"Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:" Colossians 1:28 "And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:" Colossians 2:10
Let us go on to perfection, and consider this plain statement. "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." (Hebrews 10:1). A right and proper presentation of the gospel and its ordinances must necessarily point men and women to Christ, and their Faith must be placed firmly in the work of Christ, not the work of the Holy Ghost or of the Father, but of Christ. Men are accepted of the Father only through Christ. And they are brought to the Son if indeed it is the work of the Spirit, whose duty it is to reveal Christ to and in lost sinners, elect unto salvation.
The great tragedy of the Church today is their departure from Christ. Christ Jesus is not the sum total of their religion, their message, their life, He's a part of it; and a very little part at that. This reveals an absence of the work of the Spirit present in any church whose emphasis is anything else than Jesus Christ. For the Christian Christ is their life. "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God." (Colossians 3:1). The Apostle warns of the logical consequences of departing from Christ and returning to legal bondage. "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame." (Hebrews 6:4-6). The point of verses 4-6 is not one of a loss of Grace, but rather a loss of an opportunity to the Grace of GOD.
The point that is stressed in this great book is the once for sacrifice for sin. "For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." (Hebrews 9:26-28). Listen, Jesus Christ came one time, He died one time, Men and women believe efficaciously one time, and thats it. There is not to be a falling away from Christ and coming to him again. That is not possible. What kind of work would that be? Whose authorship may we attribute this hit and miss theology? Certainly not GOD! Especially in the work of Salvation. "I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him." (Ecclesiastes 3:14).
The work of Grace is a perfect work. "Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you." (Philippians 3:15). So the elect are those that every where in the new testament are called perfect. "Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:" (1 Corinthians 2:6). "Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God." (Colossians 4:12). "I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me." (John 17:23). "Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (Hebrews 13:21). And many more.
Not that those who are appointed to salvation by Jesus Christ, stand without sin and infirmity. They certainly do. They possess in themselves all the imperfections that sin affords any man. But their faith in its nature is perfect. The object of their Faith is perfect. The work accomplished on their behalf in Christ is perfect. So that the Father looks upon his elect as perfect. Without spot or blemish. The work of Grace in the believer, that of regeneration, whose principle fruit is that of Faith in Christ is a perfect work.
None born of the Spirit can die. So likewise they cannot be separated from the cross of Christ from which flows all of their blessedness. The Faith of the elect is more clad to the cross of Christ than two pieces of steel welded together. And his seed will always remain in him and in this way He cannot sin. He cannot depart from Christ! It is impossible. The hypothesis is however, that if He could, if some how the child of GOD could spurn his birthright of grace, Christ would have to be crucified all over again. That shall not be and cannot be.
So what is being taught is to depart from Christ in the doctrine of Grace. To reject the message that Messiah has actually come and put away sin by the sacrifice of himself, is to depart from any hope of eternal life since there is no one else coming to take away sin. This passage corresponds with Hebrews 10:26, "For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,". To sin wilfully is to presumptuously return to Judaism as though everything they have heard of the Messiah by his Apostles were a farce, a joke. It did not happen. As though Christ did not die successfully for offenses and be raised again for justification. And everyone who saw Jesus of Nazareth after his resurrection was duped or collaborated with the Apostles to propagate a lie about Jesus, when in reality he did not rise from the dead, but his body was stolen and we don't know where they have laid him. This is in effect what one embraces and confesses when they return to Moses. Apart from Christ there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin.
Before we go on in the 6th chapter let us consider the efforts that the Apostle put in the previous chapters that lead to this summarization suggested in the 6th chapter.
He opens the Epistle plainly setting forth the dispensation
of GOD in the revelation of truth to the Fathers of old. "GOD,
who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers
by the prophets," (Hebrews 1:1). The old testament is called
the Law and the prophets. "And beginning at Moses and all the prophets,
he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself."
(Luke 24:27). "Think not that I am come to destroy the law,
or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil." (Matthew
5:17). "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do
to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets."
(Matthew 7:12). "On these two commandments hang all the law and the
prophets." (Matthew 22:40).
GOD was pleased to communicate and reveal himself in the
various methods seen in the old testament dreams, visions, prophecies,
etc. Angel visitation was in vogue at that time. But the means whereby
he would communicate in these last days to his people would be strictly
in Jesus Christ. That is, Christ Jesus, incarnate GOD. The one born of
Mary whose work is fully recorded in the four evangelists. That record
of his birth, life, death and resurrection is the message of GOD to sinners
today. Not that, as we said before the old testament did not contain the
gospel. It most certainly did. All the scriptures pointed to Christ. But
the Christ of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John; the Christ of the Apostle Paul
is the very Christ prophesied of old. This is the contention. We preach
Jesus of Nazareth. This is the very Christ of GOD.
This Jesus of Nazareth is GOD'S SON. It is he to whom
we must bow. He is appointed heir of all things, and he made the world.
This is Apostolic doctrine. "For by him were all things created,
that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether
they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things
were created by him, and for him:" (Colossians 1:16). "And
to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the
beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by
Jesus Christ:" (Ephesians 3:9). "And we know that the Son of
God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that
is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ.
This is the true God, and eternal life." (1 John 5:20).
This is the understanding of all the elect. GOD was manifest
in the flesh. The writer to the Hebrews starts his sermon out with the
Deity of Jesus Christ. The whole of the chapter is devoted to it. His excellency
exceeds that of the angels. "Being made so much better than
the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than
they." (Hebrews 1:4). GOD has highly exalted him. He hath
the preeminence in the thoughts of the Apostle. And it appears that the
apostle wishes to make clear the majesty of Christ in this First chapter.
