James White | A New & Living Way

The Shadow of Repetitive Sacrifices and the Finished Work of Christ

Turn with me please to the book of Hebrews chapter 10. Hebrews chapter 10. We are continuing our study from last week as a part of the Roman Catholic controversy series. We did the first few verses after looking at the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church in regards to the subject of The mass as a perpetuatory sacrifice.

I Was going to try and I may still make it. I was going to try to Get all the way through Verse 25 well, actually 23. But I'm not going to rush it. I there's so much here. That is and and I hope you don't hear this series as first and foremost A discussion of what someone else believes and we don't believe and and so why don't we, you know get ready to to be witnesses and we need to do all that.

That's true, but hopefully what you're hearing from me as I speak on these issues is that The only way to give a truly consistent and I think spirit-blessed Passionate response When we are faced with error is to first and foremost love the truth.

That is being denied that is being obscured that is being replaced. To use an example that I think for us is particularly good. I Know that in past years when back in the 1980s and 90s when we would go out to the LDS Easter pageant or we would go up to the General Conference of the Mormon Church in Salt Lake City and we would have extensive conversations Sometimes even a line of people waiting to talk to us or talking to an entire group of More missionaries or things like that, which rarely happens anymore.

But when that would take place, I certainly recognized that when I was giving testimony to what I believed and It was a heartfelt commitment to something such as the finished nature of the atoning work of Christ or the eternal nature of God and his the fact he's Unchanging.

I when I first when the first two more missionaries I talked to elders Reed and Reese. We met on a Monday and a Thursday in the summer of 1982. How many of you were not on earth in the summer of 1982?

There we go back in rhythm. That's actually not far off for me these days anyway. The last thing I left them with is What I try to leave with Mormons even to this day and That is I said to them. I said gentlemen my hope and prayer for you is that someday You will see your need to know the true unchanging God of history and And my prayer is That you will either find me or more likely someone else who believes like me to be able to assist you to come to know that one true and unchanging God and that's that's the message that I've had for the Mormon people ever since then and The fact that I believe that not because it's written down on a card that I'm you know I'm sitting here going and the Mormon is wrong because of no.

They can tell When someone is speaking to them from the heart that this means something to them that it's it's a part of of their entire understanding of the world and they're committed to it and The same way when we're dealing with these subjects in regards to Roman Catholicism.

My hope is That as for example, we were walked through Hebrews chapter 10 my goodness the depth of The meaning that this has for us as believers. It's one thing to argue the mass with a Roman Catholic it's something else to say.

The reason that I'm speaking to you about this is because the finished nature of Christ's sacrifice His once for all giving of himself no representation. No propitiatory sacrifice no sacraments that get in the way He gave himself once and by that one offering those who are being sanctified have been perfected for all time and when they can tell that you.

You live in light of that every day. And I guess I have to ask the question do we do we. I've often I've often said to us. We argue about the Trinity with people but if we're really honest with ourselves how many weeks can we go through.

Where we almost never think? About Father Son and Holy Spirit we never think in our prayers about who we're addressing and. So when we talk about things like the finished nature of Christ's sacrifice on the cross outside of the Lord's Supper.

Is that something we think about in our morning devotions. Over lunch in the evening. Before we go to bed. It should be it's the very basis of our peace with God. When we wake in the morning. Knowing what our thoughts were like the day before.

Why do we think we can have peace with God? It's only because what of Christ what Christ has done. And so when when that's a part of our our very essence. When we recognize this is how I have a relationship with God that comes across as you speak to others and so as we look at this text of Scripture, I Truly want this to be something that will Provide you with an in-depth Understanding.

I want this to be a section of Scripture that you you come back to over and over again and Read what comes before and see how everything flows into it and we really hit to be honest with you some of the very key elements of what the argument of Hebrews is and since this is the longest discussion of The atoning work of Christ of what the New Testament teaches on the cross.

Many of us wear a cross. We've got a big old cross back behind me there. What does it mean? We get to the very central aspects of that even in today's exhortation. So Remember what we saw before? We saw in the first three verses.

