April 12th 2020
Have You Been Made Perfect Yet?
Romans 5:7-9 (NIV)
Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!
Our immortal soul is destined to go to hell when we die, because each of us has inherited a sinful nature. There is nothing we can do during this lifetime to correct this flaw we were born with! Some people believe if they are good people, then they can gain a place in heaven when they die, but the Bible tells us there is no member of mankind that is good, no not one. However, Jesus Christ came into this cursed world to offer all of us another option to give our soul an alternate destination through grace. While all members of mankind were still sinners Jesus Christ died in our place, so that we could be forgiven our sins, and thus, avoid having our soul spend eternity in hell. As Paul wrote for the church in Rome, and for us, “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Jesus Christ did not die for good people, because there is no such thing as a good person! God forgives and forgets all our sins, because the blood shed by Jesus Christ covers over our sins, and thus these sins appear as white as snow to God!
This is why we refer to Good Friday as “good,” because this terrible suffering and death that Jesus Christ offered up for all of the sins of the worldly people made it possible for you (all of us) to go to heaven when you die to this mortal life! The writer of Hebrews wrote about Jesus and referred to Him as this priest. Here the writer is referring to how the sacrifices were offered to allow forgiveness of specific sins, but now Jesus Christ’s death offer forgiveness of all our sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect for ever those who are being made holy. (Hebrews 10:12-14). Through this perfect sacrifice all mankind’s sins can be covered, “because by one sacrifice he has made perfect for ever those who are being made holy.” Thus, during this Holy Week we are observing this wonderful fact that Jesus’ death has covered over the sins of all “those who are being made holy.” Believe of this you have been made holy, if you have accepted His forgiveness!
As you can see that being made holy is not based on something, or anything, you did it is a gift through grace by what Jesus did in your stead! All salvation is based only on what Jesus did! Paul wrote about how we must obtain power from Jesus by being weak, that is, we must rely on Jesus for everything good from this life. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. (2 Corinthians 12:9). To obtain power from Jesus we must admit we need Him to run our lives according to His plans. Then Paul again wrote about this idea of becoming holy and being “made perfect” is a work in process for all those who have chosen to follow Jesus! Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. (Philippians 3:12). If Jesus has taken hold of you too, then you can and should tap into the power Jesus offers for your life!
During Jesus’ life on this earth He performed many miracles and showed His authority to those who heard Him teach. It seems apparent He knew the plans God had for Him to become the perfect sacrifice needed to forgive mankind’s sins and release us from this mortal cursed world, and then to come with Him into heaven, when we leave this temporary world! During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 5:7-10). The making of perfection for Jesus was to die and shed His blood for the remission of sins, so that all sins of mankind could be forgiven. Without the shedding of blood there can be no forgiveness of sins!
In the Old Testament we read about the sacrifices of animals and the shedding of their blood to forgive or forget specific sins, which they confessed to God. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect for ever. The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man. (Hebrews 7:27-8:2). As the writer of Hebrews puts it, we have Jesus as our high priest, but not to make daily sacrifices, but to make one absolute and perfect sacrifice to forgive all the sins of those who claim and accept His forgiveness!
God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb 11:40-12:2). This is in part where meeting as congregations we become part of the “great cloud of witnesses,” not just of a church meeting in a building, but the real congregation is being part of “the body of Jesus Christ! Right now, we cannot meet in buildings, because of the coronavirus, but that does not stop us from meeting via some electronic form, which is not as good as meeting in person! This is my opinion, and because of this, I look forward to meeting again and being part of the real body of Christ! If you do not attend a church regularly, you are missing out on a great opportunity to become a part of a bigger family of believers!
Last week the commentary was based on having a healthy belief and of holding Jesus Christ in awe. Sometimes the Bible may state having a healthy fear of the Lord, and some people may take this as an expression of shaking in your boots fear, but this should not be how we look atGod, and the laws created through belief in God’s Word! John does a great job in writing about having awe in God, because of His Love of mankind, even though we are sinful in nature. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:18). Jesus expressed this perfect love for us, by dying for our sins, while we were yet sinners. Jesus did not die for good people, He died for sinners. Only through His grace can we be saved, once we accept His forgiveness!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
Romans 5:7-9 (NIV)
Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!
