Christian Ethics, Pt. 3: Steadfastness, Separation, and Sacrifice B

You have an incorruptible inheritance on the file that state is not a way, reserved in heaven for you what you want with the trinkets of the world is nothing that this world has to offer you this even worth grasping part of exercising or enjoying a hobby.

All of those potentially good things. But how do your time commitments match up with the priorities you say you have as a Christian, would Jesus say is your highest priority will being a man or woman of integrity means being willing to give up anything that prevents you from serving Christ above all in your day-to-day life that is a vital point of John MacArthur study here on grace to you.

John calls it the integrity factor. Turn to Hebrews chapter 13 and consider this question what sacrifices might God be calling you to make to help you answer that hears John we find ourselves studying again this wonderful 13 chapter. What does God require of Christians. I read several volumes that say that the 13 chapter may have been written by somebody else and just tacked on to the book of Hebrews. Others say that was written at a later time.

Some say it was kind of an add-on thing. My own particular view is that it is very very important that it is intrinsic to the entire letter and that it is anything but an add-on. It is the climax. What does God require of Christians was God more. One of the things were not which I am to do toward God in relation to him one separation separation and that we see in verses 10 to 14 and may I hasten to say this. This is without question one of the toughest passages a little brief thing here and yet it's one of the toughest passages in all the book of Hebrews.

The interpretations are multitudinous to put it mildly. I am not standing here as a as a dogmatic authority. I'll give you a couple of views and tell you what I think and if you want to pursue it. You can pursue it yourself. Beginning in verse 10. Let me just read so that you get a kind of a feel for the text read the first two verses we have an altar of which they have no right to eat who serve the tabernacle for the bodies of those beasts whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin are burned outside the camp. Now what are we talking about here is like the man said try to unscrew the inscrutable NASA not we have an older I got that message you get Okay we have an older now what altar do we have well. Some say this refers to the physical altar, and that's why in some churches you have an older some people say the church must have an altar because it says we have an older but that can't be the older you talking about, of which they have no right to eat what kind of eating is done on that older son of even said it's the communion table 1. How could you have a communion table that you couldn't eat. That is a make sense. In verse 11.

He said anyway says it talks about the bodies of beasts whose blood is brought there. That doesn't sound to me like the church. No, in fact, the evidence here is on not eating, not eating suddenly. Some say it refers to a heavenly altar. Revelation 6 talks about heavenly altar and he say we have an altar in heaven doesn't make any sense use either of which they have no right to eat who serve the tabernacle was that of the do with the altar in heaven is no eating going on there anyway and what is this about the bodies of beasts, what beasts River burned on the altar and heaven now say what I think it is in the I think the weight of all the evidences on this particular viewpoint, but I think he's talking about the idea of separation. A Christians obligation to God is to be separated from the world, under God, right, I think that's what is getting and I watched this, we have an altar of which they have no right to eat who serve the tabernacle. Who were the men who serve the tabernacle priest was there a certain sacrifice on a certain altar that they could meet.

Yes there was. It was the sin offering on the day of atonement when the sin offering was made they could not eat it. All the other times they made offerings this the priest ate what was what was left.

The sin offering once it was made in the blood was sprinkled in the holy of holies on the mercy seat. The animals were taken outside the camp and burn. That's verse 11 for the bodies of those beasts whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin are burned, where outside the camp. He explains right there. I think which altered is because we have a particular altar sacrifice. We have a particular ritual where you cannot partake in fact, the writ the remains of the sacrifice are taken outside the camp and burn this. You know it is it's an analogy.

All he's doing is giving them an analogy to teach them a principal. Here's the principle you people need to be separated from the system. You know, like those sin offerings that nobody could touch what they had to be taken outside the camp, you need to be so separated from the camp of the world.

That's essentially what is getting. He simply drawing a little analogy can't push it very far be saying like the animals in the sin offering were taken outside the believer needs to be removed from sinful man removed from the system removed from the world and come apart. Now, he takes it a step further in verse 12, by identifying Jesus Christ and incidentally the people didn't want any part of the sin offering anyway they want to partake of that verse 12 says wherefore Jesus also that he might sanctify the people with his own blood suffered outside the gate.

Jesus was separate from the system wasn't in the Old Testament.

The Jews took those bodies of those sin offerings. Both the priest and the peoples offering and they took him outside the camp. They didn't want to thing to do with those sin offering a separated them from themselves. Jesus did the same thing system didn't want Jesus.

