Three Commands For Every Christian

Hebrews 10:1-18 (background Scripture)

“ONCE FOR ALL”

“If God were not willing to forgiven sin, heaven would be empty” (German proverb).

Sermon Text: Hebrews 10:19-25

THE FOUNDATIONS FOR THESE THREE COMMANDS:

1. “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh. . . .”

“Boldness” speaks of the FREEDOM TO ENTER INTO THE PRESENCE OF GOD.

• The POSSESSION of this boldness: EVERY BELIEVER possesses the freedom to enter into the presence of God. This privilege is no longer limited to the priesthood. The verse says, “HAVING therefore, brethren, boldness. . . .”

• The PRICE of this boldness: The price which was paid was the precious BLOOD OF JESUS. Just as the Old Covenant high priest was able to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of animals, the blood of Jesus has won us confident entrance into God’s presence.

1 Peter 3:18—“Christ . . . hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit.”

• The PATHWAY into this boldness: The pathway is a “new and living way.” It is “new” in contrast with the Old Testament way which shut men out from the presence of God. It is “living” because Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

The pathway is through the veil which speaks of the “FLESH” or HUMANITY of Christ.

“The veil” refers to the curtain that stood between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place.

There are a number of ways in which the veil of the tabernacle pointed to Christ in the flesh:

a. It was MADE BY WOMEN.

Exodus 35:25—“And all the WOMEN that were wise hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, both of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine linen.”

Galatians 4:4—Christ was “made of a WOMAN.”

b. It had FOUR COLORS: purple, scarlet, white, and blue.

Christ is presented in the FOUR GOSPELS. The PURPLE represent the King, in Matthew; the SCARLET represents the Servant, in Mark; the WHITE represents the Man, in Luke; and the BLUE represents the Lord from heaven, in John.

c. While it was in one piece it SHUT PEOPLE OUT FROM GOD’S PRESENCE.

Only the high priest on the Day of Atonement could pass through the veil into the Most Holy Place. The rest of the people could never enter that place.

The perfect life of Christ condemns sinners. It was rent at the cross when Christ died, and this shows Christ opening up the way into God’s presence.

Matthew 27:51—“And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. . . .”

It was torn from TOP TO THE BOTTOM. This shows that the way into God’s presence came FROM GOD TO MEN.

As the Old Covenant priest had to pass through the veil, the New Covenant people of God enter His presence by way of the sacrificial death of Christ.

2. “. . . and having an high priest over the house of God. . . .”

I. “LET US DRAW NEAR” TO GOD (vv. 21-22)

“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”

FOUR CONDITIONS for drawing near to God:

A. We are to come “with a true heart.”

A “true heart” means a SINCERE or GENUINE heart.

In the Scriptures the heart often represents the INNER LIFE of a person—his thoughts, will, emotions, and character.

Our heart determines our OUTWARD BEHAVIOR.

Luke 6:45—“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: FOR OF THE ABUNDANCE OF THE HEART HIS MOUTH SPEAKETH.”

What’s in your heart will come out in your words.

1 Samuel 16:7—“. . . the Lord seeth not a man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, BUT THE LORD LOOKETH ON THE HEART.”

We must possess genuine devotion rather than hypocrisy.

B. We are to come “in full assurance of faith.”

“Full assurance of faith”means CONVICTION of faith or CERTAINTY of faith.

Hebrews 11:6—“Without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

C. We are to have our “our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience.”

D. We are to have “our bodies washed with pure water.”