Love this visual illustration from Tim Challies

 

Heb 8:10-13  "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest.  For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more." 

The new covenant involves us all in the priesthood, the law of God internal in our hearts and minds, all of us teaching one another and all of our sins cleansed and no longer remembered!

1Pe 2:9,10  "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.  Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." 

 

Heb 8:13  "In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away." 

The old covenant, not the purpose but the outward observances, are now obsolete. You don't need the things that point to the truth, when the truth has come. 


Joh 14:6,7  "Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him." 

 

Heb 9:1-10  "Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness.  For a tent was prepared, the first section, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the Presence. It is called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain was a second section called the Most Holy Place, having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron's staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant. Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.  These preparations having thus been made, the priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties,  but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people. By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing (which is symbolic for the present age). According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation. 

So why are we not yet glorified, why is the world so full of sin. Why are the new heavens and new earth not come with the coming of Jesus. Right now we serve as priest who enter the holy place, but the high priest is Jesus. He is in the presence of the Father ruling over this present age and interceding on behalf of our sins. 

Heb 9:11,12  "But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption." 

Full transformation into Christ-likeness is guaranteed, it is secure in the cleansing sacrifice of Jesus. He is Absolute Love. 

Genuine holiness is genuine Christ-likeness,and genuine Christ-likeness is genuine humanness - the only genuine humanness there is. Love in the service of God and others, humility and meekness under the divine hand, integrity of behavior expressing integration of character, wisdom with faithfulness, boldness with prayerfulness, sorrow at other peoples sins, joy at the Father's goodness, and single-mindedness in seeking to please the Father morning, noon and night, were all qualities seen in Christ, the perfect man. 
Christians are meant to become human as Jesus was human. We are called to imitate these character qualities, with the help  of the Holy Spirit, so that childish instability, inconsiderate self-seeking, pious play acting, and undiscerning pigheadedness that so frequently mar our professedly Christian life are left behind. 'Holiness, rightly understood, is a beautiful thing, and it's beauty is the beauty and tenderness of divine love.' which is precisely the beauty of truly mature humanity."
J. I. Packer, Rediscovering Holiness  Servant Publications, Grand Rapids, MI. 1992 p 28,29

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"... What is human godliness, the godliness that is true holiness, as seen in Jesus. It is simply human life lived as the Creator intended, an existence in which the elements of the human person are completely united in a totally God-honoring and nature-fulfilling way. (Since God made humanity for himself, godliness naturally fulfills human nature at the deepest level. As experience proves, no contentment can match the contentment of obeying God, however costly this may prove.)
Human lives that are lived differently from this, ...are less than fully human in terms of their quality. Holiness and humanness are correlative terms and mutual implicates... To the extent that I fall short of the first, I fall short of the second as well. 
All members of our fallen race who, because they do not know Jesus Christ, still live under the power of that self-deifying, anti-God syndrome in our spiritual system, which the Bible calls sin, are living lives that are qualitatively subhuman. Sin in our minds says otherwise, but in this, as always, sin is lying."
J. I. Packer, Rediscovering Holiness, Servant Publications Ann Arbor, MI 1992, pp 26,27.



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Heb 8:6-9  "But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.  For he finds fault with them when he says: "Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah,  not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord." 

The ministry of Christ is now more excellent for it is effectual in achieving our salvation. The covenant he mediates is better because it is accomplished within us by the cleansing of sin and enabling of heart felt obedience coming from faith. The promises are also better because they are already enacted on on behalf because Jesus stands in heaven at the Fathers right hand. 
This is all in line with what God has promised in His Word. 

Eze 11:19-21  "And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.  But as for those whose heart goes after their detestable things and their abominations, I will bring their deeds upon their own heads, declares the Lord GOD." 

 

Eze 36:26,27  "And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules." 

 

Heb 8:10-12  "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.  And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more." 

He is the Absolute Love. 

Exo 33:18,19  "Moses said, "Please show me your glory." And he said, "I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name 'The LORD.' And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy." 

Exo 34:6,7  "The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty." 

 

Heb 7:20-25 "And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath, but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him: "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, 'You are a priest forever. This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant. The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them." 


Jesus is the giver of and the guarantee of the oath of God. He was before and remains after the oath, born in the likeness of humanity and resurrected as the perfect man. The guarantee is His suffering, death and resurrection. Now He lives forever giving full access to the life and righteousness of God. He has been made perfect, complete as our promise fulfilled.