Our immortal soul is destined to go to hell when we die, because each of us has inherited a sinful nature. There is nothing we can do during this lifetime to correct this flaw we were born with! Some people believe if they are good people, then they can gain a place in heaven when they die, but the Bible tells us there is no member of mankind that is good, no not one. However, Jesus Christ came into this cursed world to offer all of us another option to give our soul an alternate destination through grace. While all members of mankind were still sinners Jesus Christ died in our place, so that we could be forgiven our sins, and thus, avoid having our soul spend eternity in hell. As Paul wrote for the church in Rome, and for us, “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Jesus Christ did not die for good people, because there is no such thing as a good person! God forgives and forgets all our sins, because the blood shed by Jesus Christ covers over our sins, and thus these sins appear as white as snow to God!
This is why we refer to Good Friday as “good,” because this terrible suffering and death that Jesus Christ offered up for all of the sins of the worldly people made it possible for you (all of us) to go to heaven when you die to this mortal life! The writer of Hebrews wrote about Jesus and referred to Him as this priest. Here the writer is referring to how the sacrifices were offered to allow forgiveness of specific sins, but now Jesus Christ’s death offer forgiveness of all our sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect for ever those who are being made holy. (Hebrews 10:12-14). Through this perfect sacrifice all mankind’s sins can be covered, “because by one sacrifice he has made perfect for ever those who are being made holy.” Thus, during this Holy Week we are observing this wonderful fact that Jesus’ death has covered over the sins of all “those who are being made holy.” Believe of this you have been made holy, if you have accepted His forgiveness!
As you can see that being made holy is not based on something, or anything, you did it is a gift through grace by what Jesus did in your stead! All salvation is based only on what Jesus did! Paul wrote about how we must obtain power from Jesus by being weak, that is, we must rely on Jesus for everything good from this life. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. (2 Corinthians 12:9). To obtain power from Jesus we must admit we need Him to run our lives according to His plans. Then Paul again wrote about this idea of becoming holy and being “made perfect” is a work in process for all those who have chosen to follow Jesus! Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. (Philippians 3:12). If Jesus has taken hold of you too, then you can and should tap into the power Jesus offers for your life!
During Jesus’ life on this earth He performed many miracles and showed His authority to those who heard Him teach. It seems apparent He knew the plans God had for Him to become the perfect sacrifice needed to forgive mankind’s sins and release us from this mortal cursed world, and then to come with Him into heaven, when we leave this temporary world! During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 5:7-10). The making of perfection for Jesus was to die and shed His blood for the remission of sins, so that all sins of mankind could be forgiven. Without the shedding of blood there can be no forgiveness of sins!
In the Old Testament we read about the sacrifices of animals and the shedding of their blood to forgive or forget specific sins, which they confessed to God. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect for ever. The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man. (Hebrews 7:27-8:2). As the writer of Hebrews puts it, we have Jesus as our high priest, but not to make daily sacrifices, but to make one absolute and perfect sacrifice to forgive all the sins of those who claim and accept His forgiveness!
God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb 11:40-12:2). This is in part where meeting as congregations we become part of the “great cloud of witnesses,” not just of a church meeting in a building, but the real congregation is being part of “the body of Jesus Christ! Right now, we cannot meet in buildings, because of the coronavirus, but that does not stop us from meeting via some electronic form, which is not as good as meeting in person! This is my opinion, and because of this, I look forward to meeting again and being part of the real body of Christ! If you do not attend a church regularly, you are missing out on a great opportunity to become a part of a bigger family of believers!
Last week the commentary was based on having a healthy belief and of holding Jesus Christ in awe. Sometimes the Bible may state having a healthy fear of the Lord, and some people may take this as an expression of shaking in your boots fear, but this should not be how we look atGod, and the laws created through belief in God’s Word! John does a great job in writing about having awe in God, because of His Love of mankind, even though we are sinful in nature. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:18). Jesus expressed this perfect love for us, by dying for our sins, while we were yet sinners. Jesus did not die for good people, He died for sinners. Only through His grace can we be saved, once we accept His forgiveness!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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