Either they threw him out.

He suffered outside the gate and he sanctify the people with his own blood as the carcasses then were burned outside the camp of Israel so Jesus was killed outside the city of Jerusalem. He was killed outside the wall of Jerusalem and perfectly fulfilled the picture of the Old Testament know those old saw a sin offerings were pictures of Christ. 20 and so when he came he suffered outside as the offering had been taken outside.

I don't want to belabor the point, anymore than that both were rejected. The sin offering rejected. They didn't want to eat it but it out. Jesus rejected what it they wanted no part of either so he brings the point down to verse 13.

Let us go therefore under him outside the camp, bearing his reproach, but we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come lets us separate from the system as well. We Jews have an altar, then and if there's a sacrifice, which nobody can eat the bodies are rejected taken out of the city and burn Jesus the true soon enough. Also, was rejected by the system, though for a different reason. He's not pushing the analogy he simply saying this is like Jesus, who was also suffering outside the city. Of course there are many differences you can't push it. As I said, because the animal was killed already before it was taken out Christ died outside Jesus was so willing to go. He was willing that he might sanctify the people with his own blood he was despised, he was rejected. He was hated it was unwanted, betrayed, arrested, mocked, beaten, killed like a common criminal. And he accepted every bit of it to shed his blood on the behalf of men. The Bible says right here in the book of Hebrews without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. Jesus knew that he shed his blood for the forgiveness of sin. The Old Testament sacrifice was ashamed of the people they put out Jesus was a shame and they put him out of the didn't know he was the true soon off at no thought for the practical point is this, people you and I must be willing to go out from the system and to bear the reproach of the shame that both the sin offering and Christ himself for the be rejected by men, Moses did it. Chapter 11 verse 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures unique. Moses considered the stigma that rests on God's anointed greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt so the writer of Hebrews is saying to us and 1313 you auto consider the stigma, the reproach of Christ greater than the treasures of the system move out. That's all he said. So I see a very clean break between verses nine and 10 simply says we have a sacrifice which the feature is separation. Christ was separated from man you be separated as well. Now Paul defines this concept in second Corinthians chapter 6, in some detail. Let me read you. These words being not unequally yoked together with unbelievers or what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness and what communion hath light with darkness and what Concorde has Christ with Belle Isle or Satan. What part has he that believes, with an unbeliever.

What agreement has the temple of God with idols. Also, as you have nothing to do with the system, your different. Another thing that our author may be remembering here and because I'm not into this context is a Jewish individual living in that day, I can't be sure but I have a hint in my mind that in verse 13. He's also got something else in his head, and it seems to be like his jam and all kinds of thoughts together here and leaving me a little bit confused but that's often my problem anyway. In verse 13 he may have this in mind, you remember that at one point in the time of Israel's wanderings, God was rejected by Israel and God. Remember moved outside the camp and manifest his presence outside the camp and after the incident of the golden calf. Moses took his tent and pitched it outside the camp of Israel and you remember it was called the tent of the testimony, and so it was that everybody who wanted to approach God had to go outside the camp of Israel and approaching their why Israel and the maid had rejected him and God set himself apart is that if you come to me you come apart from the system.

You know something below but I believe that's exactly what God is saying today. If you're going to come to me you're going to have to come out from the system. You won't have to come apart from them, and touch not the unclean thing, and separate yourself on the me whether the analogy of the sacrifice in the Old Testament outside the gate.

The analogy of Christ suffering outside the gate, or whether the idea of the tent of the testimony outside the gate.

The message is the same separation. People say to me, MacArthur, do you believe in biblical separation.

Courts in biblical separation.

Is this you have nothing to do with the system. Now you need to qualify that somewhat. But let me give you a simple statement love not the world. First John 215. Neither the things that are in the world don't love the system know what was the system for them or was it Judaism.

What is he saying the end of the Jewish reader here. Separate yourself from Judaism get out of the system of law legalism ceremonial is him come outside the camp to the Christ, who is out there all sure you'll have to suffer Jesus said in the world left tribulation of good cheer. I've overcome the world. A taste that mouse is not just what you do.

It's an attitude you're just as much a part of the system.

If you don't do it. Wish you could, as if you did it know some Christians.

