As I was going through a study in Hebrews, I learned a lot about Jesus, who He is, what He did for us, and how we are to live and think. Jesus sacrificed Himself for us; His blood was shed so that there is no more need for sacrificial offerings, there is no need to go to anyone but Him (He is the only way) to confess sins or to ask for forgiveness. That is God’s grace. We are not under the Law. We are under grace. Our salvation is based on accepting His grace, for He paid the price. Salvation is not about following rules and regulations. It is about following Jesus Christ. It is about a personal relationship with Him. It is about faith in what Christ can do, not about what we try to do to earn favor.
Ephesians 2:8-10
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Now, in our freedom, we obey God’s commandments, not out of obligation, but out of our love for Him. We obey the commandments of God not to be saved, but because we are saved. Let us encourage one another of this, especially those who are weak or feeling guilt or that they are not good enough. Those who are mature Christians need to disciple others and remind them of the grace that God has given us, His unconditional love.
Romans 5:1-11
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
As believers, we no longer let guilt weigh us down. Jesus has taken care of that guilt.
Hebrews 12:12-24
Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.
Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.
As we speak with one another, let us be encouraging to those who are weak, not judging those who are struggling but lifting them up. Let us also be humble and not abuse the grace we have, but follow the commandments of Christ. The writer of Hebrews used Esau as an example, who pursued instant gratification instead of looking ahead to the promise and following God’s plan.
For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore. (For they could not endure what was commanded: “And if so much as a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned or shot with an arrow.” And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.”)
Here he talks of Mount Sinai, where God gave Moses the Law. The Law was given to show us our unrighteousness and our sin. We are not able to keep the Law. But Jesus Christ is perfect and is sinless. We need to look to Him. Our faith is in Him. He was crucified on Mt. Zion, our hope is in His death and resurrection. He conquered death, and he conquered sin and declared us righteous through His blood.
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.
Being part of “the city of the living God'” all His children can have unshakeable faith, knowing that He is our cornerstone, He interceded for us and through Him we can be right with God, and have eternal life.
My Daily Scriptures 