The assertion for the law since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things. Can never by the same sacrifices. Which they offer continually year by year. Repetitive sacrifice repetitive sacrifice you're coming to the the temple over and over and over again you come on yom kippurim the day of atonements and This is what we saw last year and it's what we saw the year before and what we're gonna see next year and it's the same Sacrifices being offered over and over and over again.

We are told that since These are only a shadow of the good things to come they were pointing away from themselves. There were just a shadow. There needed to be a fulfillment because by those same sacrifices.

They can never make perfect those who draw near they don't possess within themselves The power To perfect those who draw near in worship. Otherwise would they not have ceased to be offered because the worshipers having once been cleansed would no longer have consciousness of sins.

Remember last time we talked about that and we said well, wait a minute. We we have consciousness of sins. We confess our sins. We would what what does that mean that that this is not powerful either.

No the recognition is that those worshipers Notice it says having once been cleansed, but they knew. That's not a life commensurate with my own that's being offered. That's a that's a bowl. It's a heifer.

It's a goat. It's whatever and there's nothing in the promise That has been given to us. That that sacrifice will perfect me because in that law I know I'm gonna have to come back again and again and again and again.

There is no promise of perfection because they're just shadows. They're pointing to something else to something greater. And what is the greater? Emmanuel God with us the Word made flesh. The Lord of Glory crucified.

That's the greater and. So these repetitive sacrifices. Do not perfect and that consciousness of sins. We know if we believe the Word of God, we know that our sin debt has been born in perfection by our Savior in our place.

Our sins born by him his righteousness imputed to us. But then we saw in those sacrifices those repetitive sacrifices there is an anamnesis remember the term anamnesis a reminder of sins year by year.

Year by year if you have to keep offering sacrifice. Then you're being reminded of the need that brings that about which is a continuing presence of sin. For it's impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away Sins, they can't bear Sins, they only point to the one who will and that's where we stopped last week.

Psalm 40, the Incarnation, and Christ Doing the Father’s Will

So now Please note something especially for those of you who are Zealous post-millennialists and yeah, you like to get on Facebook and get out your anti-dispensationalist sword and Maybe even have a few throwing stars for some amillennialists and things like that and you're ready to get into it something that really struck me is the fact that Some of our fate well most of our favorite texts about the lordship and rulership of Christ Appear right here in Hebrews chapter 10 in a completely Sacrificial Soteriological the doctrine of salvation context.

Showing once again that when we talk about Christ as ruler of the nations as king of kings and Lord of lords. You can't separate that From the work that he accomplished on the cross. It's all of one fabric.

So many people will focus upon one element or another element the Bible keeps all of it together in beautiful harmony in beautiful beautiful harmony and. So as is always the case in the New Testament.

The writer wants to demonstrate the consistency with the old covenant scriptures. Therefore when he comes in the world He says and a quote from Psalm 40 Sacrifice an offering you have not desired. But a body you have prepared for me in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin.

You have taken no pleasure. Then I said behold I have come in the scroll the book. It is written of me to do your will Oh God. Hmm, okay. Now I don't have time right now. This would normally be something that I would find rather enjoyable to do.

But I will as I always do try to make you aware of the fact that there is what is called a textual variant. Amongst manuscripts now in this case. It's not amongst the manuscripts of the New Testament.

It's amongst the manuscripts of the Old Testament. Because in many of the manuscripts of the Old Testament it said instead of saying but a body you have prepared for me. It is you have pierced my ear.

Now the Greek translation of the Old Testament, which is what the writer is quoting. Which is really interesting given these writing to the Hebrews, but he's quoting from the Greek translation the Old Testament called the Greek Septuagint that Translation primarily has a body you have prepared For me and that is a part of the argumentation that is being made though.

It's not the focus of the argumentation. So here the writer says this is the Sun as He comes into the world He says these things sacrifice and offering you have not desired. But a body you have prepared for me and burnt offerings and sacrifice for sin.

