Stand Fast In Christ

Q: What does the Bible say about the relationship between the Old and New Testament?

The Old Testament and New Testament are one cohesive scripture, with the Old Testament foreshadowing the New Testament in promises and prophecies. The Old Testament and New Testament fulfill each other as one unified scripture. The Old Testament is often described as the New Testament concealed, filled with promises, prophecies, patterns, and types that find their completion in Christ. In Hebrews and throughout the New Testament, we see that everything God purposed and planned is evident in the Old Testament, and the New Testament serves to reveal those truths fully in Christ. As 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 states, Christ died for our sins 'according to the Scriptures,' indicating that understanding His sacrifice is rooted in Old Testament teachings.

Q: How do we know that Christ's sacrifice is sufficient for our sins?

Christ's sacrifice is sufficient because it was the ultimate, final offering that cancels the debt of our sins, as stated in Hebrews 10. The sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice is foundational to Christian belief. Hebrews 10 emphasizes that Christ, by one offering, perfected forever those who are sanctified. This means that His sacrifice fully atones for sins, removing the need for any additional offerings or sacrifices. When Christ died, the veil in the temple was torn, symbolizing that access to God's presence is now available through His blood alone, negating the need for the Old Testament sacrificial system. The message of Hebrews reiterates that there is no more offering for sin once Christ has made atonement.

Q: Why is faith important for Christians?

Faith is essential for Christians as it is through faith that we receive salvation and assurance of God's promises. Faith holds a central role in the life of a believer as the means by which we receive and rest in God's promised salvation. Hebrews 10:23 encourages believers to hold fast their confession without wavering because God is faithful. Faith is not just an intellectual assent, but a deep-rooted trust in God's character and promises. Romans 4 illustrates how Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness, demonstrating that faith in God's promises is the foundation for a right relationship with Him. We are called to believe fully in Christ and His completed work for our assurance and salvation.

Q: What does the Bible say about holding fast to our faith?

The Bible instructs believers to hold fast to their faith as it is crucial for enduring trials and receiving God's promises. Holding fast to our faith is essential as it anchors us in our relationship with Christ during times of trial and uncertainty. Hebrews 10:23 emphasizes the need to not waver in our profession of faith, as our confidence should be placed solely in Christ's faithfulness. This persistence is necessary not only for our own spiritual health but also for encouraging others in the faith. The exhortation to hold fast is repeated throughout Hebrews, underscoring that steadfast faith leads to the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises, ensuring we remain firmly rooted in His grace.

Q: Why is encouragement within the church community important?

Encouragement among believers is vital for mutual growth, strengthening faith, and fulfilling God's call to love and good works. Encouragement within the church community is essential as it fosters spiritual growth and unity among believers. Hebrews 10:24 calls us to consider how to provoke one another to love and good works, which highlights the importance of mutual support in our faith journeys. As members of the body of Christ, we need to uplift and motivate each other to remain steadfast in our faith and to act in love. Encouragement creates a supportive environment where Christians can thrive, helping fulfill God's design for the church as a community that reflects His love and grace to the world.

