Letter to the Hebrews Volume 183

 Sacrifices Pleasing to God Part 10

Hebrews 13:12 Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate.  KJV

The Old Mosaic Law required the high priest to go into the holiest place of the tabernacle once a year at the end of the year to sprinkle the blood of the animal sacrifice on the mercy seat to make atonement for all of the sins of the Hebrew people for that past year, yet the body of that animal was taken outside of the Hebrew 🏕 camp or 🏙 city and burned there. Likewise the Blood of the Great Atoner our Lord Jesus Christ was taken up to heaven (by Jesus Himself) and placed on the Mercy 💺 Seat there to make atonement for all of my sins and all the sins of everyone of His adopted sons and daughters not just for the past year, but for all time and eternity. Christ Jesus our Lord too was crucified outside of the 🏙 city of Jerusalem just as the writer of Hebrews declares for us with these next words, "Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate." (Hebrews 13:12) (KJV). The 💡 idea that the writer of Hebrews is trying to get those early Hebrew converts to Christ out of Judaism and all the Judaic system that they had practiced for many years with all of its many required animal sacrifices to God was that now they and we have One Sacrifice to God the Father for all of our sin and that being the Blood of the Lamb our Lord Jesus Christ who once and for all has put away the sins of all of us who have come to Him alone for the forgiveness of our sins against God and by His Blood Atonement He has reconciled all of us to God who believe in Him. The Blood of Jesus Christ is now the only acceptable sin offering to God and He rejects any other sacrifices human beings try to make to please Him or to come to Him. The little English phrase 'He might sanctify' is translated by the Greek word hagiazō meaning to make holy, that is, (ceremonially) purify or consecrate; (mentally) to venerate: - hallow, sanctify. In other words, the Blood of Jesus Christ has made me holy as well as all His other adopted sons and daughters, however, I know that within me I am not holy and many of my words and actions are far far from holy, but when my Heavenly Father sees me, He sees me through the purified lenses of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, therefore, I am holy purified and consecrated to Him and He hears my pleadings, partitions, and prayers when I come to Him through Christ Jesus my Lord. Let us be reminded once again of these words ✍ written earlier in this very same ✉ letter, "For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: Nor yet that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must He often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation." (Hebrews 9:24-28) (KJV).

Here is what Albert Barnes had to say of Hebrews 13:12, "That there might be a conformity between His death for sin and the sacrifices which typified it. It is implied here that it was voluntary on the part of Jesus that He suffered out of the city; that is, it was so ordered by Providence that it should be so. This was secured by His being put to death as the result of a judicial trial, and not by popular tumult. If He had been killed in a tumult, it is possible that it might have been done as in other cases (compare the case of Zacharias son of Barachias, Matthew 23:35), even at the altar. As He was subjected, however, to a judicial process, His death was effected with more deliberation, and in the usual form. Hence, He was conducted out of the city, because no criminal was executed within the walls of Jerusalem. Without the gate of Jerusalem; John 19:17-18. The place where He was put to death was called Golgotha, the place of a skull, and hence, the Latin word which we commonly use in speaking of it, Calvary, Luke 23:33. Calvary, as it is now shown, is within the walls of Jerusalem, but there is no reason to believe that this is the place where the Lord Jesus was crucified, for that was outside of the walls of the city. The precise direction from the city is not designated by the sacred writers, nor are there any historical records, or traditional marks by which it can now be known where the exact place was. All that we know on the subject from the New Testament is, that the name was Golgotha; that the place of the crucifixion and sepulchre were near each other; that they were without the gate and nigh to the city, and that they were in a frequented spot; John 19:20. This would favor the conclusion that the place was probably upon a great road leading from one of the gates: and such a spot would only be found upon the western or northern sides of the city, on the roads leading toward Joppa or Damascus." Here also is what Adam Clarke had to say of Hebrews 13:12, "That He might consecrate them to God, and make an atonement for their sins, He suffered without the gate at Jerusalem, as the sin-offering was consumed without the camp when the tabernacle abode in the wilderness. Perhaps all this was typical of the abolition of the Jewish sacrifices, and the termination of the whole Levitical system of worship. He left the city, denounced its final destruction, and abandoned it to its fate; and suffered without the gate to bring the Gentiles to God."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…




 

Letter to the Hebrews Volume 182

 Sacrifices Pleasing to God Part 9

Hebrews 13:11 For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. KJV Note: CEV=Contemporary English Version

The writer of Hebrews now shows those new Hebrew converts (and we converts to Christ today and of every era and generation) how clearly our Lord Jesus Christ was a complete fulfillment of everyone of the Great Days of Atonement with these words, "For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. (Hebrews 13:11) (KJV). The way the animal sacrifices were killed outside of the camp or city and their blood was carrried into the Sanctuary by the high priest and sprinkled upon the Mercy 💺 Seat to make atonement or compensation for wrongs or expiation or propitiation or satisfaction for all of the sins of the Hebrew people for the past year, so then was our Lord Jesus Christ killed outside of the Great 🏙 City Jerusalem and His Blood spilled and shed for the sins of many people who would come to Him (Hebrew & Gentile) and He Himself carried His Blood to the Mercy 💺 Seat in heaven and placed it there to atone for the sins of His people for all time and eternity. Likewise, the writer of Hebrews is also reminding them that just as the animal sacrifices were not consumed by the Hebrew people or even the priest during that Great Day of Atonement during the Mosaic Law economy, so then all those who would resist or reject or even refuse to let go of the 🧓 Old Mosaic Law and would continue to believe in and adhere to its efficacy, that is, its capacity or power to provide atonement for their sins and reject the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ have excluded themselves from all that the Blood Atonement of Christ does for all of us who belong to Him. The writer of Hebrews doesn't mean that any Jew/Hebrew has no opportunity to come to Christ by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8), but only that until their spiritual eyes are opened by our Lord Jesus Christ, they will continue to be blinded to the reality that He only is their Messiah.  

