The Sufficiency Of Christ's Sacrifice - Hebrews 10:1-18

We are returning to the book of Hebrews, as we've

been elsewhere for, I believe, nearly a year.

It works out well for us today. Chapter 10, verses

1 through 18, really is the author of Hebrews'

way of almost giving us a summary of the entire

book up to this point. Following this section,

starting in verse 19, the author immediately

shifts to practical exhortations and to practical

applications of all the doctrine and all the

truth that he has expounded up until this point.

So in some ways, this is a bridge between the

doctrine that he's portrayed and he's put forth

in the book of Hebrews. And the practice that

he's going to command, require, and exhort for

the remainder of the book after this section.

Now, we have to remember the context and the

purpose for the author writing this book. He's

writing to Hebrew Christians who are most likely

dealing with a great deal of pressure and persecution

from the outside world. From unbelieving Jews

who reject Christ. Pressuring them to forsake

their following Jesus Christ as the Messiah.

And to return to the sacrificial system of Judaism.

To come back to the synagogues. To come back

to the old covenant. So these Hebrew Christians

are... experience a great deal of pressure to

forsake their confession that Jesus Christ is

the Messiah, that he is the Christ, that he is

God in flesh. So the author of Hebrews writes

this epistle to show these Hebrew Christians

why they ought not to give consideration to forsaking

the Lord Jesus Christ. The author of Hebrews

writes to show them the absolute and the complete

superiority of Jesus Christ and the new covenant

to all the old covenant and everything that is

preceded the coming of the Lord Jesus. The author

writes to show Christ's superiority. To the Old

Covenant revelation. He writes to tell the Hebrew

Christians that Christ is superior and greater

than angels. That he's superior and greater than

Moses and Aaron. That he's greater than the Old

Covenant priesthood. He has a better priesthood.

He has a better... high priest. He has a better

ministry than Aaron and the Levites. He is better.

He's more supreme. He is greater. This is why

the author of Hebrews writes. So today we're

going to consider the insufficiency of the old

covenant sacrifices first. And we'll see how

they're inadequate and they're inferior. To Christ.

His sacrifice and the new covenant. And then

we're also secondly going to see. The sufficient.

And perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We'll

see this really in verses 5 through 14. And then

thirdly. We will see. That the perfect sacrifice

of Christ. Nullifies. The old covenant and its

sacrifices. And it ratifies and establishes the

new covenant and all of its blessings that come

from God. So first, the insufficiency of the

old covenant sacrifices. And we see this in verses

1 through 4. Now as we consider this, I want

to ask us a few questions and answer those questions.

as a means of expounding this. What were the

Old Covenant sacrifices, according to the text,

insufficient to accomplish? What were they insufficient

to do, to bring about? Well, the text says in

verse 1 that they were insufficient to make perfect

those who would draw near. It couldn't perfect

worshipers. Now, it's talking about all of Israel.

It's not just talking about the priests. It's

talking about the Israelites, the people of God,

that would come together for the Day of Atonement

and worship God. He's saying, those sacrifices,

they were insufficient to consecrate and to perfect

and set apart Those people who came to worship

and serve the living God on the Day of Atonement.

But it also says that they were insufficient

to cleanse the conscience of those individuals.

The Old Covenant sacrifices were ineffective

at affecting any good thing inside the Israelites.

