Better things, Better Way, and a Better Day
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1
“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.” Hebrews 10:1
A lot to consider in this message but also a lot to help us to see where the law fits in and it’s purpose.
The legalistic person will try somehow in some way add some element of works to salvation in order to be saved, or some way to stay saved, or be more perfect. This was the case with the Galatians when the Pharisees came down from Judaea, preaching:
“And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.” Acts 15:1
In the book of Hebrews, the legalist were pulling the Jewish believers back under the law and ordinances.
We need to always remember, the book of Hebrews is written directly the Jewish believers, who had come to Christ, but under the pressure of the legalist were being persuaded and to go back under the law of Moses.
“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.
For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.” Hebrews 10:25-27
In verse 25, they were leaving the assembling of themselves together with the followers of Christ and were going back under the law to observe the ordinances and the things in the law. This is the reason the writer of Hebrews records in verse 26. “For if we sin wilfully.”
The “willful sin,” here is the leaving, Christ, and going back under the law. This is the reason the writer says, “there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,..” All the sacrifices under the law ended at Calvary, when our Lord cried from the cross, “it is finished” and the veil in the temple rent from the top to the bottom, rendering the purpose of the temple useless. Now opening the way to the Holy Place by faith to whosoever will, not jut the High Priest.
“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16
So the Jewish believers, under the pressure of the legalist were leaving their only hope, “Christ,” in going back under the law and the ordinances which had ended.
“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” Romans 10:4
By the way, the law never ever produced righteousness. It only condemned and pointed to the “righteousness which is of faith.”
“I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” Galations 2:21
“Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.” Galations 3:21
“Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Romans 3:19
Not only this but:
“But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:
How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
2 Corinthians 3:7-9
The law of Moses was “the ministration of death,” not life.
The law was to be: “which glory was to be done away:”
And it was, “when” the law was fulfilled in Christ on the cross. Not destroyed but fulfilled. There was never anything wrong with the law.
“Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.” Romans 7:12.
The problem was, not with the law but with “fallen man.”
It’s as an illustration I used in Sunday School class years ago. Once there was an architect, which was given the grand job of designing and building a bridge that would span across a wide ravine. He had the perfect blueprints. The design was flawless. He began construction, and by and by there comes the day the magnificent bridge is completed. All was going well until the magnificent bridge was put to the test under the load and the bridge collapsed.
You will ask, well, what happened? Was the design bad? Were there shortcuts? What happened?
The design was perfect. Followed the blueprint in every jot and tittle.
The reason the bridge collapsed was not the design, it fell because of the material the builder had to work with. The materials were weak. The materials represents sinful nature of fallen man.
That is the way it is with the law. “Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.” Romans 7:12.
The problem is with the material the law has to work with:
“Fallen man sinful flesh.”
“For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:….”
This is the reason the “Law” had to look outside the “Fallen Creature,” and look to the “Perfect” material, so to speak, The “Law” looked to the only one who could bear up under the load and fulfil the plan of the designer.
The law looked to:
“But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” Galatians 4:4-5
The only one “who could fulfil” the law, was the very same one “who gave the law. “
Where “God is a Spirit” and cannot die. God in the “Person” of His “Son,” did die and fully satisfied the righteous demands of the law He had given. His life for mine and yours.
If we look back to Exodus 12 we see the Nation of Israel redeemed by blood. It’s not until Exodus 20 the law is given. The law was “not added” as a means of salvation. It was “not added” to keep them saved. It was added as a means to stop their mouth in their complaining. Their Lord laid down the law to them, so to speak, as a parent has to do their child sometimes. They are already parents to their child. They just have to straighten out their kid sometimes.
Something many times overlooked is when Moses came down off the mountain with the tablets of stone and law, he also was shown while in the mountain, the ever so important instructions for the building the “Tabernacle” which was to be setup and moved from place to place in the wilderness.
“And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was showed thee in the mount.
Exod 26:30 Acts 7:44 Heb 8:5 Exodus 25:40
The Tabernacle represents Christ in every piece of the building including everything in the outer court. Christ is shown in “Type” from beginning to end and in every way of it’s construction. It was patterned after the “Tabernacle,” which already existed in heaven.
As we go on in this message, we the children of God have a higher law to lead us along and keep us straight.
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Romans 8:1-4
“That the “righteousness” of the law,” which was demanded of sinful man, was imparted unto the believer in the Person of Christ Jesus on Calvary, dying in our place and in our stead.
“righteousness of the law might be “fulfilled” in us.”
“who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
Simply the operation of “Grace” and that by “faith” when we receive Christ into our hearts.
“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. Isa 28:16
For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Joel 2:32 Romans 10:9-13
For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. Romans 8:5
This is the reason the Apostle Paul asked the Galatians: “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? Galations 3:1-3
Sad thing today is the same situation exist in the legalistic churches and cults along the way where the main thrust of the message is so hung up on do’s and dont’s. All about them, looking down their Pharisee noses to those who don’t fit into their mold and refuse to bow at their knees.
What’s so amazing about this, is the Gentiles were never under the law of Moses in the first place: “What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?
Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God. Romans 3:1-2
The oracles of God were committed unto the Jews, not unto the Gentiles.
Then someone will say, well, where do we fit in?
“Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.
Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.” Romans 11:18-21
“thou standest by faith.”
The Jew, as a Nation due to unbelief set aside for a couple thousand years awaiting “until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.” Romans 11:25 “The Bride of Christ.” After the which our Lord will turn back to His people Israel. Isaiah 54:7
We Gentiles were never promised anything other than judgment in the everlasting flames of hell. Yes, we were seen in type, many many times throughout the Old Testament and in Abraham as the “stars of the heaven.” Genesis 22:17 The heavenly people of God who accept His Son by “Faith.”
“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”
Galatians 1:6-9
The apostle came down on this crowd. In Galatians and in the book of Hebrews, lives were being destroyed.”
But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
9
As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. Galatians 1:8-9
Christ is not only the “Better Way,” He is the Only Way.”
This short message is only the tip of the iceberg of what is recorded in all these verses. It’s hard to put in print all the truth seen in these verses.
There are those who teach, the book of Hebrews does not even apply to Gentile believers. Well, just because it is written to Hebrew believers, there is also a wealth of food and instruction for the Gentile believers also. As long as the book remains in the canon of Scripture, it applies to us also, for:
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17
The title of this message is only touching the tip of the iceberg of what we can learn from these scriptures.
The “substance” and “evidence” of those mentioned in chapter 11.
The “Better things” The Better Way, the coming Better Day.”
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1
“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.” Hebrews 10:1
The law is only the shadow. Christ is the substance, the evidence.
“Christ” is the “hoped for” in our “faith.” He is the “object” of our faith. He is the perfection, “hiding” in of the “shadow” of the law.
Children let us never sell short of anything less than what our Lord wants for our lives. A surrendered heart and life unto our Lord is His will for us with rewards now, with “Him” our reward for all eternity.
He is our Better Way, constantly showing us Better things.
He is certainty leading us to the Better Day.
Bless His Holy Name.