Category: The Amazing New Covenant

Jesus: Firstborn from the Dead

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jesus was called the “firstborn from the dead” in Colossians 1:18 and Revelation 1:5. What does this appellation mean? In his first letter, the Apostle Peter wrote the following.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 1 Peter 1:3 (NASB)

For many of us, this is not the first time we have read this verse. As sometimes happens when we become familiar with passages of Scripture, we may quickly gloss over the words, thinking we fully understand what they mean. But recently when I read this I asked myself, “Just how does the resurrection of Christ cause us to be born again?” In other words, to use a familiar analogy, just how is the sausage made? The answer to this question provides an amazing insight into the glories and grace of the New Covenant.

Allow me to back up a bit as I attempt to properly frame my answer to this question. Also let me emphasize that God gives us glimpses into the mystery of salvation in the Bible, but we cannot yet fully comprehend how God did what he did. For us simply to accept what the Bible says with wonder and awe is enough for now. One day I am confident that we will know in full. Until that time, I hope that this article will increase your awe factor and make you even more appreciative of the fabulous nature of what Christ accomplished on our behalf.

When Adam and Eve betrayed God by quickly, easily, and sadly falling for Satan’s lie and choosing the knowledge of good and evil over allegiance to their Maker and life, they ceded their God-given authority over the earth and its creatures to Satan. In so doing, they became slaves of the devil, having no legal rights, which made them subject to his oppressive and cruel lordship. As Jesus described him, he is a liar and murderer whose object is to kill, steal, and destroy.

In order to redeem his fallen and captive people, God needed a man to reverse the course, a kind of Second Adam (1 Corinthians 15:47), so to speak, who would honor and obey God, remaining faithful to him, no matter how great the pressure.

That is why Jesus became a human being through the miracle of the Incarnation (John 1:14). His mother was Mary, from the line of David, making Jesus a human being, but his Father was God himself, making his God’s Son. His divine conception was prophesied by Isaiah.

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14 (NASB)

When the Eternal Logos, who had always been with God, took on a human body, it enabled Jesus to avoid suffering from the innate corruption by sin that every other human being inherited. He was the God-Man, fully God and fully man.

When Jesus arrived on the scene, the battle of the ages commenced. Satan’s first plan was to kill the baby. He used Herod to accomplish this grisly task, but God warned Joseph to flee to Egypt, thus preserving the child. We don’t know if other attempts were made upon his life subsequently, but when Jesus reached manhood, at just the right time, he entered into his three-year public ministry. At the very outset, Satan attempted to compromise Jesus’ integrity and devotion to God. The temptation in the wilderness initiated an aspect of Satan’s warfare against the Messiah that would continue right up to Calvary, the crescendo being the temptation in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Jesus warned and prepared his disciples for his coming crucifixion, but like most of us, they could not, or would not, hear what he was telling them. It was too awful to contemplate. Jesus knew from the beginning that his destiny was to give his life as a sin offering as God’s Lamb, but it is far easier to declare our intentions to do something difficult when it is yet a long way off than to do it when the time is upon us. Being human, Jesus faced his fears and dread of what was coming. Crucifixion, an ingenious method of torture used by the Romans as a deterrent to crime and sedition, was a horrible way to die. But as terrible as the physical suffering would be, the greatest temptation was most likely connected to Jesus’ facing the imminent separation from his Eternal Father when the sin of mankind fell upon him in such a way that the Bible says he “became sin” (2Corinthians 5:21). He was so thoroughly identified with our sin and guilt that he became one with it, which separated him from his Father, just as it separates sinful man from our Creator (Isaiah 59:2, Matthew 27:46). Contemplating this, no doubt, is what made our Lord sweat blood (Luke 22:44).

Sin is not an abstract concept, just floating around in the universe. Sin has an identity.

It was first “embodied” or identified with Satan, who cleverly and sinisterly brought the entire human race into his coup attempt against the sovereign Creator God. Sin dwells in those who sin (Romans 7:23).

Therefore, for Jesus to “become sin” he had to become one with us.

This is what Paul meant when he wrote that what Jesus suffered on our behalf actually included us. He did not merely suffer for us as a representative: we suffered and died with him. This mystery, which is clearly taught in the Bible, is not fully understood, but it is the truth. It is, so to speak, how the sausage is made.

Without the miracle of identification, there can be no salvation.

Paul understood and taught this amazing truth in his letters. One of the clearest examples is found in the following passage.

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Galatians 2:20 (NASB)

This is not some pretty poetic saying that has no basis in reality. It really happened. Just think of the ramifications.

This means that not only did Jesus take our punishment, we took it, too. He paid the price for our sins as the innocent Lamb, but in him and through him we also paid the ultimate price as guilty sinners.

And legally we cannot be forced to pay the same debt twice.

But Paul did not stop with our being crucified with Christ. We also rose with him, which is what saved us. If we were identified and unified with his death to pay the penalty for our sin and rebellion against God, we also are identified and unified with his resurrection.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5  even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6  and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7  so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:4-7 (NASB)

When Jesus rose from the dead, he became the first person in a new creation order of people, the firstborn from he dead. He emerged from the “womb” of death into life eternal, never again to be subject to that dread enemy. He conquered death, never to die again. In so doing, he carried us with him. We rose again with him. We also crossed over from the realm of death into life, never to die again.

This agrees with the words spoken by our Lord himself.

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. John 5:24 (NASB)

This is how Jesus’ resurrection from the dead saves us. Jesus was born again out of the realm of death, becoming the firstborn of those who “rode his coattails,” likewise emerging from the realm of death with and in him.

Knowing this glorious truth enables us to live fearlessly and worshipfully. We are not on some “works treadmill” trying to earn or maintain favor from God. We have been transferred out of the kingdom of darkness and abode of the dead into God’s kingdom and life eternal because we are in Christ and participate completely in his death, resurrection, and enthronement in heaven.

For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14  in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:13-14 (NASB)

Isn’t it about time we start acting as if these things are true? Because they are!

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Sorry, Humpty. You’re broken beyond repair.

 

 

 

 

 

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall
All the king’s horses and all the king’s men
Couldn’t put Humpty together again.

I could not find an image of what Humpty must have looked like after his fall. One picture showed him on stretcher with a bandage around his head. When eggs have a great fall, it’s a mess. So it was when Adam and Eve fell. The entire creation was shattered on that pivotal day. Like Humpty, the human race was broken beyond repair. Yet, that is not how most of us view ourselves. We imagine that we have some faults, for sure, but nothing too serious. Nothing that cannot be patched up. Nothing we cannot handle if we work at it.

Religion and legalism are our attempts to put Humpty back together again. If I just try hard enough, I can conquer my sins and make everything right again. Martha and I recently watched a movie entitled Beyond the Mask, which was surprisingly good. It was a swashbuckling adventure from Revolutionary War days that combined history with fantasy. The theme of the movie was a man’s attempt to redeem himself from past evil acts. It became apparent that this was impossible, at which time the gospel was shared with him by the heroin. She let him know that no one can redeem himself. No one can put Humpty back together again.

One big element of what the Bible calls “repentance” is coming to the realization that apart from Jesus, we are hopelessly broken and lost.

Until an alcoholic reaches the bottom of the barrel, he is not usually willing to admit he has a problem bigger than his ability to conquer it. We are all sin-aholics. We have a rebellion problem against God that is beyond our ability to fix.

The Bible says that we come into this world as God’s enemies. (Romans 5:10 & Colossians 1:21) Not only are we beyond repair, we fight and resist our one Source of hope, the only One who is able to help us in our hopeless state.

When Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the garden, it was because they wanted to be God. We do not like being dependent creatures. We want to be in charge and answerable to no one but ourselves. This is the essence of sin and the core of our problem. This is what makes us broken beyond repair.

We believe the lie that we are capable of doing life without God, which is categorically impossible. We were designed by our Creator to live in a glorious unity with God and dependence upon him.

Through sin and rebellion against the Creator and Sustainer of all life, we put ourselves outside his protection, guidance, and care. We cut ourselves off from the Life-Giver. We are alone, without God, and without hope – broken beyond repair, just like Humpty.

What did the kings men do with Humpty? I imagine they picked up the pieces, threw them in the garbage, and washed down the area where he fell, so it would not stink. What can be done with broken people? Can they be patched up and sent merrily on their way, or must they be disposed of?

