10 For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.
Christ�s Death Fulfills God�s Will
5 Therefore, when He came into the world, He said:
�Sacrifice and offering You did not desire,
But a body You have prepared for Me.
6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin
You had no pleasure.
7 Then I said, �Behold, I have come�
In the volume of the book it is written of Me�
To do Your will, O God.��[a]
8 Previously saying, �Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them� (which are offered according to the law), 9 then He said, �Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.�[b] He takes away the first that He may establish the second. 10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Christ�s Death Perfects the Sanctified
11 And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.
15 But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before,
16 �This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,�[c] 17 then He adds, �Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.�[d] 18 Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.
Hold Fast Your Confession
19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God, 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. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
The Just Live by Faith
26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has rejected Moses� law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, �Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,�[e] says the Lord.[f] And again, �The Lord will judge His people.�[g] 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
32 But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings: 33 partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated; 34 for you had compassion on me[h] in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven.[i] 35 Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:
37 �For yet a little while, And He[j] who is coming will come and will not tarry. 38 Now the[k] just shall live by faith;
But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.�[l]
39 But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.
:applause:...:bouncy:...:yay:....
Footnotes:
a.Hebrews 10:7 Psalm 40:6�8
b.Hebrews 10:9 NU-Text and M-Text omit O God.
c.Hebrews 10:16 Jeremiah 31:33
d.Hebrews 10:17 Jeremiah 31:34
e.Hebrews 10:30 Deuteronomy 32:35
f.Hebrews 10:30 NU-Text omits says the Lord.
g.Hebrews 10:30 Deuteronomy 32:36
h.Hebrews 10:34 NU-Text reads the prisoners instead of me in my chains.
Matthew 24:24�For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
John 4:48�Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
John 20:29�Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:�
31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
2 Thessalonians 2:9�Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
Hebrews 2:4�God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?
Romans 12:5�So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.�
6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;�
8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: phe that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
1 Corinthians 12:4�Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.�
5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.�
6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.�
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.�
8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;�
9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;�
10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:�
11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
You've made some great points in this thread. Your analysis of the churches is spot on right. You said, "Because the church has a strong disdain for the law, (other than those who use it to condemn and abuse others in a form of legalism that brings condemnation to all) the blessings within the law are never realized by the church."
Those who have been given the Spirit of Truth are easily able to discern the spirit of error that pervades the churches. Some of the responses to your comments exposed this very same spirit - it is a destructive, truth hating, spirit of antichrist.
Those who have been given the Spirit of Truth are easily able to discern the spirit of error that pervades the churches. Some of the responses to your comments exposed this very same spirit - it is a destructive, truth hating, spirit of antichrist.
Acts 14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
24 And after they had passed throughout Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia.
25 And when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down into Attalia:
26 And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled.
27 And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.
28 And there they abode long time with the disciples.
*****
And here we have the precedence of men of God ordaining other men in the church....
