STUDY OF THE HEBREW EPISTLE
The Believer, Living in a World of Non-Belief – Session 2
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The Believer Living in a World ofNon-Belief
What’s New About Christianity?Let us look at what is Old….The Sacrifices – God instituted a system of sacrifices as “outward” actions toward “inner” repentance.The sacrifices continue to bring down the barrier that our sins continue to put up between ourselves and God!The reason that this process had to continue was because the sacrifice was not perfect and the priest was not either…..
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The Believer Living in a World ofNon-Belief
The process of admission of sin was effective:SIN + SACRIFICE = REPENTANCE. ..after that it was difficult to feel forgiven, especially when the new attacks of sinful influence continue constantly.QUESTION – If you will not ask it, I will ask it for you! Did this mean than God had an ineffective plan and had to make a new one?
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The Believer Living in a World ofNon-Belief
No!What it did mean was that humanity was not confident that repentance of sin via sacrifice by the priest was good enough to now live as if forgiven by God.Hoping that the sacrifice was a good one!Hoping that the priest was a good one too!
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The Believer Living in a World ofNon-Belief
What humanity needed now was a Perfect Priest and a Perfect Sacrifice to remove the barrier between God and Humanity once and for all.
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The Believer Living in a World ofNon-Belief
So what became NEW?JESUS becomes thedelivererof a new covenant because it is one that does not have to be repeated every hour, month, or year.JESUS becomes thepriestwho does not have to offer up asacrificefor himself….JESUS becomes theperfect priestand theperfect sacrificeto eliminate the penalty of sin from the life of the believer!
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The Believer Living in a World ofNon-Belief
Difficulties for Jews but not Gentiles!It was hard for newly converted Jewish Christians to give up the Old Covenant or their heritage as they would call it. Many were not ready to accept the transition, even though they had been a part of the transition throughout their history……..
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The Believer Living in a World ofNon-Belief
THE O.T. TRANSITION TO CHRISTANITYAltar..Tabernacle..Temple…Synagogue…ChurchFire of the Altar….Menorah…Jesus (Light of the World)Washing at the Altar…Laver of the Tabernacle/Temple…Jesus (Water of Life)Manna from heaven…Shewbreadfor the priest…Jesus (Bread of Life)
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The Believer Living in a World ofNon-Belief
What the Jewish Christians were struggling with…Other than persecution!The new Jewish Converts were mistreated by their non-Christian Jewish friends and relatives:
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The Believer Living in a World ofNon-Belief
Christian Jews had been banished from all Jewish holy placesThey were now considered uncleanThey could not enter the Synagogue or the TempleThe could not hold conversations with the priestsThey could have nothing to do with their own people.
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The Believer Living in a World ofNon-Belief
They had to be reminded that althoughThey had been deprived of the earthly temple…they now have a heavenly templeThey were deprived of the earthly priesthood, but they now are a royal priesthood themselves.They were deprived of the previous pattern of sacrifice, but they now have experienced ONE FINAL LASTING SACRIFICE through Jesus the Christ!
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The Believer Living in a World ofNon-Belief
The “BETTERS” of HebrewsBetter hope – Looking away from guiltBetter testament – Looking toward eternity with Him instead of arrival of HimBetter promise – to be saved from the penalty, power, and presence of my sinsBetter priest – Jesus is not almost perfect He is perfect and he is seated, which means that His work of salvation is complete – Heb. 10:12Better sacrifice – the same as the Better Priest
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