Hebrews 13:20 The Blood of the Everlasting Covenant

The Spurgeon Archive ^ | September 4, 1859 | C. H. Spurgeon

[Diego1618]

Hey Senator! I am always amazed that they use the verse that specifically shows their error....Colossians 2:16.

These Newly converted Colossians had been, just a short time before, Pagan Greeks. They would have no knowledge of God's dietary regulations, New Moon observances, Religious Festivals or Sabbaths. Paul is here instructing the observance of these things and telling these novice Christians to ignore any and all criticism of it.

Earlier in verse 8 Paul has told them to also ignore hollow and deceptive philosophy....which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world. Somehow, I cannot equate God's Religious Festivals, New Moon Observances, Sabbaths and dietary regulations with human traditions.

[Dahlseide]

The Law points out sin. Therefore it is our guide to living a Holy life. To throw out the Law is to insinuate that God is fallible and thus not God. As Christians, Jesus is our Savior and our template.

Then you misunderstand the purpose of the Law as understood by protestants. The Law certainly does point out sin; that is quite an understatement, unless by that you mean the impossibility of keeping the Law which you apparently do not.

Paul referred to himself as the chiefest of sinners; I once stated that I had replaced him; but recently I realized that Paul was correct; correct because he understood the depth of the Law; something that I know I, & I strongly, as strongly as words will allow, recommend that you begin to understand in a much deeper way; the reason being that the Law, as Bunyan put it in Pilgrims Progress, is allegorically speaking, similar to a huge cliff hanging over Christians head & certain to fall on him should he continue on that false path to satisfy the Law; after he had temporarily, and only temporarily, turned from the only road to the Celestial City.

The purpose of the Law is to drive all the saved & the yet-to-be saved pell-mell, screaming save me from the wrath to come, to the only One that ever met or could met the Laws demand; that of course being, as you must know, the Redeemer of His elect.

If you truly believe you are a Christian & yet truly believe you can satisfy the Law, I pity you. However that pity is worth nothing as it is only by grace that you or I can be saved.

You need not claim protestants, who truly are protestants, nullify the Law – as they say in the vernacular of the day that dog don’t hunt .

Nor need you say it began with protestants – that dog doesn’t hunt any better than the first dog.

Do we who hold the impossibility of keeping the Law then sin that grace may abound?.

Same dog.

If you understand scripture in the slightest, or when you do, you will realize the falsity of any thought of satisfying the Laws demand; that everything you believed in that regard amounted to you, or someone for you, placing a veil over the Law to soften it to the point that man, i.e. you or me, could keep it.

Simply put, the Law is our tutor to drive the saved, & yet-to-be saved, to the Redeemer; & yes to His rightness imputed to those whom He has regenerated, or will in the future at a time of His choosing, regenerate.

I have yet to understand your use of template.

The e-names I am including in this reply I have added only, I repeat only, that they might have more proper and/or convincing words than I; all the while realizing that it is not any of us who will change your heart & mind; that depends solely on God.

I understand the harshness of my words; be assured that were this not an eternal life with God versus an eternal life in hell issue I would not e-voice them.

I am no better than you. It was grace & only grace that caused me to be regenerated; then grace that taught my heart to fear the eternal consequence of my inability to meet the just demands of the Law & then it was grace that fear relieved; & it is grace, pure & only grace, that will lead Home. The same be onto you as God wills.

[Gamecock]

The Law points out sin. Therefore it is our guide to living a Holy life.

Can you live a Holy Life? Are you angry when someone cuts you off in traffic? Do you gossip? Even one violation and you are busted.

Do you put all of your energy into loving your neighbor as yourself? Just once putting your own best interest ahead of your neighbor and you are busted. (And we know from Scripture that your neighbor isn't just the nice old lady next door.) It is the drunk passed out in the alley; the gay man alone, dying with AIDS; the little old man spiraling into oblivion at the VA Nursing home. Are you putting their needs ahead of yours?

