An Address by A. H. Stewart

(Continued from p. 15 )

(6) Chapter 6 is no part of the argument; it is parenthetical. It speaks of that on which there has been much disputing. The great sin in the Epistle to the Hebrews is apostasy-not of cheating, not of temper, not of telling lies or speaking unadvisedly-but sin, in this epistle, is apostasy. The apostle says in substance, "It is impossible to renew such apostates to repentance." It does not speak of a fall and being restored again. No! but it is impossible to restore such as turn their backs on Christ, and go back to empty forms and ceremonies- wilfully turning from Christ crucified, risen and ascended to glory-turning back to the blood of bulls and goats and the ceremonials of Judaism. It is impossible "to renew them to repentance," says the apostle. And it is the voice of God to warn all those who are not genuine, of their awful danger.

(7) Now, the adversary says, "You Christians have no tabernacle or temple!" The apostle answers:"That tabernacle and that temple, rich and glorious as they were, were but a shadow, a picture of Christ; He is the substance. And are you going back to the shadow and leave the substance?" Alas, professed Christians now are after what is pompous. Witness the great Eucharistic Congress at Chicago where gorgeous vestments of priests and imposing ceremonies drew out hundreds of thousands bowing to a piece of bread which the mutterings of Latin words by a priest were supposed to have turned into "the very flesh and blood of Christ!" It is the unseen things that are eternal; they are the real things; and if men go back to the shadows, they will fail them when real need comes.

(8) Again, I can hear the adversary say, "You Christians have no sacrifices. You never bring any victim nor blood to the altar. You never offer anything to God!" But again Paul answers:"This is what God has said of them, 'I take no pleasure in them.' "

"What!" says the Hebrew, "do you mean to tell us of these lambs and rams and bullocks offered up year by year, that God was not pleased with them? Were we not commanded to offer them?"

Yes, as a shadow of a far greater and better sacrifice in whom God has found His infinite pleasure. Those sacrifices of animals according to the law could never really take away sin. David said, "Thou desirest not sacrifice, else would I give it:Thou delightest not in burnt offering" (Ps. 51:16). Go to the temple year in and year out, and you will never hear them say,

"We bless our Saviour's name, Our sins are all forgiven."

These animal sacrifices only brought sin to remembrance year by year. The priest that offered them may not have known that God had "no pleasure in them," so they offered them year by year; but the Son of God knew; so, coming into the world He said, "Lo, I come to do thy will, O God." The blood of bulls and goats could not meet the demands of God's holy nature; it could never take away sin; then said His beloved Son, "Lo, I come… to do thy will, O my God!" He takes away the Levitical order, first enjoined, and establishes the second -that of grace, according to His heart and will, by which "we are sanctified, by the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." Have you, Hebrews, anything like that? Did Abraham or Moses or the prophets assure you of sins forgiven? They never could.

(9) And now God says He wants to write something new, not on stones, but on the tables of their hearts:"I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them, and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more." "Their sins and iniquities will I remember"- that is the law; "remember them no more"-that is the gospel. When the Son of God came down to put our sins away, He made atonement for them, and now God in His wondrous grace writes in the hearts of those who have received Jesus, "their sins and iniquities will I remember no more."

"I bring you a message of good news to-day,
My sins are remembered no more;
For Jesus has taken them all away,
My sins are remembered no more.

"As far as the east is removed from the west,
My sins are remembered no more;
Forever my soul is at perfect rest,
My sins are remembered no more.

"Forgiven, forgotten, all cleansed in the blood,
My sins are remembered no more;
Atoned for by Jesus in Calvary's flood,
My sins are remembered no more."

Suppose you had gone to the temple at Jerusalem would you have heard them sing that? They never could! God delights to have His people's consciences at rest in the knowledge of sins forgiven, and happy in His presence (Lk. 1:77); that is why He could not be satisfied with the blood of animal sacrifices in the Jewish or Levitical dispensation.

(10) Again the apostle warns the Hebrew Christians not to turn away from Christ; for this is what it means when he says, "If we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth" (ch. 10:26). Those who "despised Moses' law, died" for it-no mercy could be expected for such. In like manner with those who despise Christ. There is no other sacrifice to put away sin; therefore for despisers of Jesus and His sacrifice there remains but "a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries." There is not a ray of hope if they go back from Christ. Having shown them the full and complete work of the Saviour, there is no hope for them if they go back from Him to the temple worship and Jewish ceremonies.