New Testament church. And I think
I know what they mean, but I think it's an unfortunate
choice of words, like us talking about being New Testament Christians. Does that mean we have scrapped
the Old Testament, that we have no use for the Old Testament,
no regard for the Old Testament, and no interest in the Old Testament? But if you'll remember what I'm
saying this evening, I know you've heard it before and I know you
believe it, that the Old Testament and the New Testament are one
Bible. It's God's Word. You see, as
someone has very fittingly said and truthfully, the Old Testament
is the New Testament concealed in promise, in prophecy, in pattern,
type, picture. Everything in the New Testament
is in the Old Testament, in pattern and picture. That's what we're
studying in the book of Hebrews, is all of that has been revealed
in Christ and fulfilled in Christ. And the New Testament is the
Old Testament revealed. The Old Testament is the New
Testament. Everything God has purposed and
planned and promised is in the Old Testament. Because you see,
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15, and why don't we turn over there
and look at this together. 1 Corinthians 15, verse 1-4. 1 Corinthians 15, 1-4, Moreover,
brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto
you, which also you have received and wherein you stand, and by
which you are saved, if you keep in memory what I preached unto
you, unless you have believed in vain. For I delivered unto
you, first of all, that which I also received, how that Christ
died for our sins according to the Scriptures." Now don't turn
yet, stay there. You want to know something about
Christ's death, for our sins, you're going to have to read
the Scriptures, because He died in Old Testament Scriptures.
That's what He's talking about, the Old Testament. He died for
our sins according to the Old Testament Scriptures. And then
He was buried and rose again the third day according to the
Scriptures, according to the promise and patterns and pictures
of the Old Testament. That's how He died, how He suffered.
Romans 1, turn there just a moment. Romans 1, Paul begins this epistle
to the Romans, saying in Romans 1, verse 1, Paul, a servant,
a bond slave of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated
unto the gospel of God which he had promised afore by his
prophets in the Holy Scripture concerning his son. Jesus Christ
our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the
flesh and declared to be the Son of God with power according
to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead. And then Luke 24, I've read you
this many times, but it doesn't hurt to go over these things
again and again because we're the seeds on every hand with
the errors of religion. Our Lord was talking to these
doubting disciples on the road to Emmaus, and it says in verse
27 of Luke 24, and beginning at Moses, Genesis 1-1, and all
the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the
things concerning himself. Verse 44, And he said to them,
These are the words which I spake unto you while I was yet with
you, that all things must be fulfilled which are written in
the law of Moses, in the prophets, in the Psalms concerning me.
Then opened he their understanding that they might understand the
scriptures, the Old Testament scriptures. Nowhere is this more clearly
revealed than in the book of Hebrews. Now let's look at our
text. In Hebrews 10, verse 15, and
these first three verses, whereof, well, let's read verse 14 where
we left off this morning, for by one offering Christ hath perfected
forever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost, also
is a witness to us. For after that, he had said before,
the Holy Ghost wrote the Old Testament, he said before, this
is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, after
the days of the ceremonies and tabernacle and priesthood and
promises and types, after those days when the Messiah has come.
and fulfill all things, fulfill my law and justice, righteousness,
I will put my law in their hearts, to love my law, not write my
law on tables of stone, and not even keep them under the mercy
seat in the ark, but write them on the heart, that they might
love my law and write it in their minds, that they might think
upon my word my laws will I write them, and their sins and iniquities
will I remember no more." Now let's go to Jeremiah. Here is
where that prophet, Prophet Jeremiah, under the inspiration of the
Holy Spirit, chapter 30, 31. This is what the apostle, the
scripture the apostle is quoting here. Let's read it. Jeremiah,
many, many years prior to our Lord's coming and when the The
tabernacle temple was still standing, and the sacrifices were being
offered, and the priesthood was in effect, and this is before
Christ came. In Jeremiah 31, this is the Old
Testament, verse 31, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord.
Christ is coming. Abraham saw my day. Moses wrote
of me. The days come, saith the Lord,
that I'll make a new covenant. with the house of Israel, with
the house of Judah, spiritual Israel. Not according to the
covenant I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by
the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt from Sinai's
mountain when he gave the dimensions and directions and blueprints
of the tabernacle of the priesthood and the sacrifices. Which of my covenant they break,
although I was a husband unto them, saith the Lord, but this
shall be. the covenant I'll make with the
