Hebrews 13:9

Hebrews 13:9 says, Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.  This is already a warning about false doctrines.  It did not take years for false doctrines to appear about the teachings of Christ, but they appeared almost immediately.    Our relationship with God is established not by the law, or the old sacrificial system, but by our relationship with Jesus Christ.  There were, are, and always will be those who attempt to add to or take away from the gospel.  There are people today who say that they are Christians but do not consider themselves to be a born-again Christian, for example.  God's word is very clear on this concept, though.  If we are to be a Christian, a follower of Christ, then we must be born again through faith in Christ.  There are those who preach earthly success as a sign of faith, but we are told to not lay up treasures in this world, but to expect persecution and suffering when we stand for Christ.  Verse ten adds, We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.  Matthew Henry says that early Christians who worshipped outside the tabernacle were accused of not having an altar to worship or sacrifice at, but we know that Christ is our altar.  We do not have to come to a particular place at a particular time to worship God.  Verse eleven continues, For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp.  This reminds us that the blood of the sacrificial animal was brought into the sanctuary by the high priest, but the body was burned, or destroyed, outside the tabernacle.  The blood offered on the altar in the tabernacle was seen as having the power to represent the forgiveness of the people.  When Christ came, He offered His blood, once and for all time, for the atonement of the sins of all who believe in Him.  This was not done on a altar in the tabernacle, but on a cross on a hill outside the city.  Verse twelve states, Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.  As just discussed, Jesus did not die within the tabernacle, or established religious practices, but He died to fulfill the need for all these practices.  Verse thirteen adds, Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.  I believe that this is a call for us to go into the world with the message of Christ.  When we go, we may not be well received, or even bear reproach from those we go to, but so did Christ.  Verse fourteen continues, For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.  This world, wherever we live in it, will never be our permanent city, or home.  We are simply passing through on our way to that heavenly city, or home, to come.  Yet, we often put more time and effort into the things of this world than we we into the things related to our heavenly home.  Verse fifteen says, By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.  Unlike the old sacrifices, which were meant to bring forgiveness from God, we are to offer a sacrifice of praise to God for the everlasting forgiveness of God through faith in Christ.  Still, instead of speaking words of praise to God, we often offer words of complaint because everything is not going as we want it to.  Verse sixteen adds, But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.  We are told to do good and to communicate the word of God.  In order to truly do good and communicate the word of God, we must follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit.  Verse seventeen continues, Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.  I believe this refers to religious leaders, those placed over the church by the call of God.  The rulers of the world often do not even acknowledge the existence of our souls, much less watch out for them.  Those religious leaders, those placed in power over us, have a responsibility to do what is best for us in the eyes of God.  When they do, they will experience joy and we will be lifted up in our relationship to God.

Hebrews 13:1

Hebrews 13:1 says, Let brotherly love continue.  The writer now begins to give us several practical applications of our faith as followers of Christ.  The first is to let brotherly love continue.  Everyone who is truly a follower of Christ is a brother or sister of everyone else who is truly a follower of Christ.  There are no divisions by race, nationality, or any other human qualifier.  I am not sure that we always live as though we believe this.  If I cannot love all my brothers and sisters in Christ, then how can I love the lost people of the world, and we are called to love them as well.  Verse two adds, Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.  This tells us two things.  The first is that we are to be kind to and help strangers, which is what is meant by entertain strangers.  The second is that these strangers might be angels that we are helping.  We may never know if we have done this.  Verse three continues, Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.  This is a call once more to have compassion for those who are suffering for their faith in Christ, no matter who they are or where they are.  We are to remember them as if we ourselves were suffering the same fate.  We need to ask ourselves how long it has been since we have truly been burdened by compassion for others.  Often, if the suffering does not affect our daily lives, we simply ignore it.  Verse four states, Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.  There is a lot written about marriage today, but a true marriage is not just between two people but is between two people and God.  If God is not the center of the marriage, then it becomes just a legal arrangement.  Verse five adds, Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.  This tells us that even in our conversation we are not to covet what someone else has materially.  We sometimes attempt to cover our covetousness by saying that we wish we had something that someone else has and they had something better.  We are advised to be content with what we have, because we as followers of Christ have Christ and all His promises to us forever.  Verse six continues, So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.  Do we boldly say this, or do we keep quiet about our relationship with Christ when out in the public for fear of what people may say about or do to us?  We are to boldly proclaim Christ, no matter what.  Verse seven says, Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.  We are told to follow those who have rule over us, but I believe in this case it refers to pastors and teachers.  We are to follow their teaching because they have spoken to us the word of God.  We do not have to go to God through them, but we are to learn from their faithfully presenting the word of God.  Their lives should reflect their faith, as should ours.  Verse eight adds, Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.  Who Christ was is Who Christ is.  He is the Savior and Lord of all who believe in Him for all time.  Jesus Christ is the Messiah looked ahead to in the Old Testament and the Messiah looked back to in the New Testament and since.  There never was and never will be a time when Jesus Christ is not the Redeemer of all who will come to Him by faith.

Hebrews 12:18

Hebrews 12:18 says, For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,  This is a further comparison between the law and grace.  When the law of God was given to Moses, it was on a mountain that could be touched, but people had limited access to that mountain.  Moses went alone to receive the law.  Verse nineteen adds, And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:  There was a certain fear of the voice of God.  Since they were unable to live up to God's law, they feared His voice.  Verse twenty continues, (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:  The reason they feared God was because they could not endure what was commanded.  If we had to justify ourselves through the law of God, we would be just as fearful.  The limited access was so great that if an animal touched the mountain, it was to be destroyed.  Verse twenty-one declares, And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)  Moses himself quaked at being in the presence of God.  Verse twenty-two adds, But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,  There is good news for those of us who are under the new covenant of God.  We have come to mount Sion, or Zion, and into new Jerusalem, the heavenly city that cannot be touched by hands.  There is no one one place that we must go to in order to worship God.  Verse twenty-three continues, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,  We, as followers of Christ, are part of the assembly and church of the firstborn.  We do not become a part of this assembly from our birth into a particular family, but by a rebirth into the family of God through faith in Christ.  Verse twenty-four concludes, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.  We not only come to a new place to worship God, but we come through a new way, and that is the blood of Christ.  Christ is the only sacrifice that can restore us to a right relationship with God.

Hebrews 12:12

Hebrews 12:12 says, Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;  This comes after the discussion of the chastisement of God.  We are to lift up our hands in victory, which comes through faith in Christ.  When God chastises, or corrects, us, we are not to act defeated.  We are to feel victorious instead.  We should praise God because He loves us enough to chastise us.  Verse thirteen adds, And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.  After lifting up our hands, we are to make straight our paths.  I believe that this means that we are to not only praise God for His correction when we stray from His will, but we are to learn from it.  We are to follow the path that God leads us down so that we might be made whole in God's eyes.  We are also told that we are to live at peace with other people.  We cannot view the lost, even those who mistreat us, as enemies to be destroyed, but must view them as souls to be led to God.  Since there is no hope of salvation after death, and since Christ died for all people, we are to reach out to them through God's love.  Verse fourteen continues, Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:  Remembering that this is still under the discussion of the chastisement of God, we know that He guides us to peace and not hatred.  In order to live in peace in the world, we must live in holiness, or with our lives dedicated to God.  Holiness does not mean a state of perfection, but it means with our lives set aside for God.  Verse fifteen states, Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;  I believe that this verse is a further reminder that we are to keep our eyes, or our thoughts, upon God.  It is too easy to falter in living out our faith when our focus is on the world.  If we see other Christians seemingly more blessed than we are it is possible to become bitter.  Verse sixteen adds, Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.  We are warned to not become like Esau and value the things of the world more than our birthright as children of God through our faith in Christ.  If we are truly saved, we will never lose our salvation, but we may sacrifice some of the true joy of that salvation by chasing the things of this world.  Some people never accept that birthright because they prefer the things of this world to a relationship with God.  Since Christ died for all, then the birthright as a child of God is available to all, but it must be accepted by faith.  Verse seventeen continues, For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.  Once Esau sold his birthright, he later regretted it, but it was too late to claim it.  Once a person rejects Christ in this life, they may come to regret it in the life to come, but it will be too late.  No amount of bitter tears will change the fate of those who reject the birthright that Christ offers them.