When Jesus died on the cross, he took the penalty for our sins so that we could be forgiven. But being forgiven is not the same as being fixed. We can forgive a family member who has descended into the hell of addiction and stolen our valuables to support his habit, but that does not set him free.

Forgiveness can be an important first step on the road to wholeness, but it is not the destination. To experience true freedom, we have to be radically changed on the inside.

All of us are born with what the Bible calls the “flesh” or the “old man.” Some people call this the “sin nature.” This part of us is irredeemable. It will never be reformed. You can have been a follower of Christ for fifty years, and your flesh is just as corrupt today as it was the day before you believed. It is part of the old creation in Adam, and the only solution for it is to die.

When Jesus died on the cross, the old man died with him. Our sin nature was nailed to the cross with Christ. The flesh lost its power to rule us. (Romans 6:6)

When Jesus rose again from the dead, those who have put their trust and allegiance in him, rose with him in newness of life. Jesus’ resurrection body is very different from his old one. It is no longer subject to death or other physical limitations, such as walls.

When we are born again by God’s Spirit, we become what the Bible calls a “new creation.” We are fundamentally changed on the inside.(2 Corinthians 5:17)

It is as if Humpty died and came back to life with an new unbreakable shell and a core that will never spoil.

The New Covenant is the almost unbelievably Good News that we cannot and don’t have to redeem or fix ourselves.

Jesus recognized the total impossibility and did the only thing possible: he put us to death and out of our misery, so we can live again in complete and total freedom and joy, no longer chained to the hopelessly flawed sin nature. Those who understand, embrace, and live according to this wonderful truth are most happy and free.

Jesus told us that those who believe (trust, follow, and are loyal) to him undergo an amazing transformation and transition. In his own words:

I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. John 5:24 (NLT)

Jesus said that his followers have been taken off the treadmill of striving to be good enough. We have been exempted from the final exam. We have been given a free pass. Why? Because we can never be good enough. We can never pass the exam. We can never measure up. Our only hope is that he was good enough on our behalf, that he passed the exam, and that he gained the ability to make up for our hopeless condition. And he did!

This is why Paul wrote in the culmination of his explanation of what Christ accomplished on our behalf in his letter to the Romans.

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2  And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. Romans 8:1-2 (NLT)

Not only have we been forgiven, released from judgment, restored to a right relationship with God, and transformed on the inside, the Holy Spirit now gives us the power to live out a life of loving and freely given obedience to God. The “free pass” sets us free to live for God. Freedom is not doing whatever we want.

True freedom is living in joyful and obedient union and dependence on God through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:17-18)

Have you been working hard to put Humpty Dumpty back together again? Give it up. Admit that you need a Savior and receive all that Jesus died and rose again to give you. Ask the Holy Spirit to live his life through you to the glory of God. You will experience joy and freedom beyond measure. This is the New Covenant.

Prayer

Jesus, I now realize that I cannot make myself good enough. I admit that without you I am lost. Thank you for dying for me to set me free. I receive what you died to give me. Thank you for paying the penalty for my sins and forgiving me. Thank you for setting me free and putting me back into a right relationship with my heavenly Father, the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe. I welcome you, Holy Spirit, into my life. Live Christ’s life through me. Help me to live the rest of my life for the glory of God. Amen.

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Understanding Old Covenant Sacrifices in Light of the New Covenant

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sacrifices were part of the Bible from the beginning. God killed an animal in order to provide a covering for Adam’s and Eve’s nakedness after they sinned in the Garden of Eden. Abel offered to God a more pleasing sacrifice from out of his flock than Cain did from his garden. The patriarchs offered sacrifices regularly.

Under Moses, God set up an official sacrificial system with extensive rules and requirements that foreshadowed what Christ accomplished through his death on the cross and subsequent resurrection. The sacrificial system disappeared in 70 AD when God judged Israel for rejecting their Messiah. There is no longer any need for such sacrifices now that Jesus perfectly fulfilled their intent.

This article will look at the five major sacrifices regulated by the Law of Moses. Some were voluntary while others were mandatory. I will discuss their basic purpose and meaning under the Old Covenant and their fulfillment by Christ in the New. In every case, there is an offering, one making it, a priest, and the one receiving the offering.

The Voluntary Sacrifices

Voluntary sacrifices were left up to the discretion of the offerer. They were a means to show love and devotion toward God beyond what the Law mandated.

Voluntary offerings may be considered the highest type of sacrifice.

The Burnt Offering
Then the LORD called to Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying, 2  "Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, 'When any man of you brings an offering to the LORD, you shall bring your offering of animals from the herd or the flock. 3  'If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer it, a male without defect; he shall offer it at the doorway of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before the LORD. 4  'He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, that it may be accepted for him to make atonement on his behalf. 5  'He shall slay the young bull before the LORD; and Aaron's sons the priests shall offer up the blood and sprinkle the blood around on the altar that is at the doorway of the tent of meeting. 6  'He shall then skin the burnt offering and cut it into its pieces. 7  'The sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire. 8  'Then Aaron's sons the priests shall arrange the pieces, the head and the suet over the wood which is on the fire that is on the altar. 9  'Its entrails, however, and its legs he shall wash with water. And the priest shall offer up in smoke all of it on the altar for a burnt offering, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the LORD. Leviticus 1:1-9 (NASB)

In this case, the offerer brought the offering to the priest, who sacrificed it to God. God received all of this offering, except for the skin (Lev.7:8), which was the priest’s portion. In Christ’s fulfillment of this offering, he was the offerer and the offering. Some say he acted as his own priest, but a case can be made that the reigning Jewish High Priest made the offering. (John 11:49-53)

  • This offering had to be from the herd and a male without blemish. Jesus was a male selected by God from Israel who was perfect in every way.
  • The sacrificial animal had to be brought before the authorities in order to be approved and accepted. Jesus was hauled before the Sanhedrin as part of the process of consigning him over to death.
  • The laying on of hands was the ritual by which the animal became the sacrificial substitute through being identified with the sins of the offerer. Christ became sin for us so that we could become righteous through and in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
  • The animal was put to death and arranged upon the altar where it was completely consumed by fire. Jesus was nailed to a cross (the altar) where he poured out his life completely as a sacrifice to please his Father and to expiate sin. First and foremost, however, his reason for going to the cross was to please his Father. (Matthew 26:39) More than anything else, Jesus’ death on the cross was an act of pure love and devotion toward his Father.
For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5  That is why, when Christ came into the world, he said to God, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings. But you have given me a body to offer. 6  You were not pleased with burnt offerings or other offerings for sin. 7  Then I said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God— as is written about me in the Scriptures.’” 8  First, Christ said, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings or burnt offerings or other offerings for sin, nor were you pleased with them” (though they are required by the law of Moses). 9  Then he said, “Look, I have come to do your will.” He cancels the first covenant in order to put the second into effect. 10  For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time. Hebrews 10:4-10 (NLT)
  • Christ’s offering of himself satisfied God’s desire for devotion and obedience from a human being, something Adam failed to deliver. As born again children of God, we can participate in this offering by giving ourselves completely to Christ with an attitude of praise and thanksgiving at all times.
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2  Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:1-2 (NLT)  

Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. Hebrews 13:15 (NLT)
The Peace, Thanksgiving, or Communion Sacrifice
“If you present an animal from the flock as a peace offering to the LORD, it may be a male or a female, but it must have no defects. 7  If you present a sheep as your offering, bring it to the LORD, 8  lay your hand on its head, and slaughter it in front of the Tabernacle. Aaron’s sons will then splatter the sheep’s blood against all sides of the altar. 9  The priest must present the fat of this peace offering as a special gift to the LORD. This includes the fat of the broad tail cut off near the backbone, all the fat around the internal organs, 10  the two kidneys and the fat around them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver. These must be removed with the kidneys, 11  and the priest will burn them on the altar. It is a special gift of food presented to the LORD. Leviticus 3:6-11 (NLT)

In this voluntary sacrifice, the offerer brought the sacrifice to the priest who made the offering to God. This is the only offering in which the offerer, the priest, and God all shared in the meal. Unleavened bread and wine were also a part, which was a clear foreshadowing of the Lord’s Supper in the New Covenant.

Jesus shared this covenant meal with his disciples at what is called the Last Supper as a fulfillment of the Feast of Passover. He commanded them to remember his death in the future by this reenactment and fulfillment of the Old Covenant peace offering.