The Apostle Paul reminds 👥 us of this reality by what he wrote to the Church @ Rome, "Am I saying that God has turned His back on His people? Certainly not! I am one of the people of Israel, and I myself am a descendant of Abraham from the tribe of Benjamin. God did not turn His back on His chosen people. Don't you remember reading in the Scriptures how Elijah complained to God about the people of Israel? He said, 'Lord, they killed Your Prophets and destroyed Your altars. I am the only one left, and now they want to kill me.' But the Lord told Elijah, 'I still have seven thousand followers who have not worshiped Baal.' It is the same way now. God was kind to the people of Israel, and so a few of them are still His followers. This happened because of God's undeserved kindness and not because of anything they have done. It could not have happened except for God's kindness. This means that only a chosen few of the people of Israel found what all of them were searching for. And the rest of them were stubborn, just as the Scriptures say, 'God made them so stupid that their eyes are blind, and their ears are still deaf.' Then David said, 'Turn their meals into bait for a trap, so that they will stumble and be given what they deserve. Blindfold their eyes! Don't let them see. Bend their backs beneath a burden that will never be lifted.'" (Romans 11:1-10) (CEV).

Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of Hebrews 13:11, "Those who adhere to the tabernacle or the Levitical dispensation, or return to it again, exclude themselves from the privileges of this altar, from the benefits purchased by Christ. If they serve the tabernacle, they are resolved to subject themselves to antiquated rites and ceremonies, to renounce their right to the Christian altar; and this part of the argument he first proves and then improves. He proves that this servile adherence to the Jewish state is a bar to the privileges of the gospel altar; and he argues thus: - Under the Jewish law, no part of the sin-offering was to be eaten, but all must be burnt without the camp while they dwelt in tabernacles, and without the gates when they dwelt in cities: now, if they will still be subject to that law, they cannot eat at the Gospel-altar; for that which is eaten there is furnished from Christ, who is the great sin-offering. Not that it is the very sin-offering itself, as the papists affirm; for then it was not to be eaten, but burnt; but the Gospel feast is the fruit and procurement of the sacrifice, which those have no right to who do not acknowledge the sacrifice itself. And that it might appear that Christ was really the antitype of the sin-offering, and, as such, might sanctify or cleanse His people with His Own Blood, He conformed Himself to the type, in suffering without the gate. This was a striking specimen of His humiliation, as if He had not been fit either for sacred or civil society! And this shows how sin, which was the meritorious cause of the sufferings of Christ, is a forfeiture of all sacred and civil rights, and the sinner a common plague and nuisance to all society, if God should be strict to mark iniquity."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…




 

Letter to the Hebrews Volume 181

 Sacrifices Pleasing to God Part 8

Hebrews 13:10 We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. KJV Note: CEV=Contemporary English Version & MKJV=Modern King James Version

We just finished reading the ⚠ warning from the writer of Hebrews that we should not judge one another who see every day of the week as sacred unto our Lord Jesus Christ, while other brothers and sisters esteem some days as more important than others and give them special observances. Likewise we learned from him the very same regard when it comes to those who would like to continue to adhere to the dietary restrictions 🖐 handed down to the Hebrew people of God in the Old Testament and not consume all foods that are now clean for all of us who are 'in Christ'. So then, we now have the writer of Hebrews making the distinction between those Hebrews back then that had not come to Christ Jesus our Lord and those who had truly done so and that would be the alter of the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ or better yet the very Sacrificial Body of His which only His Blood bought, Blood born, and Blood bonded sons and daughters have a right to partake in, as it is written here by the writer of Hebrews with these words, "We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle." (Hebrews 13:10) (KJV). In other words, the writer of Hebrews was declaring these words then to all of the Hebrew converts to Christ wanting them to understand completely that the 🧓 Old Mosaic Law was now no longer to be their focus as declared by these words from Vincent's Word Studies, "Those who persist in adhering to the Jewish economy can have no part in the blessing of the New Covenant. The two are mutually exclusive. The statement is cast in the mould of the Jewish sacrificial ritual, and in the figure of eating a sacrificial meal." Also, here is what the JFB Commentary had to say concerning the same matter, "The Cross of Christ, whereon His Body was offered. The Lord’s table represents this altar, the Cross; as the bread and wine represent the sacrifice offered on it. Our meat, which we by faith spiritually eat, is the flesh of Christ, in contrast to the typical ceremonial meats. The two cannot be combined (Galatians 5:2). That not a literal eating of the sacrifice of Christ is meant in the Lord’s Supper, but a spiritual is meant, appears from comparing Hebrews 13:9 with Hebrews 13:10, 'with GRACE, NOT with 🥩MEATS.'" For those of us who have come to Christ as Gentiles and were never living under or adhering to the Mosaic Law, this would mean (in my opinion) that we should declare to all those who have not come to the ONLY Alter (being the Cross of Jesus Christ and His Sacrificial Body and death on that ➕ Cross), that their religion or religious beliefs or spiritual beliefs and practices are frivolous, faulty, and futile without the Blood of the Lamb our Lord Jesus Christ, as He said and sealed this TRUTH with these words I have often referred to because I believe them to be the most important words in all of the Bible for every sinner on the 🌎 earth whether religious or not or spiritual or not, "I am the way, the truth, and the life!" Jesus answered. "Without Me, NO ONE can go to the Father." (John 14:6) (CEV). You must understand that all of the greatest 🚹 men or 🚺 women that were and still are highly revered, regarded, and respected who died without a personal relationship with Jesus Christ by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8) died sinners without a sacrifice for their sin and are in hell at this very moment despite all of that human reverence, regard, and respect because none of their human talents or actions or good deeds could help them in the presence of a Pure and Perfect God, as He declared to the Hebrews back in the Old Testament through the Prophet Isaiah with these words, "But we are all as the unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as a menstruation cloth. And we all fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." (Isaiah 64:6) (MKJV).