You have taken no pleasure. Then I said behold I have come in the scroll of the book. It is written of me to do your will Oh God. And then the writer says this after saying above then a fairly lengthy recitation Sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you have not desired nor have you taken pleasure in them.

What are all those things? Which are offered according to the law. What's the whole point of the book of Hebrews again? Come back to the old ways. You've joined a cult come back to the old ways. Go to the beautiful temple in Jerusalem offer your sacrifices curse Christ.

We'll accept you back and so after saying Sacrifices offering all the things the Levitical priesthood were doing which are offered according the law then he said Behold, I have come to do your will you don't desire all that.

I have come and He's the writer is tying this into the the incarnation of Christ is coming into this world. I have come to do your will. He takes away the first. In order to establish the second a lot of people just go flying by this and don't stop long enough to go.

Takes the way the first what in order to establish the second what? Well, if you look back When it says sacrifice and offering you have not desired. Coming from Psalm 40 that uses the same root term as will to desire and.

So you have the first will expressed in the law in the Sacrifices and then he said behold. I have come to do your will he takes away the first all the Sacrifices all the things the priesthood is doing in order to establish the second.

Which is where the son says to the father in essence Behold, I have come to do your will. Hmm. Where have you heard something like that before? Where have you heard? Jesus Saying something like that before.

How about John chapter 6? I have not come to do my own will but the will of him who sent me and this the will Of him who sent me that of all he gives me. I lose none of them, but raise him up on the last day.

So here The son is saying I'm not. I'm not some renegade down here detracting from. You know trying to get followers for myself or anything like that. I Have not come to do my own will but the will of him who sent me and this the will of him who sent me that.

Of all that he's given me. I lose none of them, but raise it up on the last day. Raise it up on the last day. Behold, I have come to do your will clearly the New Testament writers Understand the harmony that exists between the father and the son in the accomplishment of the work of redemption.

So he takes away the first which is all the old sacrifices in order to establish the second his Accomplishing of the will of the father by this will. By this expression of God's intention and purpose by this will we have been sanctified.

Through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Now if you take notes, I see a number of you are doing that but if you take notes By this will that's the second will the one that the son expresses in his activity.

We have been sanctified. Now sometimes when you start talking about grammar people sort of roll their eyes and glaze over and things like that you can't do that. Because The same term is used in verses 10 and 14.

But they're expressed differently and we need to understand why? Okay. So in verse 10 we have been sanctified. We have been made holy is In what's called the perfect? The perfect refers to a completed action in the past with abiding results the present so It's something that is done in the past and it remains done in the present.

There is a way of referring to something that was done in the past. But not doesn't necessarily tell you whether it is still done in the present or not. But this means we have been Made holy now. One of the things I want to suggest to you.

Sometimes we struggle a little bit with Hebrews. Because we take some of what we've heard in is what's called systematic theology and We try to make Hebrews fit into our systematic theology language. Rather than letting Hebrews be Hebrews and then Make our systematic theology consistent with all of the Canon of the New Testament and the Old Testament when we talk about sanctification.

Hopefully you've already heard the phrases positional sanctification and Experiential sanctification. Positional is simply meaning we have been made holy. This is something that has already been accomplished.

This is why it can be said that we are seated in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. That we have been declared righteous in God's sight. Experiential sanctification as Paul said, you know, this is God's will for your sanctification and he's Talking there about putting to death sin and not living in the ways the world and and all those other things That we experience on a regular basis.

I Think what we see here in Hebrews chapter 10, especially When it says we have been sanctified is The writer of the Hebrews language that Comes right to saying the exact same thing That Paul says when he says we have been justified in Christ Jesus.

We have been made holy. This is God's work or if you look at the golden chain of redemption in Romans chapter 8 Those who he called that's effectual calling he justified and those who he justified he glorified.

These are all divine acts. They're all extensions of God's power and Hence are completely to his glory. So by this will the will Of the Father for the Son accomplished by the Son we have been made holy.

How? What is the mechanism? Well Man's religions will insert entire books into this sentence. All the things that we do all the things that we accomplish all the sacraments that we work through and everything else.