It couldn't wash their conscience of shame. It

couldn't deal with the legal guilt that they

have in the sight of God because of their sin

and their transgression. It couldn't make them

or render them fit for service. Because what

is one of the most essential, if not the most

essential aspect to drawing near to God in prayer,

fitly and rightly serving God in this life to

loving others. It's a clean conscience before

God, brothers and sisters. Listen, brothers and

sisters, I could not preach the Word of God rightly

or accurately if I came to this pulpit with a

stained conscience. I could not come and proclaim

the Word of God to you with power or any authority

or any blessing of God or any good thing would

come of it if my conscience is covered with shame

from sin in my life. I cannot rightly or adequately

serve God if my conscience is covered in guilt

and shame because of my sin. We can't serve God

in that capacity. We can't go to God in prayer

and plead with Him. if our conscience is covered

in shame and guilt, the old covenant sacrifices

were incapable of removing that guilt and that

shame on the conscience of God's people. It wasn't

possible for them to do that. They were insufficient

for that. But also we see, that they were insufficient

to remove or deal with sin. We see this really

in verse 3, where the author says, Otherwise

would they not have ceased to be offered, because

the worshippers, having once been cleansed, would

no longer have had consciousness of sins? Sin

remained. undealt with and it remained and it

continued and it persevered in staining the conscience

of the worshippers. Sin remained and thus the

need for sacrifice remained and continued. Why

did they have to continue offering sacrifices

year after year, year after year, year after

year during the Day of Atonement? Why were there

so many precautions? Why was there such great

detail with regards to the precepts and the regulations?

When we think about the high priest and what

the high priest had to go through to enter into

the Holy of Holies once per year, Everything

he had to do. Why was that? Why was it dangerous

for the high priest to enter into the holy of

holies? The holy place of God where his presence

dwelt and the ark of the covenant was and the

law of God was. The nearest to the presence of

God on earth in the midst of God's people. Why,

brothers and sisters? Because sin remains. Because

sin was present. Sin had not been dealt with.

The old covenant sacrifices were incapable of

dealing with sin in the life of God's people.

Now, another question, how do we know that the

old covenant sacrifices were insufficient for

these things, to bring these things about? Well,

two basic and really simple things in the text.

One, the perpetual repetition of the sacrifices.

They kept offering sacrifices. Why? Because the

sacrifices were ineffective. The need remained.

Why would ineffective, why would a powerful,

purifying, Cleansing sacrifice that takes care

of everything and deals with sin completely need

to be repeated. Well, it's because it's inefficient

and it's unaffected, brothers and sisters. It's

not that powerful. It doesn't do anything. It

doesn't actually atone for or deal with sin.

Old covenant sacrifices were kind of like this.

There was this idea of once a year. All the sins

of God's people, they would come together and

they'd offer sacrifices and they'd broom them

all up in one place and then they'd kind of lay

a rug over it. The sins were still there. There

was just a rug or a covering over it. And then

the next year, they'd bring the sins from that

last year and they'd pile those up and then what'd

they do? They'd put a covering over it. They'd

put a rug over it. It was temporary. It didn't

actually deal with the sin. It didn't actually

effectively remove or bring about anything. It

was a temporary covering in a sense. The sin

was undealt with. Thus, the sacrifices continued.

Year after year, they continued to slaughter

animals and to make sacrifices to God. There

was no sacrifice, there was no sacrificial animal

that was ever offered to God that dealt with

sin. That removed it or effectively destroyed

its power or authority in the life of God's people.

So we know that they're insufficient because

they continue to be offered. But also, Because

the conscience of the worshippers remained defiled.

They had a consciousness of sin. They were aware

of the dangers associated with worship. They

were aware of their separation and their need

for sacrifice. Their conscience remained defiled

and they knew it, brothers and sisters. So the

same is true of us when we have fresh acts of

transgression in our life. We don't have legal

guilt that comes upon our conscience any longer,

but we do have shame that's given to us by God

that indicates we need to run to that once for

all sacrifice of Christ. They were conscious

of the reality that they were defiled by their

sin and that The sacrifices did nothing to deal

with their consciences. So why were these Old

Covenant sacrifices ineffective? Why was it that

they didn't work? Why was it that they could

not effectively deal with sin? Well, one, it's

because they were animal sacrifices. Verse 4

says, For it is impossible for the blood of bulls

and goats to take away sins. Think about the

disparity of nature between an animal and an

image bearer. The blood of an animal has no correlation

and no relationship to man's accountability.

to God or his moral obligations to answer that

God. Animals cannot atone for image bearers or

men with a completely and totally different nature

by way of creation. It's not possible. It's almost

as though the author of Hebrews is putting this

statement in verse 4. Listen, this is clear and

obvious. This isn't even a question of saying.

