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GRACE BLOGS COLLECTION

852. Escaping From a Consciousness of Sins

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This week, church pastors around the world will be providing sermons about sin, sinning less, seeking more forgiveness because of new sins, and perhaps erroneously declaring how sin is separating you from God. Avoiding sinful behavior is good advice, but there is more to the story. The letter to the Hebrews reveals how the blood of Jesus put sin away once for all. Although all people would continue to fall short of the perfect and holy standard that the law of commandments required, the cross dealt with sin in such a way that Jesus and the Father would not have to deal with it ever again.

If forgiveness from God is still needed for new sins committed, more blood would also have to be spilled. Jesus would not be required to keep offering Himself repeatedly for the forgiveness of sins because the cross would finish the need for more blood being shed. He paid for an eternal redemption—redeeming the Jews from a ministry of death and condemnation—and opening the door for Gentiles to also partake of a New Covenant. The old, obsolete law of works with ongoing sacrifices brought a reminder of sins and left people trapped within a sin consciousness which Jesus came to deliver people from.


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853. The Will of God: The Sacrifice of Jesus

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Isn’t it interesting how God never desired burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin which were offered according to the law inside of the first (old) covenant? All of that work, toil, effort and slaughter … and God took no pleasure in any of it.

On the flip side, we discover the ultimate will of God was the sacrifice of Jesus, who came to earth to do this will of God—and it was by this will that He would completely wipe out the first covenant to establish a new and different covenant for the forgiveness, the salvation, and the sanctification of His creation.
 


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854. Jesus Took a Seat – Already Forgiven and Sanctified

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Within the first covenant, the Jewish priests offered sacrifices daily for the sins of the people and for their own sins. The job was never complete, sins were still on record since the blood of bulls and goats couldn’t take them away, so the priests kept standing. Enter Jesus … who offered one sacrifice for sin with His own blood, which would bring forgiveness of sins for all time (eternal redemption), plus perfection and sanctification through the one offering.

In other words, sanctification is not something we progressively work at—it’s a gift which we’ve inherited by the will of God. All of this resulted in a New Covenant—a new and living way where God declared, “I will remember their sins no more.”

During this episode we mentioned how we've previously talked about how sanctification is not progressive, and is not something we do, but rather is instantaneous and permanent, and is something that Christ has done. Here are a couple of past episodes in which we discussed this:

855. Full Assurance of Faith Compared to “Scary” Bible Verses

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The writer of the book of Hebrews is providing his Jewish audience with a revelation of how the sacrifice of Jesus did what the previous covenant could not. Jesus established a new and different covenant resulting in sins being taken away forever—to be remembered no more by God. It brought a new and living way, resulting in people being perfected, sanctified and declared holy. It has allowed for entrance with a true heart in full assurance of faith.

Within these many chapters of the letter which argue a case for all of this and more, the legal eagles will still try to turn your attention to a single Bible verse or two which seem to contradict the good news writings leading up to it … when not understood in the proper context. We take a look at Hebrews 10:26 to shine some light and erase the fear.
 


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856. Sin Happened. Feeling Condemned? Grace Says No!

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Traditional Christianity has largely taught people to develop a consciousness (or constant awareness) of sin and sinful behavior. When one falls or fails, they have been programmed by empty religion to confess their wrongdoing and seek/beg God for forgiveness yet one more time, vowing to try harder never to do it again. This is like a dark shadow of the obsolete Old Covenant, where there was no escape from such a bondage.

Jesus flipped the Script and was able to free people from a sin consciousness and bring eternal redemption and forgiveness “for all time” through one finished sacrifice. This resulted in no condemnation for anyone who is in Christ Jesus. What a victory for us to learn more about and to grow in our understanding. What about the challenges with the flesh? We talk about it on this week’s program.



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851. The Blood of the New Covenant

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Blood was a big deal in the Old Covenant which came by way of Moses. The entire law and everything that came with it was dedicated with blood. It turns out it was just symbolic for something far superior that would come later—the blood of Jesus. The writer of Hebrews points out the contrasts in how the first covenant was incapable of bringing what the people needed. The New Covenant established with the blood of Jesus would remedy everything necessary that the first covenant could not. And it would be available for the entire world.


