New Salem Baptist Church

Having Confidence to Be in God’s Presence

Oct. 13, 2024

Read Hebrews 10:10-22.

⁹ then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. ¹⁰ And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. ^[1]

Jesus came to do the will of the Father. So, the “will” spoken of in verse 10 is the will of God. It is by God’s will that we have been sanctified. Of course, not everyone is sanctified. The apostle Paul (who I think is the author) is writing to those who have already come to Christ for salvation. Both in his day and in our day only a minority have done this.

There are two kinds of sanctification spoken about in the New Testament. The words, sanctification and sanctified, have to do with being set apart by God for his holy purposes. Most of humanity has not been sanctified in any way. They live for themselves or, at a higher level, they live for their family. But they do not live for God because most have not been called.

The two kinds of sanctification to which the NT writers refer are identified as positional sanctification and dispositional sanctification. In fact, Paul uses the term in both these ways in chapter 10. Here in verse 10, he intends positional sanctification. This means what you would think it would mean by the adjective, “positional.” It refers to God setting a person aside for Himself. He calls a person out of the sea of humanity and gives them a new position. Whereas they were in the position of an outcast, rejected by God because of their sins, now they are in a position of being in God’s favor. They belong to him. This idea of sanctification has to do with our position as a child of God.

Just four verses later he will use the term in the other way and it will be evident that he does so.

It is through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus that we can become a child of God.

¹² But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, ¹³ waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet.^[2]

After his crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus sat down at the right hand of God (sitting on the right hand of a sovereign ruler means that one has been given authority to rule), waiting for his enemies to be subdued.

The enemies of Christ are still in rebellion against him. The rulers of most nations enact the most vile laws in direct opposition to Christ’s will. Not only the rulers, but countless millions of individuals throughout the world defy the will of God. Christ is waiting for them to be made a footstool. You can be a footstool or you can be counted among those on his side. Which side will you be on? His enemies being made his footstool will not happen until his return to the earth (I Cor. 15:25-28).

Next, we come to a very dearly loved verse:

¹⁴ For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. ^[3]

This verse is astounding and uplifting. It says that through Christ’s one sacrifice he has perfected for all time those who belong to him! First, we must see that because of his sacrifice we are perfected. We are made perfect! Someone may be thinking, “But I’m not perfect. I fail the Lord so often. I disappoint myself. I sin.” That is the marvel of it! God sees us as both sinless and perfect because of his Son’s sacrifice, even though in the course of our living we still stumble and sin. This is because there was a divine exchange at the cross. Our sins were placed on Christ and we have them no more. Every sin of yours was placed on Christ. Some so-called Christians try to deny this. They say that those who repent and place their faith in Christ have only their sins up until the time of their repentance forgiven. After they come to faith they do not have their future sins forgiven. But look at verse 14 again. It says that he has perfected us for all time!

All of our sins are placed on him. Not only that, but his goodness, his righteousness, is then placed upon us.

³⁰ And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, ³¹ so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” ^[4]

See that Christ became these things to us.  To us! The righteousness of Jesus is applied to us!

This is why we are perfected forever!

But also note the second part of 10:14. He has perfected those “who are being sanctified.” This is the second kind of sanctification, dispositional sanctification. This term means just what it says. Our dispositions are being transformed. Our attitudes, our dearest values, our faithfulness…they are all being changed. We are leaving sins behind and finding fulfillment in obedience. This is a lifelong process. And, while it is taking place we are already perfected in the eyes of God! This verse recognizes that we still have sins in our life and yet affirms our perfection! It is amazing, wonderful, and comforting!

¹⁵ And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying,

¹⁶    “This is the covenant that I will make with them

after those days, declares the Lord:

       I will put my laws on their hearts,

and write them on their minds,” ^[5]

Again Paul quotes from Jeremiah 31, identifying an aspect of the new covenant that is applicable to all who are brought into it, Jew and Gentile alike. Two weeks ago we addresses this same passage since it appeared in chapter eight. There I taught that the Holy Spirit is the one who is writing God’s laws in our minds and in our hearts. He creates a desire in us to follow God’s laws. But who remembers the actual way he gets his laws into us? Practically, how does that happen? [Answer: we must read and understand the commands of God; otherwise they will not get into us.]

We must not neglect this part of the new covenant. If we do not meditate on God’s laws the Holy Spirit cannot write them on our hearts. This is actually the fruit of the Holy Spirit starting to write. He creates a delight within the one who is truly in the new covenant and this delight causes that person to meditate on God’s laws.

¹⁷ then he adds,

       “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” ^[6]

This is another comforting verse. If you are in the new covenant God does not remember your sins. This does not mean that God literally doesn’t remember them. The Bible teaches that God is omniscient, that is, he knows all things. There is nothing that God does not know. When it says that he does not remember our sins, this means that he treats us, loves us, and cherishes us as if he had no recollection of our sins. I don’t know about you, but I find this consoling and reassuring. In a way, this is a repetition of what the apostle just said about the members of the new covenant being perfected for all time.

¹⁹ Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,^[7]

This truth, that we are fully forgiven and perfected gives us confidence to enter the holy places. What are the holy places?

