Blood Covenant - Part 3 — Bob Phillips

This is tape number three in a series. We urge you to listen to all the tapes in the series in numerical order. So that the whole teaching can be received and understood. Listening to a part of the series or to the tapes out of sequence can lead to a misunderstanding of the nature.

Covenant, the Whole Heart, and the Old and New Testaments

The intent and the importance of the series. Second Thessalonians chapter 2. We'll start in second Thessalonians chapter 2 last night. We ministered on the blood covenant. We just covered some basic areas of covenant what it meant to walk in covenant what a covenant is.

We'll be clarifying that and speaking more of it as we go through the week. But tonight we're going to talk about the heart that makes covenant with God the heart that makes covenant with God and We're going to go on and I'm just believing God by Thursday night by Thursday night.

I believe that you're going to have such an Understanding of being able to just move through the Old and New Testaments and a tying and intertwining together of those two. Those two books the Old and the New Testament so that you can understand how they fit and flow together.

I believe that God will give you this week an understanding of what the law is why the law was given how it relates to the New Testament and where you stand with the Lord Jesus and Depending on how the Lord leads us will either cover that tomorrow night or the next night.

But we're going to just tie it all together now every message will be self-contained and that you can come and hear any one message and and. And I believe the Lord will minister to you but I urge you to come because every message the Lord's given is building one on another and He's giving me the general outlines and the topics that he wants me to use but he hasn't given me the messages and I'm spending The afternoon praying before the Lord and just studying before the Lord to see what he would have me deliver.

So I know he's building something here and I don't want you to miss it. And so I urge you to to make an effort to be here. And so I want you to start with me tonight in 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2. We're talking about the heart that makes covenant with God.

Covenant as an Exchange of Identity and Righteousness

What kind of heart makes covenant with God? We saw last night that covenants the walk of death. We saw that when you enter into covenant with God There's several things that take place. Principally we saw last night.

There's a there's an exchange of identities that take place and we saw that whenever you enter covenant with the Lord Jesus Christ God the Father made covenant with God the Son and you become a joint heir of the covenant in Christ Jesus as you give your heart to Jesus how much of these your heart does he want?

All of it God demands your whole heart now. We've also seen that there's an exchange that take place that takes place. That God takes the robe of righteousness that was on Jesus. And he takes that robe and he places it on all who will make covenant with God.

And so there's an exchange what kind of robe did God take from you a robe of sin? He takes your robe of sin and he puts his robe of righteousness on you. Then he took the robe of sin that you had and who did he put it on?

He put it on Jesus and that's why the word says in 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 that he who knew no sin was made to be sin on your behalf that you might become the Righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. I want to say this to you.

You're not just an old dead dog if you're in Christ as we saw Mephibosheth thing. You're not just a sinner barely saved by grace if you're in Christ Jesus that theory and that idea comes from a false humility that many of us learned there was just barely gonna make it.

Grace is not simply Unmerited favor. We talked about this last night. Grace is the power of God to enable you to walk in everything. He calls you to do. Are you hearing what I'm saying? If you are in Christ Jesus, you're not just an old sinner saved by grace.

Yes, you're a sinner saved by grace. Don't have any problem with that. But you have been made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Then that can I tell you also? There's a group of people who speak that with their mouth and come claim it with their lips.

But and I'm not talking about any denomination group. I'm just talking about people who do this and they they get a hold of this truth. But they forget to read 1st John chapter 3 verse 7 he who is righteous he who practices Righteousness is righteous.

Are you with me? So God's not talking about some theory or another doctrine that you can store up in order to talk about righteousness. God makes you righteous now. Listen to me. There's not one thing that you can do to be righteous.

You all your good works won't make you righteous. God must make you righteous. Are you hearing me? Because your righteousness is as filthy rags not one thing. It's all Jesus. I want you to realize that I said this last night.

You need to know your part in God's part because you absolutely cannot do God's part and he won't do your part. All right, so you've made righteous by the power of grace. The power of grace makes you righteous.

