A Bloodless Coup

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. 4 You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. 5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: "My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 6 For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives." 7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. 11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. 12 Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed. 14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: 15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; 16 lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright.

The great question about the doctrine of grace is: Can grace change or even modify behavior? Since there is so much uncertainty on that score, most – if not all – churches add behavioral directives to their doctrine because you cannot implicitly trust grace alone to do the job of reforming man.

After all, it is the flesh that longs for “no rules.” The reason the flesh desires “no rules” is because the flesh longs to satisfy lust, and lust is, “against the rules.”

This was the great strength of the sacrificial system. It not only had rules against sin, it also had sacrifices for sin that were visible. There was a lot of blood in the sanctuary, (which may seem an odd place to find blood.) But since remission of sin ONLY took place by the shedding of blood, and those in the sanctuary were dealing with sin, there was a lot of blood there. It was a powerful reminder of sin and for sin.

What happens when you take that away and move to the bloodless system of grace? You know – the once-for-all sacrifice? Can you still trust in God’s direction even without a visible correction? The answer is: YES!

Pastor Bill