Today we shall focus on texts from Hebrews 9 through Hebrews 12. To start, please turn with me in your Bibles to:

Hebrews 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

Without The Blood, There Is No Salvation

Word Study: The word translated “without” is the Greek χωρίς chōrís, [pronounced kho-rece’], which means “separately or apart from”.

I believe every person who is honest will admit that we are all broken. We are not broken because God made us this way. We are broken because of Adam. God gave Adam a clear set of rules to obey – and he broke them. So God gave Adam what He promised to give him. “The day that you eat thereof, you shall surely die”.

It was sin that caused God to send Adam and Eve outside the Garden of Eden. But before God sent them out into a sin influenced world, God shed the blood of animals to cover Adam and Eve’s sinful act of rebellion. “Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21).

That poor animal had nothing to do with man’s fall, yet that animal was sacrificed. It’s blood was shed, and the shed blood provided a covering for man’s sin. “The life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life” (Leviticus 17:11, ESV). The blood of the innocent animal was slain from that time forward. When the Law was given to Israel on Mount Sinai, the Law told Israel to make sacrifices in first the Tabernacle (the mobile Temple), and then later in the Temple.

Animal Sacrifices Were Temporary: To explain how offensive sin is to God, the Lord for many years gave humanity the animal sacrifices. The center of the Tabernacle or the Temple was the Ark of the Covenant and the Holy of Holies. At this Holy of Holies the High Priest made sacrifice for the sins of the people. God “winked at” (Acts 17:30) sin, giving Israel a temporary atonement or covering for sin in the animal sacrifices. The Gentiles never made these sacrifices, but the Jews did. The Tabernacle or Temple was the only place that forgiveness of sin could be granted. The Temple and the Altar of the Ark were given to Israel to show us how sin horribly separates us from God. But Israel did not understand.

Early in His ministry our Lord Jesus chased the money changers and the sellers out of the Temple (John 2:14-16), causing the Jewish Leaders to ask:

“What sign do You show us for doing these things?”
(John 2:18, ESV)

What they were asking Jesus for was authority. They were asking, “By what authority do you do these things, running the sellers out of the Temple. Show us your identification. Show us your right to vote. You have no right to do this!” Jesus replied simply,

“Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
(John 2:19, ESV)

The Jews thought that Jesus was talking about the Temple. They said, “It took 46 years to build this Temple – and You think you can raise it up if it’s destroyed?” But Jesus was talking about Himself. Jesus was foretelling His death, and His resurrection. Jesus would die on Calvary, and would rise from the grave in three days. Jesus would chiefly be executed at the request of the priests and the Pharisees, who had forgotten why the Temple and the Altar existed.

God would eventually destroy the Temple because of their failure. As Jesus and His disciples passed by the Temple one day, the disciples remarked …

“Look, {Jesus}, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” (Mark 13:1, ESV)

Our Jesus replied, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” WHY WOULD THE TEMPLE BE TORN DOWN?

Because of sin.
Because the Messiah – the Lamb of God – had come.

As humans, we minimize that which the Bible calls “sin”. We shouldn’t, but we do. Sin is to God as poison ivy is to us. God despises sin. His nature is sin free. God hates sin. Sin is anything that runs contrary to God’s design.

Sin brings darkness. Sin brings suffering. The Psalmist said of God, “You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness; no evil dwells with You” (Psalm 5:4). God hates sin because God is holy, without sin. “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” (Isaiah 6:3). Sin is to God as:

Putrefying sores (Isaiah 1:6)
Heavy burdens (Psalm 38:4)
Defiling filth (Titus 1:15; 2 Corinthians 7:1)
Binding debts (Matthew 6:12-15)
Darkness (1 John 1:6)
Scarlet stains (Isaiah 1:18)

God hates sin. Sin calls for death, separation from God. God despises sin because it causes His creation (us) to be far from His embrace. Sin separates us from God (Colossians 1:21). Evil is sin’s outworking.

BEFORE THE CROSS the ONLY place you could receive forgiveness for sins was at the Temple.

BEFORE THE CROSS the ONLY way you could receive forgiveness of sins was by sacrifice of animals via the priests of Israel.

What Animal Sacrifices Teach Us

Only by the shedding of blood is there remission of sin. Why was it shedding of animal blood? Because a sinner cannot pay for the sins of another sinner. Man is fallen. We are all broken, all sinners. Innocent animals were sacrificed to cover man’s sins, but this covering was temporary and insufficient.

A perfect Man was needed to make proper payment for our sins. There were no perfect Men, so God made one!

