Lesson 2177

(Lesson 2177)(11-24-17)  Hebrews Chapter Eight
    “Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount. But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.”

    In today’s quote, the author again established our Lord Jesus Christ as the ultimate high priest of all people. He also established that through the perfection and sacrifice of that same Jesus, the old law of works was fulfilled and the new law of salvation by grace through faith was born.
    Everlasting life cannot be attained by works of the flesh, such as water baptisms, because it is a gift specifically for those who believe in the life, death, burial, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. If one must work for something, that something is certainly NOT a gift, that something, if worked for, is earned. Paul makes that point very clear in Romans 4:4-5; “To him that worketh is the reward NOT reckoned of grace, but of DEBT. But to him that WORKETH NOT, but BELIEVETH ON HIM THAT JUSTIFIETH THE UNGODLY, his FAITH is counted for righteousness.”
    Mankind cannot achieve perfect righteousness by his own good works, that righteousness must be imputed into him/her through faith in Jesus Christ.~