Do you love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your mind and all your spirit? Do you keep every law in the Bible? Do you do so out of love for our God or for some benefit to yourself?

The most significant use of the Law, for Christians, is that it points out our need for someone who can keep the law, someone how loved God with all His heart and mind. Someone who loved others more than Himself. CHRIST. I am saved by his perfect work, not by my own sinful efforts.

Romans 3:20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

Romans 3 The Righteousness of God Through Faith 21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it

[kerryusama04]

You post seems to be lacking in scriptural basis. Your theology goes back to early Christians who have been coined "gnostics" by theologians. They, too, sought rationale to seperate themselves from those pesky rules put down by Yahweh. No one is saved by the Law, but we are indeed judged by our works. In order to be judged by our works, there must be some standard of which to judge a man.

I understand the harshness of my words; be assured that were this not an eternal life with God versus an eternal life in hell issue I would not e-voice them.

This statement indicates which of us needs to better understand the scriptures. The idea of an "eternal hell" is purely an invention of man.

[kerryusama04]

Romans 3:20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. Romans 3 The Righteousness of God Through Faith 21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it

I guess theology is in the eye of the beholder as these texts seem to justify my position.

I do not share your hopeless view or humanity. A Christian is to be Christ-like. that means we are to try to be like him and follow the Law while being incredibly compassionate to those in need.

This "once saved always saved" theology probably fills up the pews pretty good, but it is not for me. It insinuates that everything from Genesis to Acts is irrelevant. I don't believe for one minute that God would use people as an academic exercise.

What are the sermons ad testimonials like at your church? Do you have members stand up and brag about how long they have been smoking, drunk, doing drugs, committing adultery, getting away with murder, stealing from their employees, and drooling over their neighbors new cars? since the Law points out sin and ended at Jesus, then the more sin the better!

[Gamecock]

I do not share your hopeless view or humanity.

So, you think we are all OK? The terrorists who flew into the Towers were just misguided?

How does through the law comes knowledge of sin justify your position? The law either condemns the reprobate or shows the Christian the need for the Gospel.

You sound like you believe that man doesn't need a Saviour. That we can save ourselves.

[gscc]

After all if Christ had actually comes to pay the price of our iniquity, a price we could not pay by living by the law, "the intervention of the Roman Catholic Church which, as minister of the Redemption, authoritatively dispenses and applies the treasury of the satisfaction won by Christ and the saints," would not be necessary.

Your Post #23 was very well said and thanks.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Your theology goes back to early Christians who have been coined "gnostics" by theologians. They, too, sought rationale to seperate themselves from those pesky rules put down by Yahweh.

LOL. You need to return to your history books for a correct definition of "gnostic."

No one is saved by the Law, but we are indeed judged by our works.

All our works are as "filthy rags" unless and until God regenerates our dead hearts. Then, and only then, are our works acceptable to God because they are the result of the Holy Spirit working within us.

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." -- Romans 8:1-11.

[gscc]

Amen - apart from Christ nothing we do is pleasing in His sight.

Galatians 5:4-10
Freedom in Christ 

You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. "A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough." I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion will pay the penalty, whoever he may be.

[Dahlseide]

Sorry to drag you into this. Either his words condemn him or mine condemn me. God will judge us both. No use extending this me thinks - but without any personnel animosity only sorrow in my heart.

I assume you kerryusama04 feel the same way about me.

But I am not about to stop here,

I do have much animosity in my heart for a perversion of the Word & God’s sent Word, wherever I believe perversions exist – including, I would like to be able to say with a clear conscience, mainly within myself; but even as I write this I know I can not say that truthfully with a clear conscience. Therefore it is good, much more than good but words fail, to know God has through the times of this old-world’s existence kept & propagated His Word. It borders on idiocy to think I must say so, I do so for myself only, that He is quite capable of protecting His Word from eternity past through eternity future.

But still the animosity I have in my heart for my own, and/or others, perversions lingers. So the Law is doing more of its work as it points out to my conscience my personnel by-nature-I-am sinful-and-unclean-self-pride & much, much more.