house of Israel after those days when the veil is rent and the
tabernacle is folded and put away and Christ has come, our
Passover slave, our Messiah, fulfilled all things. I'll put
my law in their inward parts, give them a new nation, a new
heart. I'll write it in their hearts. I'll be their God and
be my people. They shall teach no more every
man his neighbor and every man his brother, saying, Know the
Lord. They shall all, from the least to the greatest of them,
shall know me. Little children shall believe,
mothers and fathers and dads. They'll be themselves priests
and kings. Kings and priests unto God, said
the Lord, and I'll forgive their iniquities and remember their
sins no more. No more. Remember this morning in Hebrews
10 verse 3? Look at Hebrews 10 verse 3. In
those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sin every year. Every year we go through the
same thing back there. They went through the same thing.
Slew a lamb, went through the washings, the purifying, Went
into the holy place and got the incense. Went into the Holy of
Holies once a year with the blood of bulls and goats and sprinkled
it on the mercy seat. Came out. Is sin forgiven? Yes, sin is forgiven in Christ.
Is sin remembered no more? Next year they got to do the
same thing. Same thing. And no sacrifice. But here is
the good news, verse 17. When Christ comes, there's sins
and iniquities that I remember no more. The Bible talks about
it being cast into the depths of the sea. The Bible talks about
our sins being separated from us as far as the east is from
the west. That's infinity. It talks about our sins being remembered
no more. Remember no more. Cast behind
God back, wherever that is, that I remember no more. Now listen,
verse 18. Now then, where remission of
these is, what? Sins. Forgiveness, atonement,
pardon. There is no more offering for
sin. Cancellation of the debt. Sins
are put away. No longer any payment, any sacrifice,
or any offering, and it's dishonoring to Christ to think upon or suggest
that we offer some other payment. It's dishonoring to Christ. The
hymn writer said it's done. The great transaction's done. I'm my Lord's and he is mine. The debt is paid. No more offering. No more sacrifice. What happens? You know, we've been talking
this morning about that old tabernacle and the priesthood and the sacrifices,
and the priest would go under the veil into the Holy of Holies
with the blood and sprinkle it on the mercy seat, do that every
year, Day of Atonement. Holy of Holies, the Shekinah
glory of God over the mercy seat. What happened when our Lord died
on the cross? A very great significance. Let's
turn to Matthew 27. Matthew 27. That old temple still
stood. The temple of Solomon still stood. The Holy of Holies was still
there. Sacrifices still going on. The
priest, once a year, would go into the Holy of Holies. What
happened when our Lord died? Matthew 27, verse 50. Verse 50 says, Jesus, when he
cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost, and behold. And behold. Now, up to this time,
no one was allowed into the Holy of Holies but the high priest
once a year, not without blood. Anyone who came anywhere near
that holy place was smitten, smitten dead. But when he died
on that cross, the veil in the temple, and John, you were talking
about the width of that veil. It was a heavy veil, thick veil,
hung there to keep everybody out of the Holy of Holies but
the high priest once a year. That veil was torn in two from
the top to the bottom, ripped in two, fell apart. bringing,
exposing the Holy of Holies. There it is. Open. Open. The veil in the temple
was read into from top to bottom. And that's what, that's one of
the most significant things that could have happened when our
Lord died. He's our high priest. And he has gone not into that
place, but into heaven itself. not with the blood of bulls and
goats, but with his own blood, and obtained eternal redemption.
And listen, and listen to verse 19. Therefore, having boldness,
brethren, all of us believers, having therefore boldness, brethren,
to enter into the holiest, into the presence of God, by the blood
of Jesus. Now then, now then, I'm not a
high priest. It says in verse 21, I have a
high priest over the house of God. I'm not a high priest. He's
my high priest. He's my mediator. He's my intercessor. But I have the right in Christ
and the privilege of coming into the very presence of God through
His blood. Turn to 1 Peter, chapter 2. 1 Peter, chapter 2. Now, prior to this time, the Lord
signified the high priest to come into His presence with the
blood, the offering. And that was all types and pictures
of Christ, our high priest. That priesthood was done away
with, and those sacrifices done away with, and Christ our Lord
went into the presence of God with His blood. Now, in Him and
through Him, He's made all of us priests. Every believer is
a priest. We are a chosen generation. We
are a royal priesthood. Now watch I Peter 2, verse 5. You also, as living stones, are
built up a spiritual house. That tabernacle is gone. You,
God's holy power and glory dwells in that holy of holies. Now He
dwells in you and in me. We are a spiritual house. We
are a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable
to God in Christ. We don't bring blood. We don't
bring turtledoves and rams. What do we bring? Praise. Thanksgiving. Worship. Glory. We come into His presence
to praise Him. Come on. See, Christ tore that
veil in two. And it says here in verse 19,
we have boldness. How do we come? We come boldly
