WILL THE TRUE CHRISTIAN CONSCIENCE PLEASE STAND UP?

April 25, 2010 am

 

  Scripture Text:


Hebrews 10:14-22 Complete Apostles' Bible  (14)  For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.  (15)  But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before,  (16)  "This is the covenant which I shall covenant with them after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws on their hearts, and I will inscribe them on their minds,  (17)  and their sins and their lawless deeds I shall by no means remember any longer."  (18)  Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.  (19)  Therefore, brothers, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus,  (20)  by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh,  (21)  and having a High Priest over the house of God,  (22)  let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies having been washed with clean water.

 

 

  Message:



There was a TV GAMESHOW  called "TO TELL THE TRUTH"

  • A person who did something notable or has unusual occupation.
  • The judges were told the person's name and occupation or accomplishment.
  • But this person stood with two others, and the judges did not know which one of the three was the correct person.
  • The other two stood with that person and would lie to try to make the judges think they were the true person, when asked by the judges questions, while the correct person had to tell the truth for every question.
  • So they asked questions to try to narrow down who the real person was, by seeing flaws about the category of the true persons' occupation that the liars would speak when asked.


At the end of the game, the host declared, "WILL THE REAL _____ PLEASE STAND UP".

And the three would playfully pretend they were the real one and start to rise and sit down, until finally the real one stood up.

Amongst the church across the world, there are those who truly have believed what the Bible says, and they have entered into a lifestyle of power and victory.

But this is rare.

  • So rare that like the host of the gameshow, although this is no game, we have to ask "Will the true Christian Consciences please stand?"
  • Too many do not have this Christian Conscience God wants us to have.
  • That means too many do not really believe they can enjoy this level of victory.
  • So they do not enjoy it.
  • They do not really believe what the bible says about our opportunity.


As the judges wanted to know who the real person was, due to the wonderful story about them, we want to see who really believes this WORD enough to actually experience this issue?

And by teaching, I want to stir each of us up to want to be that person!



Entering this CLOSE PROXIMITY to God in the holiest, as the book of Hebrews says it, can be called entering KINGDOM LIFESTYLE.

 

We need KINGDOM FAITH in order to enjoy KINGDOM LIFESTYLE

·         Miracles we have started to see are results of KINGDOM UNDERSTANDING.

·         KINGDOM FAITH requires KINGDOM REVELATION.

 

Recall the WORD OF GOD came forth from between the cherubims.
THIS IS KINGDOM WORD, since it is coming from the ark of the covenant.

The MOST HOLY PLACE in the temple was where the ark of the covenant was placed.

  • The ark is THE Kingdom symbol in the Bible.
  • It shows the throne where come to find mercy as its cover is called the MERCYSEAT.
  • It has cherubims over it, just as Isaiah saw seraphims over the throne of God when He saw the glory of Jesus on the throne in Isaiah 6.

Exodus 25:17-20 Complete Apostles' Bible  (17)  And you shall make a mercy seat, a lid of pure gold; the length of two cubits and a half, and the breadth of a cubit and a half.  (18)  And you shall make two cherubim graven in gold, and you shall put them on both sides of the mercy seat.  (19)  They shall be made, one cherub on this side, and another cherub on the other side of the mercy seat; and you shall make the two cherubim on the two sides.  (20)  The cherubim shall stretch forth their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings; and their faces shall be toward each other, the faces of the cherubim shall be toward the mercy seat.

 

Isaiah 6:1-2 Complete Apostles' Bible  (1)  And it came to pass in the year in which King Uzziah died, that I saw the Lord sitting on a high and exalted throne, and the house was full of His glory.  (2)  And seraphim stood round about Him; each one had six wings; and with two they covered their face, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew.


Hebrews speaks about getting into the HOLIEST OF ALL, WHERE THERE IS A TRUE ARK OF THE COVENANT, THE THRONE OF GOD.

·         Hebrews uses that idea to get us to understand how we can ENTER KINGDOM LIFESTYLE where we are truly in victory and truly blessed of God.