Once again, a perfect sacrifice was required, Jesus being the fulfillment. In addition we see that identification and substitution are foreshadowed through the laying on of hands. The sins of the offerer were communicated or imparted to the sacrifice, which carried them to death as a substitute. The offerer became identified with the offering. Can you see that, in a picture or type, the offerer was put to death through this sacrifice. Jesus died in our place, and we died in Him on the cross. (Romans 6:6-11) This part of the offering was for God alone.

“These are the instructions regarding the different kinds of peace offerings that may be presented to the LORD. 12  If you present your peace offering as an expression of thanksgiving, the usual animal sacrifice must be accompanied by various kinds of bread made without yeast—thin cakes mixed with olive oil, wafers spread with oil, and cakes made of choice flour mixed with olive oil. 13  This peace offering of thanksgiving must also be accompanied by loaves of bread made with yeast. 14  One of each kind of bread must be presented as a gift to the LORD. It will then belong to the priest who splatters the blood of the peace offering against the altar. 15  The meat of the peace offering of thanksgiving must be eaten on the same day it is offered. None of it may be saved for the next morning. Leviticus 7:11-15 (NLT)

Here we see that thanksgiving was integral to the peace offering, just as it is in the Lords’ Supper in the New Covenant.

Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, 19  singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. 20  And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:18-20 (NLT)

The bread without yeast speaks of holiness, yeast being a picture of sin in this case.

Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast affects the whole batch of dough? 7 Clean out the old yeast so that you may be a new batch of dough — you are, in fact, without yeast. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 1 Corinthians 5:6-7 (NET1)

Olive oil is a picture of the Holy Spirit. I believe a case can be made that the bread without yeast mixed with oil stands for our new creation spirit joined with the indwelling Holy Spirit.

But the one united with the Lord is one spirit with him. 1 Corinthians 6:17 (NET1)

The bread made with yeast is an acknowledgement that until the resurrection, believers are a mixture. We have a sin nature and a new creation spirit which are at war. By allowing bread with yeast, God is saying that he makes allowance for the uncompleted state of our salvation. He allows sinful humans to partake of this holy meal, signifying our union with him despite our present imperfection.

Then the LORD said to Moses, 29  “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. When you present a peace offering to the LORD, bring part of it as a gift to the LORD. 30  Present it to the LORD with your own hands as a special gift to the LORD. Bring the fat of the animal, together with the breast, and lift up the breast as a special offering to the LORD. 31  Then the priest will burn the fat on the altar, but the breast will belong to Aaron and his descendants. 32  Give the right thigh of your peace offering to the priest as a gift. 33  The right thigh must always be given to the priest who offers the blood and the fat of the peace offering. 34  For I have reserved the breast of the special offering and the right thigh of the sacred offering for the priests. It is the permanent right of Aaron and his descendants to share in the peace offerings brought by the people of Israel. 35  This is their rightful share. The special gifts presented to the LORD have been reserved for Aaron and his descendants from the time they were set apart to serve the LORD as priests. 36  On the day they were anointed, the LORD commanded the Israelites to give these portions to the priests as their permanent share from generation to generation.” Leviticus 7:28-36 (NLT)

Here we see that the priest gets a portion, too. God, the offerer, and the priest all partake. This stands for reconciliation between the Father, the Son, and all believers. This offering is fulfilled in the New Covenant Lord’s Supper, which celebrates the communion or fellowship we have with Abba, Jesus, and other believers.

When you present a young bull as a burnt offering or as a sacrifice to fulfill a vow or as a peace offering to the LORD, 9  you must also give a grain offering of six quarts of choice flour mixed with two quarts of olive oil, 10  and give two quarts of wine as a liquid offering. This will be a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the LORD. Numbers 15:8-10 (NLT)

Here we see another foreshadowing of the New Covenant Lord’s Supper, which uses bread and wine to remember the body and blood of our Lord.

The Grain Offering
When you present grain as an offering to the LORD, the offering must consist of choice flour. You are to pour olive oil on it, sprinkle it with frankincense, 2  and bring it to Aaron’s sons, the priests. The priest will scoop out a handful of the flour moistened with oil, together with all the frankincense, and burn this representative portion on the altar. It is a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the LORD. 3  The rest of the grain offering will then be given to Aaron and his sons. This offering will be considered a most holy part of the special gifts presented to the LORD. Leviticus 2:1-3 (NLT)

Grain offerings accompanied all burnt offerings and peace offerings. They typically consisted of flour, oil, frankincense, and salt. They could be brought cooked or uncooked. Part was burned as a memorial to God and the rest consumed by the priests, since it was holy to the Lord.

Do not use yeast in preparing any of the grain offerings you present to the LORD, because no yeast or honey may be burned as a special gift presented to the LORD. 12  You may add yeast and honey to an offering of the first crops of your harvest, but these must never be offered on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the LORD. 13  Season all your grain offerings with salt to remind you of God’s eternal covenant. Never forget to add salt to your grain offerings. 14  “If you present a grain offering to the LORD from the first portion of your harvest, bring fresh grain that is coarsely ground and roasted on a fire. 15  Put olive oil on this grain offering, and sprinkle it with frankincense. 16  The priest will take a representative portion of the grain moistened with oil, together with all the frankincense, and burn it as a special gift presented to the LORD. Leviticus 2:11-16 (NLT)

Regular grain offerings could have no leaven, which represents Christ’s sinlessness. However, the grain offering presented at the Feast of the First Fruits, or Pentecost, could have leaven. This represents the people of God, who, though born again, have not yet been perfected nor are yet free from all sin.

The oil, a type of the Holy Spirit, is mixed with this leavened flour to make an acceptable sacrifice. The indwelling Holy Spirit joins with yet-to-be-perfected believers to make them acceptable to the Lord. (Romans 12:1-2)

The grain offering associated with the harvest of the first fruits is also connected with Pentecost. On the day after the Sabbath (Sunday), the bundle of the first fruits of the harvest was raised to the Lord. This signified the resurrection of our Lord, who is the first-born from the dead. (Colossians 1:18, Revelation 1:5) The grain offering with wine foreshadows our celebration of the Lord’s Supper in commemoration of the Lord’s resurrection, which is the first fruit of the coming general resurrection of the righteous.

Involuntary Sacrifices

Involuntary sacrifices were required in order to atone for sin. These were part of Jesus’ Lamb of God ministry.

Jesus took upon himself the guilt and penalty for our sins, enduring God’s holy wrath against our rebellion against him, so that we could be forgiven and reconciled to God, with all the benefits of being reinstated fully into his favor and family.

The Sin Offering
Then the LORD said to Moses, 2  “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. This is how you are to deal with those who sin unintentionally by doing anything that violates one of the LORD’s commands. 3  “If the high priest sins, bringing guilt upon the entire community, he must give a sin offering for the sin he has committed. He must present to the LORD a young bull with no defects. 4  He must bring the bull to the LORD at the entrance of the Tabernacle, lay his hand on the bull’s head, and slaughter it before the LORD. 5  The high priest will then take some of the bull’s blood into the Tabernacle, 6  dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD in front of the inner curtain of the sanctuary. 7  The priest will then put some of the blood on the horns of the altar for fragrant incense that stands in the LORD’s presence inside the Tabernacle. He will pour out the rest of the bull’s blood at the base of the altar for burnt offerings at the entrance of the Tabernacle. 8  Then the priest must remove all the fat of the bull to be offered as a sin offering. This includes all the fat around the internal organs, 9  the two kidneys and the fat around them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver. He must remove these along with the kidneys, 10  just as he does with cattle offered as a peace offering, and burn them on the altar of burnt offerings. 11  But he must take whatever is left of the bull—its hide, meat, head, legs, internal organs, and dung— 12  and carry it away to a place outside the camp that is ceremonially clean, the place where the ashes are dumped. There, on the ash heap, he will burn it on a wood fire. Leviticus 4:1-12 (NLT)
  • The sin offering was compulsory and was not a sweet savor to the Lord. This offering was for sins committed unintentionally, especially when restitution was not possible. These sacrifices did not cover willful rebellion against God. Should the high priest be guilty of such an involuntary sin, he had to make the sacrifice for himself. Jesus, who did not personally sin, became sin for us by identifying completely with our condition, and acted in this capacity at the cross. Jesus took the blood of the covenant and sprinkled it before the Lord, opening up access for us into God’s holy presence, just as the high priest did as a shadow of things to come.
So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. 12  With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever. 13  Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. 14  Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. Hebrews 9:11-14 (NLT)
  • When Jesus died on the cross, the curtain of the temple ripped in two, giving all believers free access to God’s presence, something off limits to everyone except the high priest once a year under the Old Covenant.
Then Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and gave up his spirit. 51 Just then the temple curtain was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks were split apart. Matthew 27:50-51 (NET1)
  • If the people sinned, the priest stood before God on behalf of the people and made the sacrifice. Jesus acted both as high priest and as the sacrifice. The people laid their hands upon the animal, signifying the transfer of sin to it, just as our sins came upon our Lord at the cross.
If the entire Israelite community sins by violating one of the LORD’s commands, but the people don’t realize it, they are still guilty. 14  When they become aware of their sin, the people must bring a young bull as an offering for their sin and present it before the Tabernacle. 15  The elders of the community must then lay their hands on the bull’s head and slaughter it before the LORD. Leviticus 4:13-15 (NLT) 