The broken cannot make a perfect Man – so God decided to do so. God Himself entered into His creation as Jesus Christ. The Book of Hebrews tells us that it is only Jesus that can make purification for sin (Hebrews 1:3). It is only Jesus Who – among all humans – entered this world without sin. It is Jesus that the Father said,

Hebrews 1:8 (ESV) “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom”

Jesus Christ is God the Son, Who came into this world to save us from our sins. The Scripture says:

Hebrews 2:17 {Jesus} … had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation {to COVER} for the sins of the people.

Before Jesus came, the only means by which sin could be covered was by animal sacrifice. Jesus entered this world through a virgin, born of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ was, is, and will always be without sin. Jesus came to be both the High Priest of the believer as well as the Lamb of God that takes away sin (John 1:29). The Scripture says:

Hebrews 4:14-15 (ESV) Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Under the old Temple system of the Law the blood of animals was offered to cover sin. But when Jesus came, He came – a perfect Man – to give Himself for our sins. We are told:

Hebrews 9:12-14 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood {Jesus} entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. 13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

It is the Blood that caused God to pass over judging and condemning people. He told Israel, “When I see the blood, I will pass over you”. The blood of the animal represented a temporary covering for sin. But when God became Perfect Man, and yielded Himself up for our sins, faith in Him makes a permanent covering for our sins. What does the Scripture say?

Hebrews 9:27-28 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

It is the blood that saves us. It is your faith in the blood of Christ, His once for all sacrifice, that covers your sins so that we might “serve the living God”. How do we know that

1 John 1:7 (ESV) … the Blood of Jesus, {God’s} Son, cleanses us from all sin

? … We know this because Jesus, truly dying, rose again from the grave. Jesus told the Jews, “Tear THIS Temple down, and I will raise it up in three days”. We saw that before. Jesus did this. He rose from the grave.

The Campus Ministry formerly known as “Campus Crusade for Christ” notes:

“Jesus made numerous appearances to His followers. He comforted the mourners outside His tomb on Sunday morning. On the Road to Emmaus, He explained things about Himself from the Old Testament. Later, He ate in their presence and invited them to touch Him. Scripture records that Jesus was seen by more than 500 at one time. Some may argue that a few people could have agreed to a deception, but how can one explain the collaboration of 500 people?”

It is the blood of Jesus Christ that paid the penalty for my sin, and your sin. If you do not receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, believing He is the one and only way to have your sins covered – then you are under the condemnation of God.

You Must Believe (Have Faith In)
The Lord Jesus To Be Saved

The first text we studied was …

Hebrews 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

Word Study: where the word translated “without” is the Greek χωρίς chōrís, [pronounced kho-rece’], which means “separately or apart from”. The next time we examine this “without” (chōrís) is in the text of:

Hebrews 11:6 But WITHOUT (chōrís) faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

The Blood shed by Jesus was shed for us all – but if you do not receive this truth by faith then you cannot be saved. “WITHOUT (chōrís) faith it is impossible to please {God}”. God requires the guilty to be punished. His holiness demands this. But God will allow an Innocent to take our place. The Innocent that takes our place is Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is God’s Only Begotten Son. That phrase, “Only Begotten”, means that Jesus, though a Member of the Godhead, lowered Himself to be born into this, His creation. God became Man for one purpose.

To die for our sin.

As God, Jesus is pre-existent with God the Father. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was WITH God, and the Word WAS GOD” (John 1:1-2). Jesus is equal to God in all aspects, as He is God. But “the Word BECAME FLESH AND DWELT AMONG US” (John 1:14).

God became Perfect Man, with the intent of bringing
Imperfect Man to God.

Jesus Christ is perfect and “WITHOUT SIN” (Hebrews 4:15; Hebrews 9:28). To be saved you must trust what the Scripture declares of Jesus. The Evangelist Billy Graham said,

“Faith is believing and receiving what God has revealed
in His Word, the Bible.”

Though we are fallen creatures, Jesus is NOT. Jesus Christ came to save sinners. We must have faith in Him, calling upon Him and Him alone to be saved. Jesus Christ and the Cross of Calvary replaces the animal sacrifices and the Temple and Ark of God. Jesus Christ dying on the Cross replaces the lamb that was slain. Jesus Christ is the:

“Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world”
(John 1:29, 36)

There is no other Lamb. There is no other way. There is no other Messiah. There is no other truth. The Psalmist, looking forward to the coming of the Messiah Jesus Christ, wrote:

Psalm 25:8 Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.