How do you think that an animal made not in the

image of God can bear the sins and remove the

sins and the guilt of an image bearer made after

the image of God? He puts it forth almost as

this axiomatic, clear and obvious statement for

the people. But also, We see from the text that

the law of God, meaning the ceremonial law, served

primarily a negative function in the life of

Israel. And what was that negative function?

To remind the people of God of their sin. To

continually remind them and show them of their

weaknesses, their sinfulness. and their need.

But ultimately, the reason that they could not

make perfect those who drew near and remove sin

and bring men into fellowship with God is because

it was not the design or intent of God for them

to do so. God never intended for animal sacrifices

to atone for the sins of men. The text in verse

1 says, for the law, since it has only a shadow

of the good things to come, and not the very

form of the things. Meaning, the law was given

for a purpose that shows the form and the shape

of things to come. but it had no substance or

power. The realities that it gave the form and

the frame of wasn't present in the ceremonial

law. There was no saving power in those sacrifices.

They put forth images. They put forth shadows

and types. They put forth portraits. But it wasn't

the real thing. It was a copy. It was meant to...

point forward to something that would come, that

would arrive, that is the substance and the power

and the effectiveness. The reality and the substance

would be Christ and his sacrifice. God never

designed the Old Testament ceremonial law to

save sinners, brothers and sisters. The author

of Hebrews wants his readers to know, listen.

God didn't make a mistake. It's not that God

tried to save you through these things, but God

never intended for these things to redeem you,

to bring you into fellowship with God, or to

cleanse your conscience of defilement. It has

to do with the purpose and the intent and the

design of the old covenant sacrifices. So this

brings us to the second thing we have to consider,

the sufficient and perfect sacrifice of Jesus

Christ. We see this in verses 5 through 14. It's

signaled in verse 5 where he begins, And then

he quotes from Psalm 40 in verses 6 through 9.

And the author brings in, the Old Testament Scriptures.

He wants to show them a few things. He wants

to remind them of a few things. One, he wants

to remind them he's not saying something novel.

He's not saying something that is new or something

that he has come up with. But he also wants to

show them, brothers and sisters, that the...

true, real, substantial sacrifice that does all

those things, finds its source in the Messiah

that does the will of God, the Lord Jesus Christ.

So we see in this quotation that David was well

aware, and we see this in Psalm 51 as well, at

the end of Psalm 51, and we see this in the latter

prophets, the post -exile prophets, Very, very

often as well. But we see that David was aware

that it wasn't sacrifice and offerings that God

wanted from him. It wasn't ceremonial, ritual

actions devoid of a devotional heart that God

delighted in that God was satisfied. David knew

the essence of drawing near, the essence of worshiping

God, is delighting in the law of God and having

a heart that is devoted to him, having a heart

that is reverent toward him. Now, we know that

David had his spots and David had his blemishes,

did he not, brothers and sisters? He had his

issues. So David did this by way of faith. David

believed and David trusted in the sacrifice that

would come out of a heart of devotion, and that

is what satisfied God toward David. But we also

see in the text that the son of David, the greater

David, the descendant and the offspring of David,

the Lord Jesus Christ, would be the one who would

actually, fully, completely, and totally delight

in doing the will of God. Holy and completely

love God with his entire being. Jesus says in

John, I believe it's John chapter 8. He says,

John 8 · chapter mention

I always do what pleases my Father. Consider

the wonder of the truth in that text when Jesus

says that. Consider that. I always. Do what pleases

my Father. In every instance, in every case,

no matter the time, no matter the day, no matter

the situation, no matter where he's at or no

matter what he's doing, the Lord Jesus was conscious

of the reality and the truth that he was always

pleasing to me. God the Father. That's an incredible

statement, brothers and sisters, that he did

everything and the Father was always pleased

with everything that he said, thought, and did.

He always delighted in doing the will of God,

even at the end of his earthly life when he goes

to the cross. You see, it's his delight in doing

the will of God that actually takes him and compels

him and sustains him in getting to the cross.