Heb 7:26-28  "For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever."


So the point of this is that the tabernacle and the other things that foreshadowed what God planned and has accomplished for us. His redemptive plan is overshadowed now by the life, ministry, death, resurrection and glorification of Jesus Christ. He is beside the Father, there is no need for the earthly things that pointed to His coming and our salvation, it has been accomplished and we can go directly into God's presence because Jesus is there. He is Absolute Love.


Heb 8:1,2  "Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man." 


Listen, you don't need to continually bring a sacrifice, the sacrifice has been made. The sacrifice of Jesus was perfect and final. The only pattern to follow now is the pattern of the Word made flesh, Jesus, Isa Al Masih, Yeshua Messiah, He is Yahweh manifested in flesh. He is the Absolute Love.


Heb 8:3-5  "For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law.  They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, "See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain." 


So, here is the conclusion, the promise is better because it is completed, perfected in Christ. No more going back again and again to cover over our sins, our sins are blotted out, we are redeemed and the covenant has been made eternal. Now the ministry of Christ is fully effectual bringing about the purposes of God within you. 


Heb 8:6  "But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises." 

Heb 6:19-7:4  "We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,  and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace.  He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.  See how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils!"

You can see how great Jesus is by reflecting on Melchizedek as a pre-figuration of Jesus Christ. You can see in this picture the greatness of Jesus Christ, Isa Al Masih, Yeshua Messiah. He is Yahweh. He is Absolute Love. 


Heb 7:5-7  "And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brothers, though these also are descended from Abraham.  But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.  It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. 

Jesus is beyond and greater than the old order of priests descended from Levi. Levi was giving tithes to Jesus. Jesus was there before Levi and before Abraham. You couldn't be cleansed and made whole through the sacrifices to human priests, you could only cover over your sins and receive a delayed conviction of guilt. In Jesus your guilt is absolved and record expunged. Your sins are blotted out!

Heb 7:8-11  "In the one case tithes are received by mortal men, but in the other case, by one of whom it is testified that he lives. One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham,  for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.  Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron? 

You know all has changed because of Jesus life, death and resurrection. He now lives forever as your advocate and judge. Forever holding out forgiveness if you would accept it and come to Him for new life. He is the most powerful person that there is and His love is indestructible. He is Absolute Love.

Heb 7:12-17  ""For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well.   For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar.  For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek,  who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life.  For it is witnessed of him, "You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek." 

The weakness of the law was here for our weakness. We could not live up to the demands of love. We need a way to be granted a reprieve, a way to gain forgiveness. Now more than forgiveness a way to be in fellowship with God has been opened. This way is guaranteed by the Love of Jesus. He is Absolute Love. It cannot be revoked. All the Glory will be given to Jesus, He will be our Lord and our God always. 

Heb 7:18-22  "For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.  And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath, but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him: "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, 'You are a priest forever.'" This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant."

Jesus is greater and now everything is better. He makes all things new. Don't doubt His ability to change and make you new. In Him is another chance to become the person you were meant to be. I mean forever and eternally made in the image of God, as it was meant for you. Jesus is always interceding changing your failures and sins into life changing events that lead to your salvation. He is Absolute Love. He is perfected, and eternal love. His love will never cease!

Heb 7:23-25  "The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever.  Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them." 

Heb 5:14-6:3  "But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.  Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,  and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.  And this we will do if God permits." 

This is where you really need discernment. Some are only playing along in displaying a certain kind of acceptance, not a true love for the things of God. Yet when their faith is really tried they fall away completely, denying, even having contempt, for Christ. They would sooner crucify Christ and all who follow Him than take up their own cross and deny themselves. 
What ultimately a person bears as the fruit of the Spirit only that will endure in the fiery judgment of God's wrath. Absolute Love will do away with all that is unloving and destructive. Thorns and thistles, destroy will choke out life and inhibit growth.


Heb 6:4-8  "For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.  For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God.  But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned."



Gal 5:22,23  "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." 

This is where you can begin in discernment. Check your own heart and if in doubt seek out other faithful followers to validate your walk of faith. This is what you will find, your own concern is a testimony to your hearts desire to be found faithful. If it wasn't real in your life you wouldn't even concern yourself with faithfulness in following Christ. Just wait patiently, faithfully for God to complete what He has begun in you. This faith you have is a gift and He won't take the gift back! He is Absolute Love.



Php 1:6  "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." 