It's also the power of grace that allows you to practice righteousness. But the man who's truly righteous or the woman who's truly righteous will practice righteousness. They won't practice. Fleshly sin rebellion.

Are you with me when they recognize something? That's not like Jesus. They come to him with a whole heart. They repent and guess what? It's accounted to him as righteousness. They're righteous. As a matter of fact, John 3 7 said that not only does the man who practiced righteous Is righteous it says just as he is Righteous, don't you think about that?

That's an awesome statement that God would make that when God makes you righteous. He doesn't make you righteous in degrees. His righteousness is put on you makes you just as righteous in his eyes as he is righteous.

Are you with me? Now you don't let that sink in that's an awesome statement that God made about us. I say that's an awesome Statement that God made about us. He made us that righteous. All right, but now I want you to turn with me as I said to 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 7.

The Mystery of Lawlessness and the Divided Heart

For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. When's the mystery of lawless going to start to work? The mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way and then that lawless one Will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of his mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of his coming.

That is now I want you to notice this carefully. That is the one who's coming is in accord with the activity of who? The activity of Satan and he comes. I want you to notice how he comes. He comes with all power and signs and false wonders.

Folks, I want to tell you something. It grieves me. It grieves me when I see things like this happen. But when when people stand up and flippantly just tell the devil to go. I was in a place not too long ago where the pastor stood up and he said I want everybody.

That's got a Bible raise your raise your Bible and so everybody raised their Bibles. He said not wave them in the air just wave your Bible in the air wave them in there. Everybody's waved their Bibles in the air.

He said praise God. Look at the devil. He's scared to death. He's running from this place praise God. I want to tell you something that didn't shake the devil up at all. It didn't even budge him. The only thing that moves the devil is a heart turn toward Jesus.

Because when your hearts turn toward Jesus you have the identity and the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. And he doesn't have to do business with you. He has to do business with Almighty God. And so the only thing that the devil is afraid of is Jesus.

Are you hearing what I'm saying? When you're identified with Jesus, he believes that you can't be identified with Jesus. If your heart's divided with the world all these cute little tricks. We try with the speaking our lips and and the things we do and laugh at the devil folks.

I want to tell you something. He's having a ball chewing Christians alive. But the only ones he can devour and chew. Are the ones with the divided heart? Are you hearing what I'm saying? See the Bible says be on the alert.

Be sober be on the alert. Your adversary the devil prowls about like a roaring lion. Seeking someone to devour. Well, what does that mean? It means if he has to seek that means he can't devour everyone.

He has to seek for someone to devour. Are you hearing what I'm saying? The Bible also says in 2nd Chronicles 16 9 the eyes about another secret. Says the eyes of the Lord go to and fro across the whole earth.

Seeking to show himself strong or to strongly support. Those whose hearts are completely is we got two secrets. One seeker. God is seeking a whole heart. The heart that's completely is he says I will be there to strongly support.

And he does it on the basis of Kevin. The devil is seeking somebody who's got a divided heart because if you've got a divided heart he can devour you. He's chewing on you right now on your life your home your church.

He's chewing on everything and you hear what I'm saying? If your heart's divided are you with me? All right, notice. Satan comes with all power and signs and false wonders. Can I also tell you something?

Testing Blessings, Signs, and Doctrinal Loyalty

We're gonna see this very clearly now. Listen to me this may come as a shock and may be new to you. Simply because you appear to be being blessed does not mean that you are in the favor of God. You can allow your heart to go after an idol and Satan can bless you now say something else.

God blesses people and sometimes the word of God says the blessings of God. The rain falls on the just and the unjust and. So because there are signs and wonders. Because there are blessings does not mean that that is a stamp of approval of God.

Approving your life or your lifestyle. Are you hearing what I'm saying? Now? We don't cover that more. You're going to see that. But I want you to notice this. He comes with all power and signs and false wonders and with all the deception of wickedness.

I think the King James says the deceivableness of unrighteousness or something like that. But he comes with all the deception of wickedness. Now, who's he coming for. Notice who he's coming for for those Who perish because they did not receive the love of the truth.

