the Kingdom: what it is - part 12
Freedom from what?
The word “freedom” has become very popular in
church sermons these days, in worship song lyrics, and even on merchandise
marketed to Christians, but alas I fear the Biblical meaning of the word may be
all but lost on us 21st century Americans.
I know
personally I’ve been attending church since I was 8yrs old and have heard the
word used in various ways for all these years.
But just
like a double rainbow, the question we must ask is what DOES IT MEAN?!?!
^
I propose
to you that the freedom in the Kingdom of the New Covenant is from the penalty of sin, which is death.
What is sin?
A healthy 1st question is what is “sin”?
A working definition of sin is simply, doing that which God has forbidden, and death is the consequence of
sin.
Romans 6:23 tells us, “For the wages of sin is death...”
Please turn in your bibles to Genesis 2:15
We’re going to take a look at the historic account of how sin and
death came to be.
Gen 2:15-17
15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work
it and take care of it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You
are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not
eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from
it you will certainly die.”
In Verse 17 God’s command is clear “but you must not eat from the tree of
the knowledge of good and evil” making
SIN: disobedience to that command, and death occurring “when you eat from it.”
I’ll paraphrase Genesis 3-5, which records the series of events
after God gave Adam the command:
-The serpent questioned then lied to Eve and told her that if she
ate of the tree she would surely not die,
but that she would become like God knowing good and evil.
-Eve ate
-Adam ate
-Lord curses Adam, Eve and the serpent
-Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden.
-Lastly once outside of the Garden Adam and Eve had several
children and Adam died at the age of 930.
So based on what happened in the Garden of Eden:
1.) When was Adam to die if he sinned?
2.) What was the “death” that Romans
5 says, “came to all men” through Adam?
To address the first question: When was Adam to die if
he sinned?
Genesis 2:17 in the NIV says, ““WHEN” you eat from it you will certainly die.”
I believe here the translation fails to communicate the timing
correctly, so let’s consider some more precise and literal translations.
The NASB translation renders verse 17
17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not
eat, for in the DAY that you
eat from it you will surely die.”
Let’s see how the good ole Young’s Literal Translation renders
verse 17
17 and of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou dost not eat of
it, for in the DAY of thine
eating of it -- dying thou dost die.'
That may seem a bit redundant redundant, but the point is clear,
on the day Adam ate of the fruit he would die.
But
did Adam die physically on that day? No.
Not according to Scripture at least as Genesis 5 records that he
and eve after exiled from the garden had several kids and adam lived to be 930
years old.
--
--
So… what happened that DAY? What
day you ask?
The day he ate of the fruit from the tree of
the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Let’s turn to Genesis 3:23
3 So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the
ground from which he had been taken.
I propose to you then that the death of Adam was a “spiritual
death” as Genesis 5 records Adam physically
living and having physical children far after the day that he was removed from
the garden.
^
-Spiritual death
is thus Biblically defined as: Separation from God due to sin.
^
-The Death of Adam in
Garden of Eden was manifested by his “exile from the God’s presence.”
Romans 5:12 says, “sin entered the world
through one man (referring to Adam) and death
through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.”
So this death, this chasm if you will, remained for some time
between God and man.
“14 Nevertheless, death
reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not
sin by breaking a command, as did Adam
Romans 5:14
So time passed…
Eventually through the messenger of Moses, God delivered Israel
his chosen people from Egyptian captivity and gave them a covenant through which
they could be restored to God. This covenant is called the “Torah”, or “The Law of Moses” or “The Law” for short.
This covenant God formed with Israel was a conditional covenant that was
similar to the covenant He made with Adam; simply put, Blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience.
- Adam was
given 1 command, if he obeyed he could stay in the garden and in God’s lush
paradise enjoying His presence, but if he disobeyed he was to be exiled from
the garden.
- OC Israel was
given over 600 laws in the Torah and if they obeyed them God would bless them
and they would stay in the land He gave them where His presence dwelt, but if
they disobeyed they would be cursed and driven out of that land; separated from
God.
In the list of blessings in Deuteronomy 28:8 the Lord said to Old
Covenant Israel that if they fully obey Torah,
“ The Lord will send a blessing on your barns and on
everything you put your hand to. The Lord your God will bless you in the land He is giving you.”
So we clearly see that Israel under the Old Covenant was BLESSED
if they were in the “land” that God had given them.
Conversely, if Old Covenant Israel SINNED (ie disobeyed the
Commands of God) Deuteronomy 28:36-41 declared to them,
36 The Lord will drive you
and the king you set over you to a nation
unknown to you or your ancestors.
There you will worship other gods,
gods of wood and stone.
37 You will become a thing of horror, a byword and an object of
ridicule among all the peoples where the
Lord will drive you.
