The Intention and Result of Christ’s Sacrifice

Hebrews 9:24 – 10:14 in the New American Standard Bible (Updated) reads:

24 For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; 25 nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own. 26 Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, 28 so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.

1 For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near. 2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins? 3 But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5 Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says,
“SACRIFICE AND OFFERING YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, BUT A BODY YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR ME;
6 IN WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN YOU HAVE TAKEN NO PLEASURE.
7 “THEN I SAID, ‘BEHOLD, I HAVE COME (IN THE SCROLL OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME) TO DO YOUR WILL, O GOD.’”

8 After saying above, “SACRIFICES AND OFFERINGS AND WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, NOR HAVE YOU TAKEN PLEASURE in them” (which are offered according to the Law), 9 then He said, “BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL.” He takes away the first in order to establish the second. 10 By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

11 Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; 12 but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, 13 waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET. 14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.

Over the last two weeks, my friend, Dr. James White has preached four sermons on this tremendous passage of Scripture (above). They contain extremely rich and powerful insights into what the cross of Christ actually accomplished for the people of God. Knowing these things is the necessary antidote to so much false religion that masquerades under the banner and guise of Christianity in our day.

These sermons are now available to hear at the sermon audio site at the following links and are VERY HIGHLY recommended.

(1) Heb 9:26-28

(2) Heb 10:1-4

(3) Heb 10:5-10

(4) Heb 10:10-14

The Truth About Calvin and Servetus by Loraine Boettner

Dr. Boettner was a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary (Th.B., 1928; Th.M., 1929), where he studied Systematic Theology under the late Dr. C. W. Hodge. In 1933 he received the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity, and in 1957 the degree of Doctor of Literature.

His books include: The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination, Roman Catholicism, and The Millennium.

We must now consider an event in the life of Calvin which to a certain extent has cast a shadow over his fair name and which has exposed him to the charge of intolerance and persecution. We refer to the death of Servetus which occurred in Geneva during the period of Calvin’s work there. That it was a mistake is admitted by all. History knows only one spotless being—the Savior of sinners. All others have marks of infirmity written which forbid idolatry.

Calvin has, however, often been criticized with undue severity as though the responsibility rested upon him alone, when as a matter of fact Servetus was given a court trial lasting over two months and was sentenced by the full session of the civil Council, and that in accordance with the laws which were then recognized throughout Christendom. And, far from urging that the sentence be made more severe, Calvin urged that the sword be substituted for the fire, but was overruled. Calvin and the men of his time are not to be judged strictly and solely by the advanced standards of our twentieth century, but must to a certain extent be considered in the light of their own sixteenth century. We have seen great developments in regard to civil and religious toleration, prison reform, abolition of slavery and the slave trade, feudalism, witch burning, improvement of the conditions of the poor, etc., which are the late but genuine results of Christian teachings. The error of those who advocated and practiced what would be considered intolerance today, was the general error of the age. It should not, in fairness, be permitted to give an unfavorable impression of their character and motives, and much less should it be allowed to prejudice us against their doctrines on other and more important subjects.

The Protestants had just thrown off the yoke of Rome and in their struggle to defend themselves they were often forced to fight intolerance with intolerance. Throughout the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries public opinion in all European countries justified the right and duty of civil governments to protect and support orthodoxy and to punish heresy, holding that obstinate heretics and blasphemers should be made harmless by death if necessary.

Protestants differed from Romanists mainly in their definition of heresy, and by greater moderation in its punishment. Heresy was considered a sin against society, and in some cases as worse than murder; for while murder only destroyed the body, heresy destroyed the soul. Today we have swung to the other extreme and public opinion manifests a latitudinarian indifference toward truth or error.

During the eighteenth century the reign of intolerance was gradually undermined. Protestant England and Holland took the lead in extending civil and religious liberty, and the Constitution of the United States completed the theory by putting all Christian denominations on a parity before the law and guaranteeing them the full enjoyment of equal rights.

Calvin’s course in regard to Servetus was fully approved by all the leading Reformers of the time. Melanchthon, the theological head of the Lutheran Church, fully and repeatedly justified the course of Calvin and the Council of Geneva, and even held them up as models for imitation. Nearly a year after the death of Servetus he wrote to Calvin: “I have read your book, in which you clearly refuted the horrid blasphemies of Servetus…. To you the Church owes gratitude at the present moment, and will owe it to the latest posterity. I perfectly assent to your opinion. I affirm also that your magistrates did right in punishing, after regular trial, this blasphemous man.” Continue reading

The Infinite Worth of the Word of God

At a recent gathering of book retailers and authors called ICRS (International Christian Retail Show), Crossway hosted a banquet for authors, retailers, and others. The keynote address at this banquet was given by John Piper.