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850. Old Covenant: Purified Flesh (Dead Works); New Covenant: Purified Conscience

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The law of works left people in a state of hopelessness through a system of failed commandment-keeping and repeated animal sacrifices seeking more and more forgiveness. Jesus offered Himself one time to free people from that ministry of condemnation which could only attempt to make the flesh look polished. But the flesh profits nothing and the works were dead. Jesus ushered in a better covenant where His blood sealed the deal—and it all began after His earthly ministry with His death.

Eternal redemption. Eternal Spirit. He did it all.



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849. Jesus Secured an Eternal Redemption (Hebrews 9)

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We’re back to discussing the surety of our forgiveness contained within the New Covenant established by Jesus Christ. The writer of Hebrews provides us with many contrasts, comparing the Old Covenant to the New. The law of regulations contained within the old, obsolete covenant was not able to provide what God required from the Jewish people.

The old way involved ceremonial repetitions which could not permanently address the issue of sin and its consequences, whereas Jesus entered once into a holy place—not a copy made with human hands, and not with the blood of animals—but with His own blood He obtained and secured an “eternal redemption.” Those suggesting that one can lose this gift have failed to realize the power and effectiveness of the finished work of Christ—who has become the guarantee of a better covenant.



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845. Jesus Put Away Sin Once for All

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The book of Hebrews explains how Jesus put sin away by the sacrifice of Himself. He accomplished something the blood of animals could never do in the first covenant and even before that—sins were taken away, once for all. Let’s think this through. When did this happen? And prior to the cross, how many sins had you committed? Did Jesus only remove the sins of the world up to the moment He died? If so, Hebrews 9 explains that this would mean He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world. Jesus isn’t shedding any more blood, and this is great news for us.



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839. Forgiven and Delivered From the Power of Darkness

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In spite of whatever struggles and challenges come our way within this fallen world, God has declared us forgiven and that we have been delivered from the power of darkness. God has transferred us into His kingdom, it’s His blood that resulted in forgiveness, redemption, and has brought us peace.

As we begin to understand that the knowledge of His will was to bring all of these good things to us as an inheritance, we can live within the light of Jesus Christ where the fruit of God abounds. His strength in us is what we reply upon, not our willpower. It’s all about Christ in us—the mystery revealed.



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838. Forgiven, Not Condemned – By the Riches of His Grace

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As believers in Christ, there is no condemnation at all, unlike there was for Jewish people who were in a works-based covenant which depended on their (failed) attempts at commandment-keeping. They were stuck in a state of condemnation within a ministry unable to provide life or righteousness. Out of 613 commands within the old law, Paul gave an example from the Ten that God engraved … and how he ended up coveting more when trying to live by the rule of “you shall not covet.” That’s not good news. 

Long before the law, Adam was only given one (1) command … and failed to keep it. Paul explained it’s because we’re “In Him” that we have redemption, and it’s through His blood we have an eternal forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. Everything about this gospel is based on the work of Jesus. Don’t allow religion to plant doubt and fear by making it about you.

During the podcast we made mention of a previous podcast entitled, "How Can I Know That God Has Forgiven Me?"  That was episode 820, and you can listen to it here.



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820. “How Can I Know That God Has Forgiven Me?”

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Imagine realizing that God isn’t angry with you, is not disappointed with you, is not counting sins against you, and loves you perfectly and unconditionally. Finally, peace and rest, without fear of wondering if you’re okay with God or that God is okay with you. And then it happens. Religious, legalistic, and yes, even Bible-verse-quoting folks from the land of self-righteousness invade your territory, seeking to take away the seeds of grace God planted within you.

They’ll come up with all kinds of different ways to convince you (from the Bible!) that you’ll need to repeatedly keep seeking more forgiveness from God. They somehow think there are methods and formulas which are more effective than the blood of Jesus—which was shed one time. It’s time to stop and ask ourselves a question … why do you think Jesus’ blood only needed to be shed once, and not over and over again?



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