in Christ. We come boldly to enter the holiest
by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way, which He hath
consecrated for us, not under the veil, through the veil, that
is to say, His flesh. Having a high priest over the
house of God, let us draw near. We don't need to run like they
did when they stood before Mount Sinai. They said, Moses, They
ran. They turned their backs and ran.
They said, Moses, you talk to God. We don't want to talk to
God unless we die. Let's draw near. To who? To Him. Yeah, it's a throne,
but it's a throne of grace. A throne of grace. Draw near
unto our Father, Abba Father. Let's draw near. How? With a
true heart, sincere heart, no make-believe, no insincerity,
no hypocrisy. come boldly, but come sincerely,
come repeating, come believing, come trusting in full assurance
of faith because we have our hearts sprinkled from an evil
conscience and our bodies washed with pure water by whose authority? By His blood. And then verse
23 says, let's hold fast the profession of our faith without
wavering Don't waver. Well, hold fast my profession. Hold fast my confidence. Hold fast my trust and rest in
Christ without wavering. Why? Because I'm strong? No. Because I deserve it? Anything? No. Because I'm faithful? No. Listen, because He's faithful. You hold fast this confidence
in Christ that lets us have access into the presence of God, children
of God. Hold fast this confidence in
this profession, this assurance. Why? Because he's faithful. And
I'll tell you, that's not because we're faithful, not because we
deserve anything. That was the foundation of Abraham's
Turn to Romans 4. Let me show you this. The basis
and foundation of Abraham's faith was that God is faithful. God is faithful. You hold fast
your confidence in Him and your profession because He's faithful. Look at Romans 4, verse 20. Abraham staggered not at the
promise of God through unbelief, but he was strong in faith, giving
glory to God, being fully persuaded that what he had promised, he
was able to perform. And that was his confidence,
what he promised. I tell you this, what he promises,
he's not only able to perform, he will perform. God promised
who cannot lie. So all right. Having therefore boldness to
enter into the holiest by the blood of Christ, let us draw
near. Let us hold fast our profession with confidence, without wavering,
for he is faithful. Look at verse 24 now. And let
us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works. I see
about four things here. Let us consider one another.
I want you to think about this. Let us consider one another.
I think it means three or four things. Number one, I believe
it means this. Let's be considerate of one another. Let's be considerate. Let's consider
one another. When you talk about considering
one another, stop being considerate. And let me show you a verse.
I'll just quote it for you, Ephesians 4. Be ye kind one to another. Be kind, be considerate, kind
one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God,
for Christ's sake, has forgiven you. Let's come bold into his presence.
Let's hold fast our profession. Let's be considerate. Second
thing I believe this is saying is to consider one another that
we're brothers and sisters in the same family. Sometimes I'm not quite sure
that we've gotten a hold of that like we ought to. We are brothers
and sisters in the same family. I told you this morning, these
family ties we have on this earth, they're special, just special
to us. We love our brothers and our
sisters and our mothers and our fathers and our children and
grandchildren. We just love them so much, and
I don't think you can love them too much. A fellow said one time
to one of the old preachers, said, I think, I fear Brother
so-and-so loves his wife too much. And the fellow very wisely
answered, that's impossible. We're commanding the scriptures
to love our wives as Christ loved the church. Can you love your wife like he
loved the church? Hadn't been able to yet. So you
couldn't love her too much. And I believe, and the Scripture
talks about this, if anybody provides not for his own house,
he's denied the faith. He's worse than an infidel. A
fella's supposed to love his family and provide for his family.
He that provides not for his own house, and that's not just
talking about providing food, clothing, and shelter. Provide
spiritual leadership. Provide all that goes to make
up a whole person. Provide love and provide Encouragement,
provided not for his own house, denies the faith. He's worse
than an infidel. Worse than an infidel. A fella
got little children, leaves them out yonder for somebody else
to raise, he's worse than an infidel. Isn't that right? Yeah. But we're a family. There's a
family that supersedes that family. There's a family belief. And let us have the same consideration. And I know this is a real target
to shoot at, but it is scriptural. That is, that we're brothers
and sisters in Christ. And I'd like to come to that
place with, wouldn't you, where I love the people of God as much
as I love my own children. Wouldn't that be something? Try
it. Let's consider one another. All
right, here's the third thing. And this is the main thing he's
talking about here. Of course, you can't have this
without the other. But let us consider, that is,
encourage one another. Stir up. Look at verse 24. Let us consider one another to
provoke unto love and good works, to encourage one another, to
stir up one another, to motivate one another. to love and good works. Motivate
