Study of Hebrews—exploration and discussion: 10:11-25

“Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith….And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”

v. 10-11 Christ was sacrificed “once for all.” The author makes a contrast with the once-for-all sacrifice with the OT sacrificial system where every priest _________ and performs his religious duties;

What is offered again and again? These sacrifices never took away__________.

v. 12 But when _____________ had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He_____________ at the right hand of God the Father.

v. 13 What is going to become of those who are against Jesus?

v. 14 For genuine Christians, who makes us perfect forever? This applies to genuine Christians who experience Christ personally. We are in the process of being made__________.

Morris (1981) writes, “The process of salvation takes people who are far from perfect and makes them fit to be in God’s presence forever. It is not temporary improvement he is speaking of but improvement that is never ending.”

Are you experiencing a personal relationship with God through Jesus who promised to abide in you and you in Him?

v. 15 -17 Here we read that “The Holy Spirit also testifies” Who is the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit is God, third person of the triune godhead.

God the Holy Spirit testifies through Jeremiah 31:33; 34b. pointing forward to Christ.
1. God will put His laws on our hearts.
2. “I will write them on their minds.”
3. Because of Christ, our sins are forgiven.

v. 18 The emphasis is now the new covenant where genuine Christians experience ______________ and there is no longer a need for any sacrifice for sin.

v. 19 “Therefore” (because of Jesus’ sacrifice, & our forgiveness) We can come to God in prayer (enter the Most Holy Place) with___________________ by the _____________ of Jesus.

v. 20 Why couldn’t we enter the Most Holy Place before Jesus?

Remember God is holy x3. Animal sacrifices did not completely atone for sin. Therefore, only the high priest could enter the Most Holy Place—and only once a year to offer sacrifices for sin according to the law. However, sin still lingered and the people continued to experience guilt because of their sinful nature and there wasn’t complete forgiveness of sin.

Now, we are given opportunity to enter “by a new and living way…. What Jesus has done has created a completely new situation. We now come to God the Father through Jesus—our living Savior. He was the perfect sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins.

“The curtain symbolizes the body of Christ in terms of suffering: Like the curtain, his body was torn to open the way into the divine presence” (NIV study notes). (cf. Mark 15:38)

v. 21 Jesus is referred to as_____________ _____________ over the house of God

Jesus certainly lowered Himself to servant from heaven’s glory, but He is our great priest (sovereign) over the house of God. Morris wrote, “Once again we have the highest Christology combined with the recognition that Jesus rendered lowly service.”

Should Jesus’ example of “lowly service” influence our behavior and attitude toward those in our sphere of influence?

As a professing Christian, do others see your willingness to do the least desirable behaviors because Jesus is working through you?

v. 22. Since Jesus has made the living way, “let us ________ _______ to God with a __________ _________ in full assurance of faith,

“having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”

Do you recognize that we only have a sincere heart if we have applied the blood of Jesus to our sinful nature, understand that we need forgiveness, and repent from our sin?

“The heart stands for the whole of the inner life of man[kind], and it is important as God’s people approach him, they be right inwardly” (Morris, 1981).

…”having our bodies washed with pure water.” This goes hand in hand with being cleansed inwardly. Some scholars view this verse as referring to baptism. Baptism is an outward sign of an inward cleansing, most important is the inward cleansing followed by baptism.

Others view “washing” and “pure water” as reference to the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit.

MacArthur (1983) said, “does not refer to baptism, but has to do with our living, with how the Holy Spirit changes our lives.” Titus 3:5 Eph. 5:26.

Thus ‘washing’ with ‘purified water’ signifies responsive obedience in accordance with God’s word to us, and it is ‘the washing of water with the word’ which produces that obedience (Ephesians 5.26). It is only seen as possible through obedience combined with the sacrifice of Christ (1 Peter 1.2). Compare how ‘washing’ is also elsewhere closely connected with new life and the regenerating work of the Spirit (see Titus 3.5). So the reference here is not specifically to being baptised but to the deeper requirements of obedience as a result of cleansing (angelfire.com).

With that said. Baptism is an act of obedience for the cleansed and regenerated Christian. The author may not have had the act of baptism in mind as much as the transformation process and subsequent obedience through the power of God the Holy Spirit.

v. 23 “Let us hold __________________ to the hope we profess, for he who promised is______________.”

v. 24 “And let us consider how we may _________ one another on toward_____________ and _____________ _________.”

v. 25 “Let us not give up ____________ ______________, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us _____________________ one another—and all the more as you see the _________ approaching.

This verse emphasizes accountability for one another. We are called to act toward fellow believers as those who will give an account of ourselves to God on the Day of Judgment.

References:
http://www.angelfire.com/planet/lifetruth/hebrews2.html
Expositor’s Bible Commentary (1981) Frank Gaebelein (ed)
MacArthur, John F. (1983) New Testament Commentary Hebrews
NIV Study Bible (1985)