But that's not what the text says. By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Temporal adverb. Referring to the singularity of the offering. Believe me.

I've heard lots of sermons Where someone either didn't take their Greek or they didn't care to look up what it was saying. See, it's one time for all people. That's not what it's saying. That's that's it is impossible For a Greek speaker to read that term and go.

Oh, yeah, that's that's what I mean. No, that's impossible. It's not what it means. It is the singular offing and why is it? Well, look at this the paragraph. We just read what did it start off with the same?

Sacrifices offered year by year repetitive ongoing. Instead now we have been sanctified Through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once once for all. Never to be repeated. Once for all never to be repeated.

Now that is an amazing statement because if it's true Then the entire argument of Hebrews has now been established. There's nothing to go back to. Why would you go back to? Repetitive sacrifices. That perfect no one when one offering has been provided.

That sanctifies and makes holy in a way that the old old covenants never could. The old covenant offerings ever could. Why would you go back to that? So that is a a major statement and so the writer is going to Expand a little bit upon his argumentation to make sure that that has been fully Grounded.

Because that really is if someone were to say To you go back to these ways. No, this is why. Well, why do you believe that? Verse 11 every priest Stands, please note that word Stands Daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices which can never take away sins.

Now this isn't referring specifically to Yom Kippurim. This is referring to the regular worship taking place in the temple. But the point is the priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time.

The same sacrifices you hear that theme. Which can never take away sins. But he Having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time. Sat down at the right hand of God. Waiting from that time until his enemies are put as a footstool for his feet now once again.

We especially should always recognize Psalm 110 when it gets quoted in the New Testament. We know that one very well. But notice here it is being quoted partially in regards to the finished mess of the sacrificial work of Christ.

He does not like the Old Testament. Old Covenant priests stand daily ministering and offering time after time he offered one sacrifice for sins for all time. You see the contrast it's meant to be a stark Contrast between the two.

He offered one sacrifice for sins for all time. But then notice the next thing he sat down at the right hand of God. See you and I are so used to hearing this language that sometimes its significance misses us and it can it would certainly for the original audience.

Have been a major point of wow. So I want to make sure we get all the major points of Wow. What does verse 11 say the priest does daily he stands? What does verse 12 say? Christ does. Quoting yes fulfillment text.

But he sat down now this is where and You know, I wish these were things that I had caught when I was younger. I That in Sunday school when I was a little one. One of the things that the the Sunday school teachers like to do is they liked to build like a little diorama type thing of the tabernacle and so you'd have the little tent and you'd have a little high priest and and All the rest that kind of stuff and you could you could take the roof off and you could see what was inside.

That was about the only way you can keep the kids interested what you were talking about how else can we talk about the Levitical sacrifices with eight-year-olds and So even with that I Don't know that ever would have struck me the way it would have struck the original hearers of this text.

Because if you know what's in the holy place and they did I know you've heard it called Holy of Holies, right? Holy of Holies is just simply a Hebraism in Hebrew if you say the holy of holies what you're saying is the holiest place and So it's the place inside the veil that only the high priest goes once a year and Every Jewish boy and girl Would know exactly what was in that place.

Exactly what was there it would have been described to them over and over again and Here's the one thing to keep in mind. There was no place to sit down. There weren't any seats. There was a mercy seat, but that wasn't to sit on.

There was no place the high priest to rest. He wasn't gonna be in there long enough to rest in the first place. Because his work was never finished but instead instead of the standing daily ministering sacrifice priests of the old order.

The Melchizedek priest. Because he offers himself and Because he's raised from the dead and hence has an indestructible life. Enters into the true holy place in heaven. There to appear in the presence of God the Father for us in our place.

This is the same picture presented for us the book of Revelation the Lamb standing as if slain but is he continuing a sacrificial work. No, his work is done. He sits down at the right hand of God. There was no place to sit down in The shadows and types.

But for the one who represents us He sits down and that's what would have caught their attention. He sits down. That means his his work is completed it's finished it's done. Remember that horrific quote I read for you last week from the faith of millions.