Are you seeing that the only one what do you love now? Let me tell you what it means if you love the truth. Then when I speak something that's contrary to your doctrine. You're going to check it out with the word if you love your doctrine if you love your denomination.

If you love your church if you love some man if you love some some system more than you love the truth. Then you're going to get offended and you're going to get mad and you're going to get upset and and because your heart's not in covenant With God your heart doesn't love the truth.

It doesn't want to know the truth. I don't know how many people I've heard so many people. Pastors will talk to me now and they'll they'll call and they'll say and I had the same thing happen to me. Beacon board saying say well, I see what you're saying and I know that that's true.

I mean, I see it right there in the Bible, but we're such-and-such a denomination. We just don't believe that way. Now, let me ask you a question. Do they love the truth? Absolutely, not. Then what's what's going to happen to them?

Well, let's see what happens. It says that if you don't love the truth for this reason God verse 11 will send upon them. Now I want you to see who sends this. I just want you to see it. I don't want you to try to pretend it says something different.

Who sends it. God sends upon them a deluding influence. So that they might believe what is false or that they might believe a lie in order that they all may be judged. Who did not Believe in the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.

Now I want you to notice again who he says he he sends it upon those who do not believe the truth. Are you with me now when you don't believe the truth. God allows a deluding influence to come to your life.

Let me tell you what a deluding influence can be. You might be one yourself. You might be a deluding influence in your home in your own family. You might be a deluding influence to your own children. You know, what a deluding influence does a Deluding influence reinforces the lie.

Are you hearing what I'm saying? Let me say it again a deluding influence reinforces the lie. How many you with me? I Say how many of you with me? All right. Let me tell you what that means. You see if you come to church and you just praise God and you dance and you raise your hands and you shout or if you Sit in the pew, but you come to church.

You're showing your children. For example. Hey, this is well, we just come. We just had a good time in Jesus. But if they see your heart during the week where it goes Jesus doesn't have first place. There was somebody preaches a message about Jesus having first place and everything.

Would you shout and scream and dance and agree with it? I'm telling what you're doing. You are a deluding influence in your own family because you're saying this is what it means to love Jesus with your whole heart.

Are you hearing what I'm saying? And so you become a deluding influence. Let me tell you another way of deluding influence works. If you have a problem with resentment or bitterness or criticism. If you have a problem with criticism and any of those things if there's something you don't like then count on it.

I say count on it. You will meet somebody in a short course of time that will say exactly what you say and Reinforce the lie that's in your heart whether or not you're speaking the truth or not. It'll reinforce the criticalness and the resentment that's down deep inside your heart.

Are you hearing what I'm saying? You will get a deluding influence. If you have a heart or an ear that's prone to gossip. Guess what you're going to get people will come and talk with you. You'll be a very popular person for Satan to send people to talk to because you got an ear open to a deluding influence.

Are you hearing what I'm saying? Because you see you believe a lot. So I said, how do I believe a lot? Well, the Word of God clearly says don't gossip. Don't slander. Don't be critical. Don't hold resentment.

Are you hearing what I'm saying? Now listen, if you've got a heart that's open to lust count on it. You're going to get a deluding influence to draw you off in the lust. Are you hearing what I'm saying?

All right, you're going to have a deluding influence examine your life. Are you a deluding influence? What comes out of your mouth? Whatever's coming out of your mouth is what's in your heart. Are you hearing what I'm saying?

Whatever you're acting you're believing. That's what you really believe rather than the Word of God. Thank God says he will allow a deluding influence to come on those who do not love the truth. That means you love the truth more than you love any other influence.

Are you with me? I say are you with me? All right turn with me to 1st Thessalonians 4. 1st Thessalonians chapter 4. We're going to see what the will of God is. It's important to know the will of God because the Word of God says in Matthew chapter 7 that not everyone who says to me Lord Lord.

Even though they cast out demons they heal the sick they do many miracles. Not everyone who says to Jesus Lord Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven. But he says the ones that are going to enter the kingdom of heaven are those who do the will of the Father.