one another. We all need a little motivation
once in a while, a little encouragement. Just don't, see if we don't discourage
one another, but encourage one another. And then, I think it
means this too, here's the fourth thing that I feel like it means. Let us consider one another that
we are human beings. Just consider that We're human
beings, we're going to err, we're going to make mistakes, we'll
say things we shouldn't say because we're flesh. Let's remember that.
Look at the book of Psalms, Psalm 103. I'm glad God considers us
that way, don't you? It says in verse 13 of Psalm
103, Psalm 103, 13, Like as a father pitieth his children. So the Lord pitieth them that
fear him, for he knows our frame, he considers our frame, he remembers
we're dust. He knows that. He knows that. And let's consider, let's always
consider that, that we're human. to all sorts of infirmities.
Let's bear that in mind. All right, let's consider one
another. All right, verse 25. Here's some more instructions. Not forsaking the assembling
of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting
one another, and so much the more, as you see the day approaching.
Now, let's don't take this separately. Let's keep it together. not forsaking
the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is. Evidently,
they had that problem then, that folks neglecting worship, neglecting
fellowship, neglecting the worship services, but exhorting one another,
so much the more as we see the day approaching, these two things
go together. In other words, we assemble on
the Lord's day and at other times to worship to praise God, to
preach the Gospel, to teach the Word, for several reasons. Number one, we gather here together
because of our Lord. He's appointed worship. He has
appointed worship. And He's glorified by it. And
His people come together to worship Him and to praise Him and, like
I said, to offer those spiritual sacrifices. So we come together
because of Him. We come together because of ourselves.
I need the time of worship. I need to be taught. I need to
be comforted. I need to be refreshed. I need to be instructed. I need
to be reproved. I need the Word of God. I need
it. And then we come together because
of others. This is what he said, forsake
not the assembling of yourselves together, but exhort one another. See that? Exhort one another.
We assemble because of others, my family. You know, that's just, and you
may toss this off as my being a preacher, but that's just one
requirement that's unwritten law and understanding in our
home that everybody that lived there what the worship service
is on the Lord's Day. That's just understood. Joshua said that. That's for
me and my house. We're going to serve the Lord
while they're living under the roof. When they get out, that's
another thing. But while they're there, we're
going to worship the Lord. My family needs to worship God.
My friends, we need to come together to influence and encourage one
another. And let me tell you something.
Let me tell you something here. I looked this word up, and you've
got a concordance. One of the best investments you
can make in a book is that Strong's concordance in that. Now, they
sell for $10 or $15, but none of us know the Greek. I hear
these preachers, and that means in the Greek, that means he looked
it up. He doesn't speak Greek. But you don't need to know Greek
to read the scriptures. Somebody said, there are 50 million
Greeks over there that don't know what Scripture teaches,
you know. They speak Greek fluently. But he says, don't forsake the
assembling of yourselves together because of God. Because of God. I was glad when they said to
me, let's go to the house of God. David said, I'd rather be
a doorkeeper in the house of God than to dwell in the tits
of the wicked. Go to the house of God. He's
commanded it. He's glorified by it. Worship Him. Secondly, I need it. I just don't
see how I could survive without worshiping. Do you? Hearing the
word. And then my family, my friends,
and you need, we need to be together. And exhort one another. Look
up this word, exhort. And listen to me now. It means
a whole lot more than inform one another. It means a whole
lot more than inform one another. It means a whole lot more than
just preaching at one another. It means more than that. But
I'll tell you what it says. To call one near. That's the
word that's used, isn't it? To call one near. To call one near. To beseech. It's like your children. You
do a whole lot more when you're instructing your children. Your
exhortations are a whole lot more information. Ain't that
right? They're a whole lot more information.
Anybody can give out information. But when people are exhorting
their children, they draw them near. They embrace them. And they say, now, honey, this
is what I want you to understand. And you don't just give them
the information and say, that's up to you to do it or not do
it. No. You'll give it to them again tomorrow and next month. And you're never going to stop
giving it to them. You see, draw him near in tenderness
and love and exhort him, beseech him. That's it. You see, this,
well, here it is. They don't like it. I don't know
whether that's exhorting or not. I just kind of think it's not.
Exhorting is to call them near. Set an example. If it doesn't
work the first time, do it 1,400 times. That's what our Lord said.
Peter said, well, how many times I'm going to forgive him? He
said, seven times? Seventy times seven. That's exhorting. That's exhorting. more than information. Exhortation is more than information. Alright, verse 26 and 27. Now