Hebrews 12:5

Hebrews 12:5 says, And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:  The writer asks if we have forgotten that we are children of God and sometimes need chastisement or correction from God.  Even as full-grown adults, we are always children of God and under His direction.  If we stray way from God's will, He will correct us.  Not all suffering in the world comes due to our obedience to God, but at times, it is simply God chastising us for our disobedience to His will.  Verse six adds, For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.  This tells us that if God has not chastised us that either we are living in total obedience to Him after we accepted Christ or we are not acknowledging His chastisement.  We may complain about how the world treats us when we need to be accepting the chastisement of God.  Verse seven continues, If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?  God's chastisement is simply proof that we are His children.  Even earthly fathers, if they truly love their children, chastise them.  Since God's love for His children is complete love, we should never be surprised when He chastises us.  This will always be done to correct, and not punish us.  We could even say that if we have never been chastised, or corrected, by God that we are not being treated as His child.  Verse eight states, But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.  As just stated above, without chastisement how can we be partakers of the salvation of Christ.  We do not become perfect when we are saved, but still need correction from God at times.  Verse nine adds, Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?  This asks if we reverence, or honor, our earthly fathers when they correct us, should we not do more so with our heavenly Father?  Though at times when we are being corrected, we may hate the correction, we should know that it really is for our benefit.  Verse ten continues, For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.  I believe that this says that sometimes our earthly fathers may chastise us for the wrong reasons, but our heavenly Father always does it for our profit, or benefit.  God is guiding us toward complete obedience to His will, which will always be the best for us.  Verse eleven concludes, Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.  Chastisement never seems to be joyous at the time we receive it, but instead seems grievous.  Yet afterward we know that we have become a better person if we have accepted the chastisement with the correct attitude.  We are told that those whom God loves, He chastens.

Hebrews 12:1

Hebrews 12:1 says, Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,   There were many, many people who bore witness to the transforming power of Christ.  When we accept Christ into our lives, we can lay aside every weight of this world.  This does not mean that we don't have responsibilities, but that these responsibilities should no longer cause us to always live in stress and unhappiness.  Verse two adds, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.  The reason that we can live without the world weighing us down is because of Jesus.  He is the author and finisher of our faith.  We are not partially or sometimes saved by faith in Jesus Christ, but we are totally and forever saved.   Jesus endured the shame and humiliation of the cross so that we might enjoy the gift of salvation.  Salvation is a completed fact, if we accept Jesus Christ through faith, and Jesus is now setting at the right hand of the throne of God.  When the time is right, Christ will return to claim His church, those who have put their faith in Him throughout history.  Verse three continues, For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.  We are called on to remember what Jesus Christ suffered if we start to grow weary and faint in our minds.  Sin always begins with a thought, and if Christ is not at the center of our thoughts, if we begin to be weary of following Him, then we may see the world as overpowering.  We as followers of Christ must always follow His example and put the will of God first.  Verse four concludes, Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.  The writer said that those he was writing to, which includes us today, had not yet died from resisting sin.  Even if we do though, we must be obedient to Christ.

Hebrews 11:31

Hebrews 11:31 says, By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.  Rehab was not an Israelite but was a Canaanite.  Though the people of Israel were God's chosen people, that did not mean that they were His only people.  In spite of her status in life, Rahab by faith was instrumental in God's work.  We should never judge people based on what they are or were in the world, but only by their relationship to Christ.  All people can come to God through faith in Christ, and we as followers of Christ should welcome them all.  Verse thirty-two adds, And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:  Here the writer asks those he is writing to how much more did he have to say about those who had served God through faith in the past.  Those he was writing to should already have known who he was referring to.  Verse thirty-three continues, Who through faith subdued nations, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,  All these great people of history had one thing in common, and that is that they all relied on their faith in God to accomplish great things for Him.  If we wish to accomplish great things for God, we must do so by relying on our faith in Him.  Verse thirty-four states, Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.  There are at least two references to the book of Daniel in these two verses.  God stopped the mouths of lions and quenched the fire.  God has not stopped working through the faith of His people to do great things today.  Verse thirty-five adds, Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:  These are references to events in the New Testament, such as the resurrection of Lazarus and early believers dying for their faith.  I believe that these are offered as examples of the truth of the new testament between people and God.  We have a better resurrection through Christ, the only resurrection that brings everlasting life with God.  Verse thirty-six continues, And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:  Following Christ is not always easy.  Followers of Christ may be mocked, beaten or imprisoned because of their faith.  This is a far cry from the idea that God wants me to be happy in this world so He will give me whatever I want.  God wants us to be obedient, to take up our cross daily.  We are daily to die to ourselves and live for Christ.  Verse thirty-seven declares, They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;  This was not something that just happened early in Christianity.  It is still happening in the world today.  We sometimes focus on our own little corner of the world at the expense of Christians everywhere.  I believe that if we put our happiness above other followers of Christ, then we are not being true to God's call.  Verse thirty-eight adds, (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.  Once more, this is not a gospel of prosperity, but a gospel of sacrifice and suffering.  There are places in the world today where Christians are having their homes and possessions taken away simply because of their faith.  Verse thirty-nine continues, And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:  Like these early Christians, the only way that we can obtain a good report is through faith.  Verse forty concludes, God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.  Salvation through Christ is the better thing that God provided.  Without accepting Christ as Savior and Lord we cannot be made perfect in the sight of God.

