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A SHADOW OF GOOD THINGS TO COME (Hebrews 1-4)

− Society judges us on our performance

If heaven were by merit, it would never be heaven to me, for if I were in it I should say, "I am sure I am here by mistake - I am sire this is not my place, I have no claim to it." But if it be of grace and not of works, then we may walk into heaven with boldness.

GRACEand the individual believer

• By nature, we desire to perform well to gain favor. This is where we fail to understand the Law. It is a tutor that leads us to Christ (Galatians 3:24), not the thing that saves us.

• The Word of God teaches us it is impossible for our works or religious activity to make us right with God. However, we can be caught in that thinking because:

CHRIST TAKES AWAY THE FIRST TO ESTABLISH THE SECOND

− This was initially set up in such a way that was pleasing to God, but it became a thing of pride and man perverted it. This was meant to point people to have faith in the coming Messiah. The original intention of the Law was to reveal areas where we are weak, where we are not pleasing to God and to keep our eyes on him.

• TheFirst-Circumcision,Sacrifice,andOfferings(5-11)

CH Spurgeon

• Our jobs, parents, schools − Society is set up in a way that is completely the opposite

of grace

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Grace... means the full and free forgiveness of every sin, without God demanding or expecting anything from the one so forgiven - is a principle so opposed to all man's thoughts and ways, so far above man, that he dislikes it. His own heart often secretly calls it injustice. He does not deal in this way and he does not like to think of God doing so.

JN Darby

• Practical Application − LookupGod'spromises&findwaystoclaimthemeachday − Pray to experience the promises of God each day − Obey God's commands in your current circumstance and rely

on grace in the midst of it without expectation that God will change your circumstance

− We can have full assurance of God's grace and his promises that change our life frm here on out• The old has passed• The new has come• All of the promises of God are "Yes" in Christ (2 Cor 1:20)

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* To clarify, this is not saying that we never have to deal with the past, only trying to emphasize the reality of grace and it’s sufficiency in dealing with the fullness of our sin and ability to change our lives radically

− In our lives, we still follow this pattern of thinking by:• Relying on church attendance• Desiring to be seen doing our good works• Boasting in our own strength• Shaming people for not being as holy as us

− Christcame to fulfill theblood requirement for sin on our behalf (John 3:16, Romans 5:8)

− The Holy Spirit testifies to this and is our seal (Eph 1:13-14)

• TheSecond-Christ'sOnce-for-AllSacrifice(12-18)

BOLDNESS TO ENTER THE SANCTUARY (19-25)• When Christ becomes our Savior, we can have full

confidencein: − Our sins being completely forgiven − Our lives being changed − Thatwearepartofthepresentprocessofsanctification

• Small truths within the lie − Proverbs 23:7 - "As a man thinks within himself, so he is."• There is a reality that the choices we make will affect the

way we live and will carry consequences into the future (Galatians 6:7-8)

• However, this isn't necessarily the result of any one experience

• Paul's Approach (Phillipians 3:12-16) − We are encouraged to forget what lies behind and press on

toward Christ − We keep our sights on things above (Colossians 3:2)

TWO PROBLEMS WITH THESE TRUTHS• We don't know what these things are

− We don't read − We don't pray − We don't participate in the life God has for us

• We wrestle with whether or not these things are true − For the same reasons, it can be difficult to believe this

because if haven't ever really tried to experience the Word of God in a real way and responded in faith to what God has asked us.

• Thebeautyofitall(2Corinthians12:8-9) − When we call, God responds − God'sgraceissufficient

CONCLUSION• If Hebrews 10:17 is true, all of our sin is forgiven

− The ones we committed before Christ − The ones we've committed since Christ saved us − The ones we have yet to commit

• Awesome truth: God keeps his promise regardless of the degree of our faith

• Onemajorliethathauntsmanybelievers − UntilIfigureoutmypastexperience,Iwillnever be able to

experience new feelings and thoughts − The world tells us so often that the answer to the reason we

are the way we are is because of some deep-seeded event in our lives that holds us back until we dig it up and deal with it

• Things that are true about the believer − You are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) − You are the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21) − Christ lives in and through you (Galatians 2:19-20) − You are complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10) − The debt of sin has been erased (Colossians 2:14) − You are blessed with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:2)

• Wedon'thavetodigbackintoourpasttofindthesecretanswer to know why we are the way we are *