Are you hearing what I'm saying? They're not the ones who give him lip service. They're the ones who do the will of the Father. Are you with me now? Notice what he says the will of the Father is 1st Thessalonians chapter 2.

Chapter 4 verse 2. For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus now, what authority are we talking about here? The authority of the Lord Jesus verse 3 for this is the will of God.

And what's the next word your Sanctification or holiness now, is that what your Bible says? Your Bible says that the will of God is your sanctification or your holiness. Is that right? That is that you abstain from sensual immorality now.

May I just tell you that that doesn't make the list complete. You also abstain see because you abstain from anything. That is not a sanctifying influence on your life, are you hearing what I'm saying you abstain from everything.

That's not like holiness unto God. That means gossip. That means slander. That means greed. That means idolatry. That means pride that means all of those things right, he says that here's what God's will is.

God's will is that you your sanctification or your walk of holiness and Verse four that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in Sanctification in honor and not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God now.

How many of you see those verses. God says it's his will that each of you don't walk in lustful passion dealing with and Contributing to and yielding to the lust of the flesh. But that each one of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor in holiness.

Now you notice something we're finding out something. I said that you can't do God's part. Are you with me? But now I said God won't do your part so he just told us part of our part and Part of our part is to know how to possess our own Vessel, are you with me?

I say are you with me? Is that what the word says? All right, so we need to know how to possess our own vessel, that's one of the important things God says that's his will now I want you to turn with me to Hebrews chapter 12.

Sanctification, Holiness, and Presenting the Body to God

We're going to see how important it is that you know how to possess your own vessel in sanctification or in holiness. Hebrews chapter 12. Let's just see how important it is. Let's say if it's an option.

Let's see. God said it was his will let's find out if it's an option for you or it's just something nice to do. Hebrews chapter 12. Hebrews chapter 12 verse 14. Pursue peace with all men and the sanctification or holiness.

Without which now, what does that say? Without which what. No, man, or no one will see the Lord now. Does that sound like an option to you? God says you learn to possess your vessel. What's your vessel?

May I ask you? This is your body you learn to possess your vessel in holiness if you don't learn to possess your vessel in holiness and Sanctification then you are not going to see the Lord. Now, is that clear that makes it that makes it serious, doesn't it?

All right, so we're going we're going to see how to possess our own body. Turn with me to Romans 12. Romans 12. A Very popular scripture. I want to read it so you can see it as I've said this before I'm a teacher.

That's all I am is just a teacher. And so that's why I had you turn to so many scriptures because I teach and If you want a real fiery sermon, then you need to get a preacher. I'm a teacher but this is why I want you to turn with me in the word so that you can follow through the word and you can See it with me in black and white.

All right, Romans chapter 12 verse 1. I Urge you therefore brethren by the mercies of God to present your bodies. What did they say position a Living and what kind of a sacrifice a holy sacrifice? Acceptable to God which is your spiritual service of worship now folks.

If you don't understand what he's talking about, let me tell you what you'll do. You'll go serve on a committee somewhere. And you'll think that that's presenting your body a living and holy sacrifice or you might get up out of bed as hard as it is and go to church every Sunday and Think that's presenting my body a holy and living sacrifice.

Or you might be the one who goes out witnessing knocking door-to-door Day after day and say I'm presenting my body is a holy sacrifice. Or if you don't understand what that means you might just simply be saying man I'm spending I'm reading the Bible through twice every year.

I've got a 30-minute devotional I spend with God and read my Bible every single day. Don't miss a day and I pray and so I'm presenting my body a living and holy sacrifice. Can I tell you something? You still haven't hit it or you might be what's real popular today and I praise God for praise.

It's important praise is a power. That we move into from God, it's a worship to God. But now let me tell you what happens the Hebrews chapter 13 does talk about that. You make to God the sacrifice of praise.

So some people feel in fact they even make a God out of it. If I just praise God and I just get real wild about it. And I just get and I believe in getting emotional for Jesus. I'll just tell you I don't mind saying that.

But if I just praise God enough if I just shout enough raise my hands enough if I go through all those emotions. That I'm presenting myself up living and holy sacrifice. Can I tell you something? You still missed it?