Heb 6:9-15  "Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things--things that belong to salvation. For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.  For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself,  saying, "Surely I will bless you and multiply you."  And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise."


You can be sure in the Love of Christ, because there is nothing greater than He. He is the Absolute Love. There is no way He will go back on His Word, there are no outside influences that can cause Him to change. He is the ultimate cause, and He is unchanging. His love and faithfulness towards you are sure because His promise and His character are unchanging. Flee to Him, He is a rock and a strong tower. 
He has entered into the very presence of the Father as a priest forever holding out His sacrifice for your sins. Providing to you forgiveness and acceptance into the Fathers arms. 

Heb 6:16-20  "For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath,  so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain,  where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek." 


His priesthood was foreshadowed by the person of Melchizedek who was worshiped by Abraham. No beginning, no ending His pleading on behalf of your sins is from eternity and it will never end. 



Heb 7:1-4  "For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever. See how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils!" 

Heb 5:8-10  "Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. 


Jesus Christ, Isa Al Masih, Yeshua Messiah the only begotten Son of God is Yahweh! "Very God of Very God"! He learned obedience through suffering. Not that God had to learn anything, but the experience of suffering was new. God entered into our suffering. This made Yeshua the perfect example of obedience to us. His suffering was undeserved- substitutionary. Our suffering is self inflicted- our choice of sin; yet by grace the ultimate result of sin, expulsion from the presence of God is covered by obedience in the suffering Jesus endured and triumphed over. He is Absolute Love. 
This is something that we could go deeper into, it is difficult to understand and worth looking further into, but you need to be at a certain level of maturity in your relationship with Christ. Fully walking in the Spirit!


Heb 5:11-13  "About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.  For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,  for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child." 


This is something that we could go deeper into, it is difficult and worth looking further into, but you need to be at a certain level of discernment. Your mind and heart needs to be in a constant state of training always knowing how to distinguish between good and evil. A level of maturity needs to be passed, but you still need to get the basic feedings. You have gained the skill of understanding God's Word. 


Heb 5:14  "But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil." 


So, let's not just hold on to the foundation. Repentance and faith in God through Jesus, a real active living faith entered into by God's grace. After that you don't have to keep going over the basics of preparing to glorify God by the way you eat or worship, you don't have to know about when people will be resurrected, or how and when the end judgement is going to take place. 



Heb 6:1,2  "Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment." 


What is important now is to learn more about obedience through suffering and how God wants to deepen His relationship with you through learning to be faithful through dying to yourself. Learning more of the meaning of loving others, like Jesus loved you. He is Absolute Love. 



Mat 16:24-26  "Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?" 



Php 3:7-11  "But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.  Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith-- that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead." 

"You may have heard that God calls you to salvation or to happiness, to receive pardon or to obtain heaven, and never noticed that all these were subordinate. It was to ‘salvation in sanctification,’ it was to Holiness in the first place, as the element in which salvation and heaven are to be found. The complaints of many Christians as to lack of joy and strength, as to failure and want of growth, are simply owing to this—the place God gave Holiness in His call they have not given it in their response. God and they have never yet come to an agreement on this. No wonder that Paul, in the chapter in which he [p13 ] had spoken to the Ephesians of their being ‘chosen to be holy’ prays for the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God to be given to believers, that they might know ‘the hope of their calling’ (i. 17, 18). Let all of us, who feel that we have too little realized that we are called to Holiness, pray this prayer. It is just what we need. Let us ask God to show us how, as He who hath called us is Himself holy, sowe are to be holy too; our calling is a holy calling, a calling before and above everything, to Holiness. Let us ask Him to show us what Holiness is, His Holiness first, and then our Holiness; to show us how He has set His heart upon it as the one thing He wants to see in us, as being His own image and likeness; to show us too the unutterable blessedness and glory of sharing with Christ in His Holiness. Oh! that God by His Spirit would teach us what it means that we are called to be holy as He is holy. We can easily conceive what a mighty influence it would exert."

Murray, Andrew (2009-10-04). Holy in Christ Thoughts on the Calling of God's Children to be Holy as He is Holy (Kindle Locations 96-109). Public Domain Books. Kindle Edition.

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"Holiness is not something we do or attain: it is the communication of the Divine life, the inbreathing of the Divine nature, the power of the Divine Presence resting on us. And our power to become holy is to be found in the call of God: the Holy One calls us to Himself, that He may make us holy in possessing Himself."