Dr. Piper spends the first 15 minutes reflecting on the 400th anniversary of the KJV and its descendents in the RSV and ESV, as well as, humanly speaking, the enormous debt all of us in the English speaking world owe to William Tyndale. In the last 15 minutes John Piper presents seven reasons why the Bible is of infinite value.

This will do your heart good.

John Piper: Keynote Address at Crossway Banquet, ICRS 2011 from Crossway on Vimeo.

HT: Dane Ortlund

Fun Photos

The Arminian Bridge (Perseverance of the Saints)

“We only lost 4 on the bridge today George”

“Wow, that’s great! Better than yesterday’s number!”

“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word…”

In regards to recent comments from Mark Driscoll that the Church needs to have more manly leaders, the four elders of Happy Church, Odessa, Ukraine, clearly disagree.

Cats are so romantic: “It does not matter where I am, as long as were together”

This is a lot more than a bad hair day

Your Mail Order Bride has just arrived…

I just wonder how a realter would market this… “the innovative floor plan allows you to sit back and relax with a unique view of the city.”

“John, sometimes your posts just really annoy me!”

India Outreach Update

Before I share an update, God used those seasons of ministry to plant a very deep love in my heart for the precious people of India. There are tears in my eyes as I recall the faces of young boys and girls as well as many adults making a profession of faith in the Lord Jesus for the first time. Over the years I have been privileged to see thousands do this exact thing.

I am very aware that my part in it all was simply the final link in a long chain of people – those who had prayed for, given towards and sacrificed in ways only heaven will reveal, so that the people of Kerala, India might know salvation through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Now, all these years later, a new opportunity is before us. One missionary can do only so much and go to only so many places by himself; but a tract can go to places a missionary would never get to on his own. A tract is like a trained armed soldier, standing on guard, always ready to be used in the hand of God.

One testimony I heard recently was from a gentleman who kept a tract in his wallet for 3 years, “almost” throwing it away many different times, only to keep it, thinking he might read it “one day” when he had time… Then finally, alone in a hotel room, while fumbling through his wallet, he came across the tract (now just a little battered by the elements of time) and he finally decided to read it. As he did so, he understood the gospel, was immediately convicted of his sin, and right there on the spot, the Holy Spirit brought the miracle of conversion as he trusted in Christ to save him.

You may remember we provided 10,000 copies of the Gospel tract I wrote “The Thief on the Cross” in the Malayalam language which were handed out to people in the state of Kerala at Easter time. The response and feedback to this very clear gospel presentation has been so encouraging that we made a tentative inquiry to find out how much it would cost for 100,000 tracts to be printed.

Whereas the cost for 10,000 tracts was approximately $400 USA Dollars, the cost for 100,000 tracts will be $2,600.00. This is the full cost, which includes paper, printing, shipping and distribution handling costs. As you can see, there is a substantial savings (per tract) when there is a larger quantity being printed.

Perhaps this Gospel outreach is something you or your church might like to get behind and support. If so, just write to me and I will give you further details.

Goal: $2,600.00

Amount received (as of 8/5/11): $330.00

Thank you D.B. and T.G. for your sacrificial gifts for this project. May many others be inspired to do the same.

Those Pesky Arminian Verses

This blog title is written with a big “tongue in cheek” as I am convinced that the Bible presents a consistent message and that when properly understood, there are no “Arminian verses” in God’s word. However, four verses are normally raised as proof texts for their view:

John 3:16; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 2:4 and Matthew 23:37.

For those who like videos, here are some that have been made to specifically address these verses in their context. The first three are by Pastor Jim McClarty of Grace Christian Assembly, Smyrna, Tennessee. The last one is by Dr. James White of www.aomin.org. Enjoy!

John 3:16

2 Peter 3:9

1 Timothy 2:4

In this last video, which is longer than the others (above), Dr. James White deals with Matthew 23:37, 1 Timothy 2:4 and 2 Peter 3:9.

Friday Round Up

(1) Ligonier has some SUPER deals today on some excellent material in this week’s $5 Friday sale starting at 8 am EST. Check it out here.