As I said before, don't do evil things, they just wish they could that's being in love of the system and as a Christian, God says were to be separate get out of the system come apart on the God's an attitude. Jesus said if any man comes after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

What is that mean that means bear the reproach of Christ were Jesus is outside the system when you meet the system. It's for the sake of confrontation, not communion.

Big difference.

The only people really identify with Jesus Christ are the ones who really are willing to pay the cost to move out what is it say in second Timothy 312. They that live godly in this world shall suffer persecution they that live godly why Christians don't live godly don't get persecuted they never come apart and assist the apostle Paul knew what was to come.

Apart from the system. He didn't have anything to do with it, and yet he kept leaving people of Jesus. He went to the sinner but he never joined in his sin. Philippians chapter 2 verse 17 he says, if I be offered on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy and rejoice. Chapter 3 verse 10. I want to know the fellowship of his sufferings.

He says I'm willing to come all the way out there be a sacrifice and know the sufferings of Christ in my own life just to be separate from the system because a file of that kind of life you're going to see me in your gonna come to Christ so very important in first Corinthians chapter 4 verse 10 we are fools for Christ sake, you're just dripping with sarcasm deposit. We are full for Christ sake you are wise in Christ we are weak, but your strong you are honorable where despise not have Mr. Christian who just plays it cool getting himself robbing himself enjoying fruit. Verse 11.

Even under this present our race as we both hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffeted and have no certain dwelling place to live in Oregon to sleep and we worked with our hands and we are reviled, but we blasts we are persecuted, but we endure it, we are defamed and we entreat. We are made is the filth of the world. On the off scouring of all things unto this day.

Alden get along too well with assist these Jews in Hebrews we know little about that reproach would writer saying them come out from among them be separate moved to God.

Sure it will cost you sure they'll wrap you for sure they'll think something's gone wrong in your head will be ostracized will be condemned. Small price the glory that awaits. I say if a man's not willing to be separate from the world of the God Jesus said he is not worthy to be his disciple. All these guys came along. Jesus said can't be my disciple. One guys to go bury my father's father when he made it when there was a guy get the inheritance and I'll be around so it went with the would-be disciples are not willing to leave father, mother, everything in the world come out, not worthy to be is the site listen. By the way Lenny footnoted by saying this, hanging out of the system is kind of dumb anyway because it's going to go up in smoke and it's foolish. All that is in the world passes away, first John two passes away.

Not to be anything left you want anything to do with the system because it says in first John 519, the whole system lies in the lap of the wicked one wanting to do it.

You want anything to do with the system because of what Peter says you have an incorruptible inheritance on the file that fate is not aware reserved in heaven for you what you want with the trinkets of the world is nothing that this world has to offer you the it's even worth grasping one of the verse comes to mind in first Corinthians 11. I think it is 32.

When we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world you want. The world is going to be damn you want to come apart on the Christ.

Paul gives us principal left the principal in this regard, so does the Holy Spirit through other writers, even as here, see the second relation to God is not only this idea of separation, but the idea of sacrifice verse 50 sacrifice now important. Most would you a Jew comes in the new covenant. He wants to know that there's some some rules still and you know what he wanted to know whether he sacrifice his life is anything to be sacrifice is that whole deal is that concept gone gets this wonderful information thereto sacrifices God wants the first one is word. The second one is deed the words in 15 by him was that Jesus Christ therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. Know what kind of sacrifice, God wants. He doesn't want animals want barley. He wants the praise of our lips noticed that phrase by him is only one way to God right Jesus Christ.

Can you offer an acceptable sacrifice to God apart from Christ, only by him. That's the only way by him. We cannot enter his presence. Any other way.

And so the believer priest comes into God's presence and he says here's a sacrifice and God says I want the sacrifice of the praise of your lips, what comes out of your lips forgot your forgiveness a distressed start getting angry with God is like to give you an idea of what to say to God when you want crazy. I will extol the my God okay now bless thy name forever and ever. Every day will I bless the praise I name forever and ever. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall praise thy works to another and declare thy mighty acts. I will speak of the glorious honor of thy Majesty and my wondrous works and men shall speak of the might of thy awe-inspiring action. I will declare thy greatness Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works, all thy works shall praise the Lord shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom and talk of thy power on and on it goes. Psalm 146. Praise you Lord.