Murray, Andrew (2009-10-04). Holy in Christ Thoughts on the Calling of God's Children to be Holy as He is Holy (Kindle Locations 123-125). Public Domain Books. Kindle Edition.


"Learn to cease from your own wisdom as well as your own goodness; draw near in poverty of spirit to let the Holy One show you how utterly above human knowledge or human power is the holiness He demands; to the soul that ceases from self, and has no confidence in the flesh, He will show and give the holiness He calls us to." 

Murray, Andrew (2009-10-04). Holy in Christ Thoughts on the Calling of God's Children to be Holy as He is Holy (Kindle Locations 253-254). Public Domain Books. Kindle Edition.




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Heb 5:1-4  "For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness.  Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people.  And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was." 


You know, the priests, who entered into the Holy of Holies, needed to cleanse and make sacrifices on behalf of his own sins before entering God's presence. They tied a rope to the ankle of the priest in case his sinfulness remained and he was killed by entering the presence of God unclean. 
You better not decide you're worthy, this meeting with God must not be entered into presumptuously! You want to be humbly answering a calling, walking forward in meekness and submission. 
Jesus, Isa, Yeshua Messiah was said to be a humble person, yet He was the Son of God, the creator of everyone for whom He sacrificed Himself . He ripped the curtain between us and God into and we enter by holding on to His sacrifice on our behalf.


Heb 5:5,6  "So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, "You are my Son, today I have begotten you"; as he says also in another place, "You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek." 


Now He is the order of priest not of those who failed, but of "The King of Righteousness" (Melchizedek).  This is a priest like no other-a king of righteousness- a king of peace. This priest-king whom is sacrificed to and give tithes to, who you worship, He is like no other. One only worships God! He is Absolute-One and Only. This is the order of the priesthood of Jesus, He is Yahweh.
Bread represents His body and wine His blood. This is the remembrance of Jesus until He returns to take us to Himself. 


Gen 14:18-20  "And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.)  And he blessed him and said, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!" And Abram gave him a tenth of everything." 

Yet, as our high priest and our propitiation, he humbled Himself fully in reverence to the Father, and He learned from obedience in suffering. 


Heb 5:7,8  "In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered." 


Php 2:1-11  "So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.  Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,  and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." 



Heb 5:9,10  "And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek." 


His sacrifice was completed, made perfect in all that He did on our behalf and now His grace to us is applied as a source of eternal salvation. He is Absolute Love. Don't forget to follow humbly in obedience. His love includes absolute justice, He won't be mocked or deceived by those who assume their worthiness. 

Heb 4:12, 13   "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account." 


The best way to rid yourself of pain, disease and impurity is surgery. You don't want an old dull knife, you want a sharp scalpel and a surgeon who knows exactly what to cut and what to leave. A surgeon who knows how to  heal and instill health. Put yourself in His hands, He is Absolute Love. It may be scary and there might be some pain but He is the great physician of body and soul. 


Heb 4:14  Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 


Confess weakness, confess need, confess that you are scared and doubtful. He has passed through the heaven as the priests in times past passed through the curtain to the Holy of Holies, into the presence of God. The curtain was torn in two at His death and He now stands before the throne granting the forgiveness of our sins. 
You can be confident He knows you and is holding out grace, forgiveness and love. He is Absolute Love. 


Heb 4:15,16  "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." 

Heb 4:9,10 "So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.


When did God rest? What does it mean God rested. The Word of God in the initial creative act rested. What was spoken into being in the creation of a world for man. A perfect place of rest was created and God, Yahweh walked among man in fellowship.


Gen 1:26-31  "Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth." And God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.  And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food." And it was so. And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day."


It was very good, Absolute Love was there, the tree of life was there. No death, no pain, no crying, no strife. Now all is strife. A fight to believe and obey. To abide in the Word of God, He is Absolute Love. 


Heb 4:11  "Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience."


He is the Word listen to Him. He knows all about you give your life over to Him. He is the Judge of all things throw yourself on His mercy and He will give grace abundantly. He is Absolute Love.



Rev 1:12-18  "Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest.  The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire,  his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last,  and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades." 

Heb 4:12, 13  "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account."


He created all things and they were very good, now He is making all things new, restoring to Himself those who believe, trust and follow. He is Absolute Love. 



Joh 1:1-3  "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made."


 Joh 1:14  "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."



Rev 21:1-7  "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.  And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."  And he who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." And he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son." 