I even feel & know & admit that I have self-pride expressed in what I am writing: Oh wretched son of Adam that I am! Who will save me from this wretchedness of my conscience?

I know it is not The Law; it has done all that it can for me. The remainder is all against me; all that remains for it to do is testify against me at the judgment that must follow …it is appointed onto man once to die & after that the judgment”.

But the Perfect Word has more to say then only presenting through the Perfect Law, with its just requirements & just punishment, my sin/sin-nature to my conscience. It also tells me the purpose of the Law & what to do about my wretchedness; a wretchedness shown more & more starkly through my conscience as the depth of my sin is revealed to it.

Here I have to divert to explain something to myself. Dahlseide: take the phrase are we to sin that grace may abound/; turn the phrase on itself & think Show me more & more of the enormity of my sin/sin-nature that my understanding of grace may abound. That means, quite frankly, make me more of a sinner in my own eyes that grace may abound. That grace then abounds more & more as the hymn has it “ by casting my eyes upon Jesus” – even here my conscience taunts me to admit that these words sound all fine & dandy but do I really mean them. Wow! The Law is doing its Perfect Work, & that is not mocking the Law – I know what I mean by that phrase. It, the Perfect Word, continues with the Incarnation of God the Son as Jesus the Christ, the Lord, the Perfect sacrifice, the One Mediator between God & man, the High Priest of all whom God as elected from before the foundation. It tells of all the work, & the necessity & why of that work, that Jesus did; the keeping of the Law which among other things means - & it is foolish for me to think I have to say it but I am – meant He was sinless, even though, & especially so, He faced the same temptations common to us.

And it goes much further; it tells of Jesus the Christ: the continuing work He performs on behalf of His Called Ones my/our High Priest; He is my Public Defender before the Throne of God’s, unbearable under the Law, justice.

Then it culminates in telling us of the certain hope we have of & in the new-World.

We never really got into what in my mind is a wonderful expression/description of “The Blood of the Everlasting Covenant, Hebrews 13:20” but that’s OK; there will be plenty of opportunity later.

Finally:

I’ll add to my opening statement my take on Paul’s words in Corinthians “… if what I have said is not true I am to be pitied for I am yet & will remain in my sin; I best live only for this life by whatever pleases my Adamic-nature”

For if there is a hell, which some deny, it ain’t going to be much fun.

My eggs are all in One Basket.

[Dahlseide]

Sorry to drag you into this. Either his words condemn him or mine condemn me. God will judge us both. No use extending this me thinks - but without any personnel animosity only sorrow in my heart.

I assume you kerryusama04 feel the same way about me.

But I am not about to stop here,

I do have much animosity in my heart for a perversion of the Word & God’s sent Word, wherever I believe perversions exist – including, I would like to be able to say with a clear conscience, mainly within myself; but even as I write this I know I can not say that truthfully with a clear conscience. Therefore it is good, much more than good but words fail, to know God has through the times of this old-world’s existence kept & propagated His Word. It borders on idiocy to think I must say so, I do so for myself only, that He is quite capable of protecting His Word from eternity past through eternity future.

But still the animosity I have in my heart for my own, and/or others, perversions lingers. So the Law is doing more of its work as it points out to my conscience my personnel by-nature-I-am sinful-and-unclean-self-pride & much, much more.

I even feel & know & admit that I have self-pride expressed in what I am writing: Oh wretched son of Adam that I am! Who will save me from this wretchedness of my conscience?

I know it is not The Law; it has done all that it can for me. The remainder is all against me; all that remains for it to do is testify against me at the judgment that must follow …it is appointed onto man once to die & after that the judgment”.

But the Perfect Word has more to say then only presenting through the Perfect Law, with its just requirements & just punishment, my sin/sin-nature to my conscience. It also tells me the purpose of the Law & what to do about my wretchedness; a wretchedness shown more & more starkly through my conscience as the depth of my sin is revealed to it.