Also verse 2 teaches us of the work of redemption. That Christ by himself,
apart from the cooperation of sinners, apart from the free will, imaginary
free will of the sinner to choose Christ, has put away sin and sat down.
This is the truth of the gospel. Many many armenians utterly miss this
point. The putting away of sins is done.
Its done. From the cross to this present hour it remaineth
only to be revealed to designated sinners what Christ has done for them
while they were yet sinners. When the Spirit gives life to a dead sinner,
he also gives him Faith in the testimony. Faith in the blood is the experience
of Grace within. And the whole of chapter 1 is devoted to affirming the
Deity of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. The easy access to so many an old
testament passage to the subject is proof that the volume was written of
Him. And it appears by the reference to angels both in chapters 1 and 2
that the Hebrews were caught up in the same vanity of angelology that the
Colossians were in chapter 2 verse 18. The Apostle instructs them in the
proper service and ministry of Angels. Angels cannot make men sin. Therefore
they cannot redeem them. Angels also cannot cohabit with mankind to produce
some strange flesh so called as alleged by those who interpret Genesis
6 in such away. They minister to men. They were designed for this purpose.
Even Jesus the Son of GOD, as a man was ministered to
by Angels as the second Adam being fully man in need of his Fathers care.
"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that
cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear:
he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: (Matthew 3:11).
"And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening
him." (Luke 22:43). An unfathomable truth. The voluntary submission
of GOD'S Son to abandon himself to his Father and glorify Him by a walk
of Faith and obedience. He said nothing or did nothing of himself. He did
only his fathers will, setting a pattern of testimony to what GOD requires
of his sons. "Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily,
verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he
seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth
the Son likewise." (John 5:19).
In this way did He empty himself, or rather veiled his
own glory until his work of redemption was accomplished. "I
have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest
me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the
glory which I had with thee before the world was." (John 17:4-5).
Chapter 2 opens up with the solemn warning worthy of the
ears of the whole general assembly. Every sinner within ear shot of this
warning should take heed how he hear. The passage can be rendered this
way. Because of what has just been declared we must give our minds over
to the constant meditation upon and diligent consideration of, both in
prayer and the attendance of the word, concerning the things of which we
have specifically heard. Lest the message of Jesus Christ, the only gospel
of salvation, leak out of us like a vessel with holes in it, and we be
found lacking.
Sinners from the foundation of the world will perish for
their sin and according to the light that was in them. Sodom and Gomorrah
is a chilling example of the vengeance of hell fire upon sinners. But men
and women who have heard the gospel such as national Israel will suffer
greater punishment than them. And those who sit in churches today especially
gospel churches and hear the message of the gospel and remain un-repenitent
will experience the depths of hell and the severest punishment for rejecting
so great a light as the glorious light of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It
is exceeding wickedness to remain obstinate at so clear a testimony of
escape. To refuse the simplicity and sufficiency of GOD'S love. LORD have
mercy. It appears that verses 4, 5 speak of the newness of the
message. Recognizing that what our LORD was preaching and subsequently
his Apostles, was a first; it was new wine. It was a new and living way,
confirmed by many divine proofs, apostolic proofs. Which also will leave
the world of detractors without excuse but a greater witness against them.
Verse 5 through the end of the chapter is a proof of Christ's
humanity. That He was the man under whom all things would be subject. And
that GOD was ordained long ago and prophesied in the eighth Psalm to put
on our nature and redeem his sons, his children, his brethren, the children
whom the LORD had given him.
The atoning work of Jesus Christ was not for the world.
While according to verse 9, "But we see Jesus, who was made
a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with
glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every
man." (Hebrews 2:9). He tasted death as a man. He was representative
of only those by whom his suffering would serve their eternal glory. "For
it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in
bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect
through sufferings." (Hebrews 2:10). Again the litany of verses
prove that Jesus Christ of Nazareth was the promised seed of Abraham. "For
verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the
seed of Abraham." (Hebrews 2:16). His atoning work not only
accomplished redemption but destroyed the works of the devil. "Forasmuch
then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself
likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him
that had the power of death, that is, the devil;" (Hebrews 2:14).
It appears that the devil has power to kill. This truth
is affirmed by other scripture such as, "And fear not them which
kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which
is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10:28).
Here he works through evil and wicked men who oppose the gospel and GOD's
servants. "And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine
hand; but save his life." (Job 2:6). The passage clearly teaches
that death is an enemy of man. It is in the power of the devil to take
life, but only at the permission of GOD. No life can be expired except
GOD permit. So that while in those special cases where the devil is directly
involved in this matter of taking life GOD has allowed and superintended
the act, though the devil be the direct instrumentality. However in the
case of our study, the destruction of the works of the devil are those
things that lead up to death, namely sin. In the blinding of mens hearts
and directing them in the way of error, and in the paths of destruction,
as with Adam and Eve, and all the children of the disobedience in whom
the prince of the air works.
The redemption in Christ by application of the Spirit
removes, the veil of darkness so that sinners see the path of destruction.
They depart by Grace from the paths of iniquity and walk in his way. They
tend to the things above, to life, to Christ. He gives them life and they
shall never perish. So the works of the devil are destroyed, and hell is
swallowed up by, Jesus Christ. And the elect go over dry shod in Christ
to glory. This is called redemption and reconciliation. "Wherefore
in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he
might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God,
to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself
hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted."
(Hebrews 2:17-18).
Chapter 3 the writer juxtaposesa Moses to Christ and speaks
of two houses. This principle must be carefully regarded. Moses has a house,
and Christ has a house. Which house are you in? The answer lies in your
confidence. For this the question raised to these Hebrews.
Jesse Gistand, Pastor
Grace Bible Church
San Leandro, CA 94572
Phone (510)-799-7934