Then the LORD said to Moses, 25  “Give Aaron and his sons the following instructions regarding the sin offering. The animal given as an offering for sin is a most holy offering, and it must be slaughtered in the LORD’s presence at the place where the burnt offerings are slaughtered. 26  The priest who offers the sacrifice as a sin offering must eat his portion in a sacred place within the courtyard of the Tabernacle. Leviticus 6:24-26 (NLT)

God has made us believers into a kingdom of priests (Rev.1:6; 5:10), and, as such, we must eat the sacrifice. We now do this by faith when we physically and symbolically partake of Christ’s body and blood in communion and spiritually when we put our trust in his finished work of the cross.

So Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. 54  But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day. 55  For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56  Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 57  I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me. 58  I am the true bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will not die as your ancestors did (even though they ate the manna) but will live forever.” John 6:53-58 (NLT)
  • Just as the sin offering’s remains were taken outside the city, Jesus was crucified outside Jerusalem and his body was buried outside the city.
For the bodies of those animals whose blood the high priest brings into the sanctuary as an offering for sin are burned outside the camp. 12 Therefore, to sanctify the people by his own blood, Jesus also suffered outside the camp. 13 We must go out to him, then, outside the camp, bearing the abuse he experienced. Hebrews 13:11-13 (NET1)
The Guilt Offering

The distinction between the offenses covered by the guilt offering and the offenses related to the sin offering is not completely clear. In general, however, the offenses covered by the guilt offering appear to be more serious, as shown by the fact that the sacrificial animal is more costly (a male instead of a female) and that the sins are described as a “breach of faith” (Leviticus 5:15). The word translated “guilt offering” (Hebrew: ’asham) is used elsewhere with the sense of “compensation or reparation for guilt” (Leviticus 5:6), and the offering as a whole serves to repair the relationship between sinners and the Lord. This has led some to call this a “reparation offering.” (ESV Study Bible)

Although it is perhaps not actually intended in the original meaning of the Old Covenant sin and guilt offerings, we can make a New Covenant distinction between forgiveness of sin and removal of guilt.

Jesus’ death and resurrection expiated our sins and allowed our righteous God to forgive us. Jesus also took away our guilt and condemnation, which is called “justification.” To be justified means to be declared “not guilty.” There is a big difference between being forgiven and being cleared of all guilt!

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. John 5:24 (NASB)

I like to think that the guilt offering foreshadowed Christ’s taking away our condemnation and guilt, making us without blame in God’s eyes!

Otherwise, there is not much we can glean from the guilt offering that we have not already seen in the sin offering.

A Final Note

“If one individual commits an unintentional sin, the guilty person must bring a one-year-old female goat for a sin offering. 28  The priest will sacrifice it to purify the guilty person before the LORD, and that person will be forgiven. 29  These same instructions apply both to native-born Israelites and to the foreigners living among you. 30  “But those who brazenly violate the LORD’s will, whether native-born Israelites or foreigners, have blasphemed the LORD, and they must be cut off from the community. 31  Since they have treated the LORD’s word with contempt and deliberately disobeyed his command, they must be completely cut off and suffer the punishment for their guilt.” Numbers 15:27-31 (NLT)

No sacrifice was available to cover a deliberate and rebellious sin. Paul referred to this when he wrote:

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him, 13  even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief. 14  Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 1:12-14 (NLT)

After we come to faith in Christ, it is vital that we serve God with a proper regard for the mercy that has been extended to us and not presume upon God by continuing to sin willfully. Since we are capable of deceiving ourselves, such willful sin should make us question the genuineness of our faith.

Everyone who resides in him does not sin; everyone who sins has neither seen him nor known him. 1 John 3:6 (NET1)

Those who believe on the Lord, although they are not yet perfect, no longer desire to sin, at least at the deepest level of their born again spirit.

Therefore, true born again believers will experience a frustrating tug of war in their hearts whenever they sin. Sinning no longer brings us any sort of lasting pleasure, and it dampens our joy and peace. If we are able to sin continually with no pangs of conscience or remorse, we may not be children of God at all. We all go through times of sinning due to a number of reasons, but, if we are truly born again, like the prodigal, we will return to the Father. Father God uses chastisement and correction to help us with this process.

Although God will never condemn his true children for their sins, he will discipline them. Let’s make every effort to stay out of the woodshed!

Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. 27  There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies. 28  For anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29  Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us. 30  For we know the one who said, “I will take revenge. I will pay them back.” He also said, “The LORD will judge his own people.” 31  It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Hebrews 10:26-31 (NLT)

If you are a captive to a particular sin, it is vital that you take a stand for your freedom in Christ.

He died to liberate us, and it does not bring him any glory when his people continue in sin. This is a topic for another article, but until then believe that you have been set free and start acting like it.

For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. Romans 6:14 (NASB)
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Understanding the Feasts of Israel in Light of the New Covenant

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three times in the year you must make a pilgrim feast to me. 15 You are to observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread; seven days you must eat bread made without yeast, as I commanded you, at the appointed time of the month of Abib, for at that time you came out of Egypt. No one may appear before me empty-handed. 16 “You are also to observe the Feast of Harvest, the firstfruits of your labors that you have sown in the field, and the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year when you have gathered in your harvest out of the field. 17 At three times in the year all your males will appear before the Lord GOD. Exodus 23:14-17 (NET1)

God commanded Israel to keep three great feasts every year. All the males were required to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and appear before the Lord. In other words, it was not enough to agree that these feasts were important: Israelites had to participate. Today most Christians know these feasts as Passover (the Feast of Unleavened Bread), Pentecost (the Feast of Weeks), and the Feast of Booths (Feast of Ingathering). These main feasts can be broken down into sub-feasts, but the Lord includes the parts in the whole. Therefore, in this brief study we will not concern ourselves with the sub-feasts.

The Old Covenant scriptures were written for our benefit to reveal Jesus and to foreshadow and typify the great salvation brought to us in the New Covenant.

Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things written about himself in all the scriptures. Luke 24:27 (NET1)

Jesus translated, interpreted, and explained how the Old Covenant scriptures applied to him. Once our eyes are opened to Christ and how he came to fulfill what was written, it becomes easier for us to see Jesus in the Old Covenant.

Seeing how the feasts were fulfilled by Christ and experienced by us believers will enrich our understanding.

Passover

The event which inaugurated the first feast also was the first step in Israel’s exodus from Egypt. At the first Passover God showed mercy and favor to his people when the angel of destruction put to death all the firstborn of Egypt as the final installment of God’s judgment upon that nation and its obstinate leadership. On the evening of Passover, God commanded his people to gather in homes by families. Each family was ordered to sacrifice and eat a lamb and to smear its blood upon the doorposts and lintel of their home. Any Israelite who stayed inside the blood marked home on that dreadful night was spared the death of their firstborn. All the firstborn of Egypt not residing in a blood stained home were killed that night. As a result of this last plague, Pharaoh finally let God’s people leave Egypt to start their journey to the Promised Land. Israel was commanded by God to keep perpetually a feast commemorating this great deliverance.

We know from New Covenant scriptures that Jesus fulfilled what God always had in mind for this feast when he died on the cross as the Lamb of God.

