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And instead of going to a priest and saying, “I did this. I want to bring this animal sacrifice,” you go to God and you confess your sins, between you and God directly. Now that’s something, isn’t it? That is a profound and magnificent privilege. But it’s something that we need to realize that we need to do every day. And that’s why John, in the first chapter here - how shall we say – gives us a thumbnail overview of this relationship that we have with Jesus Christ, Who is a High Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek, and how great it is, you see.

Now let’s begin right here in verse 1, because the whole chapter one fits together. “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon,…” And the difference between “seen” and “looked upon”, “looked upon” means that we have just intently gazed and examined. “…And our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)” So he is showing the great experience they had as apostles. And this is referring to after the resurrection when they saw Him. “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:1-3). That is what Paul is writing about in the book of Hebrews. That’s why we must understand the greatness of the Priesthood of Christ, the greatness that He has been made a Priest after the order of Melchizedek forever. And that we have this relationship with God.

Now verse 4, “And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:…” And the Greek there is poieo, which means to practice the truth. “…But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another,…” That is, between God the Father and Jesus Christ, and with each other. And that’s very important, because that’s part of the basis of the whole reason why we keep the Passover, isn’t it, that we love one another. Now notice, “…and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (vs. 4-7). So we are cleansed through the sacrifice of Christ. We are cleansed through the Word of God. We are cleansed through the Holy Spirit of God. That’s why the whole process of cleansing of sin is entirely different. And it’s a better and a greater way, isn’t it? Yes it is.

Verse 8, “If we say that we have no sin,…” That is, we don’t have a sinful nature; we’re all just good people, “…we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” Here’s the key: “If we confess our sins [that is, to Him], He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (vs. 8-9). See, so the whole operation of the temple and the priesthood, there had to be a change in the way that it was done, which meant there was a change in the law of the priesthood, and the temple. And we are now under the operation – let’s come to Romans 8 - under the operation of faith, and belief, and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:1. Now maybe some of you have not understood this. And I’ve often wondered about this, so I’ll bring this out in relationship to that there was a necessity that there be a change in the law. What was it changed to? “There is therefore now no condemnation to them [who] which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” And that’s what we are doing, isn’t it? We are walking after the Spirit, keeping the commandments of God. Striving to overcome. Maintain the relationship with God; to prepare for eternal life.

Now verse 2. Here’s part of the grace of God. “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus…” Now, hello, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. That then is the new priesthood law and operation of our relationship with God the Father and Jesus Christ, which then leads to eternal life. And through that, then, through the cleansing of sin that we just covered, through the cleansing and the washing of the water of the word, which we just covered, then, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free [or that is, justified me] from the law of sin and death” (Rom. 8:1-2). And that becomes a very important thing. Living under the grace of God puts you in the special category that God does not look upon you the same way that He does other people. Now, that’s not to lift us up. That’s to encourage us, and help us, and to be thankful to God. But He looks upon us as what we are going to be in the kingdom of God. He is looking to the end, or the completion of His work. Because God speaks of those things that are not, as though they are. So isn’t that something? That is a tremendous and a fantastic relationship that can only be accomplished because we have a High Priest Who lives forever. And because now we have a priesthood that is not subject to the physical laws.

Now let’s come back here to Hebrews 7. Let’s see if we can make a little progress here. Let’s pick it up again here in verse 15. “And it is even more evident because a different Priest arises according to the order of Melchisedec; Who was not invested according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of indestructible life.” When you come before God the Father and Jesus Christ, bear that in mind. He lives forever. “For He testifies, ‘You are a Priest forever according to the order of Melchisedec.’” And that means on into the ages of eternity forever. “For there is indeed an annulment of the earlier commandment [which was the one] delivered to Aaron due to its weakness and unprofitableness;…” (Heb. 7:15-18, AT). Now why was it weak and unprofitable? Because of the corruption of human nature, and not being given access to the Holy Spirit.

Verse 19, “Because the law [the law of the priesthood] brought nothing to perfection;…” But the law, the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, brings us to perfection, doesn’t it? See, it’s greater. We’ll talk about perfection, here, you see. Let’s look back here at verse 11 for just a minute so we see how this progresses here. “Therefore, if perfection was indeed possible through the Levitical priesthood…” (vs. 11). It wasn’t possible. Verse 19, because the law brought nothing to perfection. “…Rather, perfection is brought about by a superior hope, through which we draw near to God.” See, we have the superior hope of eternal life. They had the hope of living in the promised land. Which is greater? Eternal life.

“…[By] which we draw near to God.” And that is the whole basis, you see. That’s why when He gave the Ten Commandments we find there in Deuteronomy 5:29, when the people said, “Oh, we’ll do everything that You say.” God said, “Oh, I would that there were such a heart in you, that you would fear Me and keep My commandments always!” (Deut. 5:29, paraphrased). But they couldn’t. So we have a superior hope. We draw near to God. That is the whole theme of the rest of the book of Hebrews.