We don't see tonight the only sacrifice that God accepts and That's the kind of a heart that makes covenant with God. Are you with me? Once you turn with me. Hebrews chapter 10. Hebrews chapter 10. Hebrews chapter 10.

The One Sacrifice and the True Heart

We're still talking about covenant that we're laying some groundwork last night tonight. In covenant so that we can know and understand covenants. Hebrews chapter 10 now folks I want you to understand something as we go through covenant.

We're gonna be doing this all week. If you go into a bookstore to buy a book on covenant, here's what you're going to find. I'm not criticizing those books. Don't misunderstand me. I don't mean it that way at all.

But I want to tell you something all you're going to find in those books that I have found thus far. By and large the most of them now, then they'd be some out there. I'm just telling you what I've seen and I've looked.

I've looked a lot. But what we hear today on covenant is all of the blessings of walking in covenant with God. What I want to see you understand this week is how to enter covenant to know what covenant is how to enter in it.

How to walk in it and I want you to understand the effects of broken covenant. And yes, you can break covenants in the New Testament. And I'm going to show you clearly in your work. So I just asked you to stand with me and follow through the Bible.

I don't want you to have an argument with me. I want to see if your Bible says that amen. I want you to check it out critically. You can examine it. See if I take it out of context. I want it to be true and I know you want it to be true.

But I want you to be truthful enough and love the truth enough that you'll examine it in your Bible. Are you hearing what I'm saying? That's all I ask you to do. Hebrews chapter 10. I want you to see this Hebrews chapter 10 verse 1.

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 year by year, which they offer continually make perfect. Those who draw near now, let's make sure we understand what he's saying.

He's saying that the law could not by all the sacrifices that they made the law could not make them perfect. Even year by year by year they offered sacrifices unto God according to the pattern God had given them.

But it could not make them perfect. Galatians chapter 3 says that that law could not impart life or Righteousness. Are you with me? So notice what it says. Otherwise verse 2 they would not have ceased to be offered.

Because the worshipers having once been cleansed would no longer have had Consciousness of sins. Now, here's what he's saying. If those sacrifices were able to make you Perfect if those sacrifices were able to impart life in and of the sacrifices if they were able to bring a Cleansing to your conscience there would no longer be a consciousness of sin.

Are you with me now? Let me tell you the reverse of that. I want you to understand this. Here's what he's saying. He's saying that under the law people kept a consciousness of sin. He says it in the next verse but in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year.

For it's impossible for the broader bulls and goats to take away sins. How many of you see that now? I want you to understand this. I'm gonna make this statement. I want you to let it sink down in your spirit.

God does not want you walking in sin consciousness. Are you hearing what I'm saying? He does not want you walking in sin consciousness. But now let me tell you what I hear about that today that I'm not saying and I want you to hear me.

I'm not saying this because it's not what it means. There are a lot of people teaching that today and what they're doing is they're teaching a form of having no sin. Consciousness of what you do is you forget about sin and you think about how righteous you are in Christ Jesus.

That's not what it means. Are you hearing what I'm saying? I say you're hearing what I'm saying. That's not what he's talking about. God has a better way. It's not forgetting sin. He doesn't say he doesn't want the conviction of sin to be before you because God wants the fear of God before your eyes.

And you'll understand the fear of God this week if you don't already. All right now He's saying this though. God absolutely does not want you walking in a sin consciousness. You know what happens when you walk in a sin consciousness.

You come and try to make sacrifice to God. Are you hearing what I'm saying? Please God with your own sacrifice. That's what some people do to appease their conscience. You see if you've got a sin consciousness then what you're going to do is you're going to try to absolve that sin consciousness and.

The way you're going to try to absolve it is you're going to try to do it by serving on a committee being religious. Acting good and setting up a standard that's not the sacrifice that God accepts in covenant.

Are you hearing what I'm saying? You cannot now listen to me when I say this you cannot make sacrifice for your sin. Jesus Christ has made sacrifice for your sin. There's nothing you can do to draw God's pleasure in sacrifice for your sin.