…For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 1 Corinthians 5:7b (NET1)

His blood is spiritually applied to the lives of those who place their faith in Christ, through which he becomes our Passover Lamb, thus sparing or redeeming us from the judgment of God’s wrath against sin, which will fall on everyone who refuses to believe.

For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14  who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. Colossians 1:13-14 (NLT)

Jesus died on the actual day of Passover, perfectly fulfilling this feast to the very day. When we place our faith in Christ, his blood is applied figuratively to the “doorposts and lintels of our hearts” so that God’s judgment will pass over us. Just as Christ bore our judgment on the cross on the New Covenant fulfillment of Passover some 2000 years ago, so we must personally receive that provision by believing the gospel.

Therefore, the Feast of Passover is fulfilled twice in the New Covenant for the believer – historically at Calvary and personally when we put our faith and allegiance in Christ.

Just as participation in the Old Covenant Feast of Passover was not optional, neither is it an option to have a personal fulfillment of that feast if you wish to be a child of God. If a person failed to keep the feast of Passover under the Law, he was cut off from the people of God; likewise, if someone is not born again and does not know Jesus as his or her Passover Lamb, he or she will be eternally cut off from God. So then, if Jesus had not fulfilled Passover by dying on the cross, we would all be cut off from God, and each person must also keep his or her own feast by believing in Christ and his atoning blood. A person cannot claim to be a Christian, if he or she does not experience the reality of Passover personally.

Pentecost

The second feast with a mandatory attendance requirement was the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost. Literally it means fifty, because it was celebrated fifty days after Passover. God first instituted the feast of Pentecost as a shadow pointing to a greater reality that would be fulfilled in Christ. In the Old Covenant shadow, this was a feast of the first fruits of the harvest. The very first time the Israelites celebrated it was at Mount Sinai, fifty days after escaped from Egypt. Fire and thunder came from the mountain when God gave the law to Moses. The people were not allowed to draw near to the mountain because of their sin. Because of their subsequent transgression in worshiping an idol, three thousand died.

The New Covenant fulfillment came on the exact day of the Old Covenant feast, fifty days after the Passover crucifixion of Christ, another exactly-to-the-day fulfillment of a feast. In the fulfillment of Pentecost, instead of fire and thunder, there were tongues of fire and the sound of a mighty rushing wind in the upper room where the disciples had gathered to pray. Instead of being forbidden to come near God, believers in Christ’s finished work on the cross, who have now been reconciled to the Father through the Son, have bold and confident access to the presence of God. Instead of the law, which was written in stone and brought death, the life-giving Spirit, who writes God’s laws upon human hearts, was given to God’s children. Instead of 3000 dying because of a transgression of the Law, 3000 were saved in response to the gospel message preached by Peter.

The prophet Joel foretold this giving of the Spirit, and  Peter quoted a portion of that prophecy in his sermon on that first New Covenant Pentecost. God always planned to pour out His Spirit as His incredible gift to the human race. Moses long before expressed God’s heart when he exclaimed:

… I wish that all the LORD’s people were prophets, that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!” Numbers 11:29 NET

This wonderful promise is not gender-specific either, nor is it limited by age, culture, or race. Jews and Gentiles, men and women, young and old alike are able to receive this wonderful gift. The gifts of the Spirit accompany this outpouring. Joel specifically mentions prophecies, dreams, and visions. Paul extends the list in First Corinthians, Chapter 12. This outpouring was God’s plan to bless and reach the entire human race with the gospel.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest parts of the earth. Acts 1:8 NET

The Law was unable to accomplish God’s will for mankind because humans are fatally flawed by sin. Our wonderful heavenly Father sent His own Son to accomplish for us and in us what he alone could do – to gain the benefits and blessings connected to living a perfect life of submission and obedience to God. For us to be right with God, we must have God’s righteousness and God’s life inside us. This righteousness comes by faith in the person and the finished work of Christ on the cross and through his resurrection. God’s life comes to God’s people via the indwelling Holy Spirit.

In addition, the Lord wants His power and ministry to flow through us. This comes by way of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. The New Covenant ministry of the early apostles included miracles, healings, deliverances, and salvations. All of this was an extension of the ministry of the risen Christ through his disciples. The Holy Spirit was the power behind Christ’s ministry during his days here on earth, and He remains the power behind the church’s ongoing ministry. God’s heart is to pour out his Spirit on all people. That is why we have been given the Great Commission. God still has more people to bless, and he still plans to pour out His Spirit on all people.

The Old Covenant Feast of Weeks had to be fulfilled in the New Covenant on the exact day of the feast, and each believer is expected to have a personal fulfillment in his or her life by receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

The reason this needs to be emphasized is because some people regard the baptism in the Spirit as an option or think it is included automatically in the new birth. Using the logic of God, however, this cannot possibly be true. God foreshadowed these two important parts of our faith experience by representing them in separate feasts on different dates with separate fulfillments in the New Covenant. Therefore, it  makes perfect sense that both the new birth and the baptism of the Spirit are required events or experiences in a believer’s life. Also, it is evident that one cannot contain the other because they are represented by two distinct feasts. In other words, a born again believer needs to be baptized in the Holy Spirit as well.

(If you would like to learn more about this amazing baptism in the Holy Spirit, consider reading Pete’s book entitled, Promise of the Father, which is available from Amazon in paperback and Kindle versions.)

The Feast of Ingathering

The third great feast with a mandatory attendance requirement was the triple feast of the Day of Atonement, the Feast of Trumpets, and the Feast of Booths, which are subsumed under the title of the Feast of Ingathering. This feast comes in the autumn months at the time of the harvest and is the one Old Covenant feast that as yet has neither a New Covenant fulfillment nor a personal fulfillment.

It is reasonable to assume that our Lord’s Second Coming will be the New Covenant fulfillment of this feast, at which time Jesus will raise the dead, catch up the living believers to be with him, judge all people, and install his Father’s kingdom, over which he will rule.

It is also quite clear that each believer will need to have a personal experience of this feast in his or her own life. If we are not gathered to the Lord at his Second Coming, we have no part with him.

Summary

In summary, the three major feasts of Israel signify three major events in church history and in the life of every believer. Just as it was mandatory for each Israelite male to participate in these feasts, it is required that Christ fulfill all these feasts and that the church participate in each of those fulfillments. Individually every believer must also have his or her Passover, Pentecost, and Feast of the Ingathering. We are to experience the new birth, the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and the resurrection, or we have no part in Christ.

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One New Man: How Christ Put Racism and Other Forms of Privilege to Death

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our nation continues to experience tension and violence because of the long standing tensions between black and white citizens due to racism. Some individuals and groups seek to inflame the bitterness and keeps the vicious cycle of retaliation going. Jesus came to reconcile us to God and one another by removing what the Bible calls the “wall of hostility” between the races, genders, differing socioeconomic groups, the young and old, and anything else that tends to divide us.

For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. 15 He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people [literally “man”] from the two groups. 16 Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death. 17 He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. 18 Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us. Ephesians 2:14-18 (NLT)

Before Christ’s death and resurrection, all people could be divided into two overall groups – the children of Abraham, who were also called children of the promise, and the Gentiles, who had no access to God or his covenant promises. The people of Israel were the physical and spiritual children (including converts) of Abraham, with whom God made a covenant to make him and his descendants a blessing to the entire world. Circumcision was the mark of that covenant that existed between God and these people, who became the nation of Israel. To a large extent (except in the case of Gentile converts), being a part of the covenant nation was racially based via genetic descent from Abraham, as long as the covenant was embraced by successive generations.

Within the Jewish religious system, men had a place of higher privilege than women in the religious and social order. There also was an established order based on family lines, which either privileged a person to do the work connected with the Temple and the sacrifices or excluded him. These lines of demarcation were based on physical attributes – race, gender, and family. In addition, the Jews separated themselves from all outside influences and contaminants in an effort to keep their ethnic and religious identity.

All of this created what was called by some a “wall of hostility” between Jew and Gentile that went all the way back to Cain and Abel, Isaac and Ishmael, and Jacob and Esau. The chosen sons down through history received the promises and blessings, but the rejected children were excluded from God’s best, which gave birth to resentment and bitterness, which are still evident in the Middle East and elsewhere. Jesus came to change all that.

Our New Identity in Christ

Man’s inhumanity to man is rooted in his separation from God.