Hebrews 11:23

Hebrews 11:23 says, By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.  His parents were not afraid of the king's, or pharaoh's, commandment.  The life of Moses actually begins with the faith of his parents.  Moses was born under a death sentence.  This was not the death sentence that we could say we are all under due to sin, but an actual death sentence decreed by the Pharaoh.  Still, just as the parents of Moses were concerned with saving him from a physical death, we should be concerned with saving our children from a spiritual death.  We should make sure that they know about the sacrifice of Christ for their sins.  Moses was first hidden, and then he was placed in the household of the Pharaoh.  Verse twenty-four adds, By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;  Moses could have continued in a position of privilege and authority, but by faith he chose to be identified with God and God's people.  All the honor and privilege in the world should never come between God and us, if we are truly followers of Christ.  We must act in faith, no matter what the consequences might be.  Verse twenty-five continues, Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;  Like Moses could have, we could choose to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, but hopefully we will do as Moses did and choose to endure affliction, if necessary, in order to remain true to God.  Verse twenty-six states, Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.  Since Christ had yet come into the world, this would mean that Moses had faith in the coming Messiah, the suffering Servant.  We today put our faith in the return of Christ, Who is the eternal King.  Verse twenty-seven adds, By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.  Moses stood up to the Pharaoh, not because of his own strength, but because of his faith in the invisible God.  Moses could not see God physically, but he could see the evidence of God's work in the world, and so can we.  Verse twenty-eight continues, Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.  Moses kept the Passover through faith, and not as some empty ritual.  Moses recognized the power of God when he worshipped Him.  When we worship God, we should always acknowledge that He is the power behind all creation, and we should never just go through the motions of worship.  Our relationship with God is real if we accept Christ as our Savior and Lord, so our worship should be real also.  Verse twenty-nine declares, By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.  Some people today, to downplay the power of God, say that the Israelites passed through more of a swampy area than a divided sea, but the Bible says they passed through the Red Sea on dry land.  Either this is true, or the Egyptian army drowned in a marsh.  Verse thirty adds, By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.  There are also people today who attempt to explain away this miracle by saying that the horns that were being played simply hit the right harmonic frequency to vibrate the walls apart.  I do not believe that we need to explain miracles, but we must simply accept them by faith in the sovereignty of God.

Hebrews 11:13

Hebrews 11:13 says, These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.  All these men of faith died, with the exception of Enoch, without seeing all of God's promises fulfilled.  They did see some of God's individual promises to them fulfilled, but not His promise of everlasting life in a city that He would prepare for them.  We may see God fulfill His individual promises to us, but we will never see the fulfillment of the promise of everlasting life until after we die or Christ returns.  We must simply abide in faith.  They confessed themselves to be strangers and pilgrims on earth, and so must we.  Verse fourteen adds, For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.  Just as these great men of faith in the Old Testament declared plainly that they sought a country, an everlasting place of peace and comfort, so should we.  Anything that we build in this world is temporary, so our emphasis should be on building the things of God.  Verse fifteen continues, And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.  These followers of God could have been tempted to return to the place they came out of, but they weren't.  We may be tempted to return to the life we had before accepting Christ as our Savior and Lord, but we must never act on that temptation.  Even if we must sacrifice everything of this world, even our lives, in order to be faithful to God, then this is what we must do.  Verse sixteen declares, But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.  Just as they desired a better country, a heavenly one, so should we.  We are to lay up our treasures in heaven and not in this world.  Verse seventeen adds, By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,  After Isaac was born, the heir of the promise, Abraham's faith was tested once more.  This time, he followed God's instructions, up to the point of being willing to sacrifice Isaac.  We also need to be willing to lay everything on the altar of God.  Verse eighteen continues, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:  Isaac was the child through whom Abraham was to become a great nation, but Abraham was willing to sacrifice him to God when he knew that was what God was asking him to do.  Once more, we must never let anything come between us and our relationship with God.  Verse nineteen states, Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.  Abraham believed that God could raise Isaac up even from death.  We should have that same assurance about our lives today.  Even if we die, God will raise us up again.  With this assurance, we should always put following God's will above everything, even life itself.  Verse twenty adds, By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.  Isaac continued in the faith of Abraham, blessing both Jacob and Esau.  Verse twenty-one continues, By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.  Even though Jacob may have received his blessing from Isaac, he came to a real relationship with God through faith.  It is not earthly blessings but a Devine encounter that makes us people of faith.  Verse twenty-two concludes, By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.  Joseph wanted his bones buried in the Promised Land, symbolic of the fact that he had returned home to God's kingdom.  He had faith that the children of God would return.

Hebrews 11:8

Hebrews 11:8 says, By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.  I am going to look at these four verses that speak of Abraham and Sarah as a separate unit.  I believe that there are several things we can learn from them.  Abraham was called by God.  He did not just go seeking for and find God.  When we come to God, it will always be because He reached out to us.  Abraham did leave his home at God's urging and head for a home he knew nothing about.  He did not leave all his kindred though, as God had instructed him to do.  This would cause several problems for him later on.  I believe that what we need to understand is that we cannot modify God's directions to us without creating problems.  Still, Abraham is known as one of the great men of faith.  Verse nine adds, By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:  Abraham lived in the promised land, not as an everlasting home, but as one who was a sojourner in the land.  We will always be simply passing through this world.  This world is not our home.  Abraham lived in tabernacles, or tents, always ready to move on.  He lived until Isaac was seventy-five and Jacob was fifteen.  They were the heirs of the promise of God that He would make from Abraham a great nation, but even in that promise Abraham was not content to wait on God.  This caused even more problems for Abraham and the world since.  Verse ten continues, For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.  Abraham looked ahead to that city that has an everlasting foundation, whose builder and maker is God.  No matter how impressive we may make a house today, from an everlasting perspective, it is no better than a tent.  Yet, we sometimes put more emphasis and spend more time and money on these houses than we do on the things of God.  Verse eleven states, Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.  Sarah had a child well after she was past the age to have a child, because she judged God faithful to fulfill His promise.  This was not until she had made her own plan to fulfill God's promise though.  We cannot fulfill God's promises by our own actions but must wait by faith for Him to fulfill them.  Verse twelve adds, Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.  God abundantly fulfilled His promise to Abraham, and He will always fulfill all His promises to us, His followers.  We already have everlasting life through our faith in Christ, and the things of this world should cease to have priority in our lives.  We must always put God first and follow His plan for our lives.

Hebrews 11:1

Hebrews 11:1 says, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.  If we are to live by faith, then we must understand what faith is.  Faith is the basis of what we hope for, the everlasting life with God when Christ returns to claim His followers.  Faith is not something that we can prove by sight.  If we must always see a positive outcome before we act, then that is not faith.  We cannot demand to know the outcome before we step out in faith.  We are to simply act knowing without a doubt that God is in charge no matter what happens.  Verse two adds, For by it the elders obtained a good report.  Living by faith was not a new concept, but it was through faith that the elders, those people of God who lived before Christ came, obtained a good report.  It was not their own goodness, nor their obedience to the law that gave them a good report, but it was their faith in God that did.  Verse three continues, Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.  We can never really prove that God, by His word alone, created the heavens and the earth.  This is the same with the creation of all life.  We may see a lot of evidence that points to a Creator, but we can only know the truth of a Creator through faith.  We do not have to prove God exists, but we simply have to accept Him by faith.  We cannot really prove that Christ died for our sins in earthly, scientific terms, but we can only accept the fact by faith.  Verse four states, By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.  We might question why God accepted Abel's sacrifice and not Cain's, but it had to do with faith.  If we offer any sacrifice to God for any reason other than faith in Him, it will not be accepted.  We cannot buy God's grace but can only accept it in faith.  Verse five adds, By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.  Not many people can say they pleased God enough that they never died.  Just two that are mentioned in the Bible.  This does not mean that Enoch never sinned, but that he was totally dedicated to following God's will after he came to God through faith.  Verse six continues, But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.  Without faith in God, we cannot please God.  Works and sacrifices will never buy God's approval.  We can only please God by placing our faith in Christ.  Verse seven concludes, By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.  Noah was another person who found grace in the eyes of God.  Noah was not found faithful only after building the Ark but built the Ark because he was found faithful.  The gift of salvation through the grace of God will always come before doing works for God.  Works are an expression of our faith and not a means of obtaining favor with God.  The whole world may have thought Noah crazy, but he was faithful to God and built an Ark on dry land.