And in drawing near to God there are some profound things that we need to do. Let’s go to James 4. Again, this ties in with what we’ve already covered, as we will see, in relationship to cleansing. James 4, and let’s pick it up here in verse 6. “But He giveth more grace. Wherefore He saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” Again, showing our relationship with God. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you.” How about that? That is the relationship that we have with God, isn’t it? Yes. “Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.” That is, by repentance. So that follows along with what we’ve already covered. “Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up” (vs. 6-10). So there again is another way of expressing the same relationship that Paul was writing about here in Hebrews 7.

Now let’s come back to Hebrews 7. Verse 19 we just read here, “…through which we draw near to God.” Now continuing in verse 20, “And by this measure, even according as it was not without the swearing of an oath that He was made a Priest (for those who descend from Aaron are made priests without the swearing of an oath [they just get it by inheritance]; but He was made a Priest with the swearing of an oath by Him Who says concerning Him,…” And he repeats it. He repeats this at least four or five times in the book of Hebrews, where he says, “…‘The Lord swore, and will not revoke His word, “You are a Priest forever according to the order of Melchisedec”’); By such a greater measure then, Jesus was made the Guarantor of a superior covenant” (Heb. 7:19-22, AT). Not just better. Superior. Can you compare life with death? No. That’s why it’s superior.

“Now in the one case, there were many priests, because they were not able to continue to serve by reason of death.” Wouldn’t have to worry about that. “But in the other case, because He is living forever, His priesthood never changes.” You can always count on God. “Therefore, He has the power…” That’s dunamis. And in this case, because it is eternal, it has the implication of absolute power. Does God have absolute power? No question about it. “…He has the power throughout all time to save those who come to God through Him, because He is ever living to intercede for them” (vs. 23-25, AT).

Now let’s look at something else too. Let’s see, let’s come back here to Revelation 5. Now what if there is someone out there just kind of feeling lost and miserable and sort of cries out to God, “Help me”? What does God do about that? Well, let’s pick it up here, and then we’ll go back to 2 Chronicles. We’ll see how it’s done. Now let’s pick it up here in verse 6. “And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts [or, living creatures], and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.” Now then, the seven horns in the head of the Lamb signifies what? The seven churches of Revelation 2 and 3, and Christ is the head of the church; that is why there are seven horns. Christ is always the head of the church. And, “…the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.” Now what do the seven Spirits of God do? Why are they sent forth into all the earth?

Now let’s come back here to 2 Chronicles 15 and we will see. God is busy and active. God is ready to intercede on behalf of those who call out to Him. Now the seven Spirits there are the seven eyes of God, which go through all the earth. Now, 2 Chronicles…let’s come to chapter 16, then we’ll go back to chapter 15. 2 Chronicles 16:9. “For the eyes of the LORD [which are the seven Spirits of God that we saw back there in Revelation 5] run to and fro throughout the whole earth [in other words, they’re busy surveying the whole earth], to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect [or that is, sincere] toward Him.” That’s why Jesus said, “Seek, and you will find, and knock and it will be opened; draw near to God, He’ll draw near to you” (Matthew 7:7, James 4:8, paraphrased). Because those seven Spirits of God are active and busy, watching over the whole earth. Now, that covers those people who are not converted or called yet, who may be in the process of being called. But with us, we have the Spirit of God direct, and we go direct to God.

Now let’s come over here to 2 Chronicles 15:1. “And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded: and he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The LORD is with you, while ye be with Him;…” That’s always the way it’s been. That is a living principle. “…And if ye seek Him, He will be found of you;…” Always a living principle. So if you find yourself in predicaments where it’s very difficult, well then seek God. And if necessary, start out, you know, “Oh God, I’m here in the bottom of the barrel, and I don’t know where to go. I’ve gone clear to the bottom. And, of course, You want me there.” Now that’s hard to admit, isn’t it? And why does God want us there? And everyone’s going to come to the bottom of the barrel in his life, one way or the other. So that we’ll trust in God, that we’ll turn to God; that we’ll seek Him, that we won’t seek ourselves; that we’ll look to His solution, that we’ll wait patiently for it. Oh, yes, we’ll do our part. Yes, we’ll do the things that we need to do. No question about that. But here’s a guarantee: “…if ye seek Him, He will be found of you; but if ye forsake Him, He will forsake you” (2 Chron. 15:1-2). And that’s also the story of the book of Hebrews, isn’t it? Are there not some…did we not cover the thing on the unpardonable sin? Yes indeed.