Let's turn to Matthew chapter 26. It's the Lord

Matthew 26 · chapter mention

Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Starting in

verse 36. Then Jesus came with them. to a place

called Gethsemane and said to his disciples,

Sit here while I go over there and pray. And

he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee

and began to be grieved and distressed. Then

he said to them, My soul is deeply grieved to

the point of death. Remain here and keep watch

with me. And he went a little beyond them and

fell on his face and prayed, saying, My father,

if it is possible, let this cup pass from me,

yet not as I will, but as you will. And he came

to the disciples and found them sleeping and

said to Peter, So you men could not keep watch

with me for one hour. Keep watching and praying

that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit

is willing, but the flesh is weak. He went away

again a second time and prayed, saying, My father,

if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, your

will be done. Again he came and found them sleeping,

for their eyes were heavy. And he left them again

and went away and prayed a third time, saying

the same thing. The Lord Jesus, Longed to do

the will of God. Even to the point of death.

We read in Philippians chapter 2. Have this attitude

Philippians 2 · chapter mention

in yourselves, which was also in Christ Jesus.

Who, although he existed in the form of God,

did not regard equality with God a thing to be

grasped. but emptied himself, taking the form

of a bondservant and being made in the likeness

of men. Being found in appearance as a man, he

humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point

of death, even death on a cross. It was Christ's

desire and his longing to do the will of God

that compelled him to make himself a servant,

brothers and sisters. that compelled him to be

obedient and faithful, to suffer at the hands

of wicked men and to give up his spirit and to

die for undeserving sinners. This is the man,

the Messiah, the Christ, Jesus Christ, that is

the perfect, once for all, sacrifice that could,

in fact, remove sin. That could in fact cleanse

the conscience. It's Christ giving himself and

being the perfect sacrificial lamb on behalf

of God's people. The text says that this sacrifice

is once for all. It's complete. It's perfect.

It's final. It's effective. Here again, don't

we see the need, the necessity of the incarnation,

brothers and sisters, so clearly? Why does Christ

have to take on flesh, brothers and sisters?

Why does God have to take on a human nature?

Why did Christ have to come into the world? Because

redemption of his people necessitated and required

that he be a man that he could offer himself

in the flesh and suffer and die. God cannot suffer.

God cannot die. God cannot experience pain. He

cannot be hurt. He cannot suffer for our sins.

But Jesus Christ, who takes on a body, flesh

and bones, can in fact die for our sins and redeem

us, brothers and sisters. That's the necessity

of the cross. That's the necessity of the incarnation.

Hebrews is pointing us to the reality that God

had to be a man in order to redeem us once for

all and fully and finally. If Christ had not

taken on flesh, We would be in our sins and we

would be destined for hell and we would justly

suffer under the wrath of God for all eternity.

But God sent His Son to be born of a woman to

live perfectly under the law of God, delighting

in the law of God and giving Himself as the perfect

sacrifice. The once for all sacrifice. on behalf

of God's people. It was this willing self -sacrifice

of the Lord Jesus, not an animal, that brought

about the full and final redemption of God's

people. Now when it says once for all, that's

important for us, isn't it? Because the old covenant

sacrifices were continual. And repeated. They

were over and over and over, year by year, again

and again and again. But Christ's sacrifice is

once. One time. It's effective. It's powerful.

It's permanent. And it's complete. Christianity,

unlike so many other religions, almost unlike

every other religion that I can think of, is

a one -sacrifice religion, brothers and sisters.

And what are the implications of that? The implications

of that are this. You and I cannot atone for

our own sins. You and I cannot cover up our own

sins. You and I cannot appease the wrath of God.

It's all accomplished and it's all done by one

man. That's taken place in history on the cross.

An objective, complete, historical reality that's

true, separate and regardless and apart from

our experience as men. It's an objective and

completed reality. Now, we may think, well, I'm

not going around offering animal sacrifices,

trying to atone for my transgressions. I know

I lost my temper. I know that I sinned. I know

that I broke God's law. I know that I did whatever

it was I did. Now I'm going to work harder this

week. This time, I'm going to make God happy.