Remember, if you decide to purchase material, you can claim a further 10% discount on these and on ALL Ligonier products as a reader of this blog by using the coupon code: EGRACE10

(2) I love this quote: “In the very beginning, when this great universe lay in the mind of God, like unborn forests in the acorn cup; long ere the echoes awoke the solitudes; before the mountains were brought forth; and long ere the light flashed through the sky, God loved His chosen creatures. Before there was any created being—when the ether was not fanned by an angel’s wing, when space itself had not an existence, when there was nothing save God alone—even then, in that loneliness of Deity, and in that deep quiet and profundity, His bowels moved with love for His chosen. Their names were written on His heart, and then were they dear to His soul. Jesus loved His people before the foundation of the world—even from eternity! and when He called me by His grace, He said to me, “I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”

Then, in the fulness of time, He purchased me with His blood; He let His heart run out in one deep gaping wound for me long ere I loved Him. Yea, when He first came to me, did I not spurn Him? When He knocked at the door, and asked for entrance, did I not drive Him away, and do despite to His grace? Ah, I can remember that I full often did so until, at last, by the power of His effectual grace, He said, “I must, I will come in;” and then He turned my heart, and made me love Him. But even till now I should have resisted Him, had it not been for His grace. Well, then since He purchased me when I was dead in sins, does it not follow, as a consequence necessary and logical, that He must have loved me first? Did my Saviour die for me because I believed on Him? No; I was not then in existence; I had then no being. Could the Saviour, therefore, have died because I had faith, when I myself was not yet born? Could that have been possible? Could that have been the origin of the Saviour’s love towards me? Oh! no; my Saviour died for me long before I believed. “But,” says someone, “He foresaw that you would have faith; and, therefore, He loved you.” What did He foresee about my faith? Did He foresee that I should get that faith myself, and that I should believe on Him of myself? No; Christ could not foresee that, because no Christian man will ever say that faith came of itself without the gift and without the working of the Holy Spirit. I have met with a great many believers, and talked with them about this matter; but I never knew one who could put his hand on his heart, and say, “I believed in Jesus without the assistance of the Holy Spirit.”” – C. H. Spurgeon (Sermon – A Defense of Calvinism)

(3) India Outreach:

You may remember we provided 10,000 copies of the Gospel tract I wrote “The Thief on the Cross” in the Malayalam language which were handed out to people in the state of Kerala at Easter time. The response and feedback to this very clear gospel presentation has been so encouraging that we made a tentative inquiry to find out how much it would cost for 100,000 tracts to be printed.

Whereas the cost for 10,000 tracts was approximately $400 USA Dollars, the cost for 100,000 tracts will be $2,600.00. This is the full cost, which includes paper, printing, shipping and distribution handling costs. As you can see, there is a substantial savings (per tract) when there is a larger quantity being printed.

Perhaps this Gospel outreach is something you or your church might like to get behind and support. If so, just write to me and I will give you further details.

Goal: $2,600.00

Amount received (as of 8/5/11): $330.00

(4) From the archives here: This is what happens when a gentleman with a sincere question about election approaches Paul Washer (unannounced) and someone else has a video camera standing by ready to record. In spite of the sound quality issues (thankfully the entire conversation is readable in subtitles on the screen), I am sure the explanation given here can be helpful for many people:

(5) Ever Notice How God Always Fails In “Free-Will” Theology? by AllforHisgloryalone

#1 He desires all men (their meaning = every individual) to be saved, but does not accomplish this. Fail.

#2 If He is lifted up, He will draw all men (their meaning = every individual) , but yet all men do not come, another fail.

#3 He paid in full all the sins of all men and died to save them, (their meaning = every individual) yet some go to hell and still have to pay, another fail.

#4 John 6:39-40 John 10 27-29 God fails again, because their theology says true believers can become lost.

#5 Sovereign Lord and King of kings, another fail, for He must submit to and cannot violate or impose upon their free will.

I could go on, but no.

The God of the Bible does not fail, Ever! (Isaiah 46:8-11). He is mighty to save, sanctify, to keep, to persevere, & to glorify.

If He died for you, you will be saved.
If He gives you eternal life, its eternal.
If He draws you, you will come.
If He changes you, you are truly changed
If you are His and go astray, He will come get you and restore you.
If He is Sovereign King of kings, He will not bow the knee to man’s will.

(6) This is very funny and there are so many applications for this: