The salvation of a sinner is
a greater miracle than the creation of the universe. You believe
that? It is. Would you turn to Hebrews
chapter 10? I've entitled this message, What
Makes Perfect? Hebrews chapter 10. I'd like
to read these first four verses. 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. For then would they not have
ceased to be offered, because that the worshipers, once purged,
should have no more conscience of sins. 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 of goats should
take away sins." Now, the law was a shadow, a
shadow of good things to come. The gospel, that's the good things
to come. The better covenant, the better
hope, the better sacrifice. was a shadow of that, it was
never intended to be any more than that. A shadow without substance. And because of that, there are
five things the law cannot do. Now, you know a shadow, it doesn't
have any substance. It's a shadow, it's an outline, but it doesn't
have anything you can touch. Because of that, there are five
things that the law cannot do. And before I bring these out,
first I want to ask what is meant by the law. when he says, for
the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very
image of the things. Now, when he talks about the
law here, he's talking about that law that God gave Moses
on Mount Sinai. He's talking about the Ten Commandments.
He's talking about all the sacrifices of the law. He's talking about
the feast days. He's talking about the holy days.
He's talking about the Sabbath day, everything associated with
the law. He's talking about the civil
law. Ceremonial law, moral law, everything God communicated to
Moses on Mount Sinai. It's what's known as the law
of God. Now, he tells us plainly that
the law could make nothing perfect. Now, what's that word perfect
mean? It means two things. First, It means perfect. Without blemish. Without spot. No sin, no error, no weakness. Perfect. How good do you have
to be for God to accept you? You must be perfect. The scripture says it should
be perfect to be accepted. So the first meaning of that
word is perfect without blemish. And the second meaning of that
word is mature. As a matter of fact, in Hebrews
chapter 5, this same word is translated, a full age. Grown up. Reaching its end. Reaching its end. The goal of
the law. Now, the law made nothing perfect. It couldn't make anything perfect.
As a matter of fact, the law leaves us the way we are. Simple. Doesn't do anything for us. It doesn't make us perfect. All
it does is expose our sins. And then notice what he says
in verse one, for the law having a shadow of good things to come
and not the very image of those things can never, with those
sacrifices which they offered year by year, continually make
the coverage there into perfect. For then would they not have
ceased to be offered because the worshipers once purged should
have had no more conscience of sins. Now, the law doesn't purge
sin. It doesn't put away sin. It gives
sacrifices that show the need of purging. They slew those animals
to show our sins must be purged away. They must be washed away.
But it never purged away one sin. Not one. The law couldn't
do that. It couldn't make me clean before
God. And then next, it couldn't satisfy the conscience. Verse
3, or verse 2, for then they would not have ceased to be offered,
because the worshippers, once purged, should have had no more
conscience of sin. Now, if salvation is in any way,
to any degree, dependent upon something that I do, my conscience
can't be satisfied with that. As a matter of fact, it's going
to remain accusing, it's going to remain guilty, it's going
to remain bad. The law cannot satisfy the conscience. If somebody says I have a satisfied
conscience from what I'm doing, they're lying. The law cannot
satisfy the conscience. The law also, verse 3, that in
those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
The law couldn't take away the memory of sin. It's still there. The law could not actually take
away sin. Verse 4, for it is not possible that the blood of
bulls and goats should take away sins, but the gospel does what
the law could never do. When Christ died, first of all,
he took away sin. To this extent, 1 John 3, verse
5, this is one of my favorite verses. He was manifested to take away
our sins. And in him, is no sin. That means if I'm in him, my
sin's been taken away and I have no sin. Isn't that wonderful? Sin is so completely taken away
in the gospel that God says their sins and their iniquities, I
will remember no more. Now, this is not because of a
faulty memory on God's part, nor is it because of a gracious
disposition on God's part. You know, some people are so
gracious, you know, they don't remember the wrong things you've
done to them. Well, maybe, I don't know. I generally can remember
them. But should, ought to forget them, ought to forget them. But
God says there are sins and iniquities I will remember no more. And
the only reason why God says this is because there literally,
actually, truly is nothing there to remember. He looks you over
through and through and sees nothing but that which is pleasing
in his sight. That's what the gospel does to somebody. It makes
it to where God cannot remember their sins. And the gospel actually
satisfies the conscience. Now, the conscience was never
satisfied by the law, but the gospel satisfies the conscience.
In what sense? A good conscience. I've said
this several times in the last few weeks. Maybe somebody will
hear this for the first time. A good conscience is not one
that doesn't feel guilty. Someone says, I don't feel guilty.
That's probably because you have a seared conscience. You've got plenty
of things to feel guilty about. A good conscience is a conscience
that has nothing to feel guilty about. And if I'm justified,
I really don't have any sin to feel guilty about. Now, I feel
guilty all the time, all the time. I mean, I walk around with
a cloud of guilt over my head, but I do not have anything to
feel guilty about because I'm justified before God. That means
I'm not guilty. That's what the gospel does.
It satisfies the conscience. This is what satisfies my conscience,
that the blood of Christ is enough to make me without guilt before
God. Now, does that satisfy your conscience? The blood of Christ
actually makes me without guilt before God. The gospel actually
purges away sin. Hebrews 1.3 says, by one offering,
he by himself, Hebrews 1.3 says, he by himself, with no help from
us, he purged. He put away all the sins that
I feel guilty about. They've been washed away. They're
gone. I have nothing to feel guilty about. And the gospel
of Christ and the good things to come in the gospel actually
makes those who believe perfect. Complete. And entire. Mature. And full grown. And that's what I want us to
consider with the remainder of our time. Being made perfect. Hebrews 719 says the law made
nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did. Being made perfect. Now the law could not make anybody
perfect. On the contrary, all the law
does is expose sin. And it stirs up sin and it stirs
up rebellion. If I put you under law or somebody
puts me under law, All it's going to do is make me rebellious.
I'm not going to submit to it. In a relationship, say you're
husband, you tell your wife, you're under law now, you do
that again, it's not going to work, is it? They're going to
come out fleeing. Law does not work. All it does
is stir up sin. Let me show you that. Turn to
Romans 7. Romans 7. What should we say then, is the
law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but
by the law, for I had not known lust, except the law had said,
Thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occasion by the
commandment, using as a base of operation the commandment,
the ten commandments. Sin, taking occasion by the commandment,
wrought in me all manner of concupiscence, of evil desire, of lust, of covetousness. For without the law, sin was
dead, for I was alive without the law. But when the commandment
came, sin revived, and I died, and the commandment which was
ordained to life, I found to be undead for sin. Taking occasion
by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. Wherefore,
the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Was
then that which is good made death unto me? Is the law the
cause of my death? God forbid! But sin, that it
might appear sin. Working death in me by that which
is good, that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. Now, God's law cannot make anybody
perfect in the sense of without sin. Stir up your sin. That's it. It doesn't make you
holy. It doesn't make you righteous. It just stirs you up. Nor can
the law bring anybody to maturity. Look at the children of Israel.
Look at their history. Have you ever seen a more immature
bunch of people? You find me somebody under law.
Now they may have learned to hide their sins a little bit
better than somebody else. Cover them up to where maybe
other folks don't find out about it. But it doesn't bring them
to maturity there. mean-spirited, judgmental, critical,
harsh people. Not mature believers, but just
harsh. The law made nothing perfect,
made nothing mature. I think of that scripture in
1 Timothy 1 by where Paul says the goal of the commandment is
charity out of a pure heart. That commandment is the gospel. Out of a pure heart, loving God
for who He is by His grace. And a good conscience. A good
conscience is a conscience that doesn't have anything to feel
guilty about. If Christ died for my sins, I've
got no sin. If I'm justified, I have nothing
to feel guilty about. And faith. Unfeigned. My faith. This is not a put-on. The only hope I have is Christ.