It's all based upon whether or not OUR CONSCIENCES can successfully be CORRECTED by TRUTH, so we will not hesitate to think we can boldly go in and enjoy REAL Kingdom Christianity.

  • The Conscience, NOT CONSCIOUS, tells us what is right and wrong.
  • And an evil conscience will say it is wrong to think we can have that much victory to live above sin because God simply has not provided that much victory -- when God did and HAS!
  • Most think KINGDOM is blessings, whereas the greater truth is VICTORY OVER SIN.
  • DOMINION in the earth!


Let's get into the details.

--------------------------------


Hebrews 9:16-24 Complete Apostles' Bible  (16)  For where there is a testament, there is necessity for death to be offered of the one making the testament.  (17)  For a testament is valid over dead people, since it is never valid when the one making the testament lives.  (18)  Therefore not even the first covenant has been dedicated without blood.  (19)  For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses according to law to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,  (20)  saying, "This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded to you."  (21)  And likewise he sprinkled both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the service with the blood.  (22)  And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.  (23)  Therefore it was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens to be continually purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves by better sacrifices than these.  (24)  For Christ did not enter into the holies made by hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf;

 


Both the people and the sanctuary and even the law were sprinkled by the blood of the sacrifice.

  • All testaments require this.
  • Old and New.
  • The Old had this blood sprinkling and so does the New.
  • The Old was a mere pattern of the New, though.
  • That means there is still a sprinkling of blood in the New Testament.
  • The sanctuary is sprinkled as much as the people, in the New, as in the Old.


Heaven is the true sanctuary in the New Testament, not an earthly sanctuary.

Hebrews 9:1 KJV  Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.

Hebrews 9:11 KJV  But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;

Hebrews 9:24 KJV  For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

HEAVEN ITSELF!

Heaven does not require blood sprinkling to cleanse it as though Heaven is defiled.

  • It required blood sprinkled to DEDICATE IT and CONSECRATE IT so WE CAN ENTER THERE.
  • IT IS SANCTIFIED to be a place where WE CAN ENTER.


Our hearts are sprinkled.

Hebrews 10:14 KJV  For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

Hebrews 10:22 KJV  Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

Something occurs in the TEMPLE of Heaven that must also occur in our hearts.

·         It never occurred in the hearts in the OLD COVENANT.

·         Just the FLESH and OUTSIDE.

 

What occurs on our hearts also occurred on the Ark of the Covenant.


Leviticus 16:14 KJV  And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.

And something else occurred with the ark that must occur with our hearts.

Deuteronomy 31:26 KJV  Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee.

Watch how the Law is put into our hearts as it was put into the Ark.


Hebrews 8:7-12 KJV  For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.  (8)  For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:  (9)  Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.  (10)  For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:  (11)  And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.  (12)  For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

Hebrews 10:14-17 KJV  For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.  (15)  Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,  (16)  This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;  (17)  And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

The law must be put into our hearts as it was put into the ark.

There is a harmony between what was done in the temple of Heaven AT THE TRUE COUNTERPART OF THE ARK, THE THRONE, and what must be done in our hearts.

And this indicates there is an association with our hearts and this most holy place in heaven where the ark is.

HE SANCTIFIES BOTH the holiest and the heart because THEY ARE MEANT TO BE TOGETHER.

  • We belong in the holiest.
  • This KINGDOM THRONEROOM.
  • And OUR HEARTS ARE LIKE THE KINGDOM THRONEROOM OF THE LORD!
  • It’s as though we are seeing that the LINK between what the Temple experiences as well as our hearts means that GOD CONSIDERS HEART AND TEMPLE TO BE THE SAME!



In Heb 8:7-12, writing the law in our hearts is claimed to be the entire solution to the problem of people under the old covenant not succeeding.

There was FAULT under the Old Covenant.

  • How do we know?
  • Answer:  THEY CONTINUED NOT.
  • They could not live up to it even though they said they and their children would obey it.


