PERFECTED FOREVER (HEBREWS 10:1-25)

“For by one offering, He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified” (Heb. 10:24)

I. HEBREWS 10:1-18
1. 10:1-4 The Law was incompetent to take away sins
a. It was a shadow; not the very image of things
b. The repeated sacrifices couldn’t perfect its adherents – if so, they would not have been
repeated since the worshippers after purification of sins would no more be sin-
conscious
c. It was just a reminder
d. Impossible for the blood of animals to take away sins

2. 10:5-10 The Perfecting Sacrifice

God planned a propitiatory sacrifice by preparing a body for Christ
a. Key verse of this section: vs. 10
b. Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin according to the Law were
not propitiatory (God did not desire, He had no pleasure in those).
c. An analogy by a Bible teacher: these were like a credit card paying ahead for the sins
with the great deposit that would be made to our account by the offering of Jesus’ body.
d. Quotes from a well-known Messianic Psalm (Ps. 40). The Psalmist obviously was
prophetic saying, “in the scroll of the book” it is written of me. Unlikely, that David
considered that about himself
e. By that will of God the Father which the Son made His own, we have been “sanctified”
Sacrifice of Christ a Snapshot (adapted from Scofield)
(2 Cor. 5:21, Gal. 3:13, Is. 53:4-6, 1 Pet. 2;24, Lev. 1:4, Eph. 1:7, 1 Cor. 6:20, Rom. 3:25-
26, 2 Cor. 5:18-19, Jn. 12:32-33, Rom. 5:9-10, Eph. 2:13, Heb. 9:11-12, 26, Heb. 10:10-17,
1 Jn. 1:7, Rev. 1:5, Jn. 3:16, 1Jn. 4:9-10)
Penal: Paid the penalty by becoming a curse and sin itself
Substitutionary: Paid by Christ on behalf of us (Refer to Lev. 1:4)
Voluntary: He laid down His life; No one could take it from Him
Propitiatory: Pleasing to God as a payment. (Judgment seat becomes the
mercy seat)
Redemptive: Bought with a price
Reconciliatory: Bringing peace with God
Efficacious: Competent to take away sins
Revelatory: Revealed/Manifested by/Initiated by/Set forth by God

3. 10:11-14 He has perfected forever – The finality of Christ’s Offering

a. Daily offering vs. Once for all
b. Those who can never take away our sins vs One who perfects forever
c. Standing priest vs Priest sitting down at the right hand of God
d. Ministering priest vs The priest who became the branch – who branches out to kingship,
waiting to receive His kingdom
e. Vs. 14 “by one offering He has perfected forever”
 The Father prepared the body (10:5)
The Son voluntarily took upon the body (and became man – in servant form) to be the
Lamb of God who took away the sin of the world (10:7, Php. 2:7, Jn. 1:14,29)
Through the Eternal Spirit, the Son offered up Himself without spot to God (9:14)

4. 10:15-18 The Witness of the Holy Spirit

a. The Holy Spirit witnesses to us according to what was written before (again by the HS)
Jer. 31:32-34.
b. Interestingly this OT quote is there in 8:10 to establish that the old covenant was
becoming obsolete. Here, the same quote is used to establish the perfection of the new
covenant.
c. His laws are put into our hearts and minds
d. The sins and lawless deeds will be remembered no more – has been blotted out from
our account
e. The sin is done away with from our accounts, no more offering for sin

II. HEB. 10:19-25 (Time permitting, 10:25-39)

The pattern of exhortation passages in Hebrews: Exhort, Warn, Encourage: 19-25, 26-31, 32-39
The three “let us” preparing us with a background for chapters 11-13 (Faith, Hope, Love)

1. 10:19-21 Having boldness to enter

a. Boldness vs Cowardice – an urge to run away from the presence Illustration
The Holiest – the judgment seat has become the mercy seat
The judgment throne has become the throne of grace (4:16)
All achieved by the blood of Jesus (time permitting, comment here on “Jesus”)
b. The body offered resulted in death – the blood is now available to be sprinkled (9:16-23)
c. The new and living way (the direct access to God) opened through the torn veil (ref. Mt.
27:51, Mk. 15:38, Lk. 23:45)
d. The living High Priest over the household of God gives us the great confidence

2. 10:22 Faith: Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith
a. True Hearts: Trusting heart Illustration: Of the boy who took the umbrella
Full Assurance of “Jesus paid it all”
Sprinkled from an evil conscience (8:14 Conscience of dead works vs one serving God)
b. Bodies washed – symbolism reminding us of:
The priests washing before approaching the (Ex. 29:4, 21; 30:20, Ex. 40:20)
Baptism (1 Pet. 3:21) as the answer of a good conscience toward God
c. Not a misplaced overconfidence after an intellectual assent expressed by our lips
3. 10:23 Persevering with Hope: Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without
wavering
a. Without wavering: “And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will
you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if
Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word. (1Ki 18:21)
Application: Do we waver between trusting God and trusting flesh?
In keeping us by His grace granted to us through His atoning sacrifice
In living our Christian lives when the going is tough (We are looking beyond the
context of Hebrews to our own)
b. “He who promised is faithful”
Application: Again, looking beyond the immediate context: have we received promises
from the Lord? If not, why not? (Walk in close fellowship with Him – you will hear His
word in your life’s situations. Finding God’s will in many of our life’s situation should
actually be “understanding” the will of our Faithful Friend and Guide)
Trust Him. (Dan. 3:17-18)
Came from a close walk with the Lord
4. 10:24-25 Love: Let us consider one another to stir up love and good works
a. The love of God has been poured into our hearts. Let us stir it up. We are created for
good works. The Lord works in us to will and to work for His good pleasure. Let us stir up
the good works in our midst
b. Not forsaking the assembling together: The weaker we are, the more discouraged we
are, the more lonesome we are, we need this even more. We are tempted to forsake
the gathering together of the saints; but we need it all the more at this point. Whatever
be your state, do not forsake assembling together. Not just on Sundays and cell group
days, but also informally - both face-to-face and otherwise
c. Coming together isn’t enough.
We need to stir up others
We need to be stirred up as well.
Running away consistently soon after the meeting gets over is not the way. It is
avoiding the body of Christ while we claim to love and owe our allegiance to
Him.
d. As you see the day approaching: The day when we give an account of ourselves to God
is approaching (Heb. 10:37)
5. Stern Warning: 26-31
6. Encouragement: 32-39

Exposition Exhortation
Ch. 1 2:1-4
2:5-18 3:1-4:14
4:15-5:10 5:11-6:12
6:13-10:18 10:19-39
Ch. 11 Ch. 12,13