147 praising the Lord 148 praise you Lord. 149 praise you Lord 150 praise you Lord that is pleasing to go when the cry of your lips is praise to God. That's the sacrifice God desires noticed a keyword to your evidence.

Let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God. What's the next word continually continually you say, but you don't understand my troubles, no you don't understand your God first Thessalonians 518 in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Give thanks in everything praising God in all things pleases. Second thing he's pleased with verse 60 not only word but you better back it would be but to do good and share forget, not for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. The lawyer should know the all the verbal stuff. Would God be sure you're doing something about God's is another sacrifice that I really accept is good in sharing lip begins an attitude that is the life. For example, James 127 of verse which never ceases to simplify the whole concept of religion.

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the father is this, and you believe that you believe that anyone verse could contain a definition of religion ready for this, to visit orphans and widows and keep yourself unspotted from the system 10 religion.

One of the godly life will find some orphans and widows visited him and keep yourself unspotted from the system, do good to one sheer minister to the needs of others.

This is what God is pleased everything you do in your Christian life is a sacrifice to God what you given a given in the halt in the maimed and the crippled and the lame are you giving your best. What Israel was a disaster this year and Isaiah 58 I wanted to share a couple of concepts and Isaiah 58 a look at maybe Zechariah 7 to but Isaiah 58 verse two sounds so good. He ready cry aloud's the verse two, yet they seek me daily and the like to know my ways.

As a nation to did righteousness enforcement, not the ordinance of their God. They ask of me, the ordinances of justice. They take delight in approaching guys is all this is so good. All they seek me they love my righteousness just terrific. Verse six is not this the fast that I have chosen to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens and let the oppressed go free, is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou should bring the poor that are cast out to thy house when I see is the naked that thou should cover him and thou should hide not thyself from thine own flesh to tell your religion looks good on the service but that's not what I'm asking for tonight say to clothe the people were naked give food to the hungry. That's what I'm after. That's what God wants my little children, said John love nodded word only, but what deed and truth that has some principles love their simple and their binding boxes.

I want to be separated. I watch it offer spiritual sacrifices pleasing to me Thanksgiving with your mouth, deeds of goodness and sharing with you, but several father, we thank you that you have reduced Christian life to the common and simple concept that are shared with us in this chapter, we thank you Lord that the Jews needed to feel that the absence of the old Levitical system didn't mean there weren't any more sacrifice.

In fact, there are some not just superficial things like animals, but those down deep things like praising you doing good torta father that we might worship you in spirit and truth.

Lord help us to offer you sacrifices that are pleasing yourself.

This is grace to you with John MacArthur. Thanks for being with us.

John is a pastor, author and Chancellor of the Masters University in seminary's current study is titled the integrity factor. John one of the key thoughts from today's lesson and really were seeing it throughout this study on integrity when people been transformed by Christ.

That change is going to be seen not only what they say but mostly in what they do have a live especially when other people aren't around you are what you are when nobody's around right you are what you are when you're alone, you are what you are when nobody can see you, your reputation basically is what you are in public.

Your character is what you are in private good distinction so if you're Christian the truest thing about you isn't really your reputation the truest thing about you is your character, but over time it will become manifest because you cannot hide it.

No integrity seems to some people to be very elusive in this culture because what's the basis of it. What's the basis you look we used to think that character involved honesty that's gone that that's gone, you can live through your teeth than the lying about certain things is nobler than telling the truth because there are some things more important than the truth. We used to think that moral traditional moral conviction was character like marriage and one man one woman me.

I was just kind of standard stuff and teaching your children to be obedient and respectful and the 00 a wife stays home and nurtures her children. The husband works at that used to be kind of standard American sort of reflections of Christian morality. That's all gone. That's just completely disappeared. So when we talk about integrity and how people are to live, there'd absolutely lost they have no idea how they are to live the fact that every year in America weekend massacre of millions of babies in the wombs of mothers shows we don't have any idea about the standard of morality and what integrity looks like the only way is to know the word of God because God has ordained the standards and we are to conform to them and in Christ we have the power to do that.

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So take advantage of our reduced prices. Place your order by calling us 805 grace or go to GT Y.now for John MacArthur. I'm Phil Johnson with a question for you. How can you help others live a life that's above reproach and how can they help you. John MacArthur has answers tomorrow as he continues his study of the integrity factor. Don't miss the next 30 minutes unleashing God's truth one verse at a time on Tuesday