What is Sin?
When God created the world he declared it to be ‘very good’ (Genesis 1:31).
But quickly it became very bad (Genesis 3:14-19). Why?
We all know it was because of Adam – Eve – the serpent.
Adam (and Eve) had effectively said to God ‘I want to do what I want to do: I don’t want to do what you want me to do. And that is the basis of all sin.
God had made mankind ‘In his own image’ (Genesis 1:27) – perfect and holy. But since sin had spoilt his creation, Adam’s children were born ‘in his own likeness, in his own image’ (Genesis 5:1-3) and everyone since has inherited his sinful nature.
The book of Romans clearly states that sin’s extent is universal: ‘there is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one does good, not even one’ (Romans 3:10-12).
The result is that man – God’s perfect creation – is now separated from God. More than that, God warned Adam that there would be a punishment for sin (Genesis 2:17); and this is still true today: ‘For the wages of sin is death’ (Romans 6:23).
In order to fulfil our purpose, we need a way back to God and only God could provide it. But mankind would have to wait for the right time (John 7:6) – until then God gave Moses detailed instructions for a sacrificial system where symbolically the life of an animal would be given to atone for the sin of his people.
But the priesthood and the sacrificial system could never provide an acceptable sacrifice that would permanently deal with the problem of sin. Only with the death and resurrection of Jesus could Paul write ‘Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus’ (Romans 8:1).
But the Christian Jews in Jerusalem were reluctant to totally give up a sacrificial system which had been a fundamental part of their lives since birth. It seems that in the years leading up to the destruction of the Temple in AD70, and under intense persecution, they were in danger of returning to their old traditions. Also in Acts 6:7 we read that among these believers there would have been ‘a large number of priests’ who also had ‘became obedient to the faith.’
So this letter was written to the Hebrews; and we don’t know who the author was, but it probably wasn’t Paul.
Do we sometimes feel that our sins are separating us from the love of God? Have we ever felt we are not pure enough to take communion? Do we ever feel like the Jews in Jerusalem that there must be something we can do to make amends for our past sins?
Hebrews sets out to explain that it was simply because we cannot attain to God’s high standards – there was literally nothing that we could do – that he sent his Son Jesus into the world.
Let’s read Hebrews 1:1-4
1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 4 So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs..
What does it tell us about Jesus? (3 in v2, 4 in v3, 1 in v4)
2 God has spoken to us by Jesus.
2 He is heir of all things – what does that mean? – everything in the universe, including us, belongs to him. (Heir to a family business means it now belongs to him)
2 Everything was actually created by him in the first place.
3 When we look at Jesus we see exactly what God is like in the brilliance of his glory.
3 The universe only holds together by the power of his word.
3 As ‘ultimate power’ he humbled himself and suffered humiliation and death as the ultimate sacrifice to purify us from all our sins.
3 He sat down at God’s right hand. – what does that demonstrate? – That his work was full, final and complete
4 He is superior even to the Angels. (v4)
But the book will move on from who Jesus is, to what he has done. We will see that he is both priest and King – providing the complete answer to all our needs. We will also see that it is only because of God’s unfailing love for us that he has provided a way for us to come back to him – one way – Jesus.
But there was another problem in the early church, and that centred on the role of angels.
People were confused. Who was Jesus? Where did he fit into what they thought about Heaven? Was he a particular angel? To the early believers, angels had a high place in their thinking, some even considering that some angels could be superior to Christ.
The best way to answer difficult questions is to search the Scriptures (in their case just the Old Testament); many of which were already accepted as referring to the coming messiah.
So we are now given seven Old Testament passages that refute these beliefs.
Read Hebrews 1:5-14
5 For to which of the angels did God ever say,
‘You are my Son; today I have become your Father’?
(Psalm 2:7)
Or again, ‘I will be his Father, and he will be my Son’?
(2 Samuel 7:14; 1 Chronicles. 17:13)
6 And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says,
‘Let all God’s angels worship him.’
(Deuteronomy 32:43 Septuagint - used in NT times)
7 In speaking of the angels he says, ‘He makes his angels spirits,
and his servants flames of fire.’
(Psalm 104:4)
8 But about the Son he says,
‘Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;
a sceptre of justice will be the sceptre of your kingdom.
9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
by anointing you with the oil of joy.’
(Psalm 45:6-7)
10 He also says,
‘In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
11 They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment.
12 You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed.
But you remain the same, and your years will never end.’
(Psalm 102:25-27)
13 To which of the angels did God ever say,
‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet’?
(Psalm 110:1)
14 Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
So we find that:
In verse 5: God has a Father-Son relationship with Jesus.
And in verse 6: the angels are to worship the Son.
