Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Bible Truth #177 - Hebrews 9:24-28

Hebrews 9:24-28
24  For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence.
25  Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own.
26  Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.
27  Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,
28  so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

Let’s start with verse 24 - Christ entered Heaven itself to appear in God’s presence... for WHO? For US. The writer of Hebrews is not referring to “us” in the context of “us humans,” but he is referring to God’s Elect, “us” believers. Christ did not appear in God’s presence for every human that ever lived, or will live, because as it is written in verse 12 of the same chapter (Bible Truth #90), He entered the Most Holy Place having OBTAINED eternal redemption. It is done, finished, complete. It is not “available” for all men, He obtained it for His Elect, US!

Now verse 26: The Arminian may try to claim that “He has appeared once for all...” means “all mankind.” I’m sorry, but if that is true then the same context must be applied to verse 12. Did Christ obtain salvation for all MANKIND? Of course not. “All” in verse 26 is correctly understood to mean “all His Elect” and this is clearly stated in John 6:39 where Jesus spoke of a specific group given to Him that He will raise up. This is the same group for whom He OBTAINED eternal redemption. And by the way, please note the tense of the verb “obtained” - it’s already done. Besides, if He DID appear in God’s presence for all mankind, it appears the Arminian is considering that Christ failed - in that His appearance did not accomplish what Arminians so desperately and “unbiblically” want to believe - that He died for every soul who lived or will live. Christ did NOT fail.

This interpretation is also supported in verse 28 where God had the writer record that Christ was sacrificed to take away the sins of many people, not ALL people. And the verse goes on to say that He is going to bring salvation to all those who are waiting for Him. Again, who are those waiting on Him? Answer - the Church, His Elect, His Bride. The lost aren’t waiting for His return. And one more time - He is BRINGING salvation, not the opportunity for salvation.

We become children of God NOT by human decision (John 1:13). PRAISE GOD!! ...because if it was by human decision, NO ONE would be saved.

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