Some men who once used to preach the faith have in these late years turned away from Christ, from God's Word, from salvation through faith in Christ's atonement for sin. Then, says the apostle, "Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God… and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know Him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto Me, I will recompense, saith the Lord… .It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (ch. 10:29-31).

But, says the apostle for the encouragement of those wavering Christians, "Call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions; partly whilst ye were made a gazing-stock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly whilst ye became companions of them that were so used. For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance."

Israel looked for blessings from God upon earth; but the Christian's calling is heavenly, and his rewards in heaven. So he says, "Cast not away therefore your confidence which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry." That takes us from the coming of our Lord in lowly grace to His coming again in glory, which we believe is drawing nigh.

Now he says, "If any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition, but of them that believe, to the saving of the soul." I trust my hearers are all genuine, and when you see what it means to "draw back"- back to those old forms and ceremonies-you will not want to.

(11) Chapter 11 shows us the faith that actuated God's saints in previous dispensations, as in the present one. How many times, think you, is faith mentioned in the Old Testament? Only twice, I believe; but the apostle shows us that faith was there just the same. He begins with Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses and so on. He goes through the Bible and shows faith was operative in the hearts of the children of God.

(12) Now he says, "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith." He is the perfect example of faith, "who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame." He had no reward in this world-the cross finished His path of obedience and faith; but now "we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor," and is now "set down at the right hand of the throne of God." So, up there is our Leader now, the Author and the Finisher of faith. From the day He started His journey until He finished it on the cross, He lived not by bread alone but by every word of God. May we in our measure do the same.

(13) In chapter 13 we are exhorted to "remember our leaders (as a closer translation gives it), who have spoken unto you the word of God." They have been bringing Christ before you. Well, " He is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever."

"We change-He changeth not;

Our Christ can never die:His love, not ours, the resting place, We on His truth rely."

That is the One the apostle leaves them with, and reminds us of. "We have here no continuing city, but we seek one to come." Every little while I get a message like this, "You knew brother so and so, well, he's gone home." We are continually reminded that we have here no continuing city, but seek one to come. While you are here do you want to please God? Here is how it may be done, "Let us go forth unto Him without the camp, bearing his reproach." The Jewish nation who rejected Jesus and went on with their religious ceremonies, were "the camp" from which the Christians were to depart. They were surprised, I suppose, when he said that by faith Moses "esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt." And how do we count "the reproach of Christ?" Is it something we have to endure because we can't get out of it? Moses didn't look at it that way. He looked to the end of that which is beyond this life. When it came, He was given a far greater funeral even than Pharaoh's, for God buried him! Then we see him on the glory-covered mount with his Lord and Saviour. If we should ask, "Moses, didn't you make a mistake in leaving Pharaoh's palace and its pleasures behind?" what would he say? We know he made a wise choice.

Now, Christians, we have in measure the same opportunity. When our Lord was taken on a high mountain the devil could not show Him enough to tempt Him. But "the devil has only to take us to our doorstep to show us enough to tempt us, and down we fall," said George Whitefield. How sadly true!

Next, "To do good and to communicate, forget not." Some say about the Brethren, "You talk about being saved, then you don't care what you do." That is not true! Faith works by love; and if we follow Christ, we don't forget to give of our substance.

Then he says, "Offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name," for "with such sacrifices God is well pleased." Though we have no bullocks, no rams, no turtle doves, or pigeons, we can do good, and do it in thankful remembrance of His grace to us, and thus offer the sacrifice of praise to Him with which "God is well pleased." These are the sacrifices that He delights in now.

O Christian, how good it is, and what a delight to sing praises to Him! May that benediction be resting on your soul, the same words that were spoken over the Son of His love, "God is well pleased."

Paul closes this epistle, as all his others, with "Grace be with you all. Amen." God had opened his eyes, his heart, and finally his mouth to offer the sacrifice of praises to Him. Let us also sing, as a sacrifice of praise unto God, and sing it from our hearts:

"No more, no more, no more, no more, My sins are remembered no more; For Jesus has taken them all away, My sins are remembered no more."

God wants to write it in your heart, "Their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." If you have taken God at His word, or will do it now, you will praise the God of all grace, and give Him thanks for His "unspeakable gift."