Verse 7: the angels are impressive, but (verse 8) the Son is God and King for ever.
Jesus made the universe (v 10; (also v 2)), and he’ll end the universe (v 12).
Verse 13: The Son has the highest place of honour – sitting at the Father’s right hand.
Now we need to look closely at verse 14: Who are ‘those who will inherit salvation’?
We who are heirs – adopted children.
So angels are not only God’s servants, but as his adopted children they are our servants too!
Nowadays there are plenty of philosophies and religions which refuse to accept that Jesus could be God’s son, let alone be part of the Godhead; and as we interact with ordinary people do we often face plain unbelief and doubt?
If we are to be unwavering in upholding the fundamentals of our faith it may well be costly in terms of our own personal sacrifice and the opposition we will face from others.
In that we are in exactly the same position as the first readers of this letter.
How do we respond to society’s demands for a multi-faith culture where the Law (UK) requires us to not only tolerate lifestyles that are opposed to our Christian beliefs, but to actually accept them?
Now chapter 2
Read Hebrews 2:1-4
1 We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2 For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, 3 how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4 God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
(Verse 2: It seems that there was a common belief that angels relayed the Law from God to Moses, but there are no Old Testament scriptures that back that up.)
Whenever we buy a new electrical product at least half the instruction booklet seems to contain dire health and safety warnings. How many of us just ignore them?
We simply can’t afford to ignore the warnings given in the Bible.
What is the warning in verse 1?
There is a very real danger that we may drift away from Christ.
How might that happen?
The message of salvation is truly life or death (v3).
Our journey of life is like a ship at sea – we will encounter winds and currents that can imperceptibly take us off course. To guard against this we regularly need to check where we are, and what direction we are headed in.
Read Hebrews 2:5-8
5 It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. 6 But there is a place where someone has testified:
‘What is mankind that you are mindful of them, a son of man that you care for him?
7 You made them a little lower than the angels; you crowned them with glory and honour
8 and put everything under their feet.’ (Psalm 8:4-6)
In putting everything under them, God left nothing that is not subject to them. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them.
The writer now returns to his theme of angels – pointing out that although mankind was created lower than the angels, he put mankind over the rest of his creation. Although, to be honest says the writer, there are things over which we don’t at present have control. But although having a human form, Jesus was different.
Rather than read Hebrews 2:9-18 in one go, we will need to break these verses apart to understand what the writer is saying:
Verse 9:
But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while,
He was born fully human – just like us.
now crowned with glory and honour because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
As a human, his destiny was not only physical death but also spiritual death: cutting off from God for eternity. But it was not the end; Jesus only tasted death – for three days – but was then completely restored to his position in the Godhead. His atoning sacrifice on the cross was the full and final expiation of our sins for all who will accept it, and all this by the grace of God (God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense) see Ephesians 2:4-10.
Verse 10:
In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered.
What do we understand by the word pioneer?
A trail-blazer.
The first into uncharted territories.
A representative of all who will follow.
Jesus was the first human to be truly ‘born again’.
And the first ‘human’ to be made perfect through his sufferings!
Verses 11-13
11 Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters. 12 He says,
‘I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters;
in the assembly I will sing your praises.’ (Psalm 22:22 – the psalm that starts with: ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’)
13 And again,
‘I will put my trust in him.’ (Isaiah 8:17)
And again he says,
‘Here am I, and the children God has given me.’ (Isaiah 8:18)
In Romans 8:16-17 we read:
16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
And in Ephesians 1:4-6 we read:
In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will – to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
So now we are sanctified (‘made holy’ in verse 11) we are fully adopted as children of God and heirs of all the riches he chooses to pour out on us.
Now verses 14-16
14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death – that is, the devil – 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 16 For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants.
Sometimes, to differentiate us from ‘higher beings’, we humans are called ‘mortals’.
What does the word mortal mean? What is a mortal disease?
We will eventually die, and a mortal disease will kill us.
Jesus’ ministry was not to angels but mortals, whose very name is a reminder (v15) that our lives are lived in fear of impending death.
And it was only by becoming one of us (v14) that Jesus could finally overcome the devil’s power and restore to us the prospect of everlasting life.
Verses 17-18
17 For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
What was the purpose of the high priest? (Leviticus 16 especially Leviticus 16:32-34)
To make atonement – once a year – for the sins of the people.
The High priest was also a human, who understood all the temptations of fellow humans.
Verse 18: Jesus ‘suffered when he was tempted’, not only at the beginning of his ministry but also at the end. When was that?
Luke 22:41-44 where the temptation was to not go through with the impending crucifixion, and he suffered as a result.
We will look at Jesus as 'High Priest' in our third study, but for now read Hebrews 4:14-15
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to feel sympathy for our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