Now let’s come back to the book of Hebrews here. Therefore He is able to save throughout all time, Hebrews 7:25 (AT), “…to save those who come to God through Him, because He is ever living to intercede for them.” Now, how quickly will God forgive sin? As soon as you repent. Now as we have covered before, which we will just inject in here. Many times when you sin you have such a great guilt complex about it, because you really are not repenting in the way that you need to. You’re letting the guilt complex take hold of you more than you ought to. You ought to feel guilty and repent, that is true. But then on the other hand, then you end up sort of accusing God, that He can’t forgive you unless you do something else. Now you really don’t mean to, but that’s just sort of the way that human nature is.

Now let me ask you a question: have any of you sinned as badly as king Manasseh? 2 Chronicles 35 – and he did it for 55 years. He shed much innocent blood. He let the homosexuals take over the whole temple area. He even built an altar in the temple of God, dedicated to other gods. And God sent him off in captivity. And while he was in the dungeon in Babylon he repented. And God had mercy and brought him back. Likewise with Ahab. God told Elijah, “You go to Ahab, and you tell him that he is going to die. You tell him that he is a wicked, and evil, and terrible, and wretched human being. And My judgment is, he’s going to die, and the dogs are going to lick his blood and Jezebel’s blood off the wall.” So sure enough, Elijah goes and he tells him that, and, I’m sure, shakes his finger right in Ahab’s eye, and says, “You are the man!” So he left. And what did Ahab do? He repented. It says he walked tenderly, put on sackcloth. And as Elijah was on his way back home, God told him, “Now, go back to Ahab, My servant Ahab. And tell him I will forbear.”

Now none of us have sinned to any extent like those two men. And those are examples for us, so that when we repent we can know we have forgiveness. When we come to Jesus Christ, and He has the power – the absolute power to save, He will. Now verse 26, “For it is fitting that we should have such a High Priest,…” With a superior covenant, should we not have a superior High Priest? Of course. “…Who is holy, blameless, undefiled, set apart from sinners and made higher than the heavens; Who has no need, as do the other high priests, to offer up sacrifices day by day, first for his own sins and then for the sins of the people; for this He did once for all time when He offered up Himself. For the law makes high priests of men who have weakness; but by the word of the swearing of the oath, which supercedes the law [of the priesthood of Aaron], the Son, Who has been perfected forever, has been made High Priest” (Hebrews 7:26-28, AT). That’s what it means.

Now let’s look at this thing concerning perfection. Because the law could not make anything perfect. So what God did, He started out and He perfected Christ. Now, being God in the flesh, was He ever imperfect? Of course not. But He was not perfected until He had gone through the crucifixion, and then being resurrected. Let’s come back to Hebrews 5:7 and show this. So first of all, you have a High Priesthood, a High Priest, Who has been perfected. Hebrews 5:7, “Who, in the days of His flesh, offered up both prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears to Him Who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because He feared God. Even though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience from the things that He suffered. And having been perfected [that is, by the things that He suffered], He became the Author of eternal salvation to all those who obey Him,…[and has] been designated by God as High Priest according to the order of Melchisedec;…” (Heb. 5:7-10, AT).

So first of all, you have the perfection of the Priest, don’t you? Next, you have the perfection of the people. The whole point is, that under the Old Covenant you could not be perfected. Under the New Covenant you can receive that perfection. Now how does that come about? We’ve already covered some of it, haven’t we? Repentance and baptism, receiving the Holy Spirit. Now then, there is the process of growing in grace and knowledge. Which then is perfection. Let’s see this. Let’s come to Ephesians 4, and see that that is the whole purpose of what God has in mind. The whole purpose as to why there are ministers and teachers, you see. There are ministers and teachers, not for the exercise of authority, but for the exercising of teaching the brethren to exercise that authority in their lives through God’s Spirit to grow, to be perfected. To let God work in their lives.

Ephesians 4:11, “And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints,…” Only possible under the New Covenant; only possible with a perfected High Priest, Jesus Christ. “…For the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man,…” (Eph. 4:11-13). Perfection. That is, spiritual perfection. Don’t worry about the physical perfection. God is not perfecting the flesh. He is perfecting the spirit.

Now the other night I was watching Larry King. And he was talking to Art Linkletter. Did any of you see that? Art Linkletter. And I caught the section which was just somewhere before the close, where he was talking with Art Linkletter, and he said, “How old are you?” And he said, “I’m 90 and six months.” And Larry King sort of dropped his jaw and took a deep breath, and said to the effect (I’m sort of paraphrasing), “How do you do it?” And he said, “First of all, I live a very modest life.” And he says, “Secondly, I exercise every day.” And he looked younger than a lot of 65 year-old people that I have met. So as the apostle Paul wrote, physical exercise profits, but you’ve got to keep at it.

