Monday, September 10, 2012

The Book of Hebrews: Crucial Book for Modern Challenges to the Gospel


The Books of the Bible are arranged, I am convinced, in order that the times may be fulfilled according to the growing revelation of God’s grace in our lives. The Chronology of the different epistles also speaks to the growing revelation and return that is much needed. The epistles written to the Gentile Church come first--- Romans to Philemon.
Then comes Hebrews, whose authorship remains unattributed, although scholars speculate that Paul wrote this epistle.
Then there  are the General Epistles of Peter, James, John, and Jude -- all written by the Circumcision to the Circumcision, the Jews.
For the past two thousand years, the Church has ministered primarily to the Gentile world. Following the rapture, the focus of the Gospel will return to the Jews -- Peter, James, and John.
Now,  the Epistle between the apostle of the Gentiles and those to the Jews is the Book of Hebrews, which I believe ministers to the Body of Christ today in large part because  many believers are still trying to live according to the oldness of the letter, just as the Jews were in Paul's time. The Body of Christ has never been more literate, or at least had the opportunity to be as well-learned as they are now, yet the primacy of Christ and the finality of His Work has never faced greater reemergence and dispute than in these times, which to many appear to be ominous and foreboding, with earthquakes and wars and rumors of wars breaking out all over the groaning world.
More than any other book, Hebrews makes frequent references to Jesus as greater than all Old Testament saints, greater than the Angels, and presents Him fully without reserve as our High Priest, who once and for all died for all the sins of the world, granting His Holy Spirit.
The Scriptures referring to Jesus' sitting down:
But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice
for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. ...
//bible.cc/hebrews/10-12.htm - 16k

Hebrews 8:1 The point of what we are saying is this: We do have ...
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, ...
//bible.cc/hebrews/8-1.htm - 17k

Hebrews 1:3 The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact ...
... things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins,
he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. ...
//bible.cc/hebrews/1-3.htm - 18k

Hebrews 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and ...
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 ...
//bible.cc/hebrews/12-2.htm - 18k
 
To the change of heart and mind that we receive:
For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." ... ...
//bible.cc/hebrews/8-12.htm - 16k


Hebrews 10:17 Then he adds: "Their sins and lawless acts I will ...
... "I will remember their sins and their iniquities no more." ... ...
 
Are repeated for the readers. The writer could not hammer it home enough for his listeners, who by reading and by tradition were the Jewish Christians who were facing intense persecution from their religious brothers and sisters who chose to continue practicing the same types and shadows instead of receiving the substance, which is Christ.
The same persecution is destined for the believers who are receiving and releasing the Gospel, which is grace and truth in Jesus Christ. Ministers like Pastors Bob George, Joseph Prince, Andrew Wommack, and Creflo Dollar, among others, are enduring persecution from churches and the state for releasing to the world the unadulterated Gospel of Grace!
The Book of Hebrews now more than ever is needed in the Body of Christ, that men may receive the ministry of righteousness (2 Corinthians 3: 9) and become skillful righteousness (Hebrews 5: 12-13) and thus receive and release the grace (Romans 5: 21).

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