Here is what Alexander MacLaren had to say of Hebrews 13:10, "The days are past, as it seems to me, when any man can reasonably contend that the New Testament does not teach - in every page of it, I was going to say - this truth of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Time was when violent contortions and effort were resorted to in order to explain its language as not necessarily involving that significance. But we have got beyond that now, and we oftener hear from deniers this: ‘Oh yes! I admit that throughout the New Testament this sacrificial idea is present, but that is only a chip of the old shell of Judaism, and we are above that level of religious thought.’ Now, I am not going to enter upon a discussion, for which neither place nor time are suited; but I will just suggest that the relation between the ancient system of revelation, with its sacrifice, altar, priest, temple, and the new system of Christianity is far more profoundly, and, I believe, far more philosophically, set forth in this Epistle to the Hebrews, as being the relation between shadow and substance, between prophecy and fulfilment, than when the old is contemptuously brushed aside as ‘Hebrew old clothes,’ with which the true Christianity has no concern. Judaism teas because Christ was to be, and the ancient ritual (whether modern ideas of the date of its origin be accepted or no) was a God-appointed mirror, in which, the shadow of the coming event was presented. Jesus Christ is all which temple, priest, altar, sacrifice proclaimed should one day be. And just as the relation between Christ’s work and the Judaic system of external ritual sacrifices is that of shadow and substance, prophecy and fulfilment, so, in analogous manner, the relation between the altar and sacrifice of the New Testament and all the systems of heathenism, with their smoking altars, is that these declare a want, and this affords its supply; that these are the confession of humanity that it is conscious of sin, separation, alienation, and that need of a sacrifice, and that Christ is what heathenism in all lands has wailed that it needs, and has desperately hoped that it might find. There are many attempts made to explain on other grounds the universality of sacrifice, and to weaken the force of its witness to the deep necessities of humanity as rooted in the consciousness of sin, but I venture to affirm that all these are superficial, and that the study of comparative religions goes on wrong lines unless it recognises in the whole heathen world a longing, the supply of which it recognises in Jesus Christ and His work. I venture to say that that is a truer philosophy of religion than much that nowadays calls itself by the name. And what lies in this great thought? I am not going to attempt a theory of the Atonement. I do not believe that any such thing is completely possible for us. But this, at least, I recognise as being fundamental and essential to the thought of my text; ‘we have an altar,’ that Christ in His representative relation, in His true affinity to every man upon earth, has in His life or death taken upon Himself the consequences of human transgression, not merely by sympathy, nor only by reason of the uniqueness-of His representative relation, but by willing submission to that awful separation from the Father, of which the cry out of the thick darkness of the Cross, ‘Why hast Thou forsaken Me?’ is the unfathomable witness. Thus, bearing our sin, He bears it away, and ‘we have an altar.’ Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ’s servants, I was going to say, obey the same law, and that law is, no cross, no crown. If Christ has not died, the world’s sacrifice, He will never reign, the world’s King. If His Cross be an altar it is a throne. If it be not, it is merely a gallows, on which a religious enthusiast, with many sweet and lovable qualities, died a long time ago, and it is nothing to me. ‘We have an altar,’ or else we have no religion worth keeping."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…




 

Letter to the Hebrews Volume 180

 Sacrifices Pleasing to God Part 7

Hebrews 13:9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. KJV Note: CEV=Contemporary English Version