I'm going to live better. I'm going to do better

than I did last time. Now God will be satisfied

with me. God will be pleased with me. That's

not offering an animal sacrifice, brothers and

sisters, but that's doing the exact same thing.

It's attempting to atone for your own transgressions.

Your own sins. It's trusting in yourself. To

make God happy or pleased or satisfied with you.

This is something the world does all the time,

brothers and sisters. The culture is all about

reparations. It's getting a little less, praise

God. But the culture is all about reparations.

Why do reparations need to take place? According

to the world and the culture and society. To

make up for what we've done in the past. To atone

for our sins. We cannot atone for our sins. Christ

accomplished that work by himself one time on

the cross. It was once for all. That means that

when Christ died, he was acting as a representative

on behalf of all of God's people. So that when

God was dealing with him on the cross, it's as

though God was dealing with all his elect on

the cross. So that as God punished the sin that

was imputed to Christ, it's as though... He was

punishing you and I on the cross. But it also

means that as God poured out His wrath on that

sin, as He was propitiated, as He was satisfied,

as He was appeased in His wrath and His righteous

anger, brothers and sisters, that also means

that His wrath and His righteous anger is appeased.

It is satisfied. It is propitiated for all those...

Christ represented in that once for all sacrifice.

That's the glory of substitutionary atonement.

That's the glory of the cross and the gospel

and the Christian faith. Christ did it. Christ

accomplished it. I don't do anything. God is

gracious. God is merciful. He gives me faith

to believe in that work. He draws me through

the Word of God. He gives me new life by the

Spirit of God so that I can enjoy those realities.

It's because of His grace and it's because of

His mercy. That's the only reason we enjoy and

that's the only reason we are in Christ. How

do we know? Who was represented on the cross?

God's merciful, kind, and sovereign good pleasure.

He did not have to choose anyone, brothers and

sisters. Yet He has. He's merciful. He's gracious.

He's good. And He's kind. And He has accomplished

redemption in Christ on this once for all, in

this once for all sacrifice on the cross. That

means that we have to continually, over and over,

Look to his sacrifice. And remind ourselves that

he's done it. That he's accomplished it. I don't

have to die on a cross for my sins. He has atoned

for my sins. The author of Hebrews beautifully

demonstrates the finished character of Christ's

work here in these verses. when he talks about

the high priest and he quotes from Psalm 110,

he talks about the fact that old covenant priests,

when they were offering the sacrifices, they

never, ever sat down. Why? Because their work

was never complete. Their work was never over.

Their priestly work of atonement was continual.

And they continued and persevered in the work,

so they remained standing. But the author of

Hebrews tells us, and he reminds us of something

beautiful for our souls. Christ is not standing

up anymore. He's telling us that Christ has sat

down at the right hand of the Father. Why is

that significant for you and me? Because his

priestly work of atonement is completely and

totally finished. With regards to atonement,

with regards to suffering and humiliation, with

regards to propitiation, brothers and sisters,

Christ's work is done. He's finished. There's

nothing left for him to do. And the author even

says in verse 13, waiting from that time onward

until his enemies be made a footstool for his

feet. We've entered into a new phase of redemption.

No longer are we in the atonement phase of redemption,

but Christ is building his church. He's judging

and ruling the world, and he's waiting. And what

is he waiting for? He's waiting for the day of

culmination. He's waiting for the day of the

Lord, the day of judgment, the next great and

final redemptive event that takes place in the

history of the world when Christ comes, not as

a lamb slain, not for the purpose of atoning.

Not for the purpose of suffering and dying. Not

for the purpose of giving himself over to the

wicked desires and wicked wills of evil men.

But he comes on that great and future day to

crush his enemies. He comes as a king protecting

and guarding and gathering his people. His work

of atonement is over. And the next thing we see

at the end of history is Christ coming and judging

and punishing his enemies and fully and finally

redeeming his people. So there's a few things

that we should be reminded of every time. we

look up to heaven by faith. Every time we ask

ourselves, if only Jesus were here with me right

now, why is Christ separated physically from

us at the moment? Every time we think about the

work of the Spirit of God in our hearts and our

minds, every time we look to the throne of God

in faith, believers should be reminded. That

their sins are dealt with. That Christ is sitting.

