he has given me commandment.
Love one another as I have loved you. That's what my husband says. And we who believe on him have
him as our husband. We obey him. We're not lawless. This law of Moses is not my husband.
No longer married to that law, dead to it. It's over. Free from the law. Oh happy condition. No more wait. Why? My husband hath borne all
the responsibility of my salvation. Free from the law, happy condition,
Jesus hath bled and there is remission. Without the shedding
of blood is what? No remission. But Christ, after
he had entered into the holy place with his own blood, hath
obtained for us eternal redemption. Cursed by the law. Bruised by
the fall. Here's a shadow of good things
to come. Here's what the law is for us now. It shows us Christ. So every
time I go to the law, you know what I'm looking for? The shadow
of good things to come. That's what the law is to me.
When I see those commandments, you know what I see, Christ?
I see the one that obeyed them. I see the one who honored him.
I see the one who magnified them by his own obedience. And by
that obedience, I am made righteous. That's what you should see when
you see the commandments. Not a list of things for you
to do. Those weren't divine suggestions,
were they? They were commandments. And you know what? In Christ,
I have obeyed them. What rule then have they over
me? Now go back to your text. Go
back to your text in Hebrews 10. So we see the law is a shadow.
It's not the very thing. It cannot save in any part. It
has anything to do with our salvation. Paul says the law is a shadow
of good things to come. That is the testimony of the
law that all sinners are in need of a substitute. You remember the Passover. That's
part of the law, isn't it? The Passover. That firstborn
in Egypt could not live except he have a substitute. Isn't that
what the law teaches? That's what that teaches. Is
that the firstborn must have a substitute. And not just any
substitute would do. It must have been a spotless
lamb. A lamb without blemish and without
spot. It couldn't just be anyone. That
lamb must be tested and tried. It must be gone over with a fine
tooth comb to see if there was any hair that was black in it.
No blemish at all. Oh, what a good thing this shadowed! We being sinners in bondage to
sin, and Satan could not free ourselves, the judgment of God
was promised, the soul that sinneth, it shall surely die, but in grace,
in grace provision was made. The promise of God was to deliver
Israel, but no deliverance could take place without remission. without a substitute, without
a lamb, payment for sin. No release except the law be
magnified and justified and satisfied. Therefore behold the good thing
to come, Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God." Now what John the Baptist
called him? Behold, the Lamb of God. Without
spot, without blemish. He is the Passover That law was a shadow. And see,
now we have the fullness. We see Christ is the fulfillment
of that law. Therefore God in love for his
people laid on him the iniquity of us all His blood was shed
under the justice of God and God was pleased with his blood
So now that the Holy Spirit goes about in the world to apply the
blood to the heart of sinners This is the work of the Holy
Spirit as he takes the blood of Christ and he applies it to
the doorpost of our heart so that when God sees the blood
he will pass over us and over you. He does more than pass over you.
That's just a shadow, isn't it? He does much more. He comes in
and makes His abode with us. He comes in. He wraps His arms
around you and says, My child, I love you. And this application, how is
it manifest? How do I know that God will pass
over me? The manifestation of this is
faith. Remember, the faith of Christ justifies you. Faith in
Christ receives what He's done. Have you received Christ? As
many as received Him. To them gave he the right to
be called the sons of God." Isn't that something? You have a right
to be called the sons of God? Which were born, not of blood,
not by family, not by the will of the flesh, not by the will
of man, but by the will of God. By the will of God. the other
shadow in our text that the apostle uses here is the the great day
of atonement that priest once a year was to take two goats
One, he would confess the sins on the head of that goat, and
a strong man was to take that goat, laden with the sins of
the people, and carry it out into the wilderness, never to
be seen again. The other goat was to be slain,
whose blood was to be brought in to the holiest of all in the
presence of God, sprinkled on the mercy seat. And as the priest
came out, rejoicing was in the nation. Why? Because atonement
was made. But there was no real atonement,
Paul says. In verse 2, he says, for they couldn't make the comers
unto their perfect, for then would they not have ceased to
be offered. In other words, if it was effectual,
if that blood was effectual, then why would they need it every
year? But he says this, that blood
did not atone for anything. It was a shadow. It was a picture. Of who? Christ. Upon whom God
imputed our sins. And you see by His death, He
carried our sins Himself. Strong man. He carried all your
sins into a place never to be heard of again. God will never charge you with
your sin. He's already charged it to His
Son, and God cannot demand twice payment. This is a shadow of good things
to come. The very image of these things
is Christ. And look what He has done by
this atonement. Look at verse 9. He said this, verse 8. Wait, I'm sorry. I'm skipping
down too far. He says in verse 6, In burnt
offerings and sacrifice for sin thou hast no pleasure. God had
no pleasure in those things. They could not take away sin.
But this is the good thing to come. Lo, then said I, Lo, I
come. In the volume of the book it
is written of me to do thy will, O God. Verse 10, By the witch
will. We are sanctified through the
offering of the body of Jesus Christ. You listen to this. Once
for ever. Once for all. Their sacrifices were needed
every year, but His sacrifice was only one sacrifice. Why? Because it did the job. It got
the job done. He actually redeemed us. He accomplished
it. He accomplished it. The will
of God was to honor the law. The will of God for Christ was
to suffer and die in the shed of His people. Therefore, you
who believe, see that the victory over sin, the victory over death,
the victory over the grave, accomplished by Christ for Jesus after his
one offering you listen the scripture says but this man verse 12 after
he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever sat down at
the right hand of God from henceforth expecting till his enemies be
made his footstool rejoice believer for God our Savior reigneth he
who died for your sins is now reigning and what is he doing
he is expecting something He's expecting something. What is
He expecting? He's expecting that His enemies
be made His footstool. My Lord and Savior is not wringing
His hands wondering what in the world is going on down here.
That's what you and I are doing. We wring our hands and wonder
what in the world is going on around here. You see, it's not
manifest yet that all things are under Him, but they are.
They're under Him. And one day soon he will put
down all his enemies, which are your enemies. Are they not? What's the first enemy you desire
to be rid of? Self. This is the first enemy
that I desire to be rid of. That grotesque corpse wrapped
around my neck called the flesh. That enemy will soon be put down. The world who persecutes us and
hates us, God will soon put them down. Satan who tempts us and
tries us and accuses us shall soon be put down. I tell you,
they are already put down. They're just not manifest. They
will be soon. They will be soon. We who are sanctified. Therefore, he says, for by one
offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. Oh,
what a glorious truth, we do not sanctify ourselves. Sanctification,
is that part of salvation? Is it? Isn't it just as big a
part as redemption? Righteousness? Do we have any
part in those things? No, we have no part in sanctification. Sanctification is a work of God.
It is a work of Christ. And you listen, you are sanctified
by God in election, you are sanctified when Jesus offered Himself for
our sins, and you are set apart by the Holy Spirit through belief
in the truth, sanctified, made holy. You that are made holy,
you listen. Jesus Christ has perfected you
forever. Perfect. Perfect before God. So what do we have need of the
Law for? only as a shadow of good things
so if you want to see christ in the law by all means it's
a shadow of good things to come and that good thing is christ
that good thing is christ may then god be gracious to us to
keep our eyes fixed on christ who is the end of the law for
righteousness to everyone pray god blesses to you