Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | October 5, 2012

“For this was the sovereign counsel, and most gracious will and purpose of God”

Today’s devotion comes from Hebrews 10:1-10.
 
“1 For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near. 2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins?  3 But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year.  4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.  5 Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says,

“Sacrifice and offering You have not desired,
But a body You have prepared for Me;
6 In whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have taken no pleasure.
7 “Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come
(In the scroll of the book it is written of Me)
To do Your will, O God.’”

8 After saying above, “Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have not desired, nor have You taken pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the Law), 9 then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will.” He takes away the first in order to establish the second. 10 By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”  Hebrews 10:1-10.

———————

We have seen in Galatians that we can not perfect ourselves through our own works of the Law (first covenant).  “This is the only thing I want to find out from you:  did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?  3 Are you so foolish?  Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?  4 Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?  5 So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?”  Galatians 3:2-4.

And now in today’s Scripture, we see that we are not even made perfect through the sacrifices of the Law.  “For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near.”  Verse 1.  

Our only hope is the will of God in the second covenant through the work of Jesus Christ:  “then He (Jesus Christ) said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will.”  He takes away the first (covenant) in order to establish the second (covenant).  By this will (the will of God the Father) we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”  Verses 9 and 10.

Article 8.  For this was the sovereign counsel, and most gracious will and purpose of God the Father, that the quickening and saving efficacy of the most precious death of his Son should extend to all the elect, for bestowing upon them alone the gift of justifying faith, thereby to bring them infallibly to salvation:  that is, it was the will of God, that Christ by the blood of the cross, whereby he confirmed the new covenant, should effectually redeem out of every people, tribe, nation, and language, all those, and those only, who were from eternity chosen to salvation, and given to him by the Father;  that he should confer upon them faith, which together with all the other saving gifts of the Holy Spirit, he purchased for them by his death;  should purge them from all sin, both original and actual, whether committed before or after believing;  and having faithfully preserved them even to the end, should at last bring them free from every spot and blemish to the enjoyment of glory in his own presence forever.  Canons of Dordt, Article 8 of the section titled:  “SECOND HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of the Death of Christ, and the Redemption of Men.

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