So, 

A)   if God said He had to make a new covenant because they could not continue in the old one, 

B)   and the new one was emphasized to be a law written in people's hearts, then 

C)   the writing of the law into our hearts CAUSES US TO BE ABLE TO "CONTINUE", or to succeed!


Moses saw the Law put on TWO TABLES OF STONE.

  • There are two tables for us as well.
  • OUR MINDS AND HEARTS.


Heb 8:(10)  For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:  

 



The ark of the covenant is THE Kingdom symbol in the Bible.

  • It shows God's throne where can come to find mercy, as the mercyseat.

Hebrews 4:16 Complete Apostles' Bible  (16)  Therefore let us come boldly to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

 

  • It shows cherubims that stand for the church members on the throne seated with Christ.
  • Cherubims in Rev 5:9-10 say God redeemed them from all nations and they will rule in earth.
  • Ep 2:5-6 says we are seated with Christ on the throne.
  • Rev 3:21 says overcomers sit with Jesus on his throne.
  • And now we learn that it has LAW INSIDE the ARK , the ark was sprinkled with blood,  just as our hearts must be written with the law of God and be sprinkled from an evil conscience.


THE ARK SHOWS CHERUBIM'S EYES LOOKING TO MERCYSEAT WHERE BLOOD was sprinkled -

  • EYES mean understanding.
  • UNDERSTAND what blood did - SO CAN BE IN THE MOST HOLY PLACE, where us and ark belong.


Exodus 25:20 KJV  And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.


We can say that true KINGDOM LIVING occurs when we finally have God's law written in our hearts so that our consciences are PURGED from the least b it of fear and inferiority against entering the holiest..

  • REVELATION COMES SO WE CAN TRUST AND HAVE FAITH, and THIS REVELATION is the putting of His word into our hearts.
  • The Lord once showed me that Jesus' writing in the sand with the woman caught in adultery laying before him, thrown there by the Jews who demanded he stone her, represented WRITING HIS WORD IN THE DUST WHERE WE WERE MADE FROM.
  • Changing our HEARTS, and re-writing our natures.


The ark is inside the most holy place.

Jesus intended us  - with hearts like the ark - to enter this most holy place NOW.


Hebrews 6:18-20 Complete Apostles' Bible  (18)  in order that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong encouragement, who have fled to take hold of the hope being set before us;  (19)  which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and secure, and which enters into the inner side of the veil,  (20)  where the Forerunner has entered in behalf of us, even Jesus, having become a High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

 


Notice THE HOPE.

Lay hold on the HOPE.

Look at what else he says about this HOPE.

Hebrews 7:18-19 Complete Apostles' Bible  (18)  For on the one hand an annulment comes about of the preceding commandment on account of its weakness and uselessness.  (19)  For the law made nothing perfect; but there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.

 



The better hope is being able to continue and successfully serve God and overcome sin.

·         It CAUSES US TO DRAW CLOSE TO GOD.

We may not figure out how God can actually cause us to live above sin, but we have to believe it anyway.

  • Just believe it -- accept it and believe GOD CAN CAUSE US TO LIVE ABOVE SIN..
  • We have to figure things out because we think we have to work all of it.
  • You are not going to make yourself live like this, because it is God's Spirit in you to do so.
  • So, you do not have to figure it all out, just Believe it!


More:

Hebrews 10:19-22 KJV  Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,  (20)  By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;  (21)  And having an high priest over the house of God;  (22)  Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

All three passages deal with entering and drawing close to God, and God is in the Most Holy place in Heaven's temple.

Entering the Holiest is actually entering into a TRUE KINGDOM LIFESTYLE with all the KINGDOM BLESSINGS.

Let's get in that throneroom and rule and reign in this world with Jesus.

  • This is not for some future millennium.
  • Jesus is king NOW and we are seated with Him on His throne, and Hebrews is screaming at us to enter into the Kingdom position today.


We have a better hope than they did in the Old Covenant, when only one man a year could enter in.