Here I have to divert to explain something to myself. Dahlseide: take the phrase are we to sin that grace may abound/; turn the phrase on itself & think show me more & more of the enormity of my sin/sin-nature that my understanding of grace may abound. That means, quite frankly, make me more of a sinner in my own eyes that grace may abound. That grace then abounds more & more as the hymn has it “ by casting my eyes upon Jesus” – even here my conscience taunts me to admit that these words sound all fine & dandy but do I really mean them. Wow! The Law is doing its Perfect Work, & that is not mocking the Law – I know what I mean by that phrase.

It, the Perfect Word, continues with the Incarnation of God the Son as Jesus the Christ, the Lord, the Perfect sacrifice, the One Mediator between God & man, the High Priest of all whom God as elected from before the foundation. It tells of all the work, & the necessity & why of that work, that Jesus did; the keeping of the Law which among other things means - & it is foolish for me to think I have to say it but I am – meant He was sinless, even though, & especially so, He faced the same temptations common to us.

And it goes much further; it tells of Jesus the Christ: the continuing work He performs on behalf of His Called Ones my/our High Priest; He is my Public Defender before the Throne of God’s, unbearable under the Law, justice.

Then it culminates in telling us of the certain hope we have of & in the new-World.

We never really got into what in my mind is a wonderful expression/description of “The Blood of the Everlasting Covenant, Hebrews 13:20” but that’s OK; there will be plenty of opportunity later.

Finally:

I’ll add to my opening statement my take on Paul’s words in Corinthians “… if what I have said is not true I am to be pitied for I am yet & will remain in my sin; I best live only for this life by whatever pleases my Adamic-nature”

For if there is a hell, which some deny, it ain’t going to be much fun.

My eggs are all in One Basket. Posted on 12/31/2005 10:05:42 AM PST by Dahlseide (TULIP)

[Dahlseide]

I missed a paragraph control character and my diversion to myself got messed up. I want it to be right so for my sake if you read it please ignore the first posting

[Dahlseide]

Boy! after thinking about the Law from about 7:00AM until now it was so good to read about pure grace(of course it should not require an adjective for there is no other kind; sort of like past history)

[RnMomof7]

I do have much animosity in my heart for a perversion of the Word & God’s sent Word, wherever I believe perversions exist – including, I would like to be able to say with a clear conscience, mainly within myself; but even as I write this I know I can not say that truthfully with a clear conscience. Therefore it is good, much more than good but words fail, to know God has through the times of this old-world’s existence kept & propagated His Word. It borders on idiocy to think I must say so, I do so for myself only, that He is quite capable of protecting His Word from eternity past through eternity future.
But still the animosity I have in my heart for my own, and/or others, perversions lingers. So the Law is doing more of its work as it points out to my conscience my personnel by-nature-I-am sinful-and-unclean-self-pride & much, much more.

Thank you Brother.
Indeed the elect have very soft consciouses that feel pain when sin is brought to us by the Holy Spirit. One of the marks of election is a passion for the word of God and righteous anger when it is misused or misrepresented.

Let us all be angry and sin not in the coming year

[Dahlseide]

Greetings RnMomof7:

Blessings & Happy New Year to you & yours.

A couple of years ago one of our pastors, in a class I was in, told us students that he longed for the day when someone would spy on our freedom.

I am now thinking about the freedom we have in Christ. That of course leads me to Galatians, but I have yet to stumble on the verse & Galatians leads me to include Luther's commentary.

And for a momentary diversion, for my mind runs that way, I thought this about Luther; & as you will see about you.

I have no doubt that the devil hunkered around Luther, & mainly around Luther, in an attempt at diversion/perversion of the scripture. Some laugh at Luther as superstitious; I marvel that he stayed on track as much as he did. To my mind a perfect experience for God to instill into him the words, with understanding to support them, of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.

Bet you’ve never heard that one – just kidding of course.

You have been an encouragement to me & it pleases me that I have likewise to you on occasion; & of course we both know where the credit goes.

