Resting in Salvation

Hebrews 9:11-15 – 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; 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. 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: 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? 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.

Under the Law of Moses, the high priest would present himself in the holiest of all to offer sacrifices for the sins of his own life and the people. This was a yearly requirement as there was no sacrifice of bulls and goats that could obtain eternal salvation for the people. Each year, another sacrifice was given…

In Jesus, He gave His life as a sacrifice for all humanity. One sacrifice. One sacrifice that would stand as an eternal redemption for us. There would be no need for us to continually be purged from sins year after year for Christ’s sacrifice would stand eternally on our behalf.

So, what does that mean for us?

1. For all who look to Him are eternally freed from the sting (and wage) of sin.

Everyone who believes in Jesus will be given eternal life (see John 3:16-17). He is the way, the truth, and the life…no one comes to the Father, but by Him (John 14:6). As we come to Him, we are cleansed from our sins and ‘marked’ for salvation through the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14).

Hebrews 9:28 – So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

2. We can spend our lives loving God and His people.

Our conscience is cleansed from the dead works we have committed in sin. Even though our minds review them, the Lord has placed our sins in a place as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12). We no longer need to fear the burden from our sin. We can rest in the Lord and His salvation.

The greatest commandments is for us to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, and soul and to love others as ourselves (Matthew 22:36-40). This is how our lives are to be spent – not keeping a checklist of do’s and don’ts. It is to enjoy God and not the things of the world (James 4:4). If we want to be a friend of the world, we will be an enemy of God. This is why we must continue to look to Him by faith.

3. Look to Jesus and the place prepared for you.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen (see Hebrews 11:1). Those that lived by faith in Hebrews 11 were looking for a heavenly dwelling. They were living to enter that which the Lord promised them (see Hebrews 11:13-16).

In John 14, Jesus told His disciples that He was preparing a place for them (John 14:2-3). He said He would return and receive them unto Himself. We also see this statement reiterated in Hebrews 9 above. He is preparing a place for us as well, and by faith, we must continue to look to and live toward it.

4. It takes patience and holiness to see God.

Those that lived by faith in Hebrews 11 shed themselves from the stings of the world. They laid aside the weights of the world and even faced persecution to receive the promise of God. Hebrews 12 states for the Hebrews to:

Hebrews 12:1-3 – 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, 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. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

In Hebrews 12:14, we are told that without holiness we will not see the Lord. It is important to understand that while we are eternally forgiven for our sins as we believe and look to Jesus, our looking represents a change in our lives to learn, live, and think like Him. This was His purpose in us being disciples (learners, pupils of Him). If we say we have faith in God, there will be an evidence of it (see James 1:17-26).

This is the evidence that Hebrews 11:1 speaks of. For those that have faith, they are hoping for the substance of the heavenly city and the evidence is their conduct that proves it.

5. We don’t have to fear if we sin…repent (confess) and return to God.

As we are forgiven of sin, we are not given an allowance to live in sin (however we want). If we choose to live in sin after believing and accepting salvation, the wage of sin is still death (Romans 6:23). As written in Hebrews 12, we must continue to lay aside sin and look to Jesus, lay aside sin and look to Jesus.

The more (and longer) we look to Jesus, the less we will think on the world’s way and sin.

1 John 1:6-10 – If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

God will mold us into the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). We must continue looking and enjoy our fellowship with Him in the light.

6. Enjoy loving God and His people.

Honestly, many people are told to love God, yet they have no idea how. This should be our greatest pursuit and aim – to love Him with all our heart. Many people have made church into a book of rules and standards for working in ministry, but never come to learn what it means to love God and His people – ALL people.

We learn to love Him through:

• His Word.
• Obeying Jesus’ commands (John 14:15).
• Prayer and fasting.
• Praise and worship…not only listening to the music, but allow what we hear, see, and do to be an outpouring of love toward Him (Ephesians 5:19-21).
• Loving His people…even the least (Matthew 25:31-46).

There is a great joy in salvation. May you come to rest in the salvation freely given for your soul.

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