Hebrews 10:32

Hebrews 10:32 says, But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;  If we start to drift away from God, we need to remember life before we were illuminated, or saw the light of salvation through Christ.  We may endure all things through Christ Who gives us strength.  Before we accepted Christ, we were without hope, but through our faith in Him we have forgiveness and everlasting fellowship with God.  Verse thirty-three adds, Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used.  Those in the early church were treated terribly.  They were laughed at and mocked at the best and beaten and killed at the worst.  Many times, this was done by those calling themselves God's people.  Those who were true followers of Christ identified with those suffering for their faith and had compassion on them.  We should be the same way today.  We should really be burdened by those who suffer for their faith in Christ.  Verse thirty-four continues, For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.  Those who were fellow followers of Christ had compassion on the writer, whether it was Paul or not, who was in bonds and joyfully accepted the loss of earthly possessions that were lost due to their faith in Christ.  They knew as should we, that they had a more enduring reward in heaven.  This is about as far from a prosperity gospel as we can get, but it is what God's word consistently proclaims.  Verse thirty-five states, Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.  We should never lose our confidence in our salvation, no matter how bad things may get.  Verse thirty-six adds, For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.  I believe that this is simply a call for us to be patient in our faith.  We will not receive the promise of God, of life without pain and struggling in this life, but we can be certain that it is coming if we have accepted the salvation of Christ.  Verse thirty-seven continues, For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.  Even if it is another two thousand years before Christ returns, it is but a little while when compared to eternity.  The reason Christ has not returned yet is because people are still being saved.  Verse thirty-eight says, Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.  The just are to live by faith, never wavering in that faith.  If we do, God has no pleasure in us.  If we doubt when things go wrong and then believe when things start to go well again, what kind of faith is that?  We are to live by faith in the good times and the bad, and if anything, even more so in the bad.  Verse thirty-nine adds, But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.  I believe that those who draw back are those who were never really saved to start with.  Those who are truly followers of Christ will never be sent away from God.  We have an everlasting salvation.

Hebrews 10:28

Hebrews 10:28 says, He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:  This is still addressed to those who wilfully sin under the grace of God.  Matthew Henry seems to say that this refers to those who only seem to accept Christ as Savior, but I believe it also applies to those who accept Christ and then willfully sin.  Verse twenty-nine adds, Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?  Under the law of Moses, when two or three witnessed against a person they were found guilty.  We are asked how much greater it will be for those who trodden underfoot the Son of God and counted His blood, or death, as an unholy thing.  Again, this can apply to those who totally reject Christ, but since this was addressed to the church, I believe that it also applies to Christians who willfully sin.  Matthew Henry applies this to those who claim to accept Christ, but do not really do so.  I believe that if we willfully sin after salvation, then we do count the blood of Christ as an unholy thing.  We do trod Christ underfoot, because we put self-will first.  Verse thirty continues, For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.  Vengeance belongs to God, and He will judge His people.  Once more, if we have truly accepted Christ, we are saved by His sacrifice for us on the cross, but this says that God will judge His people.  We as followers of Christ have a great responsibility to put God first in our lives, and when we do not, we will be held accountable for our actions.  Verse thirty-one concludes, It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.  I believe that this means for the unsaved.  If we have accepted Christ as Savior and Lord of our lives, then God is a loving Father to us.  Still, if we have willfully sinned after accepting Christ, we will face a Father Who will deal with our sins.  We cannot live in disobedience presuming on the forgiveness of Christ.  For those who have not accepted Christ as Savior, much less Lord, it will truly be a fearful thing.

Hebrews 10:19

Hebrews 10:19 says, Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,  We are given the right, the boldness, to enter into the holiest places of God by the blood of Jesus.  We cannot earn nor do we deserve this right, but through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus we are given the right.  We should live our lives in boldness through accepting this gift of salvation.  Verse twenty adds, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;  The covenant that we have through Christ is a new and living way, not separated from God by the veil of the temple.  We do not have to offer sacrifices in order to come into the presence of God.  As followers of Christ, through the Holy Spirit living in us, we are continually in the presence of God.  Verse twenty-one continues, And having an high priest over the house of God;  We have an eternal high Priest Who reigns over the house of God.  This does not signify a particular place but refers to the life of each individual believer.  As followers of Christ, we are the house of God.  Verse twenty-two states, Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.  We can approach God with a heart full of assurance because of our faith in Christ.  We have been made pure by the blood of Christ.  Verse twenty-three adds, Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)  Once we have accepted Christ as our Savoir, we need to hold fast to Him as Lord of our lives.  We should never waiver in our faith.  If we have truly accepted Christ as our Savior, we are forever saved.  Verse twenty-four continues, And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:  We usually consider provoking to be a bad thing, but we are called to provoke, or to prompt or urge, each other to love and good works.  Love is not some uncontrollable emotion, but a choice.  Sometimes it may be harder to provoke this love than at other times, but we are called to love all our neighbors.  Verse twenty-five declares, Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.  We are to gather together to worship God and exhort one another.  We are to do so more as the time for the return of Christ grows nearer, as it does each day.  Verse twenty-six adds, For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,  I don't believe that this means that we lose our salvation, but we will be held accountable for willful sins committed after we are saved.  Verse twenty-seven continues, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.  This is still speaking of willfully sinning after we are saved.  There will be a fiery indignation on God's part.  Salvation will never give us the freedom to sin without consequences just because our sins are already forgiven.

Hebrews 10:7

Hebrews 10:7 says, Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.  The coming of Christ was not some new concept but had been foretold since the fall of Adam and Eve.  Christ came as a man to do God's will and to fulfill the law given to Moses.  Verse eight adds, Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;  The law of God and the offerings and sacrifices of His people never brought God pleasure, because they were never able to restore people to God.  God set the standard, which was total obedience, and no one except Jesus Christ ever lived up to that standard.  Verse nine continues, Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.  Christ came to do God's will and live in total obedience to God's law.  Christ proved that it was possible for a person to live up to the requirements of the law of God, but no one else, before or since, ever has.  Christ fulfilled the old covenant and issued in the new covenant.  Verse ten states, By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.  We can only be sanctified, or made right in the eyes of God, through Christ and His sacrifice.  Christ died once, and His death was for the salvation of all who will accept His sacrifice through faith.  We do not have to offer a daily or weekly or yearly sacrifice for our sins.  Christ is the only acceptable sacrifice.  Verse eleven adds, And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:  We could stand daily offering sacrifices as could the priests, but they can never take away our sins.  Only a personal relationship with Christ can do that.  Verse twelve continues, But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;  Christ completed His redemptive work once and for all, and is now seated at the right hand of God until it is time for Him to return and claim His church, those who accept Him as Savior and Lord.  Verse thirteen says, From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.  When Christ returns, He will not come as a suffering Servant, but as a victorious King.  The enemies of God will be made Christ's footstool.  Verse fourteen adds, For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.  By the one offering, Christ crucified on the cross, we who accept Him as Savior and Lord, are made perfect.  Verse fifteen continues, Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,  As followers of Christ, we have the Holy Spirit living in us, showing us the truth of God's word.  Verse sixteen states, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;  The Holy Spirit bears witness to this new covenant made through the death and resurrection of Christ.  Once we have accepted Christ as Savior and Lord we are never spiritually on our own.  The Holy Spirit does not come and go in our lives but is with us every second of the day.  Verse seventeen adds, And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.  Because of the sacrifice of Christ, and a person's acceptance of that sacrifice, God will no longer remember that person's sins and inequities.  The slate is wiped clean.  Verse eighteen continues, Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.  The reason we don't need daily, or yearly sacrifices is because Christ died once for all sins.  This does not mean that we, as followers of Christ, do not need to confess our sins if we commit them after accepting Christ, but it means that we do not have to be saved again.