^
Old Covenant Israel experienced spiritual death when they were banished
from the Land into exile, away from the presence of God. They needed forgiveness of sin because if Adam couldn’t obey 1
command how would they ALL obey 600+? But seriously…
^
But God made a provision in the Law, a
sacrificial system through which the covenant community could seek remission of their sins.
The second
part of Hebrews 9:22 says, “without shedding
of blood is no remission.”
Merriam Webster’s Dictionary defines
remission as:
·
to release from the guilt or penalty of
·
to cancel or refrain from inflicting
·
to give relief from
·
to restore.
The
sacrificial or remission system had 4 key components:
a
mediator, a medium, a priesthood, and a meeting place.
A mediator
In the Old Covenant the Lord ordained Aaron the brother of Moses to
be the High Priest and decreed that only men born of his bloodline could
succeed him in this position. The High Priest’s role was to make sacrifices on
behalf of the nation of Israel to atone for the sins of the people or to die
trying. The high priest was the only
one in the entire nation of Israel who could enter the Holy of Holies to stand
before the Ark of the Covenant to make sacrifices before God for the people.
A medium
In the Law God prescribed the following list of animals to be
used in sacrifices to atone for sin: oxen, sheep, goats, turtledoves, or young
pigeons.
These animals were to be “without blemish” or in perfect health,
and at specific ages were to be slaughtered their blood, flesh, and fat were
all to attempt to cancel their sins before God.
The Priesthood
In the Old Covenant God elected the Levites, one of the 12 tribes
of Israel to be priests as a full-time vocation. Their role in the covenant
community was to attend to the furnishings of the tabernacle, construct and
de-construct the tabernacle when the Israelites moved about, and serve as
mediators between God and Israel. The
Levites were given as a gift from God to Aaron the High priest to serve as
assistants in the work of atoning for the sins of the entire covenant
community. They were also decreed to make their tents around the tabernacle so
that even in their resting they were always in the presence of God.
The Meeting place
The Lord designed the tabernacle to be His mobile sanctuary always
amidst the Israelites as they traveled, “that He may
dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8)
It was where all sacrifices
were made for all of Israel. Everything inside of the Tabernacle was holy and
had to be ceremonially cleansed with water and animal blood. The tabernacle was
only to be maintained by Levites.
The tabernacle was off-limits
to the rest of the 11 tribes of Israel and anyone that came into the tabernacle
that wasn’t either a high priest or a Levite would perish because of their sin.
The tabernacle housed the holy of holies where the Ark of the
Covenant was contained behind the veil. The Ark of the Covenant held the 10
commandments, Aaron’s rod, and a jar of manna as its contents; it was the
literal physical symbol and testament to God’s relationship with Israel.
Upon the Ark of the Covenant was the mercy seat from which
Numbers 7:89 says that God spoke to Moses from.
Later in history after Israel settled in the land God had given
them, King David decided that that God’s house, the tabernacle, should be as
nice as his home was and thought up a beautiful and permanent residence, or
temple for God where the tabernacle would be housed which His son Solomon later
had built.
God
setup a system under the Old Covenant to remit the sins of Israel.
Though
this system was setup it was not perfect, nor was it truly sufficient as we see
the nation of Israel plagued with spiritual death from the time of Moses to
Jesus.
Was
there freedom from the penalty from sin in the Law? No.
Hebrews 10:1-3
1The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the
realities themselves. For this reason it (the Law) can never, by the
same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw
near to worship. 2If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the
worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt
guilty for their sins. 3But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, 4because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take
away sins.
Galatians
4 states that Old Covenant Israel was enslaved to the Law.
Furthermore,
Galatians 3:10 says, “All who rely on observing the law are
under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not
continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law."
Israel cried out to the Lord under the burden of the OC.
Isaiah 64:5-9
5 You come to the help of those who
gladly do right,
who remember your
ways.
But when we
continued to sin against them,
you were angry.
How then can we
be saved?
6All of us have become like one who is
unclean,
and all our
righteous acts are like filthy rags;
we all shrivel up
like a leaf,
and like the wind
our sins sweep us away.
7No one calls on your name
or strives to lay
hold of you;
for you have
hidden your face from us
and made us waste
away because of our sins.
8Yet, O Lord, you are our Father.
We are the clay,
you are the potter;
we are all the
work of your hand.
9Do not be angry beyond measure,
O Lord;
do not remember our sins forever.
So Israel under the Law even with the use of the OC sacrificial system
was still cursed, enslaved, and spiritually dead… I’ve got to say it’s lookin’ bleak.
THANKFULLY! WE’RE NOT UNDER THE LAW!
Romans 10:4
Christ is the end of the law so that there may be
righteousness for everyone who believes.
The Kingdom was good news to the 1st century Israelites because
they were being freed from the burden of their sins!
God brought in His NEW sacrificial system in the New Covenant of the
Kingdom!