Where it's talking about the power of the Christian priest and so when he utters the words of consecration Hocus corpus mayum. This is my body. The immortal God Jesus bows his head in humble obedience and renders himself present upon the altar once again.

No one who has any clue. What Hebrews chapter 10 is arguing would ever say that? Would ever say that he has offered one sacrifice for sins for all time and Therefore he sat down at the right hand of God work.

Completed no more. No more high priests. Nobody's gonna take his place. There's no one gonna be there's gonna be any Melchizedek priests. Make sure to tell that to your young Mormon missionaries when they come by.

Waiting from that time until his enemies are put as a footstool for his feet. Does that sound? It's strange to you in the middle of talking about the finishedness of the sacrifice. The Messiah sits down.

He's been raised from the dead. He's entered into the holy place. The earthly tabernacle and temple is just a picture of what's there in heaven. He enters into that heavenly place in the very presence of the Father as our representative member.

Hebrews chapter 6 he goes in as our representative a sure anchor for the soul goes within the veil and He sits down his work completed. Because just as that lamb has the marks of his death upon him. So Jesus has the marks of the nails in his hand.

That one sacrifice does not have to be Represented over and over again. The finishedness of it is right there. And so for all who are in him God can now look at them as having his righteousness Cleansed of sin and His righteousness in that he loved God perfectly and kept God's law perfectly.

There's our forerunner. There's the surety of our salvation. Right in the middle of that. Oh, that's all salvation. That's a teary ology. Yes it is. Waiting from that time until his enemies are put as a footstool for his feet.

His enemies his enemies. How does that fit how do we how do we put this together? Well, I don't think that it is. Out of line to remind you of what I think is one of the most shocking Texts in the New Testament.

Remind you again the book of Revelation after chapters 4 5. Chapter 4 the worship of God in heaven. Chapter 5 now that looks like Isaiah 6 now in history. Something has taken place. And there's another one being worshipped by all of creation.

Not just some all of creation. The Lamb standing as if slain and we think of the Lamb. We think of Sacrifice we think of mercy and We should those things are appropriate, but they are not enough to adequately express Who Christ is because in chapter 6 of the book of Revelation?

Judgment starts to come upon the earth and men from the highest level of society to the lowest. They want to hide from God. They want to hide from the wrath and they call the mountains to fall upon them and hide them from whom?

The wrath of God and the wrath of the Lamb. The wrath of the Lamb. What an amazing Joining of words. How can you talk about a wrathful lamb? Not overly not overly scary. Oh the lambs gonna get me. We're not scared of a little lamb.

Now a goat and it's different thing some of those things are just mean they really are. But a wrathful lamb I can think of the wrathful lion of the tribe of Judah. Oh, that's good. But that's not what the Holy Spirit gave through John the wrath of the Lamb and that's what we have here.

He sits down at the right hand of God. His sacrificial work completed all those for whom his sacrifice have been made perfected. Made holy and he waits from that time on. Until his enemies are put as a footstool for his feet.

It's so easy for us to focus upon what God does to bring about salvation. That we don't think about the justice of God that is demonstrated upon those who love their sin those who reject his ways and We live in a day where I think before my life ends and I'm Ain't no spring chicken anymore.

I think before my life ends in this United States of America, we will see people Minimally Losing possessions jobs positions, but I think much more probably their freedom and Maybe their lives for daring to say that God will judge Those who reject his ways if you quote 1st Corinthians chapter 6 and Say that these people will not inherit the kingdom of God.

There are already many many people in our society. They would love to see government power brought to bear against such hate speech such bigotry. Now have they thought through what hate speech would be by what standard you define that.

By what standard you define bigotry? No, they're a part of the public indoctrination system, they're not taught to think like that and So they just they just go with what they hear other people say. Neither one is bigoted.

Neither one is hate speech in fact. Is Psalm 110 hate speech. Until his enemies are put as a footstool for his feet. How many Christians are there today that would blush and Hesitate to say that Jesus has enemies.