Hebrews 10:1

Hebrews 10:1 says, For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.  The law of God, given to Moses, was but a shadow of salvation through Christ.  The law of God could never save anyone's unless they fulfilled all aspects of the law.  If people could be saved by the law, then there would be no need of a daily and yearly sacrifice, but this was never the case.  Verse two adds, For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.  This is a further pointing out of the temporary nature of man-made sacrifices.  They were done by the instruction of God, but they were never capable of bringing salvation.  If they could, then once they purged the sins of the people, they would no longer be necessary.  Verse three continues, But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.  The sacrifices made under the law of God were but a reminder that people were still under the power of sin and death.  These sacrifices were but a temporary reprieve and not an everlasting pardon.  Verse four declares, For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.  The bulls and goats had no say in the matter of the sacrifice, nor were they equal to people.  Just as the blood of the bull and goat could not bring everlasting salvation, neither can the blood of anyone except Christ.  We cannot die to bring forgiveness to others or even to ourselves.  Verse five adds, Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:  Christ came to offer His body as a sacrifice for our sins.  Verse six continues, In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.  Burnt offerings and sacrifices were never intended to bring everlasting forgiveness.  They were to show the willingness of God's people to acknowledge their sins and ask His forgiveness.  Even this had become perverted as the religious leaders used these rituals to profit for themselves and to control others.  Salvation through Christ can never be controlled by anyone nor any group of people.  If any church claims to control the salvation of its members, then it is not being true to what God's word teaches.

Hebrews 9:18

Hebrews 9:18 says, Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.  The shedding of blood was a part of the old testament with God.  It was the blood of an animal that was shed in the place of those that it represented.  Verse nineteen adds, For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,  This sprinkling of the blood of calves and goats was symbolic of the shedding of the blood of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, Who was to come as an eternal sacrifice for the sins of all people.  We must remember that Christ died for all sins, but for anyone to claim His gift of forgiveness that person must believe in Him through faith.  Verse twenty continues, Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.  The shedding of blood for a sacrifice to God was always a part of God's covenant with His people.  We are told that the wages of sin, any sin, is death.  We cannot die for our own sins but need a sacrifice instead.  Until the coming of Christ, this was an animal, which would have been without sin.  Only people are capable of sin, which is the wilful disobedience to the will of God.  Verse twenty-one states, Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry.  Moses consecrated everything associated with the worship of God with blood.  When we come to Christ through faith in Him as Savior and Lord, He consecrates everything that we are to God.  Verse twenty-two adds, And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.  Without the shedding of blood there can be no remission of sins.  If we do not accept the sacrifice of Christ on our behalf, then we cannot find remission for our sins.  Our own death, no matter how noble or heroic it might be, can never bring a remission of our sins.  Christ alone is the perfect sacrifice.  Verse twenty-three continues, 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.  Those earthly things that represented heavenly things could be purified by the blood of calves and goats, but the real heavenly things required a better sacrifice.  Verse twenty-four declares, 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:  Christ, by His shedding of His blood on the cross, did not enter into an earthly holy place made by hands, but into a heavenly holy place made by God.  Verse twenty-five adds, Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;  This tells us that Christ is not a temporary sacrifice that has to be offered over and over again, like the yearly sacrifices of the earthly high priests.  Verse twenty-six continues, 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.  If Christ had to sacrifice Himself yearly, He would have been doing it since the foundation of the world and would have to continue to do so.  Instead, Christ made a onetime sacrifice for us all sins for all time.  It is up to each individual to decide whether or not to accept that sacrifice.  Verse twenty-seven says, And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:  This simply reminds us that everyone will die, until Christ returns, and then we face God's judgment.  After we die, or Christ returns, there is no changing our relationship to God.  Verse twenty-eight adds, 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.  Christ died for the salvation of all, but only those who accept Him by faith will share in that salvation.  It is truly sad the number of people who choose everlasting separation from God when He has already provided a way to everlasting redemption.

Hebrews 9:11

Hebrews 9:11 says, 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;  The writer now begins to speak of the superiority of Christ over the law of God.  Christ is the high Priest of greater things to come and a more perfect tabernacle.  Through the sacrifice of Christ, we have no need to go to a particular place at a particular time to commune with God.  When we gather as the church today, as we should do, we should gather to worship God and not to make sacrifice for our sins of the week.  Though we may need to confess some sin, we already have forgiveness through Christ.  Verse twelve adds, 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.  Christ did not need the blood of goats and calves to be qualified to enter the most holy place but entered through His own blood sacrificed for us.  Verse thirteen continues, For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:  The blood of bulls and goats were used to signify the purifying of the flesh.  It was something that had to be done over and over.  Verse fourteen declares, How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?  If the blood of bulls and goats could serve to sanctify us before God, then how much greater is the blood of Christ, the perfect and everlasting Sacrifice.  We are purged from dead works to serve the living God.  I believe that all works done outside the leadership of the Holy Spirit are dead works, and certainly any works done with the hope of earning salvation are dead.  Our worship of God should be based on a relationship with God and not on rituals carried out in the name of God.  Only through the blood of Christ, shed for us, can we find salvation.  Verse fifteen adds, And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.  Christ is our Mediator.  Once more we are told that through His death we may enter into the new covenant with God.  It depends on our acceptance of Christ through faith.  Verse sixteen continues, For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.  In order for a person to receive an inheritance, the one they are inheriting from must die, and Jesus Christ died in order for us to receive the inheritance of everlasting life.  Verse seventeen concludes, For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.  It was only after the death of Christ, and His subsequent resurrection, that we could become heirs of the promise of everlasting life.  We simply have to accept by faith in Christ what is already our inheritance when we accept Him.