The same 4 sacrificial system elements are not only present but
are truly PERFECTED in the Kingdom!
^
A mediator
-Jesus Christ, the Messiah, God in the flesh is our TRUE High
Priest and mediator of the New covenant.
Hebrews chapters 4,5,7, and 8 all identify
Christ as our TRUE High Priest.
Hebrews 10:11-14
11 (Speaking
of the Old Covenant sacrificial system) Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious
duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take
away sins.
12But when this priest (speaking
of Jesus) had offered for all time one sacrifice for
sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. 13Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, 14because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are
being made holy.
^
A medium
Jesus at the Last supper gave bread and wine to the disciples and
told them to eat and drink his body and blood of the New Covenant broken and
poured out for their sins.
Hebrews 10:10
10And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of
the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Jesus was the Passover lamb of God who came to take away the sins
of the world. Through his broken body, spilled blood, and death on the cross He
appeased God, completing the law, and made a way for us believers to have
eternal life.
John 6:29
Jesus answered, "The work of God
is this: to believe in the one he has sent."
John 3:36
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does
not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
^
Look no further for a priesthood or a meeting place for in the NC
they are the same.
The CHURCH is the new priesthood as well as
the tabernacle of God with Jesus our cornerstone, the apostles as
the foundation, we are living
stones making up the temple of God as Ephesians 2 and 1 peter 2 tell us!
We are the kingdom NOT built with human hands, a
kingdom that will not be handed over to another, that will reign forever. Daniel 8:44
Now in the
Kingdom, the tabernacle of God IS His people so we are not constrained to 1
location, for all who believe there is no longer a boundary dividing unclean
and holy. God is with us and His spirit indwells us and we ALL have been made
holy, clean, and free of sin. No longer is there a need for the OC ark for the
law is engraved on our hearts and minds. All believers are priests called to
care for the tabernacle, which is the church.
Good stuff
right? So the work has been completed in Christ, we’ve been brought near to God
through Christ, free to approach God
and draw near to the throne of Grace with confidence because of Jesus’ perfect
complete Kingdom in the New Covenant.
And there’s
the word. Free. Freedom.
Recall what
I said at the beginning, “freedom in the Kingdom of the New Covenant is from the penalty of sin, which is death.
So after everything we’ve covered,
what does this freedom entitle us to?
-Peace with
God through Jesus.
-Eternal
communion with God as we’ve been restored to Him through the work of Christ not
our human effort or the blood of animals.
-Adoption
as children of God and fellow heirs with Christ of the Kingdom.
So that is
where we are in redemptive history.
Redeemed,
sanctified, justified, glorified and hopefully satisfied…..
One
might is ask, “Now that we’ve been freed from the penalty of sin, and Christ
has conquered the Law, does sin even matter anymore?”
Are
we free to sin since there is no penalty?
Sin will never change, God will always hate it, it will always
require punishment, it will always produce spiritual death keeping people from
God unless that person is a believer in Jesus Christ.
Let
me reiterate, God still hates sin, God will ALWAYS hate sin!
It
is the evil that separates God from His creation
A Christian should be mindful that though they are redeemed that
if they chose to sin now in the present they are willfully adding to the burden
Christ bore in his body on the Christ. They are adding to the lashes, evil, and
abomination that Jesus was crushed under.
When a Christian flirts with sin they are betraying their God who gave
Himself, His own body and blood to redeem them.
Do not romanticize evil Christian; you would betray your King for
your own selfish temporal trifles, lusts, or urges? Be righteous! You are a
HOLY priesthood, be Holy for God is Holy!
Galatians 5:13
You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your
freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.
Exhortation
I speak to
you now, those of you who have eyes to see, and ears to hear, to those of who
have purchased wine and milk without money, to those of you who believe that
Jesus is the Christ, that have conquered spiritual death and have been born
again.
My dear
brothers and sisters…. You are free.
-Free from separation
from God because of your sin
-Free from
His wrath and judgment
-Free to go
with confidence to do the good which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Romans 6:11-14
11 “…count yourselves dead to sin but
alive to God in Christ Jesus.
12Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey
its evil desires.
13Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of
wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought
from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of
righteousness.
14For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law,
but under grace.
www.ncfgeorgetown.com preterist
fellowship, preterist church Austin tx, Church in Georgetown, Texas. Reformed
church Georgetown, Texas Preterist church Georgetown Texas. Pastor David Boone.
Associate pastor Jesse Gutierrez, Sermon audio mp3 sermon download Full
Preterism. Covenant Eschatology. New Covenant Fellowship Georgetown. Page House
10:00 am Loving God. Loving Others. Realized eschatology fulfilled eschatology Preterist church Austin Texas. Bible church Austin Texas Second coming of
Jesus Christ churches in Austin area. Churches in Georgetown TX
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