The writer of Hebrews now wants to warn those new Hebrew converts to Christ Jesus our Lord who are coming out of their 🧓 old Jewish traditions  to adhere to, abide in, and acknowledge grace and not those things that they had been so used to in their past. This warning serves as a reminder to all of us in Christ today as well and every generation of converts to Him that grace alone through faith is how we were converted and so shall it be only how we must sojourn the rest of our days on the 🌎 earth. If grace was sufficient to convert us opening our spiritual 👀 eyes, then it surely will be sufficient to keep us day to day. So, the writer of Hebrews declares these words of wisdom to them and to us, "Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein." (Hebrews 13:9) (KJV). The ⌚ time of the writing of this ✉ letter was a very 😕 confusing one for those who had found themselves being taken out of a system of 🛐 worship that was all they had ever known, that is, the 🔭 observance of special dates and times (all established by God for them to do), however, now that they are 'in Christ' those previous cumulatings, celebrations, and ceremonies were no longer to be their focus or focul point, but they/we were to now focus on our personal relationship with Jesus Christ and 👂 listen to Him teaching us and guiding us into the things and places that He wants us to carry out His will on the 🌎 earth in our lives. When the writer warns the new Hebrew converts then with these words, 'Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines', he is declaring to them what Vincent's Word Studies says here, "These teachings represent various phases of one radical error - the denial of Jesus's Messiahship and of His Messianic economy as superseding Judaism and all other means of salvation. Among them the writer's mind would naturally turn to the prescriptions concerning clean and unclean meats and sacrificial festivals. These teachings were various as contrasted with the one teaching of the Gospel; they were strange as they differed from that teaching." The Old Jewish system required very strict dietary restrictions for the consumption of certain 🍲 foods which are all very good because they come from God, however, the writer of Hebrews wanted them to know and understand that in Christ all foods are now made clean and each member of His Mystical Body has the individual right to choose for themselves what they will consume or will not consume without judgement from others whether they are clean or unclean, just as Paul wrote with these words to the Church @ Rome, "Welcome all the Lord's followers, even those whose faith is weak. Don't criticize them for having beliefs that are different from yours. Some think it is all right to eat anything, while those whose faith is weak will eat only vegetables. But you should not criticize others for eating or for not eating. After all, God welcomes everyone. What right do you have to criticize someone else's servants? Only their Lord can decide if they are doing right, and the Lord will make sure that they do right. Some of the Lord's followers think one day is more important than another. Others think all days are the same. But each of you should make up your own mind. Any followers who count one day more important than another day do it to honor their Lord. And any followers who eat meat give thanks to God, just like the ones who don't eat meat. Whether we live or die, it must be for God, rather than for ourselves. Whether we live or die, it must be for the Lord. Alive or dead, we still belong to the Lord. This is because Christ died and rose to life, so that He would be the Lord of the dead and of the living. Why do you criticize other followers of the Lord? Why do you look down on them? The day is coming when God will judge all of us. In the Scriptures God says, 'I swear by My very life that everyone will kneel down and praise My Name!' And so, each of us must give an account to God for what we do."

Here is what Albert Barnes had to say of Hebrews 13:9, "That is, they should have settled and fixed points of belief, and not yield to every new opinion which was started. The Apostle does not exhort them to adhere to an opinion merely because they had before held it, or because it was an old opinion, nor does he forbid their following the leadings of truth though they might be required to abandon what they had before held; but he cautions them against that vacillating spirit, and that easy credulity, which would lead them to yield to any novelty, and to embrace an opinion because it was new or strange. Probably the principal reference here is to the Judaizing teachers, and to their various doctrines about their ceremonial observances and traditions. But the exhortation is applicable to Christians at all times. A religious opinion, once embraced on what was regarded a good evidence, or in which we have been trained, should not be abandoned for slight causes. Truth indeed should always be followed, but it should be only after careful inquiry. This is the proper foundation of adherence to the truth. The heart should be established with the love of God, with pure religion, and then we shall love the truth, and love it in the right manner. If it is the head merely which is convinced, the consequence is bigotry, pride, narrowmindedness. If the belief of the truth has its seat in the heart, it will be accompanied with charity, kindness, good-will to all people. In such a belief of the truth it is a good thing to have the heart established. It will produce: (1) Firmness and stability of character; (2) Charity and kindness to others; (3) Consolation and support in trials and temptations. When a man is thrown into trials and temptations, he ought to have some settled principles on which he can rely; some fixed points of belief that will sustain his soul. Not with meats - The meaning is, that it is better to have the heart established with grace, or with the principles of pure religion, than with the most accurate knowledge of the rules of distinguishing the clean from the unclean among the various articles of food. Many such rules were found in the Law of Moses, and many more had been added by the refinements of Jewish rulers and by tradition. To distinguish and remember all these, required no small amount of knowledge, and the Jewish teachers, doubtless, prided themselves much on it. Paul says that it would be much better to have the principles of grace in the heart than all this knowledge; to have the mind settled on the great truths of religion than to be able to make the most accurate and learned distinctions in this matter. The same remark may be made about a great many other points besides the Jewish distinctions respecting meats. The principle is, that it is better to have the heart established in the grace of God than to have the most accurate knowledge of the distinctions which are made on useless or unimportant subjects of religion. This observation would extend to many of the shibboleths of party; to many of the metaphysical distinctions in a hair-splitting theology; to many of the points of controversy which divide the Christian world. Which have been of no real benefit to their souls."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…




 

Letter to the Hebrews Volume 179

 Sacrifices Pleasing to God Part 6

Hebrews 13:7-8 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the Word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. KJV