[Dahlseide]

I found it.

Galatians 2:4 (King James Version

4And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: 5To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

[kerryusama04]

Keep reading, Doc,

Rom 9:31 But Israel, who followed after a law of righteousness did not arrive at a law of righteousness. Rom 9:32 Why? Because it was not of faith, but as it were by the works of the Law. For they stumbled at that Stumbling-stone;

Paul is saying they were mechanically following the law out of habit or tradition, not out of love. He is pointing out the foolishness of salvation through works. Also recall that the Pharisees were trying to trip Jesus up by getting him to violate the Law. If Paul had ever said even once that the Law died with Christ, those same Pharisees would have strung him up, too. (I know a lot of people think that right after Jesus was resurrected we fast forward to Reformation, but alas, that is not the case).

Works based salvation ends up at the conclusion that God doesn't want anyone to be saved but if you do enough good, then he has no choice but to let you in. My faith is in a God who loved the world so much that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him may not perish... I believe that the 10 Commandments are unchangeable (written in stone, no less) and I follow them out of love for my Savior and my god. The "following the commandments" part is not the part that will save me, it is the belief and love for the perfect all-powerful, all-knowing God who dictated those Commandments. I am showing God that I love Him by listening to Him and trying to do His will.

My son shows me he loves me when he tries to be like me. If your son does something you tell him not to do aren't you mostly upset because he blew you off?

Rom 3:31 Do we then make the Law void through faith? Let it not be! But we establish the Law.

You folks are painting towards a corner that I don't occupy. To me, your theology sounds to be very much "moral relativist". How will Jesus mete out his judgement without first giving us a fair and just standard which to live by? Why are you FReepers, the most consistently conservative and freedom loving folks on the web?

Gen 45:7 And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

Rev 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

From Genesis to Revelation, the theme is the same. Faith+Deeds=salvation. How did Enoch and Elija escape the first death, brothers?

[kerryusama04]

I assume you kerryusama04 feel the same way about me.

I come here to share what I have learned, and learn what others share. We all share a love of Jesus and I believe we have all come here for a reason. Hopefully our work here is acceptable to the Lord

Hell doesn't exist....yet. The way I read it, when you die you go to sleep, just like Lazarus. If you are saved, you get resurrected at the first resurrection and live in the clouds with Jesus for a thousand years where the Book of Life is opened and all is made known. After the 1000 years, the wicked dead get resurrected and then get put to death. It appears that Satan gets to burn forever. What would heaven be if you had to watch your family and friends who didn't make the cut get cooked for eternity?

Rev 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Rev 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

Rev 20:8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

Rev 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever

Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

[Diego1618]

Hell doesn't exist....yet.

In the New Testament there are 3 words translated Hell; Hades, Gehenna and Tartarus.

Hades in the Greek means simply "the grave" and is best exemplified in scripture by Revelations 20:14 where death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire.

Gehenna, the Valley of Hinnom was basically the garbage dump outside of Jerusalem where refuse burned continually; they also threw dead bodies of criminals, indigents and other human debris in there as a practical matter and that's why the fire never went out. It had a constant supply of fuel. Jesus is speaking of Gehenna in Matthew 5:22 and 5:29 where he says "It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for whole body to be thrown into "Gehenna".

Tartarus is spoken of by Peter in [2 Peter 2:4] where [God did not spare the Angels when they sinned but sent then to Tartarus....putting them in gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment.] Tartarus is also mentioned (not by name)in Jude 6, [And the Angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home-these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the Great Day.

What would heaven be if you had to watch your family and friends who didn't make the cut get cooked for eternity?

You are correct. A loving creator God would not let the parents of unbelieving children watch those children being burned alive for eternity. A loving creator would destroy those unrepentant, unbelieving children in the Lake of fire, along with death and the grave(Hades).

The idea of an eternal hellfire is a myth concocted by the church and further popularized by "Dante's Inferno".

[bornacatholic]

He said it was. I take Him at His word