Cut off from God, the source of life and identity, because of our sin, we look in other places for a sense of worth, identity, and meaning. In an effort to feel better about ourselves and defend ourselves from the scary unknown, we tend to persecute and hurt those not like us. In order to feel okay about doing this, we usually dehumanize the “enemy” in some way. Jews referred to Gentiles as “dogs.” Some whites in this country at one time held the opinion that Native Americans and blacks did not have souls. Today the most persecuted group are unborn infants. Those who justify abortion claim they are not yet humans. Nothing much has changed. Ironically many of those who complain the loudest about black-white inequities promote abortion. There are none righteous in God’s sight. We are all sinners in desperate need of mercy.

Jesus arrived on planet earth on a mission to overcome our separation from God and destroy the deeply rooted hostilities associated with race, gender, socioeconomic, and religious bias. He did this by putting those things death on the cross and creating in himself one new people who transcend all these hostilities.

When Jesus rose from the dead, he created a new edition of humanity and an entirely new reality for those who are born into the kingdom of God, one that transcends the things that previously divided us.

The Death of Racial Privilege

When Jesus died, it marked the death of the privileges connected with being a racial Jew. Jesus was the most important Jewish son ever born. He was the ultimate Son of Promise, the Messiah, the “seed” prophesied to Eve and to Abraham (Genesis 3:15, 22:18).

When Jesus died, not only did sin lose its power over those who trust in Christ, the privilege connected with being a racial Jew, as opposed to being a Gentile, was also put to death.

We can and should extrapolate this glorious truth to include all forms of racial privilege. In Christ, racism officially died on the cross. Now the only reality that matters is answered by how we answer the question, “Who is your Father?”

All those who are born of God through faith in Christ have one and the same Father. Therefore, we are all brothers and sisters in the same family. There is no place for racial or any other sorts of divisions in the Body of Christ.

Unfortunately, many people, even those who profess Christ, have not heard or do not believe that the war has ended.

For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on the character of Christ, like putting on new clothes. 28 There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you. Galatians 3:26-29 (NLT)

The Death of Gender Privilege

Jesus, the perfect man of God died at Calvary, and with him died gender-based privileged access to God and the work of ministry. In Christ and the new resurrection reality, there is nothing remaining that excludes anyone from the blessings and privileges of sonship in Christ. This is because all believers are now included in all that belongs to the Resurrected Son of Promise. What is his has become ours. Our relationship with God is qualitatively the same relationship as the Eternal Son’s (excluding, of course, his divinity) because his Spirit indwells us.

By faith and through the new birth, in Christ we are all “sons.”

But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. 5 God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. 6 And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” 7 Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir. Galatians 4:4-7 (NLT)

Now before you begin to put words into my mouth and make assumptions about where this line of reasoning is taking us, let me affirm that I know we live in a world in which we have bodies that are definitely male and female. Paul would not have disputed this. Sexual differentiation makes men and women different physically, emotionally, and functionally. By saying that there is no longer any gender-based privilege or access to God or ministry, I also am not denying the clear teaching of Scripture which affirms that God, for the present time, has given headship responsibilities to the husband in the family and to elders in the church – roles that are distinctly masculine. I also recognize that God has given men and women gender-specific roles in life, such as mother and father and husband and wife.

That being said, in terms of our identity in Christ, there is no qualitative difference. In addition, God has, can, and does appoint women to leadership and ministry roles, as he pleases. This has a Biblical precedent in the Old Testament in the case of Deborah, who ruled Israel and commanded its military leaders. It can also be argued from the New Testament, but that is beyond the scope of this meditation. I hope we can agree that the resurrection reality is that there is “no male or female” (Galatians 3:28). God is able to import that reality into our present historical context any time he chooses, just as he did with Deborah.

What will be our experienced reality in the resurrection and is already true in Christ.

The Death of Religious Privilege

The religious aspect of the wall of hostility came down when Jesus, the high priest according to the line of Melchizedek, died. The historic Old Covenant privileges associated with the line of Aaron came to an end at Calvary. The Old Covenant sacrifices and offerings were fulfilled in Christ as well, making them obsolete and soon to fade from existence.

When God speaks of a “new” covenant, it means he has made the first one obsolete. It is now out of date and will soon disappear. Hebrews 8:13 (NLT)

Christ’s death and resurrection destroyed the clergy-laity divide, making all of God’s people   priests.

But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. 10  “Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.” 1 Peter 2:9-10 (NLT)

Each follower of Christ is called, equipped, and anointed to do the work of the ministry and to offer New Covenant sacrifices, such as offering ourselves in service to Christ, giving to the needy, offering praise to God, and showing hospitality.

Jesus rejected the established way of achieving prominence in the religious world of his day. He did not attend the schools which were designed to accredit, prepare, and propel a man into a religious career. Instead he depended on God to prepare, anoint, and accredit him. In addition, Jesus chose simple men and women to be his disciples and trained them using his own methods, which were a combination of teaching and doing. He taught and modeled the behavior he desired and sent his disciples out to test their wings. In three years he produced a band of followers, who, through the power of the Holy Spirit, turned the world upside down.

The church will flourish as it puts into practice the Reformation doctrine of the priesthood of the believer, equipping and launching people into Great Commission disciple making.

The Death of Socioeconomic Privilege

The socioeconomic divide was also removed in Christ. Jesus, the glorious King of Kings, set aside his incomparable wealth and privilege as the Eternal Son of God and was born in a manger, lived as a relatively poor man in an oppressed nation, associated with the poor and the outcasts, was crucified as a criminal, and was buried in a common tomb that belonged to someone else.

When Jesus rose from the dead, rich and poor were made equal because of the liberating power of the Gospel and the Holy Spirit.

His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones. 52  He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble. 53  He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands. 54  He has helped his servant Israel and remembered to be merciful. 55  For he made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children forever.” Luke 1:51-55 (NLT)

 

Conclusion

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Ephesians 1:3 (NLT)

All blessings and our identity in the new creation order of things is found in Christ. Outside of him, we are lost and impoverished. In him, we are part of God’s family and incalculably wealthy and privileged. All that divided people because of religious, racial, ethnic, social, and gender issues has been removed by Christ. All believers are part of the one new perfect man who pleases God in every way. When we choose to acknowledge and live according to this new reality, we confirm the truth of the gospel and honor our Lord.

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Healing Part 1 – The Inescapable Logic of Isaiah 53

What does the Bible have to say about physical healing? Jesus healed many during his earthly ministry; as did the first apostles. I have personally witnessed people receive healings from God through prayer, including myself. I know evangelists who preach the gospel to huge crowds in other countries where the Holy Spirit often heals and sets people free as a testimony to the truth of their message. Why is it that some churches teach that physical healing is available in Christ; while others insist that, since the completion of the New Testament scriptures, the gifts of the Spirit, including healing, are no longer active? Is God still healing people today, or has he backed off from the way he began the church age? In this series I will examine whether or not Jesus purchased healing for his people through his death and resurrection, whether healing is for today, why we don’t  see more current examples of this gift in operation, and the difference between true faith and what I call “magical thinking”.

Sadly, we Christians, especially teachers of the Bible, often dilute the Word of God to correspond to our own experience. We make excuses for what is not part of our lives.

This is called isogesis, the process whereby we read into the Bible what we want it to say instead of pulling out its true meaning and conforming our thinking to that. The idea is that our thinking and behavior should match God’s Word, not the other way around. It may be very difficult for us to admit that we are not experiencing all that God has provided to his people, because we are afraid to think about what that says about us. It is also easy to fall prey to the influence of church tradition.

It may seem easier to deny that healings are for today than to struggle with why we are not experiencing them.

What does the Bible really say?

The Inescapable Logic of Four Important Hebrew Words

Isaiah 53 is the foundation for any understanding of physical healing.

Let us begin by looking at two verses from that chapter. But first, let’s be honest in admitting we all bring to the Bible a few or maybe a lot of preconceptions and biases. This is also true for those who translate the scriptures from the original languages. Those translators who do not believe that physical healing is for today will likely reflect that belief in the words they choose to convey the meaning of the Hebrew. Regrettably, that has been especially true of this chapter in which some key words usually are not translated according to their most natural meaning. Below I quote from the New English Translation because it is very literal and seems to have less translators’ bias than some other versions. I put the Hebrew words inside parentheses.