And I'm relying wholly on Him. I'm in an unfeigned way. This
is not a put-on. Now, how is it that the gospel
makes perfect? The law made nothing perfect,
but the gospel does. How is it? Now turn to John chapter
17. Verse four. The Lord says, I
have glorified thee on the earth, I have finished the work That
word finished is the same word that we're looking at translated
perfected or perfect. I have perfected. I have finished. I have completed the work that
thou gavest me to do. I brought to an end the work
thou gavest me to do. Now, what was that work? Well,
he came to save his people from their sins. And he did it. He completed every believer,
and I am complete because of His work. He said, I finished
the work thou gavest me to do. Listen to this scripture, Hebrews
10, 14. By one offering, He hath perfected. Perfected. That's the word. Perfected forever. That means it doesn't have to
be repeated. It can be added to. It can be taken from. Perfected
forever, them that are sanctified. That means by his offering, I
am right now really and truly perfect before God. That's what
the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ did. By his great work that he
finished, that he completed, he perfected everybody he died
for. And right now, when God looks
at me, He looks at someone who is perfect. Believe that about yourself.
Believe it. Believe it. Is it true? Did Christ
perfect for everything that are sanctified? Bible says he did,
and believe that regarding yourself. In Christ Jesus, you are perfect. He finished, he completed the
work the Father gave him to do, and that was to make perfect
every believer. Look at John 17, 23. I in them,
and thou in me, that they may be made perfect, complete, entire
in one, and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and
hath loved them. as thou hast loved me." Now,
you think of the way the Father loves the Son. Oh, He sees the
Son as perfect. He delights, He enjoys looking
on Him. He delights in Him. All the perfection
that's in Christ, that is how God the Father views every believer. And if He views me that way,
that's because I am that way. Perfect in the Lord Jesus Christ. Because Christ finished the work
the Father gave him to do, I am looking at some perfect men and
women. Perfect in Christ Jesus. But the gospel also brings to
maturity those who have been perfected. I'm not only talking
about how I'm perfect in Christ Jesus, this word also carries
with it the idea of maturity and growing up. Look over in
Hebrews chapter 5. Paul says in verse 12, for when for
the time You ought to be teachers. You have need that one teach
you again. What be the first principles of the oracles of
God and become such as had need of milk and not a strong need
for everyone that uses milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness.
He's a babe. But strong meat belongs to them
who are of full age. That word full age is perfect.
Same word we're looking at. Them who are perfect. Even those
who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both
good and evil. They can tell the difference
between law and gospel. They can tell the difference
between grace and works. They can tell the difference
between good and evil. They've had their discernment. They've grown up. Now, he says
in verse one, therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine
of Christ, Let us go on unto perfection, maturity, not having
to lay again the foundation of repentance from dead works and
of faith toward God and the doctrine of baptisms and laying on of
hands and of resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgment.
And this we will do, if God permits. Go on to perfection. And the
gospel brings this perfection. Now, this is the goal of the
gospel ministry. Turn to Colossians 1. Don't you want to be a mature
believer? Grown up? I want this desperately for myself.