Are you hearing what I'm saying? I say you hear what I'm saying. All right now listen. What then is he talking about? I say God's got a better way. Look with me verse 19. Verse 19 Hebrews 10 verse 19 since therefore brethren we have confidence to enter the holy place and how are we going to get in the holy? place.

We're going to get there by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way now when we say the blood of Jesus would that refer to covenant. I? Say would that refer to covenant? Okay. I'd like you to talk to me All right now by the blood of Jesus by covenant by new and living way which he inaugurated for us through the veil that is his flesh and Since we have a great priest over the house of God now notice this carefully.

Let us draw near with what kind of a heart a true or sincere heart a true heart in full assurance of faith having our heart sprinkled clean and what is going to be sprinkled clean from an Evil conscience.

God wants your conscience clean before him. That's why he says in first John if your heart doesn't condemn you you have confidence before God. Are you with me? But if you try to justify your sin if you try to make a sacrifice for your sin if you try to come to God by sacrifice.

Then God cannot cleanse your conscience because he only accepts one sacrifice his name is Jesus. Are you with me all right now? I want you to notice this a Requirement for getting the cleansing of your conscience and your body's washed with pure water is to come to God draw near to God but there's a Stipulation there's a condition that he speaks of in verse 19.

What is it a? True heart. How many of you say that he said. I don't want you to miss it. I want you to say it. It says and since we have a great first 22 Since we have a great or 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God First 22 let us draw near with a true or sincere heart.

How many of you see that in your Bible? Well some of you did. I say how many of you see it in your Bible all right now there is a condition to having your conscience clean and Your body washed with the pure water of the word and the condition is having a true heart.

We're going to see what a true heart is. I don't care how much you quote that you're the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. It will never become a living reality to you if your heart's divided and living for death.

I don't care how much you try to forget about sin. I don't care how much you try to cleanse your conscience. God is the one who cleanses the conscience. He cleanses the conscience in a true heart. Are you with me?

The only way God will accept you drawing near to him is with the true heart. All right. Now I want you to notice something in this chapter 10 because there's something we need to see if that's the case.

What kind of sacrifice and offering is God going to have us make. He just told us the only offering you can give to God. It's not the blood of bulls and goats anymore. It's not the offering of religious sacrifices.

Are you hearing me? I'm talking about Religious sacrifices today. It's not the offering of religious sacrifices of how much you go to church of what committee you served on how active you been. How many?

Sunday school pins you wear. It's not that's not the sacrifices. There's no religious Sacrifice you can make to please God. Are you with me? There's a sacrifice of a true heart. That's all God's looking for.

It's all he accepts when you draw near to him. Now notice what he says in verse 5 Hebrews 10. Therefore when he comes into the world he says Sacrifice an offering thou hast not desired. How many of you see that?

He doesn't desire sacrifice an offering from you. But a body thou hast prepared for me. Who was that body? Jesus in whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast taken no pleasure. Then I said behold I have come in the scroll of the book it is written of me to do thy will.

Oh God, how many of you see that? Now notice this and after saying the above it must have been important because he said it again after saying above sacrifices and offerings for a whole burnt offering and Sacrifices for sin thou hast not desired nor hast thou taken pleasure in them which are offered according to the law.

Then he said behold I have come to do thy will. He takes away the first in order to establish the second. Now what sacrifice is God interested in. He's telling us he's interested in a true heart. How many do you see that a true heart?

He's interesting. What is the true heart? No, a true heart comes to do his will. Are you with me now mark Hebrews 10? Because I'm coming right back to it and turn with me to Psalm 40. Mark Hebrews 10 and I'm so you can turn to it quickly.

But I'm coming right back to it and then turn with me to Psalm 40. Psalm 40 because we're going to see where that statement came from the 40th Psalm. Psalm 40. Psalm 40 verse 1. I waited patiently for the Lord and he inclined to me and heard my cry.

He brought me up out of the pit of destruction out of the miry clay. He set my feet upon a rock. Making my footsteps firm and he put a new song in my mouth a song of praise to our God and many will see and fear.