The respect for those whom our Lord Jesus Christ has chosen Himself to lead His Mystical Body (the Church ⛪) here on the 🌎 earth is 🚱 non-negotiable with Him and it must be seen by each 📝 member of His Body as though they are speaking for Him, which they are. We know that during these ⌚⏰ times that we currently are sojourning it is not always that clear to us who really is speaking for God and who is not. Therefore, we must go to Him in much prayer asking Him to give us eyes to see and open our inner man or inner woman to recognize those who are true and those who are false. One recognizing feature we can look to would be those who speak the Word of God without compromise, cunning, or craftiness. The Word of God needs no embellishing, for it breaks through all barriers within the spiritual world and 🍴 cuts through all 🤥 lies, as it is written by this same writer of Hebrews earlier on in this letter with these words, "For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12) (KJV). So, we see then that those who have been chosen by our Lord Jesus Christ to give out His Word are not only to be respected by the rest of His brethren, but they themselves are to be so dedicated to giving out the truth of God to His Body the ⛪ Church, therefore, we read these words from the 📝 writer of Hebrews, "Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the Word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." (Hebrews 13:7-8) (KJV). The culmination of every man or woman of God declaring the truth of God and His Word results in what the writer of Hebrews says in verse 8. As we here today these words so often, 'the times have changed', we can see how many people would believe that to be true. However, our Lord Jesus Christ is the same today as He was when Moses were alive or when Abraham were alive or when Noah was alive. You see the years He allows to go by in human history never change the condition of the sinful human being and consequently the same things that were sin when Noah lived and when Abraham lived and when Moses lived are all still sin today in our so-called modern human society. It was Jesus Christ who allowed human knowledge to increase, not man getting smarter over the centuries or millennia's. Do you think that Noah was some sort of dumb cave man that built an Ark that survived a catastrophic flood that wiped out all the rest of humanity at that time except he and his family? Of course not, for he was as 🧠 smart as anyone today, but God was not ready for his generation to discover, design, and develop the ✈ Airplane yet, for His reasons alone. Do you think that DNA did not exist in the 1800's or 1500's or 1200's, of course it did, however, our Lord Jesus Christ was not ready for humanity to 🔓 unlock its existence back then for whatever His reasons were during those times. In verse 7, the writer of Hebrews wanted those Hebrew converts back then and we converts to Christ today and of every era and generation to remember, that is, to call to our minds how many of the earlier followers of Christ walked by faith during their sojourns on the earth and for us to imitate them during our own pilgrimage. The Apostle Paul or John or Matthew were no super saints of God, however, they were just like us sinners. Their walk with our Lord Jesus Christ may make them look like super saints to us, but in reality their difference is only that they clinged to the Word of God much more closely than many of us today and they lived a life of prayer, for many of them prayer was just like breathing. Can we say the same today?

Here is what Adam Clarke had to say of Hebrews 13:7, "This clause should be translated, Remember your guides, who have spoken unto you the doctrine of God. Theodoret’s note on this verse is very judicious: 'He intends the saints who were dead, Stephen the first martyr, James the brother of John, and James called the Just. And there were many others who were taken off by the Jewish rage. ‘Consider these, (said he), and, observing their example, imitate their faith.' This remembrance of the dead saints, with admiration of their virtues, and a desire to imitate them, is, says Dr. Macknight, the only worship which is due to them from the living. 'The issue of whose course of life most carefully consider.' They lived to get good and do good; they were faithful to their God and His cause; they suffered persecution; and for the testimony of Jesus died a violent death. God never left them; no, He never forsook them; so that they were happy in their afflictions, and glorious in their death. Carefully consider this; act as they did; keep the faith, and God will keep you." Here is what Albert Barnes said of Hebrews 13:8, "As this stands in our common translation, it conveys an idea which is not in the original. It would seem to mean that Jesus Christ, the unchangeable Saviour, was the end or aim of the conduct of those referred to, or that they lived to imitate and glorify Him. But this is by no means the meaning in the original. There it stands as an absolute proposition, that 'Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever;' that is, that He is unchangeable. The evident design of this independent proposition here is, to encourage them to persevere by showing that their Saviour was always the same; that He who had sustained His people in former times, was the same still, and would be the same forever. The argument here, therefore, for perseverance is founded on the 'immutability' of the Redeemer. If He were fickle, vacillating, changing in His character and plans; if today He aids His people, and tomorrow will forsake them; if at one time He loves the virtuous, and at another equally loves the vicious; if He formed a plan yesterday which He has abandoned today; or if He is ever to be a different being from what He is now, there would be no encouragement to effort. Who would know what to depend on? Who would know what to expect tomorrow? For who could have any certainty that he could ever please a capricious or a vacillating being? Who could know how to shape his conduct if the principles of the divine administration were not always the same? At the same time, also, that this passage furnishes the strongest argument for fidelity and perseverance, it is an irrefragable proof of the divinity of the Saviour. It asserts immutability - sameness in the past, the present, and to all eternity but of whom can this be affirmed but God? It would not be possible to conceive of a declaration which would more strongly assert immutability than this."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…




 