this verse has been abused about as much as any.
For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge
of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but
a certain fearful looking for judgment and fiery indignation
which shall devour the adversary. Now this doesn't teach that a
believer who sins is lost. You have a preacher, if a man
sins willfully, I just imagine most of our sins are willful.
I don't know. I know we might But David said,
forgive me of secret sins. But most of them is our own nature
and contrariness, and we pretty well know what we're doing, and
what we're saying, and what we're thinking, and how we're acting.
And even when somebody rebukes us, sometimes we keep on acting
that way. And that's willful, isn't it? We're not lost. When
Peter was sitting by that fire, and that hit three times. They
asked him if he knew the Lord, and he said no. And that was
willful. That's pretty willful. But I'll tell you what this is
talking about. It's the very same thing that we've been dealing
with all the way through this chapter. This old covenant. Now these Jews, you see these
Hebrews, this is the book of Hebrews, written to the Hebrews.
These Hebrews were brought up under that law. The tabernacle,
the veil, the sacrifices, the priesthood, the Sabbath days,
the tithes, the holy days, all these things. Christ has come
and fulfilled it, taken those things away. Circumcision, all
these requirements, all been fulfilled in Christ. And we look
to Him, and they believe on Him, they've heard the gospel. Now,
if a man turns from Christ and goes back to Moses, See what
he's saying? If we willfully leave this gospel,
and go back to Sabbath days, and go back to Moses, and back
to circumcision, and they had this problem in Galatia. They
had this problem in Galatia. I'll show you. Turn to Galatians
3. The church in Galatia. That's what the book of Galatians
is all about. The people preach Christ, These
preachers preach Christ, but they preach Christ in the law.
They said, now you can believe on Christ, but you still have
to be circumcised. You can believe on Christ, but
you still got to pay the time. You can believe on Christ, but
you still got to keep Sabbath day. You can believe on Christ,
but you still can't eat certain things. You know, Peter said
that. He said, I've never eaten anything unclean. They still
had that bite back unto Moses, and Paul says to the Galatians
in Galatians 3, listen to verse 1, O foolish Galatians, who hath
bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth, before whose
eyes Jesus Christ has been evidently set forth crucified among you?
This only would I learn of you. Did you receive the Spirit by
the works of the law, or the hearing of faith? Are you so
foolish, having begun in the Spirit, you are now made perfect
by the flesh? They said you can have Christ,
but you still got to get through these other things to be sanctified. The Sabbath day, the circumcision,
the time, the holy days. Have you suffered so many things
in vain? If it be yet in vain, he therefore
that ministered you the Spirit, and worked miracles among you,
doeth he yet by the works of the Lord, by the hearing of faith?
Even as Abraham believed God, it was counted to him for righteousness.
Know ye therefore that they which are of faith are the same as
the children of Abraham." Now look at chapter 5 in Galatians. These people, these Judaizers
had come in and tried to take these Galatians back under the
law, back under Moses. And Paul writes in chapter 5,
verse 1, says, Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty wherewith Christ
hath made us free. Don't be entangled again with
this yoke of bondage. Behold, I, Paul, say unto you,
if you be circumcised, after you've heard the gospel, and
you submit to the right of circumcision, Christ will profit you nothing.
You've departed from Christ. You've sinned willfully. You've
left the gospel. Read on. I testify again to every
man that is circumcised in order to find favor with God, in order
to get back under the law. He's a debtor to do the whole
law. He's got to do what Christ did, be perfect. Isn't that right?
If he's going to take this road of the law, if you're going to
leave this gospel, this gospel of Christ, this gospel of free
grace, justification by faith. You're going to get back on to
a Sabbath day or any of these things in the Old Testament that
were required of these Jews. You've got to do the whole lot.
Start down that road. It's a long road. Let's read
on. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision
availeth anything nor uncircumcision, but faith worketh by love. Now,
go back to my text in Hebrews 10. And you'll see this is exactly
what he's talking about. He's talking about these Hebrews,
they had strong forces acting upon them to take them away from
faith, faith, faith. Christ, Christ, Christ. To take
them back under those do's and don'ts. and rituals and ceremonies. Now then, verse 26, if we sin
willfully after we receive the knowledge of Christ, the truth
is Christ, there remains no more sacrifice for sin. If his sacrifice
is not enough, we don't have any sacrifice. God had no pleasure
in the sacrifices offered under the law. Now if his sacrifice
is not sufficient, we've got no sacrifice. And we just got
to get ready for judgment. But a certain fearful looking
for judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries.
He that despised Moses' law, back there when those things