But he lifted (nasa) up our illnesses (choli), he carried (sabal) our pain (makob); even though we thought he was being punished, attacked by God, and afflicted for something he had done. 5  He was wounded because of our rebellious deeds, crushed because of our sins; he endured punishment that made us well; because of his wounds we have been healed. Isaiah 53:4-5 (NET1)

For us to properly understand how Jesus provided healing for us through what he suffered, we need to pay close attention to the above four highlighted Hebrew words.

  • nasa – This verb means to bear or carry.
  • sabal – This verb means to carry a heavy load.
  • choli – This noun fundamentally means sickness.
  • makob – This noun translates best as pain.

Isaiah 53:4 says that he (Jesus) lifted up or bore (nasa) our sicknesses or illnesses (choli). The same verse also says that Jesus carried (sabal) our pain (makob). The NET translates this in a most natural manner. In other words, it says it as the Hebrew says it. (You may wish to read other translations to see how they use the same words.)

Next, let’s look at how these same two Hebrew verbs are used with reference to sin. The core of the gospel hinges upon Jesus’ being our sin offering as the Lamb of God (John 1:29), which completely satisfied the wrath of God and provided forgiveness and reconciliation to those who trust in Christ. If he did not carry our sin on the cross, we are still lost and under God’s judgment. Isaiah 53:11-12 makes it clear that he did.

Having suffered, he will reflect on his work, he will be satisfied when he understands what he has done. “My servant will acquit many, for he carried (sabal) their sins. 12  So I will assign him a portion with the multitudes, he will divide the spoils of victory with the powerful, because he willingly submitted to death and was numbered with the rebels, when he lifted up (nasa) the sin of many and intervened on behalf of the rebels. Isaiah 53:11-12 (NET1)

Here we see above that the Hebrew verbs sabal and nasa, which are used to describe what Jesus did with our pains and sicknesses, are also used to show us what he did with our sins.

The logic is inescapable. If we are forgiven by his carrying our sins; then, we are healed by his carrying our sicknesses and pains.

If he did not carry our sicknesses and pains, he did not carry our sins. All Bible believing Christians unequivocally adhere to the latter; therefore, all should also believe in the former, whether or not we have personally experienced physical healing.

To prove that this is proper interpretation of the Hebrew, the Holy Spirit provided us with a confirmation in the gospel of Matthew.

That evening many demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. He cast out the evil spirits with a simple command, and he healed all the sick. 17  This fulfilled the word of the Lord through the prophet Isaiah, who said, “He took our sicknesses and removed our diseases.” Matthew 8:16-17 (NLT)

The reason many find it easier to believe in forgiveness than in physical healing is because forgiveness is for us largely a subjective experience, the reality of which will be confirmed experientially when we each stand before God in judgment. At that point, we will know beyond a shadow of a doubt whether or not the gospel is true and we were completely forgiven for our sins by what Christ did for us. Healing, on the other hand, requires us to experience it in the present, which tests our faith immediately, instead of putting it off until the indefinite future. We should not back away from the trial of faith that physical healing demands. Both forgiveness and healing are part of the atonement. Both are real. Both can be our experience. In fact, healing confirms the truth of forgiveness, according to Jesus.

Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’? 6  So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!” 7  And the man jumped up and went home! 8  Fear swept through the crowd as they saw this happen. And they praised God for sending a man with such great authority. Matthew 9:5-8 (NLT)

Isn’t it time for us to abandon our unbelief and embrace the truth of physical healing through the atonement? Isn’t it time for our experience to rise to the level of biblical truth instead of lowering the bar to match our experience? Yes, it is.

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Using the Authority God Gave Us

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jesus’ resurrection declared him to be the powerful Son of God.

and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, Romans 1:4 (ESV)

He died as the defenseless Lamb of God who willingly submitted to a cruel death in order to expiate our sins. He rose again triumphant from the grave, never to relinquish his rights, authority, and power as God’s divine Son again, except to his heavenly Father. In addition to his own authority as the Messianic King, our Lord regained all the authority that had been lost by Adam, when he ceded that authority to Satan by rebelling against God in the garden. As the risen God-Man, Jesus has both the authority of God and the regained delegated authority of God that belongs to man. The latter he shares with the church.

Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19  Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20  Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT)

Adam foolishly relinquished his God-given authority to Satan when he submitted to the serpent’s authority and rule in the garden. Adam and Eve were created to use God’s benevolent authority as rulers over the earth. Instead, by relinquishing that authority to Satan, the earth was filled with all sorts of horrors and aberrations from God original intent for creation. The earth became a shell of itself, as it remains to this day, as it awaits Christ’s Second Coming when all things will be restored.

For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. 20  Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, 21  the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. Romans 8:19-21 (NLT)

Since his resurrection, God’s authority has been reinstalled upon the earth in a kind of installment plan. It is here already, but not in its completion.

Christ invests his authority in his people, who act as his representatives on earth in kingdom of God matters. The Holy Spirit is God’s Enforcer. We are the spokespeople.

Christ’s delegated authority extends to several different areas. It is important for his followers to understand what this authority is, how it works, and what is our role in the process. I will look at three areas in this article.

Authority to Preach the Gospel

Preaching the gospel is perhaps the greatest responsibility and expression of Christ’s authority which he gave to his followers.

We are privileged to stand before people and declare to them that by acknowledging that Jesus is Lord, by submitting their lives to him, and believing in all he accomplished for them through his death and resurrection, they can be forgiven, restored to a right relationship with God, receive eternal life, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. If the gospel is not the truth, we are guilty of misrepresenting God. If it is the truth, we are co-laborers with God in the grandest enterprise of the ages – bringing men, women, and children to God through our preaching.

All of Christ’s followers are commissioned as preachers who speak with God’s authority. We may not be eloquent. We may only share with a few individuals during a lifetime, but we represent him nevertheless.

Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17  And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. Colossians 3:16-17 (NLT)

We depend upon God’s Spirit to actually do the work which proves the gospel is true. He is the one who works in people’s hearts to convict them of sin, bring them to repentance, open their hearts to believe, and regenerate them.

Christ’s authority is released in our preaching combined with the inner work of God’s Spirit that makes the gospel effective. We must do our part, and the Spirit does his.

It is also important to understand the the Spirit also helps us to do our part. We need his empowering to be effective preachers.

The Spirit also often works through signs and wonders to confirm the truth of the gospel. This happened frequently in the book of Acts and takes place today as a regular thing among the Hindu peoples who are hearing the gospel. We should always be alert and open to the Holy Spirit using us in this manner to pray for people to be healed, as a proof of the truth of the gospel.

How to use our authority to preach the gospel

We declare God's truth that if a person confesses with his mouth that Jesus is Lord and believes in his or her heart that God raised him from the dead, he or she will be saved. (Romans 10:9) The gospel should conclude with an invitational command: confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, and you will be saved.

Or we can approach it as Peter did on Pentecost, when the people asked what they needed to do. 

Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39  "For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself." Acts 2:38-39 (NASB)

Notice that in both cases, an invitational command was given, which was a call to a active response by the hearer. Only those who were moved by God's Spirit responded. The rest either turned away or persecuted the preacher.

Authority to Heal

Christ purchased our healing when he endured the cross and everything connected to his passion, especially the beating he endured at the hands of the Roman soldiers. Isaiah 53 makes it clear that Jesus took our sicknesses and diseases upon himself at the cross in the same way that he carried our sins and iniquities. (For a detailed explanation of this great truth, consider reading Christ the Healer by Bosworth.) Matthew showed us that he understood that Jesus’ healing ministry was a fulfillment of Isaiah 53, when he quoted part of that chapter as an explanation of Jesus’ ministry.

When evening came, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill. 17  This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: “HE HIMSELF TOOK OUR INFIRMITIES AND CARRIED AWAY OUR DISEASES.” Matthew 8:16-17 (NASB)

The Apostle Peter also revealed that he understood that Isaiah 53 was key to understanding Christ’s healing ministry, when he wrote the following.

and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. 1 Peter 2:24 (NASB)

This is a quote from Isaiah 53:5.

But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. Isaiah 53:5 (NASB)

The Hebrew word for “healed” is rapha, which is part of a compound name for God revealed to Moses and Israel during their desert wanderings, which was Jehovah-rapha – the Lord Our Healer.