  • But we have believers who live like it's no better than under the old covenant, because they are not in the kingdom lifestyle and they are living as though this covenant is no better than the Old one where the adherents failed.
  • What is wrong?
  • Is the word wrong and nobody can continue in this covenant any more than they could the old?
  • Or is this true new covenant understanding not being preached adequately so as to render the congregations some faith to enter?
  • Or are too many people doubting too much if it is being preached?
  • I think it is a combination of both (1) it not being preached adequately, with sermons running all around it, but not touching upon it (2) as well as, where it is preached, people are not believing it.


True Kingdom Life is for us who believe the truth of the BLOOD of Jesus.

We must mention that no one gets revelation who does not desire to get it.

  • Some are slothful and simply care not if they get it or not.
  • They just want to be saved.
  • God has a LOW place in the kingdom for them.
  • Eternity has not much for them compared to those who seek all they can come into right now.


Is there someone who hungered for this revelation and got it?

  • Is there a Christian conscience around here that has accepted the truth that God can empower us to live above sin?
  • Does someone believe that although they cannot figure it out, the cross of Jesus allowed for God to CAUSE US TO overcome all the time?
  • Even though some might have a hard time accepting it, does anyone have the conscience cleansed from such doubts and without even seeing anyone prove it can happen, believes the Word anyway?


Many want to see before they believe.

  • But there may be too many unbelievers who never actually accepted this fully and therefore hardly anyone is around to look at for an example.
  • But if it's what the Book says, we must believe it anyway!


I actually believe this holy place is there waiting for us to enter it as SOON AS WE BELIEVE AND TRUST GOD'S WORD.

What does it mean to have our hearts sprinkled FROM AN EVIL CONSCIENCE with the blood?

  • It has something to do with the word being written in our hearts.
  • Writing His word in our hearts solves the problem of not continuing, and entering the holiest by the blood is said to be our answer for victory.


Watch the context:

  • Hebrews mentioned the writing of the law again in our hearts:


Hebrews 10:14-19 KJV  For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. 

Jesus' sacrifice forever perfects people sanctified by it, or who have its blood sprinkled on them.

  • Why?
  • The reason is given.

10:(15)  Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,  (16)  This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; 

  • The Holy Ghost spoke these words before about putting his laws into our hearts..

10:(17)  And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.  (18)  Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.  (19)  Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

  • The fact that God forgets our iniquities should cause us to realize NOTHING HOLDS US FROM THE HOLIEST!
  • We take that FACT and GET BOLDNESS!
  • That revelation will give you boldness.
  • The Spirit also inspired Jeremiah to write that God would forgive such sins and iniquities to such an extent that he would not remember them any more.
  • This gives us boldness to enter.

Hebrews 10:1-3 Complete Apostles' Bible  (1)  For the law having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the image itself of the things, can never with the same sacrifices, which they offer continually every year, make those approaching perfect.  (2)  Otherwise they would not have ceased to be offered, because the worshippers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins.  (3)  But in them there is a reminder of sins every year.

 

In the OLD COVENANT there WAS A REMEMBRANCE OF SINS.

·         God remembered their sins EVERY YEAR!

 

But Hebrews 10 is saying…
He perfects OR COMPLETES THE JOB IN US, because He accomplished something that moved Him to not remember our sins and iniquities any more.

  • When God does not remember our sins and iniquities any more, YOU HAVE REMISSION OF SINS.
  • THANK GOD FOR REMISSION OF SINS.
  • YOU MIGHT REMEMBER THOSE SINS, BUT GOD DOES NOT!
  • And we have to get that into our hearts!
  • That means there is no more offering for sin.

Read it again:

 

Heb. 10:(17)  And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.  (18)  Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.  (19)  Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus
Recall what Heb 10 said about perfection and offering for sins:

Continue:

 

Hebrews 10:1-2 KJV  For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.  (2)  For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.

Law could not make people PERFECT, because if it made them perfect, there would be no need to offer any more sacrifices (and law had repetition of sacrifices).