Heb 3:19  "So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief."


The inability to believe, it is disconcerting, it robs of rest and peace. It brings anxiety and panic. It becomes almost impossible to move forward. Relationship with the Absolute Love is imperiled.


The fear associated with faith is a determination to enter, a moving forward with steadfastness of the pursuit of relationship with Jesus. He is Absolute Love.
Hearing alone, only understanding and acknowledging didn't benefit the people in the wilderness. The hearing, acknowledging and understanding wasn't united in action, in the obedience of faith. 



Heb 4:1,2  Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it." For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened."


Belief is the condition of abiding in the strength and presence of God. Abide in His love! Now is the time, the door is open and He will welcome you into His arms. 

Heb 4:3-7  "For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, "As I swore in my wrath, 'They shall not enter my rest,'" although his works were finished from the foundation of the world.  For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: "And God rested on the seventh day from all his works."  And again in this passage he said, "They shall not enter my rest." Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience,  again he appoints a certain day, "Today," saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts." 


You understand, of course, we are not talking about a place of rest here in this world. Now, today, is a time to look forward to when we come into His presence. Crossing the river Jordan was not entering the promised land of rest, entering Canaan was a place to learn, to trust, believe and obey so that the ones who had faith would enter into the Sabbath rest of God's people. Satisfying and tranquil, engaging and wondrous, the presence of life, light and Absolute Love .


Heb 4:8-10  "For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God,  for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his." 

Heb 3:5,6  "Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope."


He owns the house. We enter in the house through confident hope, faith, in His loving substitution on our behalf. His love gives hope to us for our forgiveness, we rest in that hope. All of our boasting any thing to be proud of is being humble in trust of Him. He is Absolute Love.

Heb 3:7-11  "Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years. Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, 'They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.' As I swore in my wrath, 'They shall not enter my rest.'" 


This is all the work of the Spirit of God in us. So don't act like the people who God rescued from the hands of Pharaoh in Egypt. Your actions show where your faith and trust truly are placed. It is a costly sacrifice required by any other thing that is worshiped! You only find deliverance and life in Yahweh, Jesus Christ, Isa Al Masih, Yeshua Messiah.


Exo 32:7-10  "And the LORD said to Moses, "Go down, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them. They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, 'These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!'"  And the LORD said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people.  Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you." 


Heb 3:12-14  "Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end." 



So hold on to that confidence all the way through and demonstrate through your actions the confidence you have!



Heb 3:15-19  "As it is said, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion." For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?  And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief."


Unbelief destroys confidence, faith is lost and rest is forfeited. The rest is found in Him. He is Absolute Love. 



Mat 11:27-30  "All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." 

"Thus the soul, in firmly believing the promises of God, holds Him to be true and righteous; and it can attribute to God no higher glory than the credit of being so. The highest worship of God is to ascribe to Him truth, righteousness, and whatever qualities we must ascribe to one in whom we believe. In doing this the soul shows itself prepared to do His whole will; in doing this it hallows His name, and gives itself up to be dealt with as it may please God. For it cleaves to His promises, and never doubts that He is true, just, and wise, and will do, dispose, and provide for all things in the best way. Is not such a soul, in this its faith, most obedient to God in all things? What commandment does there remain which has not been amply fulfilled by such an obedience? What fulfilment can be more full than universal obedience? Now this is not accomplished by works, but by faith alone.
On the other hand, what greater rebellion, impiety, or insult to God can there be, than not to believe His promises? What else is this, than either to make God a liar, or to doubt His truth--that is, to attribute truth to ourselves, but to God falsehood and levity? In doing this, is not a man denying God and setting himself up as an idol in his own heart? What then can works, done in such a state of impiety, profit us, were they even angelic or apostolic works? Rightly hath God shut up all, not in wrath nor in lust, but in unbelief, in order that those who pretend that they are fulfilling the law by works of purity and benevolence (which are social and human virtues) may not presume that they will therefore be saved, but, being included in the sin of unbelief, may either seek mercy, or be justly condemned.
But when God sees that truth is ascribed to Him, and that in the faith of our hearts He is honoured with all the honour of which He is worthy, then in return He honours us on account of that faith, attributing to us truth and righteousness. For faith does truth and righteousness in rendering to God what is His; and therefore in return God gives glory to our righteousness. It is true and righteous that God is true and righteous; and to confess this and ascribe these attributes to Him, this it is to be true and righteous. Thus He says, "Them that honour Me I will honour, and they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed" (1 Sam. ii. 30)."