were in effect, he who would not come to the tabernacle, he
who would not look to the priest, he would not bring the sacrifice,
well, he died without mercy under two or three witnesses. Of how
much sore punishment Suppose ye shall that man be thought
worthy, who's heard the gospel, who's been exposed to the gospel,
but trodden unto his foot the Son of God, and counted the blood
of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing,
and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace." That's leaving
the gospel. You know what that is? That's
leaving the gospel. Leaving the gospel. For we know
him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth to me, I'll recompense,
saith the Lord." And again, the Lord will judge his people, and
it's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living
God. So stand fast. This is what Paul is saying to
the believers. You've learned Christ. You've
been taught Christ. And you've learned it. We've
been in this book of Hebrews now all these days, and you've
learned it before. Salvation by grace, salvation by faith,
salvation in Christ. There's no deeds or duties entering
anywhere. In my hands, no price I bring.
I'm not going to get circumcised just in case. I'm not going to
keep a Sabbath day just in case. I'm not going to pay a tithe
just in case. I'm not coming back under that law for any reason.
For any reason. It's Christ alone. Christ alone. Now, he said in
verse 13, warning these people. Boy, they had a lot of people
pulling on them. But cause a remembrance of former
days, early days, in which after you were illuminated, you were
taught the gospel, you endured a great fight of affliction,
you received this gospel of grace, pure grace, Partly while you were made a
gazing stock, both by reproaches and afflictions, and partly while
you became companions of them that were so used. You became
companions of God's preachers that preached the gospel of grace.
Some of you came out of other churches. Folks laughed at you. One man, he's dead now in our
church, but he was a member in good standing a certain Methodist
church, an Arminian church, and he heard me on the radio, and
he came out here and started listening to the gospel, and
God saved him. And he went back and told them how the Lord saved
him. They wanted to put him away. They thought he'd lost his mind. Some of his kinfolks thought
he'd lost his mind. He became a gazing stock and
a joke. He's crazy. No, he's just now
got a sound mind. He was crazy before. when he
thought God would be pleased with his work. Now he's got Christ.
He knows God's not pleased with his work. He's with Christ now. In verse 34, you had compassion
on me when I was in jail. You took joyfully the spalling
of your goods, knowing in yourselves that you have, by God's grace
in heaven, a better and more enduring substance than what
you have now. It's all right. People in Mexico have been fired
for believing the gospel. from their jobs. Walter, some
of his preachers have been lost their jobs. Same thing happened to these
people. Now verse 35, don't cast not away your confidence. Confidence
in who? In Christ. Isn't that right,
Cesar? We don't have any confidence
in the flesh. We don't have any confidence
in the flesh, we don't have confidence in the Baptist church, our confidence
in Christ. We don't have confidence in days
and duties and deeds, we have confidence in Christ. But don't
give it up, don't let anybody take it away from you. Cast not
away your confidence in Christ, which has great recompense of
reward. You have a need of patience.
Oh, don't we though? that after we've done the will
of God, we might receive the promise. What is the will of
God? I preached on it this morning.
Christ said, Lo, I come to do thy will, the will of God, your
sanctification in Christ, your redemption in Christ. This is
the will of my Father. Put away the old and establish
the new. That's his will. For after a little while, verse
37, yet a little while, He that shall come, he will come. That's
taken from Habakkuk 2, 3, and 4. He will not tarry. He's going
to return. We're waiting for our Lord from
heaven. Now the just shall live by faith.
That's what Habakkuk says.

Stand Fast In Christ

What does the Bible say about the relationship between the Old and New Testament?

How do we know that Christ's sacrifice is sufficient for our sins?

Why is faith important for Christians?

What does the Bible say about holding fast to our faith?

Why is encouragement within the church community important?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

Comments

Joshua

Articles

Featured Authors

Podcast

Sermons

Featured Preachers

Books

Browse by Format

Music

Recent Comments

About

Legal

Subscribe

Account

Articles

Featured Authors

Podcast

Recent Comments

Sermons

Featured Preachers

Books

Browse by Format

Collections

Music

About

Legal

Subscribe

Stand Fast In Christ

What does the Bible say about the relationship between the Old and New Testament?

How do we know that Christ's sacrifice is sufficient for our sins?

Why is faith important for Christians?

What does the Bible say about holding fast to our faith?

Why is encouragement within the church community important?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

Comments

More from Henry Mahan

Related Sermons

Same Scripture

Articles by Henry Mahan

Books by Henry Mahan

Joshua

Where this book stands in the tradition

Plato

Augustine

The Western Christian Tradition

This Book