Now then, he said something else. Larry King asked him, “Well, how are you able to do this?” And he says, “We all live between our ears.” I thought it was a good statement. In other words, in ye cranium is your life. And, brethren, that’s where perfection takes place. Perfection in character, with the mind of Christ, with the fruits of the Holy Spirit. It has to come from within by the power of the Spirit of God, and everything that is done within the Church of God should be toward that goal of perfecting the saints. Till each one comes to, as it says here, “…unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:…” And of course, that won’t take place until the resurrection. Now, that is a tall order, isn’t it?

Let’s come to Philippians 3 and see how Paul did it. Since we live between our ears – and I thought that was a good way of expressing it – what do we do? How do we handle it? You can spend all your life like the Jews and the Arabs hating each other, killing each other, vengeance against each other, blowing up each other, condemning each other. Where does it lead? Death and destruction, and plenty of misery in between, right? Or you can live in the past, whatever your past has been. And if it hasn’t been too good, if you dwell on the past, you’re going to be dwelling on the past. So you have some things that you need to do. And this is what the apostle Paul did. Look – no one had any greater case for a perpetual guilty conscience than Paul. No one has done any worse than the apostle Paul, when he was Saul, hauling Christians off to be killed and to force them into renunciating [renouncing] their faith. So this is what he said. This is how Paul lived with himself and God between his ears. Let’s read it.

Philippians 3:4, “Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:…” I mean, here’s his pedigree. A lot of people like to get into genealogy. And boy, they get all excited when they find out they belong to the kings and queens of England and so forth, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Well a lot of them were nothing but a bunch of corrupt murderers, and adulterers, and whoremongers, and deceitful political people, and the only reason that America and Britain has what they have is because of what the promise was given to Abraham, and not because of any inherent goodness in them. So pedigree doesn’t mean a thing.

“…Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;…” Couldn’t be any more strict. “Concerning zeal, persecuting the church;…” You talk about a wrong cause. You read that in Acts 9, he soon found out – bingo – there he is, lying on the ground. “…Touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord:…” That’s what we need to do. “…For whom I have suffered the loss of all things,…” (vs. 5-8), and yes, our own lives also, through baptism, correct? Yes indeed.

 “…And do count them but dung,…” And that Greek word is skubala. “…That I may win Christ, and be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:…” To be put in that right standing with God. “…That I may know Him,…” Not look at the physical circumstances around, “…and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death; if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead” (vs. 8-11). Now you see, in the face of every difficulty, and struggle, and trial, and things that he had to go through, this is the attitude he maintained. This is what we need to do. He didn’t accuse God. That’s the whole lesson of Job. You accuse God, you’re in terrible shape: “Well, why did God do this?” Well, go to God and find out what you need to do. Maybe the answer will come. That’s what Job had to do. Paul said that he always looked toward the resurrection.

“Not as though I had already attained,…” Because, you see, every day is another day. Every day you have to keep striving, see. “…Either were already perfect:…” You are being perfected. That’s the whole purpose of the High Priesthood of Melchizedek, Jesus Christ, to perfect you. “…But I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.” Never gets discouraged. Never gets down. “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind,…” (vs. 12-13). That is the key. You must forget the things that are behind. They are done. They are over.

Let me give you a good example. How many here have a checking account? When you get your statement you get back your cancelled checks, don’t you? If you want to know how worthless they are, take one of those cancelled checks for your house payment or rent payment and send it back to the mortgage holder, or the one who’s renting to you, and see if they will accept it. Of course they won’t. It’s worthless. Why? Because it’s over, it’s done; the function of that check has been fulfilled – it is worthless. Likewise, everything that you have done, which has not been for building the character of God, you repent of, you forget, you put behind you, it is worthless. To remember it, to dwell on it, it is the same as trying to pay your rent with a cancelled check – it won’t be accepted. That’s why he says, forgetting those things that are behind.

Now what if you say, “Well, I can’t forget those things.” Well then you better get on your knees and ask God to help you forget. You better begin filling your mind with some of the things of the Word of God so you can forget. And you better be asking God for His Spirit and understanding so you can put those things behind you. Because they have to be put behind. How can you go forward…here’s another way of looking at it: all of the problems of today end at sunset, or when you go to bed. They end. Now if there’s nothing you can do about it when you wake up in the morning, put it behind you. Why pollute the new day with the problems of the old day? Solve the problems of the old day, and go on. Whatever problems come, as Christ said, “Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof” (Matthew 6:34, paraphrased).

 Let’s finish it here. “…But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind [part one; part two,] and reaching forth unto those things which are before, [part three,] I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded:…” That’s how we are perfected. See, Christ was perfected by suffering in the flesh so that He could be the High Priest to make intercession for us. Now He is perfecting the people of God, and this is the process of perfection. “Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you” (vs. 13-15). Why? So you can repent and change.

Well, I’m about out of tape. And we did get through chapter seven. Now chapters eight and nine ought to go relatively quickly.

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