  • If a sacrifice PURGES you, it PERFECTS you or makes you COMPLETE without any need for any more work to deal with your sins.
  • And when a sacrifice perfects you, there is no more need for sacrifices.
  • And we read Jesus' offering perfected us because when God said he would forget our iniquities and sins, He was talking about the SACRIFICE OF JESUS CHRIST THAT WOULD ACCOMPLISH THAT.

SO IS THERE SOMEONE WHO GETS THIS?

·         Is there anyone who gets this so much so that THEY WILL STAND ON IT AND BELIEVE THAT IF THE WORD SAYS GOD PERFECTED US, and Jesus’ sacrifice was PERFECT, THEN THEY ARE GOING ON INTO KINGDOM LIFE?

 


Hebrews 10:22 KJV  Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

Look what God thinks of people being ready to enter who do not think they are ready…

 

Hebrews 3:7-12 KJV  Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,  (8)  Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:  (9)  When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.  (10)  Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.  (11)  So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)  (12)  Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.


An evil heart and conscience is one that does not accept the fact that GOD IS ABLE TO TAKE THEM INTO A DESTINATION HE PLANNED FOR THEM, and instead believes they would be defeated should they try.

And people today do the same thing when they are faced with the thought of coming into a lifestyle where they overcome sin.

  • THEY DO NOT BELIEVE IT CAN OCCUR.
  • God does not take that so casually as we do when we say, "Oh, I have doubt in my heart and am one of those people who have too much unbelief for that."
  • God says THAT IS EVIL!
  • And when you think of it, it demeans the POWER OF THE BLOOD to remit sins and allow God to bring us into the holiest and see His SPIRIT SUSTAIN US to continue.

 

When God said that He forgets our iniquities and sins by the sacrifice of Jesus, then that means there is nothing holding us back from entering CLOSELY to His presence in the KINGDOM THRONEROOM called the holiest where WE ARE EMPOWERED TO LIVE ABOVE SIN.

  • Nothing, that is, except OUR ACCEPTANCE OF THAT FACT!
  • And this is the only thing holding us out! – lack of boldness.
  • People do not have boldness.
  • They either were not taught that the blood of Jesus remitted their sins to this extent, that they are absolutely prepared by God to enter this place close to God and begin to enjoy KINGDOM BLESSINGS, or they were told about it and cannot "get it" in their hearts.
  • They have UNBELIEF.


This is where He needs to write His laws into such people's hearts.

Letting God write this into your heart is BELIEVING IT AND TRUSTING GOD THAT THIS IS TRUE!

Who is going to stand up and finally agree with what God said, that we are perfected, and completed in regards to sin, until it impacts them enough to experience a revelation and ENTER INTO THIS PLACE?

Who will finally let of of all the NONSENSE of doubt and thoughts of inadequacy, and BELIEVE AND STAND ON THE WORD and GO ON INTO THE HOLIEST?


WILL THE TRUE CHRISTIAN CONSCIENCE PLEASE STAND UP?!

We act in unbelief like our sacrifice of Jesus is no greater than the old covenant sacrifices that did not allow them to "continue" and succeed in serving God properly.

  • We think NO ONE CAN HAVE THAT KIND OF VICTORY.
  • We expect to sin.
  • We expect to fail.
  • "After all, no one's perfect."



The Word is actually telling us to TRUST GOD, whether we even understand how He can do it or not,  that HE WILL CAUSE US TO DO RIGHT.

Psalms 119:11 KJV  Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

David's spirit caught it!

When His word is written in your hearts THAT SAYS HE CAN DO THIS DUE TO THE SACRIFICE OF JESUS FOR US, then we are in the position where we actually believe HE CAN!

  • It needs to get into our hearts.
  • We need to accept what His word says.
  • And it says HE WILL CAUSE US TO NOT SIN when we get it into our hearts.




And, again, the picture of the ark shows a truth.

  • The eyes of the cherubims looked at the spot on the mercyseat where the blood was sprinkled.
  • It means there is an UNDERSTANDING we must grasp and fully believe in order to enter this most holy place of KINGDOM LIFESTYLE.

 

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