This teaching in 2 parts. Here's part 1.
The average church and most Christians simply do not dare to check their beliefs or practices with the truth of God’s word. They want to enjoy the thrill of feeling right, but are not willing to endure the inconvenience of being right.
Most people just do not let the bible get in the way of what they believe. They are more proud of their empty boats (denomination, church, preacher) than they are the truth. They are totally focused on principles or rules, most of which are not scripturally true.
I agree there are kingdom principles, but there is also kingdom presence. It’s better to live by presence than it is to live by principles. We ought to never let anything get bigger in our lives than the presence of God. The presence of God in your life will bring passion for His truth to be realized by others.
This gospel was never meant to be reduced to discipline. It was always meant to be lived out of passion. A person who lives out of discipline will be admired, but a person who lives out of passion will cause transformation in other’s lives.
In other words, truth sits on the shelf and grieves until the professed followers embrace truth for a short period of time. But then they depart again when the bills become due surrounding that very truth. Said another way, these types of believers will proclaim great and everlasting love for the truth but will not let their love cost them anything.
God is not honored by me denying what He’s done for me. Jesus took what I deserve to give me what He deserves. It’s not pride for me to receive what I deserve. Like the title of this teaching, “God’s Message Stands Firm”. Now here comes the truth in scripture to support everything I’ve said starting with Hebrews 2:1-18 in the NLT.
1 So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it.
Now there’s some good advice. “Listen VERY carefully to the truth we have heard.” People are so quick to dismiss the truth of the great grace of God, because it doesn’t involve their efforts to perform and measure their abilities to keep religious laws and rules. What happens is exactly what the rest of this verse says. They drift away from the truth in favor of the lie.
I like the way the Message bible relays this verse. “It’s crucial that we keep a firm grip on what we’ve heard so that we don’t drift off.”
2 For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished.
God’s message always stands firm. It doesn’t change. When we dismiss the truth of scripture, we are calling all scripture false, but that’s not what this says. Then for emphasis this verse of truth goes on to say “every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished”. Did you notice it was EVERY and that it WAS punished? That’s everything and past tense.
Before we continue with Hebrews 2, let me drop in this set of scripture from Romans 3. It is truth, God’s message of truth that always stands firm. This is just one set of scripture to make the point. If I put every scripture of the truth surrounding the grace of God instead of compliance with the law, this would turn into a 10 volume book set. Here’s Romans 3:19-22.
19 Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God.
It’s obvious to whom the law was given and to whom the law applies. It was not given to the righteous man, but to the ungodly. See 1 Timothy 1:9. No one has an excuse. We were all guilty before God. Notice I used past tense there. Why? Keep studying and you’ll find out.
20 For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.
Here’s a truth where we ought to apply Hebrews 2 verses 1 and 2. Listen carefully to this truth and know that it always stands firm. NO ONE can EVER be made right by DOING what the law commands. The law says DO, but Jesus and grace say DONE.
21 But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago.
BUT NOW. Another big “but” in the bible. There are so many of these. If you just studied the “buts” in the bible by looking them up and studying verses before and after, you’d get totally set free. So God HAS shown us a way to be made right with Him. That way does not include keeping the requirements of the law. Here comes the “how to” in the next verse.
22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
Wait a minute. What comes after placing our faith in Jesus Christ. Don’t we have to go to church every time the doors are open? Don’t we have to pray three hours a day? Don’t we have to read our bibles every morning? Don’t we have to ask for forgiveness of our sins every single moment? Don’t we have to tithe 10% to the church? NO! There’s nothing after the statement I’ve bolded above. It’s Just Jesus!
There is an AND in this verse, but it’s to point out that what God did in His Son at Calvary works for everyone. It is true for everyone who believes. It’s all about believing in the finished work at the cross, not about what work you think you have to do to help Jesus. Give it up. There’s nothing you can, should, or ought to try and add to the perfect sacrifice of Jesus.
Okay, let’s get back to Hebrews Chapter 2 and pick it up at verse 3.
3 So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak?
What a question. What makes you think you can escape by works, performance, rule keeping, or religion? Why would you ignore the free gift in favor of trying to make yourself righteous? It’s not possible. That’s what this verse is saying.
4 And God confirmed the message by giving signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit whenever he chose.
“And God confirmed the message”. What message? Well, we can use verse 2 again. “For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm.” Also, the message portrayed in Romans 3 above. God provided confirmation in the form of “ signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit whenever He chose”.
5 And furthermore, it is not angels who will control the future world we are talking about.
God is saying here. “And oh, by the way, angels won’t control the future world”. Well then, who will? Study on. It just gets worse.
6 For in one place the Scriptures say, “What are mere mortals that you should think about them, or a son of man that you should care for him? 7 Yet you made them only a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. 8 You gave them authority over all things.” Now when it says “all things,” it means nothing is left out. But we have not yet seen all things put under their authority.
Who is it that’s been given authority over all things? It’s “them”. Who is “them”. It is us. Then the verse goes on to say “But we have not seen all things put under their authority”. Why does it say that? He gave us authority over all things, but they have not been put under our authority. How come? Could it be because we do not know how to receive that authority and exercise it? Is that why others do not see the authority that we have?
9 What we do see is Jesus, who was given a position “a little lower than the angels”; and because He suffered death for us, he is now “crowned with glory and honor.” Yes, by God’s grace, Jesus tasted death for everyone.
Remember what Romans 3:22 said? “We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.”
10 God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation. 11 So now Jesus and the ones He makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters.
How much clearer can it be. Jesus MAKES us holy. We don’t try to make ourselves holy. Going back to Romans 3:23-31.
23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.
Notice it is a past tense statement when it says “everyone HAS sinned”. The KJV says “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. Religious legalists like to take this verse and throw it in your face saying we are all sinners. No we’re not. The verse doesn’t say that. All through Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and on through Revelation, scripture declares the exact opposite. We are set free from sin, death, hell and the grave. We are not sinners, but righteous through Christ Jesus. How can I say that? Easy! Just look at the next verse. It’s one of many that declare this.
24 Yet God freely and graciously DECLARES that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.
Come on. Show me where I’ve got this wrong. Just make sure you give me scripture to make your point. Don’t give your false opinion that is a result of false teaching through religion and legalism. Get set free from that bondage.
It is so difficult to break this message into two parts and stop part 1 right here. However, there's more "meat" in this part 1 that proves God's great grace and love for us than most people can handle. It just keeps on coming in waves of truth in part 2, so don't miss it. We will pick it up right here and continue to cut off the heads of those religious pet snakes. Grace and Peace.
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