I want it for you. I want to be mature. I want to
be able to discern the difference between good and evil. I want
to be lowly. I want to be gracious. I want
to be somebody that's always not so quick to pop off. A mature,
gracious believer. Look at your Hebrew chapter. Colossians 1, I'm sorry. Colossians
1. Paul says in verse 27, to whom
God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this
mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of
glory whom we preach, warning every man and teaching every
man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect, full
grown in Christ Jesus, a mature believer. Look in Ephesians chapter
four. He gave some apostles and some
prophets and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers
for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry,
for the edifying of the body of Christ. Till we all come,
did you get the perfecting of the saints, the maturing of the
saints, till we all come in the unity of the faith and the knowledge
of the Son of God unto a perfect man. and mature man unto the
measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, that we henceforth
be no more children tossed to and fro, and carried about with
every wind of doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftiness,
whereby they lie and wait to deceive. But speaking the truth
in love, we may grow up to him in all things, which is the head,
even Christ." Now, what is the key to this thing of maturity? What is the key to growing up
in Christ Jesus? How can I have this? Now, there
are three words that are very important that I can't ever grow
or understand anything about growth unless I understand these
three words. First word is weakness. The second word is faith. And the third word is love. Now those are the three words
that are key for me to understand how I am to grow and become mature. Now I'm already complete in Christ
Jesus. I can't get any more saved than I am. I can't get any more
accepted than I am. I can't get any more holy than
I already am. As a matter of fact, the holiness I have is
the same holiness I'll have in glory. Now I'm going to get rid
of this flesh and you can see how much the flesh drags us down
because when I say that, most of us think that couldn't be
possible. But it is. It is. I have the same holiness
now that I'll have in glory. But there's such a thing as growing
and maturing. Growing grace and the knowledge
of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Now here's the first
key word for me to understand anything about spiritual maturity
and growing. And that word is weakness. And
it doesn't make sense to a natural man. But this is the key to growth. Paul said, when I am what? Weak. Impotent. Powerless. Without strength. Then am I strong. Let's look at that passage of
Scripture again. Turn with me to 2 Corinthians chapter 12. Paul says in verse 10, Therefore I take pleasure in
infirmities, weakness, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions,
in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I'm weak, then am I
strong. And verse 1, he says, It's not
expedient for me, doubtless to glory. I come to visions and
revelations of the Lord. And he's talking about how God
taught him the gospel. You know, Paul wasn't taught
the gospel the way you and I are. I was taught the gospel through
Henry Mahan, a man God used to teach me the gospel. You're taught
the gospel through a man. How should they hear without
a preacher? But Paul had the Lord speaking directly to him. He was brought into the third
heavens, and this is where he learned what he learned. Where
God, where the Lord Jesus Christ directly taught him the gospel.
Now look what he says in verse 2. He says, I knew a man in Christ
about 14 years ago. Whether in the body, I cannot
tell, or whether out of the body, God knows. Such a one caught
up into the third heaven, and I knew such a man, and I think
this is interesting. He won't even say it's me. He said, I
knew that man. I don't even have the confidence
to say it was me, but I knew this man. He knew it was. He knew
the humility of his language. I knew such a man, whether in
the body or out of the body. I can't not tell. God knows how
that he was caught up into paradise. And he heard unspeakable words,
which is not lawful for a man to utter. Now, such a one will
I glory. I'm so thankful the Lord brought
me into the third heaven. and gave me the revelation of
the gospel. I'm so thankful for that. If such a one will I glory,
yet of myself I will not glory, but in my infirmities. For though
I would desire to glory, every one of us are like that.
You say, I'm not going to be a fool, for I will say the truth,
but now I forbear lest any man should think of me above that
which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. unless I should
be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations.
And if I was a contemporary with Paul, I think, well, I wish I
had those. I wish he would have brought me up there. I'd be thinking
that and probably he would do. Unless you're just as vain as
me, I don't know. But at any rate, Paul said, unless
I should be exalted above the measure through the abundance
of the revelations there was given to me, who gave it to him? God did. There was given to me
a thorn in the flesh. I got a thorn in the flesh this
week. I was trying to move some rose bushes and I got a thorn
in my finger and it hurt. It hurt bad. And it hurt. That couldn't kill me. It couldn't
kill me. But man, it hurt. Who gave Paul
this thorn in the flesh? God did. What was it? Nobody
knows. And it's completely useless to
speculate as to what it was. But I know this. It kept Paul
down. He said it was the messenger
of Satan to buffet me, to strike me, to bring me down into the
very dust and make me feel like I'm the most wicked, sinful,
evil, helpless, weak person in the world. It's the gift of God.
It's a gift. You know, Paul didn't have this.
What would happen to him? Through all the abundance of
the revelations, he would have been so fat-headed and swollen
and proud. But the Lord, in His mercy, gave
him this thorn in the flesh. Now, look what he says. He says,
it's the messenger of Satan to buffet me lest I should be exalted
above measure. Now, for this thing, I must stop
the Lord three times. Then it might depart from me.
