The Full Salvation

Dale WellsPalm Desert Church of ChristSeptember 10, 2006

Imagine every sinful thought, word and deed of your life was written in blood-stained red

How much red stained your life last week, month, year?

The heart of our text contrasts an impossibility with a reality

Hebrews 10:4-7 NIV … it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. (5) Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; (6) with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. (7) Then I said, 'Here I am--it is written about me in the scroll-- I have come to do your will, O God.'"

The reality is Christ has done what endless sacrifices could never do This is not academic It is the difference

between spiritual life and death

Hebrews 10:10 NIV And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Our text in three parts – each with a relevant quote from the OT

The Perfect Sacrifice of Christ Hebrews 10:1-10 Psalms 40:6-8

The Perfect Ministry of Christ Hebrews 10:11-14 Psalms 110:1

The Perfect Covenant of Christ Hebrews 10:15-18 Jeremiah 31:33-34

The Perfect Sacrifice of Christ - Impossibility vs. Reality Hebrews 10:1-10 NIV The law is only a shadow of the

good things that are coming--not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. (2) If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. (3) But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, (4) because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

The Perfect Sacrifice of Christ - Impossibility vs. Reality (5) Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice

and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; (6) with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. (7) Then I said, 'Here I am--it is written about me in the scroll-- I have come to do your will, O God.'" (8) First he said, "Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them" (although the law required them to be made). (9) Then he said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will." He sets aside the first to establish the second. (10) And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Hebrews 10:1-10 NIV

What was the death of Christ about? Not martyrdom, nor

accident, nor tragedy Hebrews affirms it was

an intentional, personal sacrifice that dealt once and for all with the impossibility of the Old Covenant sacrifices to ever produce forgiveness

Shadow vs. Reality

Hebrews 10:1 NIV The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming--not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.

Hebrews 10:4 NIV because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Very repetition of sacrifices year after year showed their inadequacy

Like insurance binder to provide temporary coverage till policy is accepted or declined

OT sacrifices gave temporary coverage until the permanent sacrifice of Christ was delivered – to be accepted or declined

Sacrifices – periodic cleanings Like trips to dental hygienist Sacrifices cleaned up sin,

temporarily, but sins started accumulating afresh

Psalms 40:6-8 NIV Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced ; burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require. (7) Then I said, "Here I am, I have come-- it is written about me in the scroll. (8) I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart."

Horace’s rule of dramatic arts

Never introduce a god into the action unless the plot has gotten so tangled that only a god could clean up the mess.

Luther said man has gotten so tangled in his sin that only God can rescue him.

Sacrifices cannot accomplish forgiveness Hebrews 10:6 NIV with burnt

offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased.

They were not wrong, but ineffective

Jesus came to fulfill & complete a system that pointed forward to him

Christ is fulfilling the OT plan

How could people in OT be forgiven by sacrifice of Christ?

Christ’s blood washes both ways from Calvary – backwards to cover sins of OT & forward to cover sins of generations unborn

Full salvation is found only in Christ

Key word is hapax – once for all

Once for all (hapax)

Hebrews 9:12 NIV He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.

Once for all (hapax)

Hebrews 9:26 NIV Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.

Once for all (hapax)

Hebrews 9:28 NIV so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

Once for all (hapax)

Hebrews 10:10 NIV And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Once for all (hapax)

Hebrews 10:12 NIV But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.

Grasp the finality of Christ’s work

In light of Jesus’ once – never to be repeated – sacrifice, it is ridiculous to go backward

1st Century readers – it was ridiculous to return to Judaism

21st Century readers – it is just as ridiculous to return to hedonism

Some religions teach that God simply forgives without even remorse on man’s part

Christians take forgiveness seriously because of what it cost God – the death of the Son of God

Perfect Ministry of Christ

Hebrews 10:11-14 NIV Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. (12) But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. (13) Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, (14) because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

Standing vs. Seated

Some of the writer’s contrasts of OT priests vs. Jesus Many priests vs. one Priest Priests who died vs. Priest who lives forever Repeated, ineffective sacrifices vs. one final, perfect sacrifice Standing priests vs. seated Christ

Standing vs. Seated

OT priests were always at their tasks; Christ’s work is done. He is sitting, because his work is finished.

Psalms 110:1 NIV Of David. A psalm. The LORD says to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet."

Standing vs. Seated

It is not that he is inactive Hebrews 7:25 NIV Therefore he is able to save

completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

There is a lasting, permanent peace between God and man Nations only have

ambassadors when there is peace. When peace breaks down, the ambassador is withdrawn.

Christ is our ambassador at court with God. We may strain diplomatic relations with God, but they will never break down.

Perfect Covenant of Christ

Hebrews 10:15-18 NIV The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: (16) "This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds." (17) Then he adds: "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more." (18) And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin.

Covenant – think contract

God entered into contract with Abraham & his spiritual descendants.

People broke the contract, but God never breached.

OT covenant was preparatory for NT cross.

Christ has done it all

No need to confess same sins over & over – God forgives

We don’t have to go to a priest – we go directly through Jesus Christ

The work of Christ enables us to face the future with confidence

Jews knew what they did when they laid their sins on the head of their offering

We lay our sins on the head of Christ

How do you get forgiven?

Only through the once crucified and now risen Christ Only through the perfect sacrifice, ministry & covenant Hebrews 10:14 NIV because by one sacrifice he has

made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

Pilate tried to wash the blood of Jesus off his hands Matthew 27:24 NIV

When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. "I am innocent of this man's blood," he said. "It is your responsibility!"

Only the blood of Jesus can wash our hands of the stain of sin

Hebrews 9:13-14 NIV The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. (14) How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!

What a difference the blood makes! Galatians 5:19-23 NLT When you follow the desires of

your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results: sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, (20) idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group, (21) envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other kinds of sin. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. (22) But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (23) gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law.