Hebrews 9:1

Hebrews 9:1 says, Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.  This chapter begins to compare the earthly tabernacle made with hands to the heavenly tabernacle made by Christ.  Just a Jesus referred to His body as the tabernacle of God, as followers of Christ ours should be also.  Our emphasis should always be on our relationship to God and not on the building we worship in.  Verse two adds, For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary.  The first tabernacle was divided into two parts.  The first was where everyone could go to worship.  Many of the instruments of worship were there.   People today may enter into a church building where God is being worshipped, but that is not enough to save a person.  Verse three continues, And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;  There was a second veil in the tabernacle which had limited access, called the Holiest of all.  This was not accessible by all the people at all times, and this is the veil that Jesus ripped in two.  We now have full access to God at all times through our faith in Christ, our high Priest.  Verse four states, Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;  In this inner tabernacle were the things most closely related to God.  Verse five adds, And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.  This inner sanctuary contained the mercy seat of God.  We now have access to that mercy seat wherever we are, thanks to the sacrifice of Christ.  Verse six continues, Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.  The priests always had access to the first part of the tabernacle.  Verse seven says, But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:  Once a year, only the high priest could go into the inner tabernacle, the holy of holys, with a blood sacrifice for the people and himself.  This was somewhat of a limited access to God's forgiveness.  Christ, when He came, did not have to offer a sacrifice for Himself, as He was sinless. Verse eight adds, The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:  The Holy Ghost signified that the unlimited access into the inner sanctuary was not yet come.  The people of Israel, God's chosen people, would remain under the law until Christ came.  We today have unlimited access to God due to the sacrifice of Christ.  Verse nine continues, Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;  The Holy Ghost further signified that the tabernacle would remain for the present time, that is before Christ.  Still, it could not make the one that did the service perfect in conscience.  Only Christ can wash away all the effects of our sins.  Verse ten concludes, Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.  The priests were limited to the rituals of worship, whereas through Christ we have a relationship of worship.  We have complete forgiveness and complete access to the heavenly Father through Christ our Savior, but only by accepting Christ in faith of His salvation provided for us.

Hebrews 8:6

Hebrews 8:6 says, 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.  Christ has obtained a more excellent ministry, one based not on the law of the old covenant, but one grace of the new covenant.  The old covenant with Israel was viewed as a task master pointing people to Christ.  The problem with the old covenant was not the covenant itself, but the inability of anyone to live up to its requirements, until Jesus came to earth and fulfilled it.  Jesus Christ is the mediator of the new covenant.  Verse seven adds, For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.  Again, the fault with the old covenant was not on the part of God but was instead on the part of the people under the covenant.  A failure in any part was the same as a failure in all parts.  Since people could not live up to the requirements of the covenant, a new covenant was needed, one based on grace and not the obedience to the law of God.  Verse eight continues, 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:  This was not a new idea, but had been promised to the people of Israel in Jeremiah 31:31-32.  This new covenant was issued in with Christ, the only One qualified to fulfill the old covenant of the law.  Verse nine declares, 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.  As already stated, the new covenant was necessary because God's people did not continue in the old covenant.  Salvation through faith in Christ as our Savior and Lord is the forever covenant between people and God.  It is based not on our fulfillment of all the law, but on Christ having fulfilled it.  Verse ten adds, 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:  God said He would put His laws in their minds and write them in their hearts.  His laws become more than just words written on a stone tablet.  They become the center of our thoughts and purpose, if we are followers of Christ.  As long as God's law remains just words chiseled in stone, they will never change a person.  They must be written in our hearts and minds.  Verse eleven continues, 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.  I don't believe that this means that we should not witness, but that God Himself prepares every person's heart and mind to receive His word.  Verse twelve states, For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.  When people accept the new covenant of faith through Christ, they will be totally forgiven.  When we become followers of Christ, all our sins are forgiven and remembered no more.  We often say that we forgive but will never forget.  True forgiveness, I believe, means that we must forget as well.  The memory may remain, but it can never be brought up in judgment again.  If God always filtered His mercy through memories of our past sins, we would never be totally restored to God.  Verse thirteen adds, 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.  We live under the covenant of Christ and the covenant of the law has passed away.  Though we are to still follow God's laws to guide our lives, we do not follow them to prove ourselves worthy of salvation.

Hebrews 8:1

Hebrews 8:1 says, 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;  In this verse and verse two, the writer summarizes what he had been saying about Jesus Christ.  We have the only high Priest that we will ever need.  The earthly high priests had to enter the inner part of the sanctuary behind the veil to offer sacrifices, but Jesus tore that veil away.  We cannot confine Christ to a particular place where we must go to speak to Him. Through the holy Spirit, we are always in the presence of God, no matter what we are doing.  Christ is sitting on the right hand of the Father.  Again, I am not sure we will ever understand the Trinity in this lifetime, but we can understand that Jesus Christ died for us and makes intercession for us with the Father.  Verse two adds, A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.  Christ is the minister of the sanctuary and the true tabernacle.  This is not a physical place made by man, but a spiritual place made by God.  The old tabernacle was made under the law, but the new tabernacle was made under the grace of God.  Verse three continues, For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.  The high priest presented the sacrifices of the people to God.  The people brought the sacrifices to him, and he offered them to God.  If Christ is to be our high Priest, then He must offer a sacrifice, which He does.  Christ offers Himself, the only perfect sacrifice, to God in our place.  Verse four states, For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:   Christ is not a priest by earthly standards, having not be born into the priestly tribe, but He is the high Priest by heavenly calling.  There were still priests that offered sacrifices under the law of God, and there still are some today, but no one can be saved by the law.  Verse five adds, 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.  Earthly priests serve under the shadow of heavenly things.  Christ serves as our high Priest, already knowing about all there is to know about heaven and the earth.  When we become followers of Christ, we have the assurance that one day we will understand all there is to know about heaven, since Christ said that He went to prepare a place for us.

Hebrews 7:18

Hebrews 7:18 says, For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.  The earthly priesthood could not save mankind and was limited in its scope.  There were certain rules and regulations that were to be followed before the priest, even the high priest, could approach God on behalf of the people.  Jesus did away with that requirement.  We, as followers of Christ, can approach the heavenly Father at any time and in any place.  Verse nineteen adds, For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.  The law of God never could and never will make anyone perfect, because we fail to live up to that law.  Only One, Jesus Christ, ever lived up to the law perfectly, and He is the only One capable of being our high Priest.  This is our better hope.  Verse twenty continues, And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest:  Those earthly priests were made so by birth.  Verse twenty-one declares, (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)  Though the priesthood may have been established by God's command, He never declared it to be an eternal priesthood.  Christ alone fulfills that role.  Verse twenty-two adds, By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.  It is by the oath of the heavenly Father that Jesus is made a surety of the new testament, based not on the law, but on faith in Christ alone.  Verse twenty-three continues, And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:  There was a need for many high priests over the generations under the law, because no matter how good or bad they may have been, they all were limited by death.  None could fulfill the role of everlasting Priest.  Jesus Christ alone was and is qualified.  Verse twenty-four states, But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.  Unlike earthly priests who died and had to be replaced, Jesus is an eternal Priest.  Verse twenty-five adds, 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.  Christ saves those who come to God through Him to the uttermost.  He is alive today making intercession with the heavenly Father on the behalf of those who follow Him.  Verse twenty-six continues, For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;  This speaks of the unique nature of Christ.  He is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.  Jesus is the only begotten Son of God and the only One qualified to be our high Priest.  Verse twenty-seven says, 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.  Unlike earthly priests, Christ does not need to offer up sacrifices daily for those that follow Him.  He never had to offer a sacrifice for Himself as do earthly priests, as He is without sin.  Christ offered Himself as a sacrifice for all sins for all time.  It is sad that so many will go away to eternal punishment because they refuse to accept the forgiveness that has already been made available through Christ.  Verse twenty-eight adds, 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.  All other high priests were under the law and failed to keep it.  Christ came to fulfill the law and was made our high Priest by the oath of God, Who had proclaimed Jesus His only begotten Son and the only One capable of bringing salvation to mankind.