That He has made purification for the sins of

His people. Every time we look to heaven, brothers

and sisters, be reminded, there is now no condemnation

for those in Christ. God's wrath is satisfied

toward me. He is a loving Father. He is no longer...

a wrathful judge toward me. He is a loving father

and he views me when he loves me with the same

love that he has for his own blessed and dear

son. So believers ought to be reminded of the

certainty that their sins are finished. that

their sins are dealt with, atonement has been

made. Now, we're speaking primarily with regards

to our legal standing and so forth with God.

We're not talking about the realm of sanctification,

holiness, and godliness at the moment. We know

that sin dwells within us. That's an ongoing

battle that we have to fight. But brothers and

sisters, Sin no longer has dominion over us.

We are free from the consequences and the judgment

and the condemnation of sin. And brothers and

sisters, it has no power over us as believers.

And when Christ returns, he'll remove sin from

our very presence. But there's also a sober reminder

for those that don't know Christ. as we consider

the fact that Christ is not with us. There's

a sober and an absolute certainty in the reality

and the fact that Christ has sat down. Just as

believers ought to remember, and they ought to

recall and delight in the reality that their

sins are dealt with because Christ has sat down

at the right hand of the Father, unbelieving

men, Ought to be reminded of the reality and

the fact that their sins are not dealt with.

That their sins still condemn them. That the

wrath of God is still upon them and that judgment

will come when Christ returns. So it's an urgent

plea to look to Christ and realize He's not here.

Why is He not here? He's sitting at the right

hand of God. And that means that one day he will

come in power and authority and might to judge

all those who are not found in Christ by faith.

So it's an urgent plea. Every time you think

of a spiritual reality or truth, every time you

hear the name, Jesus Christ. Every time you hear

of the Christian religion, non -believer, you

ought to be reminded that your sins remain. That

you need to flee to Christ. That you need to

examine your life. And that you need to put your

faith and trust in Jesus Christ for eternal salvation

and look to His once for all. to atone for your

sins. So his work is finished. We can say clearly,

and we can say authoritatively based on this

text, that Christ's sacrifice is perfectly sufficient.

It is completely sufficient. Nothing left. There's

nothing left, nothing remaining for him to do

with regards to the atonement. Now the author

wants to show us one more thing. And this is

the reality that Christ's perfect sacrifice nullifies

the old covenant sacrifices and ratifies the

new covenant and all of its blessings. What I

mean by this is that the death... of Christ nullifies

the sacrifices and the sacrificial system that

was instituted for Old Covenant Israel. Why?

Because the once for all sacrifice is the substance

and the reality that those Old Covenant sacrifices

were shadows and types of. It means That Christ's

sacrifice supersedes all the Old Covenant sacrifices.

So think about the Jews or the Hebrew Christians

that are reading this letter. Think about their

situation. Think about the pressure to forsake

Christ as Messiah. The pressure to forsake Christianity

and go back to Judaism and the Old Covenant ceremonial

system. And to trust in that for fellowship with

God and right standing with the Lord. The author

of Hebrews is persuading them. Don't do that.

Those sacrifices are useless. Those sacrifices

are vain and pointless because the true sacrifice

is here. Is present. And among us. But we also

see. That the death of Christ. Ratifies the new

covenant. And all of its blessings. The author

in verses 16 and 17. Lists those blessings. Generally

speaking. In verse 16. He speaks of the subjective.

And inward blessings. Where he says. I will put

my laws. Upon their heart. Talking about the

inward and experiential blessings that come as

a result of the new covenant and redemption and

salvation in Christ. But then in verse 17, he

speaks of the objective and completed work of

God because of Christ. Free pardon and the forgiveness

of sins. I love that the author puts this in

here. Because it really shows the connection

between Christ's completed work on the cross

as once for all sacrifice and how it makes its

way to the believer, to the sinner. It closes

the gap, in a sense, between the two. God, because

of Christ's sacrifice, can now treat all of God's

people. in a covenantal sense, as children of

God. I heard R .C. Sproul say one time, the most

miraculous thing about justification by faith

alone is not necessarily justification by faith

alone, but the reality that God in fact treats

us as though we are justified. God treats us.