Letter to the Hebrews Volume 178

 Sacrifices Pleasing to God Part 5

Hebrews 13:6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. KJV

As the Psalmist has already so eloquently stated long before this writer of Hebrews was even born in Pslams 118:6, so now we see the same God the Holy Spirit leading him to encourage, enable, and empower the Hebrew converts to Christ way back then and each and every one of us today and of every era and generation who belong to our Lord Jesus Christ to not only remember the words in Pslams 118:6, but to more importantly live our sojourning lives directly according to them, as it is written here, "So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me." (Hebrews 13:6) (KJV). Our God Jesus Christ has commanded us to not covet the fleeting things of this evil 🗺 world, but to look to Him for what we need and for the 💪 strength to stand against the evil men and women the devil uses to hurt us during our pilgrimage home to heaven. The writer of Hebrews not only quotes the words of the Psalmist, but he declares that we should 'boldly' adhere to those words and this English word is translated by the Greek word tharrheō meaning to exercise courage: - be bold, have confidence, be confident. Our confidence is not in ourselves, but it is in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who has said He will not ever leave or forsake us, so that we may know in every time that we are attacked by the devil's two-legged 👿 devils and the invisible demons that live inside of them, we can be sure that He is with us even when we are hurt physically or some property we are steward over is sabotaged or even if they are allowed to kill us we will not 😱 fear because not even can death hurt 👥 us because we have been born twice and we shall only die once physically, therefore we can say boldy as the Apostle Paul wrote to the Church @ Corinth these words and let our lives on earth reflect there everlasting truth being unfraid of all the threatening of the enemy, as it is written, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 15:55-58) (KJV). Note: "I again this weekend have seen the devil (through his two-legged 👿 devils sabatoge property that I am steward over, yet I will cling to this word from my Lord Jesus Christ here in Hebrews 13:6 and continue to trust in Him for my physical protection and my spiritual protection as I walk by faith living surrounded by the enemy on all sides, for I will say and believe as the Psalmist said and believed with these words, 'But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: Thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.' (Psalms 40:17) (KJV) and likewise these words of the Psalmist here, 'In God I will praise His word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.' (Pslams 56:4) (KJV)."

Here is what Albert Barnes had to say of Hebrews 13:6, "Without any hesitation or doubt, In all times of perplexity and threatening want; in all times when we scarcely know whence the supplies for our necessities are to come, we may put our trust in God, and be assured that He will not leave us to suffer. In the facts which occur under the providential dealings, there is a ground for confidence on this subject which is not always exercised even by good people. It remains yet to be shown that they who exercise simple trust in God for the supply of their wants are ever forsaken. The Lord is my helper - Substantially this sentiment is found in Psalms 27:1, and Psalms 118:6. The Apostle does not adduce it as a quotation, but as language which a true Christian may employ. The sentiment is beautiful and full of consolation. What can we fear if we have the assurance that the Lord is on our side, and that He will help us? Man can do no more to us than He permits, and of course no more than will be for our own good; and under whatever trials we may be placed, we need be under no painful apprehensions, for God will be our protector and our friend." Here is what Alexander MacLaren had to say of Hebrews 13:6, "We have the power of controlling our apprehension of peril, but it is Of no use to screw ourselves up to a fictitious courage which consists mainly in the ostrich’s wisdom of hiding its head from the danger, and in saying, 'Who is afraid?' Unless we can say 'The Lord is my helper,' it is folly to say, 'I will not be afraid, I will brace myself up, and be courageous to meet these difficulties. That is all right, but it is not all right unless we have laid the right foundation for courage. Having our purged ears opened to hear the great, strong, sweet divine promise, we are able to coerce our terrors, and to Banish them from our minds By the assurance that, whatever comes, God is with us. 'The Lord is my helper ' - that is the foundation, and built upon that - and madness unless it is built upon it- is the courage which says to all my fears,' Down, down, you are not to get the mastery over me.' 'I will trust,' says the Psalmist, 'and not be afraid.' Faith is the antagonist to fear, because faith grasps the fact of the divine promise." Here is what Adam Clarke had to say of Hebrews 13:6, "We, in such circumstances, while cleaving to the Lord, may confidently apply to ourselves what God spake to Joshua and to Solomon; and what he spake to David, 'The Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man can do.' God is Omnipotent, man's power is limited; howsoever strong he may be, he can do nothing against the Almighty." Here finally is what Matthew Henry had to say of Hebrews 13:6, "Men can do nothing against God, and God can make all that men do against His people to turn to their good."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…




 