Hebrews 7:9

Hebrews 7:9 says, And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.  Levi also payed tithes to Melchisdec.  He did not stand in self-pride refusing to acknowledge the superiority of Melchisedec.  We cannot allow self-pride to prevent us from acknowledging the work that others do for God.  If we are true followers of Christ, then we must do all for His glory.  Verse ten adds, For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.  I believe that this is once more pointing out that our earthly status does not mean that we are superior to anyone else in the eyes of God.  As a matter of fact, we may find ourselves in a position of being less than some other believer, no matter our earthly credentials.  Verse eleven continues, If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?  Levi was a priest of the law, the old testament between man and God.  The question is if this keeping of the law of God could bring salvation, why would we need another priest?  We know that the law could not redeem us, so we had the need of a high Priest Who could.  Verse twelve states, For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.  When the priesthood changed, so did the law.  We no longer look to the law of God for salvation, but to the sacrifice of Christ on the cross to fulfill that law.  We become a pert of the priesthood of believers when we accept Christ as Savior and Lord.  We can go directly to God without the need of a priest to represent us before God.  Verse thirteen adds, For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.  The priesthood would come not from the tribe of Levi, but from the tribe of Judah.  Christ, the only One able to fulfill the law, would become our high Priest forever by our faith in Him.  Verse fourteen continues, For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.  Jesus is not our high Priest because of His physical birth, but because of His heavenly calling.  The Levitical priest were often corrupt, even though they were physically born into the priesthood.  Our birth does not determine our relationship with God, but our rebirth through Christ does.  Verse fifteen says, And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,  Jesus is said to be after the order of Melchisedec, who was not of the earthly order of priests.  Verse sixteen adds, Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.  Jesus Christ is our eternal Priest, not made so by the carnal law that required a person's total obedience for salvation, but by the power of His endless life and power over sin and death.  Verse seventeen continues, For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.  This simply restates the eternal nature of the priesthood of Christ.  He is the once, now and forever Priest, or go between, for man and God.  Christ is the only One qualified to be our everlasting Priest.

Hebrews 7:1

Hebrews 7:1 says, For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;  Melchisedec is first spoken of in Genesis 14:18 and the following verses, and again mentioned in Psalms 110:4.  There are varying opinions as to who Melchisedec was, but we can say without a doubt that he was a real person.  His priesthood did not come from by birth into the earthly priesthood, but he was appointed a priest by God.  If we had needed to know more about him, then I believe that the Bible would tell us more.  Verse two adds, To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;  We know that Abraham offered a tithe to Melchisedec.  Abraham recognized Melchisedec as a King of peace.  When comparing Christ to Melchisedec, we know that Chist is the King of everlasting peace.  Verse three continues, Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.  Of this verse Matthew Henry says, "This must not be understood according to the letter; but the scripture has chosen to set him forth as an extraordinary person, without giving us his genealogy, that he might be a fitter type of Christ, who as man was without father, as God without mother; whose priesthood is without descent, did not descend to him from another, nor from him to another, but is personal and perpetual."  Melchisedec did not arise from a physical birth into the priesthood, nor did he have descendants who followed him into the priesthood.  Verse four states, Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.  Abraham, the father of faith, recognized the superiority of Melchisedec as a priest, even offering him a tithe.  Verse five adds, And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:  The sons of Levi, the tribe of priests, were told to take a tithe of the people, even though they were descendants of Abraham.  Verse six continues, But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.  Melchisedec, who was not of the tribe of Levi, the priestly tribe, blessed Abraham.  He could do this because he was appointed by God.  Today, a person is not a preacher because that person is the descendant of a preacher, but is so because of a calling from God.  Verse seven says, And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.  Melchisedec would be the better in this case, and Abraham, the heir of the promise of God, would be the less.  We, as followers of Christ, though we may be blessed by God, will always be the lesser in our relationship to Him. Verse eight adds, And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.  We may receive tithes as the church, but we still die.  The One that the tithes are for though, Christ, will live forever.  Though Christ died a physical death for our sins, He is the eternal Savior Who reigns forever.

Hebrews 6:16

Hebrews 6:16 says, For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.  We swear an oath by the greater, which is God.  This is confirmation of our salvation.  Salvation is never based on our goodness or ability, but it is based on our belief in and acceptance of Christ as Savior and Lord.  Since God is the author of our salvation, we need never debate the reality of it.  There is but one way to be saved, and that is through faith in Christ.  Verse seventeen adds, Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:  We can be certain that our salvation through Christ will never be taken away, because God has made this promise based on His word.  We may not always be able to put our faith in the word of another individual, but we can always trust the word of God.  As followers of Christ, our word should be just as trustworthy, but often it is not.  Verse eighteen continues, 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:  We have God's council to us based on His unchangeable word.  What God tells us is true and always will be.  God will never tell us to do anything that contradicts His word.  For example, since God tells us to love our neighbor, He is not going to suddenly change that command to hate our neighbor when things aren't going our way.  Even if we disagree with them, we are to do so out of love.  Verse nineteen declares, Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;  Our faith in Christ is indeed an anchor for our soul.  This hope should be both sure and steadfast.  Our faith should never waiver, because it is anchored in Christ.  Verse twenty adds, Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.  Jesus removed the veil between God and mankind.  We can now go directly to God with nothing standing between us.  Christ is our high Priest forever, and we need no one else to bring our concerns to God.

Hebrews 6:9

Hebrews 6:9 says, But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.  The writer states that they, which would be those believers with him and he himself, were sure of better things of the Hebrew Christians than the falling away from their faith.  No matter where we live today, our fellow followers of Christ should expect us to live by faith in Christ.  Verse ten adds, For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.  Though we do not work for salvation, once we accept salvation through Christ, we are to work that God might be glorified.  God will not forget the work that we do for Him.  Since each believer is given at least one talent, or gift of the Holy Spirit, then each believer must be faithful in utilizing that talent or those talents that have been given to them.  We cannot do anything of our own ability, so it is important that we rely on the Holy Spirit to reveal and develop our talents.  Verse eleven continues, And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:  We are called on to give our full diligence to God.  We cannot allow God to be a sideline in our lives.  We need to be diligent in our work for God's kingdom.  When we are, then we can have full assurance of hope until the end.  We do this labor for God not for reward but out of love for Him.  Verse twelve states, That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.  God does not expect us to be lazy in our work for Him.  We are to work faithfully and patiently to fulfill the will of God.  Though we inherit the promise of God through faith in Christ, our faith is evident by our works.  Just as God created mankind for a purpose, He redeems them for a purpose as well.  Verse thirteen adds, For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,  God's promise to Abraham was assured because God based it on His own righteousness and not the righteousness of Abraham.  The reason that we can have salvation and hope is because of the righteousness of God, through which He gives us salvation if we will only accept it by faith in Christ.  Verse fourteen continues, Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.  Abraham was blessed by his faith in God.  He did become the father of a great nation because of God working through Him.  Verse fifteen concludes, And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.  We might argue that Abraham did not patiently endure, but even so he had to wait until God fulfilled His promise.  We as followers of Christ must patiently endure until the fulfillment of the promise of the return of Christ.  We can do nothing to hurry it up.  Our calling is to faithfully rest in God's promise as we continue to do what He has called us to do.