When Jesus walked this earth, where was He often found? Among sinners. The Pharisees could not understand this. They asked, “Why does your Master eat with publicans and sinners?” Why would He Who is sinless spend so much time among sinners? Jesus told the Pharisees:

Matthew 9:13 … go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Jesus did not come to this earth to enable sinners to sin. Jesus came to this earth to make payment to God for the sinners sin, and to lead the sinner “to repentance”.

Faith – genuine faith – is both a COMING TO
and a STAYING WITH God.

What does our text say?

Hebrews 11:6 But WITHOUT (chōrís) faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, AND that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Faith is not a temporal thing. Faith is a reclining on God, an absolute reliance on His promises. Jesus Christ is “a friend of publicans and sinners”. He doesn’t want any to stay in sin – for sin is horrendous! But Jesus “came to call SINNERS to REPENTANCE” (Mark 2:17). What wonderful news the Gospel is. We are told:

Romans 5:8-9 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

God does not leave sinners in the sins. No, but God causes a REPENTANCE from sin to those who believe. One of my favorite Bible stories is that of Zacchaeus, a tax collector. His story is only found in the Gospel of Luke. The Bible tells us that Jesus saw Zacchaeus up in a tree, and called to him:

Luke 19:5-6 Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. 6 And (Zacchaeus) made haste, and came down, and received {Jesus} joyfully.

This is faith, saving faith. Zacchaeus’ sinful lifestyle choices caused him to be shunned, and up a tree. But Jesus called Zacchaeus, and Zacchaeus “received {Jesus} joyfully”. Embracing Jesus, Zacchaeus said:

Luke 19:8 Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.

Salvation – genuine salvation – is always accompanied with repentance, a change of heart. Whereas Zacchaeus once worshiped money, now he worships Jesus. He loves Jesus more than he loves sin. And Jesus said:

Luke 19:9-10 This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

A true “son of Abraham” is the person who exhibits the faith of Abraham. The Apostle Paul put it this way:

Romans 4:3, For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. .. 7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. 11 {Abraham is} … the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:

Salvation comes by faith in God’s provision of salvation. Abraham believed God, and his faith in God was counted to him as righteousness. Beloved, you must believe.

You must receive Jesus Christ as the LAMB of God.
You must receive Jesus Christ as the LORD of life.
You receive the LORD and the LAMB by faith.

Genuine Salvation Is Always Accompanied
With External Evidence

Word Study: Where else do we see the word translated “without”? {The Greek χωρίς chōrís, [pronounced kho-rece’], which means “separately or apart from”}. It is found in:

Hebrews 12:6-8 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

On the day that you understood the need for the Blood, and have called upon Jesus and Jesus alone for salvation, God the Holy Spirit does a work in your life. He brings the believer in Christ to a place where we are “children of God by faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26). We are adopted into the Family of God by the Holy Spirit (). And – listen Beloved – our outward actions and works begin to be in accordance with the holiness of God. The only Apostle to die of old age was John. The Apostle wrote:

1 John 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

James, the stepbrother of Christ put it this way:

James 2:20, 26 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? .. 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

If you are saved by faith in Christ, you walk in LIGHT, NOT IN DARKNESS. You follow after Jesus. You live your life to please your Heavenly Father. Billy Graham said:

“I cannot work my way to Heaven. After I receive Jesus as Savior, I prove my faith with my works. … After I’m saved, I’m sinning every minute of every day I’m not working for Jesus …”

There are many on local Church rolls all around the world who profess to be children of God, saved by faith in Jesus. And yet, they walk in darkness. Does not the Scripture say:

Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

If you are saved, truly saved, your life will show it. You will walk separate from the world. You will shun sin. When you fall into sin, you will repent of sin quickly, and get back in step with Jesus. You will love God and love others. Jesus said:

John 8:12 … I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

God the Holy Spirit does not make stillborn children. If you walk apart from God as a believer, God will chasten you until you repent. If you do not repent, you may find yourselves meeting death prematurely. Christians are to walk in the light of God and His Word. If you are a Christian, you have this promise of God:

1 John 3:2-3 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

“As Jesus is, so are we in this world” (1 John 4:17). The Christian belongs to God. The Christian is purchased by the Blood of Jesus. The Christian is to walk in the light. If you are indeed saved, your works will show it. You will love God with your all. You will love your neighbor as yourself. You will lover your fellow Christian sacrificially. This is the truth of the Scripture. This is the Word of the Gospel.

May God the Holy Spirit move in your lives, drawing you to His side this very day. Amen and Amen!