In the tabernacle there was thee outer court, where the brass altar and the brass laver were, and then there was the Holy Place and beyond that, the Most Holy Place. When the author of Hebrews mentions “holy places,’ plural, he must be referring to both the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. He had mentioned these places at the beginning of chapter nine:

9 Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness. ² 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. ³ Behind the second curtain was a second section called the Most Holy Place, ⁴ 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.^[8]

In discussing these holy places we must address what appears to be a contradiction in Scripture. Here in Hebrews nine the author seems to write that the altar of incense was in the Most Holy Place. However, in Exodus, where the furniture items are both described and directed where to be placed, the incense altar is clearly located in the Holy Place (Exodus 30:6; 40:26). The discrepancy is explained by noting that the altar of incense was to be placed directly in front of the veil to the Most Holy Place and it also functioned in the High Priest’s (and Aaron’s before him) annual entrance and ritual into the Most Holy Place. Yet, incense was burned on the altar of incense daily (Exodus 30:7; Luke 1:9) so it had to have been physically located in the Holy Place.

Because it was placed just “before the holy veil,” it was more closely associated with the Most Holy Place than the other items of furniture.

 In Hebrews 9:4 some versions have “in it were…” That is not a good translation because the word “in” is not present in the original language (Greek). As the ESV has it, the word “having” is correct. This having, as was explained, has to do with the altar’s theological association, not physical location (other than being directly in front of the curtain, close to the Ark of the Covenant).

Thus, there were three items of furniture in the Holy Place and only one item in the Most Holy Place, the Ark of the Covenant.

How do we enter the holy places now, as Paul directs us in Hebrews 10:19? The items of furniture in these places represent our experiences of Christ. As we enter the Holy Place we encounter the showbread table. This is the table having bread upon it. This bread signifies Christ as our life supply (John 6:35, 57). Do you have the sense that you have no life without Christ? Do you know that you need his empowerment day by day, even minute by minute? I have this sense. As we turn to Christ for a supply of life in every situation we are enjoying the bread upon the table!

There were twelve loaves of bread upon the table. Twelve is the number of eternal completion. This inward enjoyment and supply of life from Christ is eternal! We enjoy Christ now and will do so for eternity! Thank you, God!

After the showbread table is the lampstand where we experience Christ as the shining light of life (John 1:4; 8:12). After we enjoy Christ as our food, we have light. We see things we haven’t seen before. We see things as Christ sees them.

The lampstand has seven lamps. Seven is the number of completion in time. That is, completion for a time and a place. The light of Christ enables you to see, move, and act in a dark time. We are in a dark age right now so we need the lampstand of Christ. The time is darker now than it was 100 years ago. It is darker now than it was 50 years ago. It is even darker now than it was 25 years ago. How we need the light of Christ to shine upon us and in us!

The last item of furniture in the Holy Place is the golden altar, which is the incense altar. The incense altar, lampstand, and showbread table form a triangle. The showbread table was on the north, the lampstand on the south, and the incense altar on the west directly in front of the veil.  The incense was put into a censer and lit. The fragrant aroma of the incense would fill the room and rise to heaven. Since every element in the holy places represent Christ, the incense also represents Christ. The censor is our prayer. This means that Christ must be in the center of our prayers. The aroma is the mingling of Christ with our prayers. The experience of praying in the spirit with Christ leads us into the Most Holy Place.

In the Most Holy Place we experience Christ in the innermost way. In the Most Holy Place was the ark of the testimony, which contained the ten commandments. The commandments are called “the testimony” because they testify to God’s nature.

The ark of the testimony is a type of Christ, who is the truest testimony of God, the embodiment and expression of God. We can and should enjoy Christ as the expression of God. As we appreciate Christ as God we sense a yearning within us to be as He is. Not in the way of outward imitation, but a desire to be as He is in the innermost part of who we are. It’s far away from a lackluster following of the law because we are supposed to do so. It becomes our truest desire.

In the ark was also the hidden manna. Of course, the manna also typifies Christ. Because it is in the Holy of Holies it simply means experiencing Christ as our life supply in a deeper way. To enjoy Christ as the innermost supply, we must overcome the frustrations of life, disdain the worldly and fleshly barriers and eat Christ. The manna was promised to the overcomers in Rev. 2:17.

The ark also contained the budding rod. The budding rod typifies resurrection life for the carrying out of God’s will. This is why Aaron’s rod budded: to show to all that he was given authority to carry out God’s will. As we enjoy the resurrection life of Christ we gain a confidence from the Lord to do his will. Do not look to your own weakness. Look to the resurrection life that caused Aaron’s rod to bud! This is the life that is available to all those called by God as Aaron was.

We have confidence to experience all these things,

• the showbread, which is Christ as our life-supply,
• the lampstand, which is Christ as our light,
• the incense altar, which represents our prayers ascending to heaven mingled with Christ,
• the tables of the law, which have become our true desire.
• the hidden manna, which is Christ as our deepest supply of life,
• and the budding rod, which is Christ’s resurrection life.

²¹ and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²² let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.^[9]

We can have confidence because Christ is our priest. We can draw near to God with full assurance. We have full assurance because we believe. Our hearts have been made clean and we’ve been baptized.

[Application and Conclusion] How do we apply this knowledge? It’s very simple. We must never shrink back from entering into the presence of God. The verses this morning are about entering God’s presence in this life, here and now.

Later in this chapter the author will speak for God, writing:

³⁸    but my righteous one shall live by faith,

and if he shrinks back,

       my soul has no pleasure in him.” ^[10]

Do you see the emphasis? Have confidence. Come with full assurance. Do not shrink back. Why does the apostle emphasize these things? It is because we all have a tendency to be ashamed of our sins and then either avoid God or just make a short confession and try to forget about it. We have an inclination to shrink away.

But we must have confidence to enter into God’s presence. This means we must get away from everyone, get on our knees, and know with assurance that God accepts us, Christ has interceded for us, and God wants us to come to him with confidence. You must believe those things because they are all true!

No matter what, today and every day come into his presence. Enjoy his acceptance! Commune with the one who loves you.