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee. Even with this thorn in your
flesh, My grace is sufficient for thee. Even with this thorn
that shows you your utter weakness and empties you out, My grace
is sufficient for thee. Here's a little cup before the
vast ocean. And he says, I'm afraid this
ocean's not enough to fill up my cup. And the ocean says to
the cup, fear not this cup, my water is sufficient for thee. And he says to every one of his
children, my grace, my unmerited favor, my saving grace, my sovereign
grace, it's sufficient. It's sufficient for thee. Don't
need anything else. In Him dwells all the fullness
of the Godhead in a body, and you are complete. Complete, lacking nothing in
Him. My grace is sufficient for thee. For my strength, my strength
is made perfect. is brought to maturity, is brought
to its end through what? Weakness. Now, I want to be strong. I want to be strong in grace.
I want to be a strong man in Christ Jesus. And the only way
I'm ever going to be strong is through weakness, seeing my own
weakness and my need of Him. So Paul says, Most gladly, therefore,
will I rather glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may
rest upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in
infirmities and reproaches and necessities and persecutions
and distresses for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then am I
strong. So there's the first key word.
Weakness. And here's the second key word
to understanding maturity. Faith. Faith. Turn with me for a moment
to James chapter 2. Verse 22. Well, let's begin in verse 20. But wilt thou know, O vain man,
that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified
by works, when he offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest
thou how that faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith
made perfect? That's that same word, perfect
and complete. Now, what that's talking about
is where God told Abraham. Now he promised Abraham, he said,
the promised Messiah is going to come through Isaac. Now that
promise had already been made. God never revokes his promises.
The promised Messiah was going to come through Isaac. And then
he tells Abraham, now you take Isaac, you take your son, your
only son, the one whom you love, and you offer him up in a place
I'll tell you, Mount Moriah, as a burnt offering unto me.
Kill him, slay him, and offer him up. Abraham, how many of
us have not thought, would I do that? Could I do it? If God told me to take my child
and kill him, could I do it? Well, if God called you to do
it, you could. You could, if you're a believer.
Whatever he calls you to do, he'll give you the grace to do.
But Abraham took his son up. Now, what is it that proved,
what is it that proved that he believed God? Now, when he, in
Genesis chapter 22, he said, You guys wait here and me and
the lad will go yonder and worship and return. And Hebrews 11 tells
us that he believed that God was going to raise his boy from
the dead. Now, what is it that proves he believed God? What
was it that made his faith complete when he lifted up that knife
to slay his son? He proved by that he really believed
God and he really believed God would raise him up from the dead.
Faith is believing God's Word. It's believing what God said.
God said the Messiah, my only hope of salvation is going to
come through this boy. If I kill him, God will raise
him from the dead because I know God can be trusted. What he said
must come to pass. Now, faith. Faith that is made
perfect or complete by what you do, by works. Isn't it any wonder the disciples
said, Lord, increase our faith? Lord, increase my faith. I want
to walk by faith. Because I know that's the only
way. I'm perfect by faith. You believe the gospel, you're
perfect. But I want to mature in faith. Mature in the gospel. And that comes through simply
believing God. Being weak, number one. Being
weak. Can you fit that bell? And number
two, by believing what God says in His word. Whatever He says,
I believe it. I really do. And the third word
is love. Paul's love in Colossians chapter
3 verse 14, the bond of perfectness. The bond of maturity. Turn with
me for a moment to 1 John chapter 2. And hereby do we know that we
know Him if we keep His commandments. Have you ever wondered if you
really know God? Sure you do. Well, I can tell
you how you can know whether or not you know Him. if you keep
his commandments. And we don't have to worry or
wonder about what he means by keeping his commandments. Look
over in 1 John chapter 3, verse 23. And this is his commandments,
that we should believe on the name of his son, Jesus Christ. Now, by his grace, I do believe
on His name. Right now, while I'm talking
to you, His name is my entrance into glory. I'm believing on
His name. Now, that's a commandment I keep. I keep this commandment. Every
believer keeps this commandment. It's not talking about the Ten
Commandments. You've not kept one of those one time. Even Christ
has kept them all, every time. But in and of yourself, you've
not kept one. This is talking about believing the gospel. keeping
his commandment. I believe the gospel. I'm relying
on the Lord Jesus right now. I'm keeping this commandment.
