December 22, 2020 – I'm Following Jesus

King James Bible Study – “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” – Mark 8:34

Date: Tuesday, December 22, 2020
Chapters: Hebrews 6-9
Message: The Anchor To The Soul

Hello My Friend,

Through faith we who accept Jesus Christ as our Saviour patiently await the day we get to see our Saviour face to face, and join Him in His Kingdom. We do not need, although it is all around us, physical proof that Jesus was born of a virgin, died a sinless death on the cross, was buried, and arose three days later to give the ultimate gift of eternal life to all who believe this. We accept all this by faith, and as long as we did not accept this in vain faith, there is nothing that will ever change that. Jesus said to Thomas, who refused to believe He resurrected until he put his fingers in the holes where the nails pierced His skin, [John 20:29b Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.]

I have said it before and I will say it until God brings me home, one cannot get saved and turn away completely from Jesus, that is unless they were never saved to begin with. They may fall into some sin, in which they will dangle there and suffer until they repent of that sin. The Book of Hebrews explains why it is impossible to turn away from their faith unless they were like the sadly, millions of people who trusted Him in vain.

[Hebrews 6:4–5,11-12,17-20 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. 11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: 12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. 17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: 18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: 19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; 20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.]

[to renew them again unto repentance;] What this means that we only need to ask Jesus once to save us, if we believe that we need to keep asking Him we are sending Him back on the cross over and over again, and that is not the Gospel. [but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.] Our faith does not exempt us from temptation, it does not encourage us to go on living in sin, nor does it justify sin. Our faith does remind us that God made a promise to us that He intends to keep, and that is eternal life to all who believe in His Son by faith, and with patience, endure everything that life throws at us. Jesus is the anchor that keeps our soul grounded, without Him there is no redemption for our soul or anything for that matter. [made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.] Hebrews also gives us an interesting outlook on the priesthood and how Jesus became the high priest even though He descended from the tribe of Judah and why His sacrifice is all that is needed for our redemption.

Hebrews 7:14-16,19-20,22,24-28 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. 15 And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, 16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. 19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. 20 And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest: 22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. 24 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. 25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. 28 For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.]

[maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.] The high priest had the most prominent role of all in the service of God, he was the middleman between God and the sinner. It was the high priest that would accept the offerings on behalf of the sinner who wanted redemption. Since the high priest was a sinner just like the sinner themselves, they had to be cleansed and consecrated before he could accept the offerings. Since Jesus was made a high priest well before there was even a high priest in Israel under Melchisedec, [Genesis 14:17-24] He became both, the consecrated middleman and the sacrifice that would bring permanent redemption to those who believe in Him.

[Hebrews 8:1-2,6-9,10-12 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; 2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. 6-13 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. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. 8 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: 10 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: 11 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. 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.]

[For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days,] This is referring to all Israel, meaning both Jew and Gentile believers. You see, God’s covenant with Abraham made him the father of Israel through the flesh, it did not redeem them unless they followed the Law. God’s covenant with spiritual Israel redeems all who believe in Christ and that is exactly why all will know Him, [Romans 2:7-10 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: 8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; 10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:]

[and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.] This is why we can stand before God and He not see every sin that we ever committed and judge us for them. Our faith in Christ alone removes our sin forever, unlike the sacrifices before when all they did was cover the sin. You see, without the shedding of untainted, and unspotted blood, there is no redemption, but no matter how many animal sacrifices, sin always left a stain. Jesus, however, removes those stains with His blood once and for all.

[Hebrews 9:1-3,10-12 Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. 2 For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary. 3 And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; 10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. 11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.]

[but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place,] The covenant of eternal life through Christ was not between God and the Jews only, it would be for all who believe that Christ is their salvation. We must understand that God never stopped anyone from coming to Him prior to this, God never denies anyone. In fact, there are several key witnesses in the Bible that prove that God accepted all who came to Him willingly, Ruth, Rehab, even Job, his testimony was well before Abraham’s. The New, the Messianic covenant, declares that anyone who believes in and receives the Son of God as their Saviour are His people. Paul reminds the Jews that the Mosaic law was merely an example of the second. The tent used to offer God a sacrifice in return for their lives was a foreshadow of Christ, who would give His life for all, and redeem every soul who believes in Him.

[Hebrews 9:22-28 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. 23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: 25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; 26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.]

[So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many;] Do you see why we only need to ask Him to save us once, and it is a done deal. If Jesus came here every year to offer Himself then that would defeat the purpose of our receiving eternal life, in fact, we would not because it is only by our faith in Christ who died once to save us that does save us. All we need is Jesus Christ, and just like the people had to willingly admit their sin and bring their offering to the tent, we have to willingly come to Jesus. God cannot, and will not save any person who does not know His Son, we must believe in Jesus and accept Him as our Saviour in order to be redeemed and be able to stand before Him the second time without sin,

[Luke 13:25-29 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: 26 Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. 27 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. 28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. 29 And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.]

Today’s Prayer: God, You never promised that once we accept Your Son as our Saviour that we will suffer no more while we are here, but You do promise that you will never leave nor forsake us. As we live and walk by faith, let us wait patiently for the hope that can only be found in Christ. Lead us and guide us, cover us with Your mercy, grace, forgiveness, and longsuffering. Put Your hedge of protection around us and shield us from all the evils of this world, remind us that we who endure until the end will never suffer no more and keep us looking for that blessed hope of eternal life well beyond this life. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,

Christina

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