Luther, Martin (2006-02-26). Concerning Christian Liberty (pp. 14-15). Public Domain Books. Kindle Edition.

Blogs to return Monday

"A Christian man is the most free lord of all, and subject to none; a Christian man is the most dutiful servant of all, and subject to every one. Although these statements appear contradictory, yet, when they are found to agree together, they will make excellently for my purpose. They are both the statements of Paul himself, who says, "Though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all" (1 Cor. ix. 19), and "Owe no man anything, but to love one another"(Rom. xiii. 8). Now love is by its own nature dutiful and obedient to the beloved object. Thus even Christ, though Lord of all things, was yet made of a woman; made under the law; at once free and a servant; at once in the form of God and in the form of a servant."
Luther, Martin (2006-02-26). Concerning Christian Liberty (p. 9). Public Domain Books. Kindle Edition.


Blogs to return Monday

Heb 3:1,2  "Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God's house." 


Jesus Christ' faithfulness is example and intermediary of our faithfulness, because of His faithful obedience to the Father. He was appointed to hear our confession of repentance and to forgive us. His faithfulness is in the same line of the faithfulness of Moses, but He is more worthy of glory than Moses. He is The Absolute Love. He is the builder and owner of the house of God. 


Heb 3:3,4  "For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses--as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.)"


Jesus is not a servant as Moses was, He serves as an heir, If your confidence is in Him it is not wasted. If you have hope of belonging to His household He will be faithful to establish that hope. Your hope is not in vain, He owns the house. He is Absolute Love. 

Heb 3:5,6  "Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope." 

Heb 2:5  "Now it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking." 


The world that is coming. The New Heavens and New Earth fully subjected to the LORD-Yahweh. He is Absolute love and all will love Him freely and absolutely. 


Heb 2:6-8  "It has been testified somewhere, "What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet." Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him."


The final judgment of our rebellion against Absolute Love has not been executed. He has patience toward us in our negligence and callousness. Don't hesitate to come to Him any longer. Repent! Repent! Turn around and cling to Him, He is Absolute Love.



2Pe 3:9  "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." 

Heb 2:9-10  "But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering."


Jesus' suffering on our behalf, has made a perfect way for the Father to establish righteousness and mercy, grace and judgment fulfilled. Our holiness established by our relationship with Jesus Christ.


Heb 2:11-13  "For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying, "I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise." And again, "I will put my trust in him." And again, "Behold, I and the children God has given me." 


In His death, Jesus destroyed the power of death and the devil. Satan has no power over death any longer. He is able to deliver completely those who put their trust in Him. 



1Th 5:23,24 "Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it." 

Heb 2:14-16  "Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham." 


His life, suffering and death now help us, because He has been made like us. Yet in His absolute love He has  cleansed us completely. It is done in eternity, he knows how to help us complete the journey to Him. He is Absolute Love. 


Heb 2:17,18  "Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted." 

Heb 1:10-12 "And, "You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end."

There is only one sure thing. I should say one thing for sure. God is Love. God is Absolute. He is Absolute Love. His name is Yahweh, Jesus Christ, Isa Al Masih, Yeshua Messiah. His fame has been told throughout the ages of time and He is eternal. The present heavens and earth will be "rolled up like a robe". He is Absolute and there is no end to His Love. An Absolute Love.

2Pe 3:10-13 "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells."

So the question now is about spiritual beings, intelligent life that are not God- not human. They are messengers, servants. ( Some are in rebellion.) Their purpose to "serve those who are to inherit salvation". (Those in rebellion serve the opposite end. They are not to be worshipped or feared.) Each time the righteous angels speak, they say; "Fear Not"
(The unrighteous ones want you to be afraid.)


Heb 1:13, 14 "And to which of the angels has he ever said, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet"? Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?"

Yet, there is a certain fear associated with the One who is Absolute Love. Don't take His love for granted, as though you deserved His love or were owed His love. His love is sovereignly given-don't presume that it is given to you, faith in obedient action confirms His love in us.

Pro 14:27 "The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death."

Pro 16:5, 6 "Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the LORD; be assured, he will not go unpunished. By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil.

Heb 2:1 "Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it."

His sovereign will is the distributor of gifts and in His determination we find life and love, He is the judge of the universe and His decision is final. He is Absolute Love. It is a terrible end to decide to neglect His love!


Heb 2:2-4 "For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will."

