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Hebrews 10:14, “Becoming What We Already Are”

May 17, 2009 Speaker: Brad Evangelista Series: “Grow: A Journey Toward Christlikeness”

Passage: Hebrews 10:14

Intro:

One challenge of pursuing spiritual growth is that unless we continually remind ourselves of the Gospel we can very easily and unintentionally fall into moralism, self-help, and a mode where we just grit our teeth and say "we've got to do better." To avoid this trap, we must remind ourselves daily of the depth, beauty, richness, and everyday applicability of the grace by which we are saved.

BIG IDEA: Spiritual growth is not something we do so that we’ll be saved and accepted, but it is what pursue with passion because we are saved. In our pursuit of Christlikeness, we are becoming what we already are in Him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hebrews 10:14

FOR BY A SINGLE OFFERING HE HAS PERFECTED

1. Propitiation: Romans 3:21-26

• “Propitiation”—not just a wiping away of sins, but also it refers to the satisfaction or appeasement of God’s wrath.

• This is very important, because understanding propitiation means that we realize that God takes sin very, very seriously. And so should we.

2. Imputed Righteousness: 2 Corinthians 5:21

• The theologians call this the “Great Exchange.” Christ takes our sin on the Cross, and transfers his righteousness to the Christian. Therefore, Christians are not just forgiven, they are also clothed in the righteousness of Christ. This is important because even if our sins were merely wiped away (expiation), we still would stand no hope of living victoriously. But, Christ does more than just wipe our sins away, he also gives us his character and righteousness and Spirit so that we can progressively walk in sanctification and increasing Christlikeness.

3. Why is this important?:

• Christians are free to not live as debtors with their tail between their legs trying to measure up and appease God. Christ has already measured up and appeased God for us. Therefore, our good deeds are not something we do so that God will be happy with us, but rather because God is happy with us through the Cross in Christ alone.

 

FOR ALL TIME

1. What Christ has done for us is permanent: Philippians 1:6, 2 Timothy 1;12

2. What should this produce?

• Humble assurance and confidence, not a license to sin!

• If we think the assurance of our preservation in Christ by God gives us the freedom to do what we want, then we are very likely giving evidence that we are not truly born again. Paul makes this argument in Romans 6:1-23.

 

THOSE WHO ARE BEING SANCTIFIED

1. What does sanctified mean?

• By sanctification we mean he progressive and cooperate work of God and man by which a believer is made more and more like Christ.

2. The sweet combination of divine sovereignty and human responsibility.

• Philippians 2:12-13

 

Conclusion:

Questions for personal application:

1. Do I still often live as a debtor trying to please God in order to be accepted by Him, or do I truly realize that if I am a Christian and have trusted in Christ I am accepted and now have the righteousness of Christ, which frees me to pursue God?

2. What is one thing God is putting his finger on my life that I know needs to change?

3. What am I going to do about it? (i.e. - confess to a brother or sister, meet with a mature Christian for advice, search the Scriptures, ask for prayer, etc.)

 

More in “Grow: A Journey Toward Christlikeness”

June 14, 2009

Hebrews 12:1-14, “Strive”

June 7, 2009

Ephesians 2:1-22, “Community”

May 31, 2009

James 1:19-25, “The Word”