As though we are justified, brothers and sisters.

He acts that way toward us. That is his disposition

toward us. He sees us with love. He sees us as

children. Think about John 17. And Jesus' prayer

for the disciples and then Jesus' prayer for

the... the future of the disciples that would

come from them. He talks about the fact, brothers

and sisters, that God loves disciples the same

way that he loves Christ. With the very same

love. That's an incredible statement. Why is

that feasible? Why is that possible? Because

Christ died for the sins of those people and

God's wrath was satisfied on their behalf. so

that He can extend His love to them. It's because

of Christ's objective and completed work on the

cross that God treats us and works in us and

sanctifies us and He applies redemption to all

His elect throughout history. So what do we do

with these realities? Well, first, I think we

have to train ourselves. To think rightly about

God and ourselves. We have to train ourselves

over and over and over and over. When we're having

a difficult day. When our emotions are up and

our emotions are down and maybe our hearts are

cold and unaffectionate. Remind ourselves. We

have to remind ourselves. We have to train ourselves

to think it's completed in Christ's sacrifice.

That has nothing to do with my feelings. The

death of Christ has nothing to do with my affections.

The forgiveness of sins remains. My justification

is unchanging. It is unwavering. Why? Because

it's based on the completed righteousness. In

Christ. That's the glory of the gospel, brothers

and sisters. We have to train our minds to think

about God and to think about ourselves and our

own identity rightly in accordance with the gospel.

We should not wake up dreading the day, facing

God, thinking that He's out to get us. Why? Because

that is erroneous thinking according to the gospel

of God. He is a father to his people in Christ.

He loves his people in Christ. He's for them.

He works for them. He works everything on behalf

of them for their good, brothers and sisters.

He's not out there trying to make you stumble

and make you trip and push you around trying

to get you to fall. He's working in your life

to bring holiness because He knows that is what

is best for you and He loves you dearly. He loves

us and He treats us as He does Christ. That's

why every time the Bible says, in Him, it's so

important. Why is Ephesians 1 so important? In

Him, in Him, in Him, over and over. Because every

one of those spiritual blessings is in Christ.

And if a person is in Christ, then all of those

blessings, all of those redemptive blessings,

are true of them in Christ. So we have to train

our thinking to think rightly about God and ourselves.

But we also have to believe these particular

promises concerning the gospel. When the Bible

says that he will remember our sins no more in

Christ because of a sacrifice, we need to believe

that reality, brothers and sisters. We need to

trust that reality. So thinking about thinking

in that, should we dwell? And wallow. In our

past sins. Should we condemn ourselves. If God

himself does not condemn us. Should we dwell

in the past. Should we dwell. In the wickedness

that we have completed. If it's forgiven in Christ.

Brothers and sisters, we are new creatures in

Christ. His once for all sacrifice has accomplished

that work. And he's brought it about. We have

to believe those realities. When the word of

God says that sin no longer has dominion over

you as a believer. And a person struggling with

besetting sin, something they can't get over.

They just can't do it. It remains and it sticks

around. What do they need to believe? What do

they need to trust? By faith they need to understand

the reality and they need to look to the reality

that the Spirit of God dwells within them. That

they are a new creature with a new nature in

Christ and that no longer do they live in the

sphere or realm of sin. But sin is a nuisance

in our side. And we have authority over it in

Christ. We are dead to sin because we've been

crucified with Christ. We have to appropriate

these particular blessings and promises of the

gospel by faith in our own lives. And we have

to constantly every day, hourly, brothers and

sisters, look to the once for all sacrifice of

Jesus Christ. It is the source of hope. It is

the source of strength. It is the source of joy.

It is the source of praise and contentment. Looking

to what He has fully, finally, and completely

accomplished, by Himself, apart from us.