Heb 1:1,2  "Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world." 

Are you listening to God? He is Absolute Love. His language of love is the life and words of Jesus Christ, Isa Al Masih, Yeshua Messiah. He is Yahweh the message of all the prophets. The Word of God. God has given all things to Him, for in and by Jesus the world is created and is being recreated moment by moment. He makes all things new. He is Absolute Love. 

Joh 1:1-5  "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.  In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." 

Heb 1:3-8  "He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. For to which of the angels did God ever say, "You are my Son, today I have begotten you"? Or again, "I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son"? And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, "Let all God's angels worship him." Of the angels he says, "He makes his angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire." But of the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom." 

He is not an angel or a created being. Not a Son of God, He is the only begotten of the Father. 
When you follow Jesus, you fulfill the reason you were made. For mankind was made to be the image bearers of God. 

Col 1:15-20  "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,  and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross." 

 

How happy the Father is when He looks upon His Son. For the righteousness of God was satisfied by the wrath of God being poured out through His Absolute love of the Sons sacrificial response. Mystery of love. He is Absolute Love.

Heb 1:9 "You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions." 

It is this foundation of Absolute love, set forth from the beginning of creation, that guarantees everlasting life and eternal love for us in Him. All will be changed, but His love will endure forever. He is Absolute Love.

Heb 1:10-12  "And, "You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end." 

I can not even imagine worship being withheld from Him!


Eph 1:3-6  "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,  even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved." 

"To make perfect reconciliation (which Christ is said in many places to do), it is required, first, That the wrath of God be turned away, His anger be removed, and all the effects of enmity on his part towards us; secondly, That we be turned away from our opposition to him, and be brought into voluntary obedience. Until both these be effected, reconciliation is not perfected. Now, both these are in Scripture assigned to our Saviour, as the effects of his death and sacrifice."
John Owen The Death of Death in the Death of Christ The Banner of Truth Trust, 1967 With Introduction by J. I. Packer p. 151. 

Rom 5:6-10 "For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person--though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die--but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life."


He is the Absolute Love.

"Christ did not die for any upon condition, if they do believe; but he died for all God's elect, that they sould believe, and believing have eternal life. Faith itself is among the principal effects and fruits of the death of Christ... It is nowhere said in Scripture, nor can it reasonably be affirmed, that if we believe, Christ died for us, as though our believing should make that to be which was otherwise not, -the act create the object; but Christ died for us that we might believe. Salvation, indeed, is besowed conditionally; but faith, which is the condition, is absolutely procured."
John Owen The Death of Death in the Death of Christ The Banner of Truth Trust, 1967 With Introduction by J. I. Packer p. 123

"That which the Father and the Son intended to accomplish in and towards all those for whom Christ died, by his death that is most certainly effected... but the Father and his Son intended by the death of Christ to redeem, purge, sanctify, purify, deliver from death, Satan, the curse of the law, to quit of all sin, to make righteousness in Christ, to bring nigh unto God, all those for whom he died...:therefore, Christ diedfor all and only those in and towards whom all these things recounted are effected;"
John Owen The Death of Death in the Death of Christ  The Banner of Truth Trust, 1967 With Introduction by J. I. Packer p. 99.  

Joh 19:11,12  "Jesus answered him, "You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin."  From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, "If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar." 

There is no authority over the authority of Jesus. He is Absolute. He is the Absolute Love. 
Bow your heart, bend your knee, worship as you look at what He does out of love for you!


Joh 19:13-42  "So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Stone Pavement, and in Aramaic Gabbatha.  Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, "Behold your King!"  They cried out, "Away with him, away with him, crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar." So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha.  There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them.  Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews."  Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews,' but rather, 'This man said, I am King of the Jews.'"  Pilate answered, "What I have written I have written." When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom,  so they said to one another, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be." This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, "They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots." So the soldiers did these things,  but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.  After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), "I thirst." A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth.  When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, "It is finished," and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away.  So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him.  But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.  But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.  He who saw it has borne witness--his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth--that you also may believe.  For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: "Not one of his bones will be broken." And again another Scripture says, "They will look on him whom they have pierced." After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.  So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there." 

Joh 15:1,2  "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. "Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit." 

Jesus continues His very direct and personal talk with the disciples before He is given up as a lamb of sacrifice. He will cover over the sin of all who follow after Him in love. He is Absolute Love. 