And He said, “If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the LORD your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the LORD, am your healer.” Exodus 15:26 (NASB)

God heals us on the inside and out, spiritually, psychologically, emotionally, relationally, and physically. The Bible does not teach us to confine God’s healing work to less than the whole person.

Jesus commissioned his followers to proclaim healing in his name.

And He called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. 2  And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing. Luke 9:1-2 (NASB)

Three defining aspects of the coming of God’s kingdom are the preaching of the gospel, healing of the sick, and deliverance from demons. Physical healing is analogous to a trumpet call to hear the gospel and believe in Jesus. It is also an act of God’s mercy extended to hurting people, in which Jesus specialized and to which we are called. Healing is love in action. (Matthew 14:14) 

How to use our authority to proclaim healing.

Once again, just as with the gospel, it is our responsibility to proclaim healing and the Holy Spirit's responsibility to make it happen. We have Christ's authority to pray and proclaim healing, but only the Spirit has the power to perform it. This takes the pressure off of us. Ours is to obey, get out on a limb, and see what God will do. The rest is up to God.

When ministering healing, keep in mind that we are not begging God to do something outside of his plan and purpose in Christ. We "claim" the benefits of what Christ has already accomplished and ask God's Spirit to make healing an experienced reality. The manner, timing, and extent of healing are all in God's hands. We should encourage those we pray for to believe God's promises and trust him to fulfill them in his way and time. Ours is to believe and receive by faith. God holds the rest in his hands. Even if we die believing for something we never experience in this life, we still bring glory to God. 

Below is an example of how to minister healing.

But Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze on him and said, "Look at us!" 5  And he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6  But Peter said, "I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—walk!" 7  And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened. Acts 3:4-7 (NASB)

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers and elders of the people, 9  if we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man, as to how this man has been made well, 10  let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by this name this man stands here before you in good health. 11  "He is the STONE WHICH WAS REJECTED by you, THE BUILDERS, but WHICH BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone. 12  "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:8-12 (NASB)

Both of these passages refer to the same event. Notice that Peter made a declarative command - "walk," or, in effect, "be healed." When Peter explained himself before the Jewish authorities, he used the healing as an opportunity to declare Christ's lordship and the gospel offer of salvation. This is our example. Now go do it.

Authority to Release the Demon Oppressed

One sign of the coming of God’s kingdom is when followers of Christ command demons to leave people in Christ’s name. Demons oppress people, and Jesus came to put a stop to that. Using his authority and the power of God’s Spirit, we can command demons to leave people and stop oppressing them. As with the gospel and healing, our authority is not passive. It is aggressive, declarative, and commanding. We speak directly to the spirit and command it to leave in the name and authority of Jesus the risen Son of God. The Holy Spirit will then enforce our spoken delegated authority. It’s as simple as that. Since I have written extensively on this subject in another article, which you can access by clicking here, I will not repeat myself.

Putting These Things into Practice

It is one thing to believe something is true and quite another to act as if you believe. Faith without works is dead, according to James. Unless we practice our faith, we may be deceiving ourselves into thinking we believe, when in fact we do not. Putting into practice the use of our authority in Christ to preach the gospel, heal the sick, and cast out demons allows us to experience what it is like to be Christ’s representatives on earth.

We will never know what it is like to lead people to Christ, watch him heal, or see him deliver people from oppression, unless we are willing to get out on a limb by using our God-given authority.

We must be willing to have others think we are crazy or to look foolish. It is not our responsibility to look good or make things happen, but only to obey. I have never had anyone get angry with me for praying for them, even if the answer did not immediately manifest itself. Usually people are grateful that someone would make the effort. On the other hand, I have had the privilege of being a part of leading people to faith in Christ, seeing them healed before my eyes, and casting out demons. That is because I took the “chance” to use the authority I have in Christ. Let me encourage you to step out in faith and use what God has given us. We do not want to one day stand before Christ and hear him ask us why we did not use what he gave us, do we? You will never be “ready” or “good enough.” You just have to do it.

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Observing the Sabbath New Covenant Style

 

 

 

 

 

 

God made a big deal out of observing the Sabbath in the Old Covenant. Work was strictly prohibited. It was a day of rest from all labor, even cooking. Violators could be stoned to death. By the time of Jesus, all sorts of extra rules had been put in place to ensure that people would not violate the Sabbath. Paradoxically, these man-made rules sometimes contradicted God’s original intent for the Sabbath.

Jesus was notorious for violating these anti-Sabbath religious regulations, which got him into trouble with the Jewish authorities. On one particular Sabbath, Jesus healed a person, which the Pharisees said was a form of prohibited work. Our Lord embarrassed them by asking if they would rescue an animal out of a pit on the  Sabbath. Of course they would, since the emergency need of the animal trumped the regulation. The loving thing to do would be to help a beleaguered animal. Jesus insisted that it was even more appropriate to rescue a human being from Satan’s oppression on the Sabbath. In fact, such a rescue fulfilled God’s original intent for the Sabbath – giving rest to people.

Jesus taught on another occasion:

…“The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28  So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27-28 (ESV)

These words shocked his hearers on at least two counts.

  1. Jesus claimed to be the lord of the Sabbath, which made him God and gave him the authority to set the record straight about the purpose and meaning of the Sabbath.
  2. God intended the Sabbath to have life giving flexibility rather than be a set of joy robbing rules.

The original purpose of the Sabbath was to celebrate God’s finished work and demonstrate our trust in his faithfulness to provide for us.

The practical application of the Old Covenant Sabbath was to cease from labor one day a week. This time of rest was and is refreshing to the body and soul. Even today we violate it at our own peril when it comes to mental, spiritual, and physical health. However, under the New Covenant, there is no moral or ceremonial reason to strictly observe Saturdays in the way the Jews did.

The principle that has passed over into the New Covenant is that we are to “rest” in God’s promises, provision, and protection.

The Old Covenant week began with six days of labor followed by a day of rest. In the New Covenant, the resurrection of Christ took place on Sunday, the first day of the week.

As New Covenant believers, we begin our work week by first resting. That is because we recognize that God already completed the work of our salvation in Christ.

O LORD, you will ordain peace for us, for you have indeed done for us all our works. Isaiah 26:12 (ESV)

To put it another way, Christ already has completed the work of our salvation. Now we “work out our salvation” (Philippians 2:12) from a position of its already having been accomplished.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9  not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:8-10 (ESV)

In the New Covenant we are no longer under the Law of Moses. We do not earn or maintain our right standing with God by keeping rules and regulations. Jesus already perfectly kept all the rules for us.

For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God. Romans 10:4 (NLT)

Jesus lived in complete obedience to his Father, all the way to the cross. He lived and died as the obedient Son, thus fulfilling the Law perfectly. By dying, he paid the penalty for our violation of that same Law.

In other words, Jesus accomplished two huge things on our behalf. He provided forgiveness for our covenant violations of the Law and he provided us with his perfect right standing with God the Father that resulted from his being absolutely obedient. He took our place in death, and we share his place with the Father in life.

Under the New Covenant, our responsibility is no longer to “keep the law.” Now we are told to “walk in the Spirit.”

He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. Romans 8:4 (NLT)

When a person confesses that Jesus is Lord, he agrees to live the rest of his life in obedience and submission to Jesus. This is worked out by learning to listen to the Holy Spirit on a daily, even moment by moment, basis.

Our challenge is to learn how to live in faithful dependence upon God’s leading and direction, instead of simply doing whatever we want or decide. This is what it means to keep the Sabbath in the New Covenant.

Isaiah the prophet said it wonderfully.

“If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the LORD honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly; 14  then you shall take delight in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” Isaiah 58:13-14 (ESV)

The author of the Letter to the Hebrews said it another way.

Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, 7  again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” 8  For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. 9  So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10  for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. 11  Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. Hebrews 4:6-11 (ESV)

Keeping the Sabbath in the New Covenant means consciously attempting to live in obedience to the Bible’s teachings and the voice of God’s Spirit.

Solomon said it perhaps better than anyone else.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV)

This is no small matter. It is not optional Christianity. It goes to the very heart of what it means to be a follower of Christ. If we are not led by the Spirit, according to Paul, we cannot even claim to belong to Christ.

So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13  For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14  For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. Romans 8:12-14 (ESV)

Let us make it our purpose today and every day to live in communion with and obedience to the indwelling Holy Spirit. Let us learn to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Let’s keep the Sabbath New Covenant style.

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