This is this commandment that we should believe on the name
of his son, Jesus Christ, and love one another as he gave us
commandment. And I can say this, I love the
people of God. Every believer I love, I esteem
them highly. That's the folks I want to be
with. That's the folks I want to be identified with here on
this earth. The people of God. Whoever believes the gospel.
Those are my people. This is a glorious church to
be in. I'm talking about the church
universal. The church of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Members of this one body. We love these people. Now, back
to 1 John 2. And hereby we do know that we
know Him if we keep His commandments. He that saith, I know Him, And
keepeth not his commandments, he is a liar, the truth is not
in him. But whoso keepeth his word in
him, verily, the love of God is the love of God perfected,
brought to maturity. Hereby know we that we are in
him. Look in 1 John chapter 4 verse
7. Beloved, let us love one another. For love is of God, and everyone
that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not
knoweth not God, for God is love. And this was manifested, the
love of God toward us, because God sent his only begotten Son
into the world that we might live through him. Herein is love,
not that we love God, but that he loved us and sent his Son
to be the propitiation for our sins. If God so loved us, we
ought also to love one another. No man has seen God at any time
if we love one another. God dwelleth in us, and His love
is perfected, is brought to maturity in us. If I love you, the love
of God is brought to maturity in me. Look in verse 17 of this
same chapter. Herein is our love. And you know, we do love him,
don't we? I don't feel good about my love.
As a matter of fact, when I think about my loving him, I think,
oh, it ought to be so much more great and so much more pure.
No doubt about that. No doubt about that. I don't
feel good about my love to him, but I tell you what, I do love
him. I can say with Peter, Lord, you know all things. You know.
that I love your person. I adore who he is. I love everything
about him. I love the way he is. I love
the way he says. I love every one of his attributes. Wouldn't
change him if I could. He's perfect. There's nobody
else like that. Wouldn't change him if it was in my power. I
love him. Now, he says, herein is our love
made perfect that we may have boldness, boldness in the day
of judgment, because as he is, So are we in this world right
now. Now, however he is, that's how
I am. And that's why I can have boldness towards judgment. I'm
not afraid of God looking me over because whatever Christ
is, whoever Christ is, however Christ is, that's me. I'm united
to him. And through him, I have boldness.
I have confidence in judgment. Now, verse 18, there's no fear
in love, but mature love, perfect love. Casts out fear. He's talking about the fear and
dread of unbelief. It's that fear that everything's
not right between your soul and God. That fear that God doesn't
see you in any way but in your sin. That fear, that's a horrible
fear. That's the fear of bondage. Perfect love. Mature love. Casts out this fear. I see that
I am accepted in the Beloved. I'm graced in the Beloved. I
really believe, and this is where maturity comes from, believing
that as he is, so am I in this world. Do you believe that? As he is, righteous, holy, perfect,
seated at the right hand of the Father, as he is, So are we in
this world. Now, there's no fear in that
love, but perfect love casts out fear. Fear has torment. He
that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him because
he first loved us. Weakness. Here's the key to maturity. Weakness. You know, weakness necessitates
faith because you don't have anywhere else to look. I mean,
when you're completely weak, it's not like faith in Christ
is an option. It's the only place to go. It's
not like you have to make a decision between two different things.
Christ Jesus really is your only hope. You really believe that.
And where that is, that faith, there is love to Him and love
to His people. And that causes perfection, maturity. strong men and women in Christ
Jesus. The law made nothing perfect.
Don't you know that's true? The law made nothing perfect. But the bringing in of this better
hope did. And by this hope, we draw nigh
unto God. Let's pray together. Thank you.