Jesus Paid Once for ALL - Andrew Wommack @ Riverside 2024 - Session 6

Key Concepts

• Hebrews: Written to Jewish Christians, emphasizing the superiority of the New Covenant over the Old Covenant.
• Melchizedek Priesthood: Jesus as a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek, replacing the Levitical priesthood.
• Old Covenant vs. New Covenant: The Old Covenant was temporary and based on performance, while the New Covenant is based on faith in Jesus's finished work.
• Law vs. Grace: The law reveals sin and condemns, while grace offers forgiveness and transformation through Jesus.
• Eternal Redemption: Jesus's sacrifice provides complete and permanent forgiveness of sins, past, present, and future.
• Sanctification and Perfection: Believers are sanctified (made holy) and perfected in their spirit through Jesus's sacrifice, not through their own works.
• Conscience: The conscience can be purged from sin consciousness through understanding the finished work of Christ.
• Worship in Spirit and Truth: Approaching God based on who we are in the spirit (righteous and holy) rather than our performance in the flesh.

Hebrews: An Overview and Key Themes

The speaker begins by expressing his struggle to condense the profound truths of Hebrews into a limited time frame. He highlights the book's significance in anchoring believers to God and preventing spiritual drift, referencing Hebrews 6:19 about hope as an anchor. He mentions an upcoming verse-by-verse book on Hebrews and his "living commentary," a digital resource that updates with his latest insights.

The Superiority of Christ's Priesthood and Covenant

The speaker starts in Hebrews 8, emphasizing that Jesus is a high priest seated at the right hand of God (Hebrews 8:1). He is a minister of the true tabernacle, which God pitched, not man. This dates the book before 70 AD, when the temple was destroyed. The Tabernacle and Solomon's Temple were recreations of what exists in Heaven. Jesus's ministry is more excellent, mediating a better covenant based on better promises (Hebrews 8:6). This was radical for Jews locked into the Old Testament and Levitical priesthood.

The Radical Nature of the New Covenant

The speaker stresses that the message of Hebrews was offensive to Jews because it challenged the foundations of their faith. The law wasn't sin, but it is sin for a New Testament believer to try and serve God under the law (Galatians 3:10, Romans 14:23). The law ministers death and condemnation (1 Corinthians 15:56), revealing sin but not changing anyone. The gospel, however, changes us and provides an answer through Jesus.

God's Love and the Father-Child Relationship

The speaker emphasizes that most Christians lack a full revelation of God's love. In the Old Covenant, God was not seen as a Father, but in the New Covenant, we are children of God, calling Him "Father." This was considered blasphemy by the Jews. The Old Covenant showed the wrath of God, while the New Covenant brings us close to Him.

The Faultiness of the Old Covenant and the Promise of a New One

The speaker quotes Jeremiah 31:31-34, highlighting the prophecy of a New Covenant. The Old Covenant wasn't wrong, but it was temporary (Galatians 3). The problem was human imperfection, leading to the breaking of the covenant. The New Covenant is based on Jesus's performance, accessed by faith. God puts His laws in our minds and writes them on our hearts (Hebrews 8:10). In the New Covenant, everyone will know God personally (Hebrews 8:11). God is merciful to our unrighteousness, remembering our sins no more (Hebrews 8:12). The Old Covenant is decaying and ready to vanish away (Hebrews 8:13).

Access to the Holiest of All

The speaker references Hebrews 9, explaining that the temple's elements symbolized service to God. The cherubs shadowing the Mercy Seat in the Holy of Holies prevented access, but now, through Jesus, we have boldness to enter (Hebrews 10:19-25). The veil, representing Christ's body, is torn, removing the separation between us and God. We now have direct access and can rebuke any angel trying to block us. Under the Old Covenant, sin separated us from God (Isaiah 59:1-2), but in the New Covenant, there is no condemnation (Romans 8:1). Condemnation means "unfit for use."

Eternal Redemption and the "Once for All" Sacrifice

The speaker emphasizes Hebrews 9:12, stating that Christ obtained "Eternal Redemption" by his own blood, entering the holy place once. This contrasts with the common belief that sins after salvation require repeated confession and atonement. All our sins were in the future when Jesus died. He died for the sin of the whole world once. The word "once" is mentioned five times in Hebrews 9 and also in Hebrews 7:27, highlighting the finality of Jesus's sacrifice.

Purging the Conscience and Serving the Living God

The speaker explains that Jesus has already purged our sins, and now we need to Purge our conscience (Hebrews 9:14). He references his book, "Who Told You That You Were Naked," which deals with the conscience. We must enter with a full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience. Jesus is the mediator of the New Testament, providing eternal inheritance (Hebrews 9:15).

The Spirit, Soul, and Body

The speaker references his book "Spirit, Soul, and Body," explaining that God deals with us based on who we are in the spirit. Ephesians 4:24 states we are created in righteousness and true Holiness in our spirit. According to 1 John 4:17, as Jesus is, so are we in this world (in our spirit). Once we believe, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise (Ephesians 1:13). Our spirit is vacuum-packed, Sanctified, and sin cannot penetrate it.

The Law as a Shadow and the Reality of Perfection in Christ

The speaker explains that the law is a shadow of good things to come (Hebrews 10:1), not the very image. The sacrifices under the law could never make the worshippers perfect (Hebrews 10:1). If they could, they would have ceased to be offered. The worshippers, once purged, should have no more conscience of sins (Hebrews 10:2). The law gave us a knowledge of sin (Romans 3), focusing on our failures.

Sanctification Through the Will of Christ

The speaker emphasizes that we are Sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all (Hebrews 10:10). Every priest under the Old Covenant stood daily, offering the same sacrifices, which could never take away sins (Hebrews 10:11). But Jesus, after offering one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God (Hebrews 10:12). By one offering, He has perfected forever those who are Sanctified (Hebrews 10:14).

The Spirits of Just Men Made Perfect

The speaker references Hebrews 12:22-23, stating that we have come to the spirits of just men made perfect. It is our spirit that is saved, and the rest of the Christian life is learning to bring our mind and actions under the control of our spirit.

Faith Pleases God, Not Performance

The speaker concludes by emphasizing that faith pleases God, not performance (Hebrews 11:6). He shares an anecdote about a church service where few believed they pleased God. He explains that we please God because we have the spirit of Christ living within us and are the righteousness of God in Him. He encourages listeners to study these truths and obtain his living commentary for further insights.

Conclusion

The speaker passionately argues that the book of Hebrews reveals a radical shift from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant, emphasizing the finished work of Christ, eternal redemption, and the believer's perfection in the spirit. He challenges traditional religious concepts rooted in law and performance, urging listeners to embrace their identity in Christ and approach God with boldness and confidence.