There Jesus has no enemies. Jesus loves everybody. And he just disloves you wherever you are, whatever you do. That's my Jesus well your Jesus is a fake Unknown to Scripture. Jesus has enemies and He is waiting in heaven until his enemies are put as a footstool For his feet and that had meaning back then.

When a king would put his feet upon the neck of a vanquished enemy. That was a total demonstration of the destruction of that enemy's power. So here you have in the middle of the expression of God's grace in salvation.

The recognition of God's wrath against sin and how much of the proclamation of The evangelical and even reformed churches in the United States Represents the biblical balance on these topics. How often do we become embarrassed?

By the biblical testimony the reality is the words that the Spirit of God has given to us. Tell us That that loving Savior who gave himself for his people is waiting his work completed. Until his enemies are put as a footstool for his feet.

That is the promise of Scripture and that then becomes the basis of verse 14 for by one offering. Again in the context of many offerings now one Offering he has done. What there is. A New movement started amongst Southern Baptists.

Initially they call themselves Traditionalists that didn't go very well. No one liked that term. Everybody's got their traditionalists. We've got traditionalist Calvinists, too. And they can be real jerks, by the way.

You can have all five points memorized and have them all tattooed on your forehead still be a jerk. So they changed their name to provisionists. The idea is God has provided a way for everyone to. There is no decree.

There is no decree of election of particular individuals. It's peanut butter grace for everybody you just spread it all over the place. Sort of reminds me a little bit my son's not here his car has died 10 ,000 deaths and and I just remember I could always tell when he had a peanut butter sandwich when he was about seven or eight years old because I'd Find half of it on the refrigerator door handle.

Peanut butter gets everywhere, doesn't it? You can just sort of spread it all over everything and that's what this grace is. You spread all over providing. Not salvation, but a means of salvation. That's not the New Testament message by one offering.

He has actually accomplished something every Doctrine of the Atonement that does not assert that Christ's death actually Accomplishes what father son and spirit intended is a sub? Biblical Non-glorifying theology that's based primarily on emotion and not scripture.

Emotion and not scripture by one offering. He has perfected. He has Perfected. That's the very same term. Root term. The Jesus cries out on the cross it is finished. It's completed. He has perfected. Who has perfected he has done it.

He didn't make a way for us to do it. He has perfected for now. No for all time those Who are being sanctified or simply sanctified and that's an important question because I said, please note this. Because the term is going to be used again remember up in verse 10.

By this will we have been sanctified. Let's see how many of you are still awake from only 15 minutes ago I said have been sanctified. Was in what form in the original language? Well. Now this is of course why my daughter married him, but my son-in-law Got it, right right off the bat there and There's probably a few things behind that we'll discuss at dinner Tonight after the service, but it's in the perfect.

And what does the perfect mean? It's an action that has been completed in the past with what abiding results to the present. So we have been sanctified verse 10 through the offering the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

There is a positionality. There is a finishedness. But then in verse 14. For by one offering he is perfected for all time. Those who are being sanctified. Being sanctified. So, why is there a difference between these two?

One is a present tense. One is a perfect tense. Is it meant to be making a differentiation? I Don't think so if you look back at verse 10 the The action in verse 14 is perfecting. The action in verse 10 is Those who have been sanctified so that's the action itself and so it's emphasizing the fact that this action is Completed it's finished and it abides the current situation here in verse 14.

He has perfected Is in the perfect. So it is a parallel with verse 14 and so what you have and those who are being sanctified is a description as a description. That shows us that yes, that is that is the case in eternity it's done it's finished.

But it's being worked out now amongst us and it will be for every generation. This isn't just true prior to the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. It remains true today it remains true for us. We are experiencing this in our lives.

But it's both based upon Finished works that God has accomplished by his power, but please note something.

It's a specific group. You see it.

It's a specific group for by one offering. He has perfected for all time. Those who are being sanctified he hasn't perfected for all time those in whom the Spirit is not working. He hasn't perfected for all time.