Letter to the Hebrews Volume 177

 Sacrifices Pleasing to God Part 4

Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. KJV

The temporary material things of this 🌏 world 🗺 have always been an allure to many human beings over the centuries of humanity, however, God has always told His children that these things are not what gives us value or importance, but instead it is our conversation, conduct, and character that defines us to Him. So, we find the writer of Hebrews now reminding these new Hebrew converts to Christ back then and we converts to Christ today and of every era and generation that we are never to covet, that is, wish, long, or crave for these deteriorating material things that much of humanity use to define themselves with and by, declaring to the rest of the world that those things are what make them valuable or worthy human beings. Instead, the writer of Hebrews declares to us what our attitude toward these fleeting and fading material things should be with these words, "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Hebrews 13:5) (KJV). The phrase 'Let your conversation' that begins this verse is translated by the Greek word tropos meaning figuratively deportment or character: manner of life. The English phrase 'be without covetousness' is translated by the Greek word aphilarguros meaning unavaricious: - without covetousness, not greedy of filthy lucre. In other words, our lives should not be ruled or run by how much of these fading material things we can store up for ourselves, because  at the end 🔚 of the day they will deteriorate and we will leave this earthly life for heaven leaving all those things down here, but instead we should do as our Lord Jesus Christ has commanded us to do and that is storing up treasure in heaven, as it is written, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:" (Matthew 6:19-20) (KJV). These words here from our Lord Jesus Christ is just one example from Him that clearly shows the utter decrepit, destructive, and devastating concept of the prosperity gospel (which is no gospel at all) and the disturbing, delusional, and deceitful 🚹 men and 🚺 women who have made themselves rich at the expense of people around the world 🗺 by feeding them 🤥 lies upon lies. The way we can lay up treasure for ourselves in heaven is when we give of the resources our Lord Jesus Christ has made us steward over to those true ministries of His who are sincerely preaching the Gospel of Christ and are seeing God the Holy Spirit convert many souls to Christ Jesus our Lord, for they are the treasures our Lord Jesus Christ speaks of and not laying up any earthly money in heaven because there money will be useless and worthless. All the earth belongs to the Lord and the fullness thereof (Psalm 24:1), therefore, we should be content with the things that He gives us to manage, that is, to steward while we are pilgrims down here, for whatever He wants us to have we will have because it all belongs to Him and He can bring to us what He needs us to have to do His will on the earth for His glory, for He will not leave us or forsake us during our sojourn to our heavenly home.

Here is 🌾 what Adam Clarke had to say of Hebrews 13:5, "That is, the whole tenor of your conduct, the manner of your life, or rather the disposition of your hearts in reference to all your secular transactions; for in this sense the original is used by the best Greek writers. Desire nothing more than what God has given you; and especially covet nothing which the Divine Providence has given to another man, for this is the very spirit of robbery. Being satisfied with present things. In one of the sentences of Phocylides we have a sentiment in nearly the same words as that of the Apostle: Be content with present things, and abstain from others. The covetous man is ever running out into futurity with insatiable desires after secular good; and, if this disposition be not checked, it increases as the subject of it increases in years. Covetousness is the vice of old age. I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee - These words were, in sum, spoken to Joshua, Joshua 1:5 : 'As I was with Moses, so will I be with thee; I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.' They were spoken also by David to Solomon, 1 Chronicles 28:20 : 'David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed; for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.' The Apostle, in referring to the same promises, feels authorized to strengthen the expressions, as the Christian dispensation affords more consolation and confidence in matters of this kind than the old covenant did. The words are peculiarly emphatic: There are no less than five negatives in this short sentence, and these connected with two verbs and one pronoun twice repeated. To give a literal translation is scarcely possible; it would run in this way: 'No, I will not leave thee; no, neither will I not utterly forsake thee.' Those who understand the genius of the Greek language, and look at the manner in which these negatives are placed in the sentence, will perceive at once how much the meaning is strengthened by them, and to what an emphatic and energetic affirmative they amount. This promise is made to those who are patiently bearing affliction or persecution for Christ’s sake; and may be applied to any faithful soul in affliction, temptation, or adversity of any kind. Trust in the Lord with thy whole heart, and never lean to thy own understanding; for he hath said, 'No, I will never leave thee; not I: I will never, never cast thee off.'"

Here also is 🌾 what Matthew Henry had to say of Hebrews 13:5, "The sin that is contrary to this grace and duty - covetousness, an over eager desire of the wealth of this world, envying those who have more than we. This sin we must allow no place in our conversation; for, though it be a secret lust lurking in the heart, if it be not subdued it will enter into our conversation, and discover itself in our manner of speaking and acting. We must take care not only to keep this sin down, but to root it out of our souls. 2. The duty and grace that is contrary to covetousness - being satisfied and pleased with such things as we have; present things, for past things cannot be recalled, and future things are only in the hand of God. What God gives us from day to day we must be content with, though it fall short of what we have enjoyed heretofore, and though it do not come up to our expectations for the future. We must be content with our present lot. We must bring our minds to our present condition, and this is the sure way to contentment; and those who cannot do it would not be contented though God should raise their condition to their minds, for the mind would rise with the condition. Haman was the great court-favourite, and yet not contented - Ahab on the throne, and yet not contented - Adam in paradise, and yet not contented; yea, the angels in heaven, and yet not contented; but Paul, though abased and empty, had learned in every state, in any state, therewith to be content. 3. What reason Christians have to be contented with their lot. (1.) God hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee, This was said to Joshua (Joshua 1:5), but belongs to all the faithful servants of God. Old Testament promises may be applied to New Testament saints. This promise contains the sum and substance of all the promises. I will never, no, never leave thee, nor ever forsake thee. Here are no fewer than five negatives heaped together, to confirm the promise; the true believer shall have the gracious presence of God with him in life, at death, and for ever."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…




 

Letter to the Hebrews Volume 176

 Sacrifices Pleasing to God Part 3

Hebrews 13:4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. KJV Note: CEV=Contemporay English Version