Joh 15:3  "Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you." 
Jesus speaking into us, changes us. He is the Word of Father, Father God says listen to Him!

Luk 9:28-35  "Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him.  And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah"--not knowing what he said. As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.  And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!" 


Abide in Him, in His Word and like a grape on the vine you will grow and mature. 

Joh 15:4-7  "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.  I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.  If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.  If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." 

Connection- Abiding in God's love=keeping the commandment of Jesus=becoming like Jesus= the Father loving you=God is glorified=rejoicing in heaven, heaven full of rejoicing, we rejoice in God and He rejoices in us. Fullness of joy. I can't wait. Even come again Lord Jesus!

Joh 15:8-11  "By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.  As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.  If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. "These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full." 

To rejoice in the friendship of God you need to abide in His Word= abide in Love. He is Absolute Love. 

Joh 15:12-15  "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command you.  No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you." 

Just so you know, I have chosen you in love, for love. This is so sure you know that if you ask for the love of God to help you to live in love, it is certain that you will be given the love of God. He is Absolute Love. There is no doubt He will give you what you need. 

Joh 15:16,17  "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another." 


Rom 8:31,32  "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" 

Joh 14:1-4  "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going."

There is a certain calm and contentment with belief in The Absolute Love. Abiding in that love, living in that love, basking in His presence brings peace in the midst of turmoil and trial. 

However, skepticism creeps in when we don't listen or hear. Thomas didn't hear one word "way". Jesus didn't say you know where I am going. Jesus said you know the way to where I am going! They certainly all knew Him but they did not understand what he was telling them about Himself. 

Joh 14:5  "Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?"

He, himself was the way, you don't abide in the presence of God, in Absolute Love unless you find your way in Jesus Christ, Yeshua Messiah, Isa Al Masih. 

Joh 14:6-14  "Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him."  Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us."  Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.  Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves. "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it."

Jesus now connects the dots, belief means doing the same as Him, in particular it means keeping Jesus commands. Why? Keeping Jesus' commands are the very Word of God. Jesus is the Word. The Spirit of God illuminates and guides us in the activity of obedience to God the Father through the Word to accomplish God's will, and this allows the peace of abiding in the love of God to be shed abroad in our hearts. 

Joh 14:15-17  "If you love me, you will keep my commandments.  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,  even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you."

2Co 4:6  "For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." 

The disciples and all followers of Jesus after His death, burial and resurrection would understand. You won't see me- but you will see me. We now see by faith. 

Joh 14:18-20  "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you."

We see with the eyes of our heart. 


Eph 1:16-21  "I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,  having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might  that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,  far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come." 

Seeing with the heart, believing brings His Absolute Love and in love we walk in obedience. 

Joh 14:21  "Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him."

To those who are not walking in faith it is very hard to understand. You may be confused yourself? Jesus will not leave you without knowing, but it will remain a mystery. 

Joh 14:22  "Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, "Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?"

The solution is loving Jesus Christ- He is the way to abiding in God. He is Absolute Love. If you don't love Him you won't want to have Him abide in you!

Joh 14:23-24  "Jesus answered him, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me."

Joh 13:2  "During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him,"

There are two distinct spiritual attributes apparent in human hearts and actions.

There is hatred, betrayal, destruction and enmity against God and others.

There is service, care, giving and the Absolute Love of God pouring over and through our lives.

Joh 13:3,4  "Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God,  rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist."

You are not always going to understand how God is working in you and through you, Yet if you walk in purity and the love of God, all you do will be holy-sanctified in Him.

Joh 13:5-10  "Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.  He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, do you wash my feet?"  Jesus answered him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand." Peter said to him, "You shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no share with me."  Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!"  Jesus said to him, "The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you."

It's not going to matter if you or make a difference if you are not walking in purity and love. He is never fooled by our actions, He knows the thoughts and intentions of our heart.

Joh 13:11 "For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, "Not all of you are clean."

It is the happiest place you will ever know to walk in love and service to one another by faith and love that flows from constantly keeping your eyes on Him. He is Absolute Love.

Joh 13:12-17  "When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, "Do you understand what I have done to you?  You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them."

Jesus knows His chosen children. He speaks into their souls, they hear Him with the ears of their heart.

Joh 13:18  "I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, 'He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.'"

Jesus reassures us in everything by His Word.

Joh 13:19  "I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he."

All you need  is to believe and receive. This is the condition. Rejection of Absolute Love eliminates and disqualifies. Don't continue down that path.

Joh 13:20  "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me."