Hebrews 6:1

Hebrews 6:1 says, Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,  This applies to those who have accepted Christ already.  When we accept Christ as our Savior, we can then move on to making Him the Lord of our lives.  Once we accept salvation, we do not need to daily go back and accept Him once more.  We are to daily build on the foundation of Christ.  I believe that when we are witnessing that our message will always be Jesus Christ, crucified, resurrected, and Lord, but when we are studying, either alone or as a group of believers, that we need to learn what it means to be a growing child of God.  Verse two adds, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.  One of the ordinances that Christ instituted is baptism, and we need to understand what this really means.  Baptism of itself does not bring salvation, but is merely symbolic of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.  Still, baptism identifies us as a follower of Christ.  I believe the laying on of hands has more to do with ministers welcoming another person into the ministry.  Matthew Henry states that some see this as transferring the Holy Spirit to a new believer, but I do not see this as being the case.  The Holy Spirit is not ours to give.  Once we accept Christ as Savior, then we are immediately filled with the Holy Spirit to help us make Christ Lord.  Verse three continues, And this will we do, if God permit.  The writer said that was what he and those who had grown in Christ, those more mature Christians, would do, if God permitted it.  We cannot do God's work without His call and blessing.  We must be attuned to God's will through the guidance of the Holy Spirit at all times.  Verse four states, 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,  I believe that this means that once we are saved we are always saved.  We need not go back and question our salvation if we are truly saved by faith in Christ.  Verse five adds, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,  Verse six it continues, 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.  Once we are saved, we have indeed tasted the word of God and are a part of the world to come.  Still, it is possible to fall away, or to allow sin back in our lives.  If we do we need to repent.  Though Christ died once for all sins, in effect He died for each person's sins individually.  If we fall away into sin and repent, we in effect crucify Christ again and put Him to open shame.  Verse seven says, For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:  Verse eight adds, But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.  Both the good fruit and the bad may grow from the rain, but the bad will be burned or destroyed.  The redemption of Christ rains down on every person, but those who refuse to accept Him will be sent away into everlasting punishment.

Hebrews 5:11

Hebrews 5:11 says, Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.  The writer here states that there was much more that could be said about either Christ or Melchisedec, depending on which was meant by the words "of whom."  Whomever was referred to, the writer did not say more because the people, those who called themselves followers of Christ, were slow to hear.  There have been many times throughout history, and there are still times today, when God's people are slow to hear.  Verse twelve adds, For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.  We as followers of Christ should be teaching the world about Him, but we often need teachers to once again teach us about what God's word says.  We begin to live by the dictates of the world and our own selfishness desires instead of living by the teachings of the word of God.  We cannot serve two masters.  We either serve Christ, and grow in our faith, or we serve the world and let our faith wither.  We need to always remember the basics of our faith, beginning with Jesus Christ, crucified, resurrected, and Lord.  Sometimes we tend to forget the Lord part, and after accepting Christ as Savior fail to grow in our faith by failing to make Him Lord of our life.  Verse thirteen continues, For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.  This does not mean drinking milk with meals, but living off milk because someone has not matured and started to eat solid food.  If we remain babes in Christ, never attempting to learn the more meaty things of God, we will not be very effective followers of Christ.  We must grow in our faith if we are to be effective witnesses for Christ.  Verse fourteen concludes, But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.  As we grow in Christ, just as a baby grows in the world, we can understand the difference between good and evil in the sight of God.  We might think this would be easy, but sometimes even things that look good in the eyes of the world and could even be viewed as good by God's people are still wrong in God's eyes.  If we do not grow in our faith, we may not be able to tell what is truly God's will.

Hebrews 5:6

Hebrews 5:6 says, As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.  We do not know a lot about Melchisedec, except that he was not of the order of priests who were descendants of Aaron and was noted for his faithfulness to God.  Matthew Henry says, "God the Father appointed him a priest of a higher order than that of Aaron. The priesthood of Aaron was to be but temporary; the priesthood of Christ was to be perpetual: the priesthood of Aaron was to be successive, descending from the fathers to the children; the priesthood of Christ, after the order of Melchisedec, was to be personal, and the high priest immortal as to his office, without descent, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, as it is more largely described in the seventh chapter, and will be opened there."  Though we do not know that much about Melchisedec, we do know that Christ is our spiritual high Priest, and that He is indeed eternal, appointed by the Father.  Verse seven adds, Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;  This verse refers to Jesus and His unique qualification to be our high Priest.  Jesus did come in the flesh, making Himself subject to all the weaknesses and temptations that every person is subjected to.  I will say once more, if Christ was not truly human and subjected to the same weaknesses and temptations that everyone else is, then He cannot serve as our example.  If He did not have the ability to give in to temptation and sin, then He could not have fulfilled the Law.  He is the eternal Savior, appointed by the Father.  Jesus offered strong prayers to His heavenly Father that if there were another way that He might not have to face a cruel death on the cross.  God could have spared His only begotten Son, but He would have doomed all people in doing so.  Verse eight continues, Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;  Jesus learned obedience to the Father through His sufferings.  We are called to be like Christ, so if we do suffer because of our faith, we must be obedient to God, even in our suffering.  Verse nine states, And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;  Christ was born in perfection, but it was His faithfulness to the heavenly Father in life, even during suffering, that kept Him perfect.  Remaining perfect, Christ became the author of eternal salvation.  Only if Christ were truly human could He fulfill this requirement.  If He was unable to sin if He so chose to do so, then His life was simply for show.  Verse ten adds, Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.  Christ, like Melchisedec, is our high Priest not by physical qualifications, but by spiritual qualifications.

Hebrews 5:1

Hebrews 5:1 says, For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:  The high priest did not just claim this position but was appointed by God.  Christ, as our high Priest, did not just assume this position, but was appointed by the heavenly Father. The high priest was the one who went into the Holy of Holys to offer sacrifices for the people of God.  He was the only one who could do this.  When Christ became our high Priest, He eliminated this need, because He became the eternal high Priest.  Verse two adds, Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.  The high priest was to be able to have compassion on the ignorant and those who are out of the way.  The ignorant are those who have not come to a knowledge of God.  If we are truly followers of Christ, we must have compassion on the lost today.  We are called on to reach them with the message of salvation.  We cannot look down on any person or group of people as being unworthy of salvation.  Christ died for the worst sinner in the world, not for some select few who are somehow morally superior to others.  Since we are all sinners saved by grace, we need the compassion of Christ in order to be saved, and we can never feel superior to any other sinner saved by grace.  I believe that we can also take this a step farther and say that we should never feel superior to any sinner.  Christ died for all, and even if we are saved by His grace, we are still but a sinner.  We might want to put degrees on sin, but any sin, great or small, brings the same result, and that is separation from God.  We cannot feel superior because we consider our sins as less than someone else's.  Verse three continues, And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.  The earthly high priest had to offer a sacrifice, not only for the sins of those he represented, but for himself as well.  The heavenly high Priest, Jesus Christ, instead offered Himself as a sacrifice without sin for all people.  Jesus was the only One Who could accomplish this, and He is the only One we can turn to for forgiveness of our sins.  I will state once more that we do not have to go through anyone else, living or dead, to speak to God.  We have a personal relationship through Christ and are indwelled by the Holy Spirit.  Verse four states, And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.  Even earthly high priests were called by God.  Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, was called by His heavenly Father to be our eternal Priest.  When we do something for God today, it should be by His calling and for His honor.  Verse five adds, So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.  This is what was just discussed above.  Jesus, the Son, was doing the will of God, the Father.