The subject of sex is one that is very highly, 🔥 hotly, and heatly debated in this country and around the world, however, many of these highly contestable, controversial, and contentious debates more than often are done without giving an account, access, or acknowledgment to what the Creator of all things seen and unseen (God/Jesus) has to say concerning the subject matter. It stands to reason that He Jehovah/Adonai/Elohim would know how this thing of sexual relationships should be conducted among human beings seeing that He is the One who created them and gave this wonderful act of sex to humanity. The writer of Hebrews has not neglected his duty to remind these Hebrew converts to Christ back then and all of us who belong to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ today and of every era and generation that God only honors sexual intercourse in humanity that is between a married couple (husband and wife), as it is written here by the writer of Hebrews with these words, "Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge." (Hebrews 13:4) (KJV). The English word 'honourable' is translated by the Greek word timios meaning valuable, that is, (subjectively) honored, esteemed, or (figuratively) beloved: - dear, honourable, most precious. God is 💘 💏 love as we who know Him can attest to, but He is a God of Righteousness. The fact that sex was ⚱ created by God to be pleasurable between men 🚹 and women 🚺 is proof of His great love for us, however, since He who created it knows more about it than any of His creation, then the reasons for Him wanting to see us participate in it as He knows best should never escape us, for this is a case of 'Father knows Best'. Certainly, He knew of all the STD's that we human beings have found out about over many years before He even laid the  foundation of the world. When the writer of Hebrews says 'the bed undefiled', he means that there is no way that any of these STD's can enter into the lives of a faithful husband and wife, also He means that there is no dishonor in the sex had between husband and wife, for the bonds of matrimony make all their sexual acts (oral sex, fetish sex, or any of the things they do with one another for sexual pleasure) clean and pure in the sight of God. God is not against sex which He created, but because of His love 😍, He knows that it must be confined between the sheets of a faithful husband and wife to keep both parties safe, satisfied, and 🔐 secure in their houses, that is, their tent/body which they live in as pilgrims here on the 🌎 earth. This is why the Apostle Paul wrote these words to the Corinthian Church when he discovered that they were appeasing, accepting, and even approving sexual relationships that were not within marriage, "Now I will answer the questions that you asked in your letter. You asked, 'Is it best for people not to marry?' Well, having your own husband or wife should keep you from doing something immoral. Husbands and wives should be fair with each other about having sex. A wife belongs to her husband instead of to herself, and a husband belongs to his wife instead of to himself. So don't refuse sex to each other, unless you agree not to have sex for a little while, in order to spend time in prayer. Then Satan won't be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control." (1 Corinthians 7:1-5) (CEV). The English word 'whoremongers' is translated by the Greek word pornos which means a (male) prostitute (as venal), that is, (by analogy) a debauchee (libertine): - fornicator, whoremonger. The English word 'adulterers' is translated by the Greek word moichos meaning a (male) paramour, that is, a woman's lover; - adulterer. The English word 'judge' is translated by the Greek word krinō Properly to distinguish, that is, decide (mentally or judicially); by implication to try, condemn, punish: - avenge, conclude, condemn, damn, decree, determine, esteem, judge. Those who live outside of the will of God for sexual intercourse, God will judge now and in eternity.

Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of Hebrews 13:4, "A recommendation of God's ordinance of marriage, that it is honourable in all, and ought to be so esteemed by all, and not denied to those to whom God has not denied it. It is honourable, for God instituted it for man in paradise, knowing it was not good for him to be alone. He married and blessed the first couple, the first parents of mankind, to direct all to look unto God in that great concern, and to marry in the Lord. Christ honoured marriage with His presence and first miracle. It is honourable as a means to prevent impurity and a defiled bed. It is honourable and happy, when persons come together pure and chaste, and preserve the marriage bed undefiled, not only from unlawful but inordinate affections. 2. A dreadful but just censure of impurity and lewdness: Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. (1.) God knows who are guilty of such sins, no darkness can hide them from Him. (2.) He will call such sins by their proper names, not by the names of love and gallantry, but of whoredom and adultery, whoredom in the single state and adultery in the married state. (3.) He will bring them into judgment, He will judge them, either by their own consciences here, and set their sins in order before them for their deep humiliation (and conscience, when awakened, will be very severe upon such sinners), or He will set them at His tribunal at death, and in the last day; He will convict them, condemn them, and cast them out for ever, if they die under the guilt of this sin." Here also is what Albert Barnes had to say of Hebrews 13:4, "The object here is to state that 'honor' is to be shown to the marriage relation. It is not to be undervalued by the pretence of the superior purity of a state of celibacy, as if marriage were improper for any class of people or any condition of life; and it should not be dishonored by any violation of the marriage contract. The course of things has shown that there was abundant reason for the Apostle to assert with emphasis, that 'marriage was an honorable condition of life.' There has been a constant effort made to show that celibacy was a more holy state; that there was something in marriage that rendered it 'dishonorable' for those who are in the ministry, and for those of either sex who would be eminently pure. This sentiment has been the cause of more abomination in the world than any other single opinion claiming to have a religious sanction. It is one of the supports on which the Papal system rests, and has been one of the principal upholders of all the corruptions in monasteries and nunneries. The Apostle asserts, without any restriction or qualification, that marriage is honorable in all; and this proves that it is lawful for the ministers of religion to marry, and that the whole doctrine of the superior purity of a state of celibacy is false; see this subject examined in the notes on 1 Corinthians 7. And the bed undefiled - Fidelity to the marriage vow. All licentiousness of life, and all violations of the marriage covenant, will be severely punished by God; see the notes on 1 Corinthians 6:9. The sins here referred to prevailed everywhere, and hence, there was the more propriety for the frequent and solemn injunctions to avoid them which we find in the Scriptures."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…