Hebrews 7:11-14

Summary retelling of Hebrews 7:11-14

If people could be made perfect under the Law given to Moses, then what is the point of having another priest come in the line of Melchizedek rather than continue through a line that already works?  However, since we see a change in priesthood, we also have a change in the means of perfection (or Law).  It is clear that Jesus never served at an altar, although He was descended from Judah (and thus of David).  Moses and the Law says nothing about a priest coming from the line of Judah.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

The opening verse in this passage is incredibly powerful.  If we could be perfected through the Law, then what point is Jesus?  This is really huge to understand the importance of being Christian and not Jewish.  While both believe in the same God, one is fundamentally based on being able to become perfect through the Law while the other is based on only being able to be made perfect through Jesus Christ.  It really does come down to the fundamental belief of whether or not we can work ourselves into perfection or if we admit we have no ability to do so and thus depend fully and completely upon God’s action.

It really gets us down to the fundamental question.  Can I make myself perfect through my choices?  Do you believe that you can be absolutely obedient to God this side of the resurrection?  If you have any chance of making yourself worthy, what point does Jesus Christ serve?

Second Thought:

If we acknowledge a need for Christ, we fundamentally acknowledge a change in the purpose of being religious (IE, a change in how we are made perfect).  If the old system really worked, then one came to temple and made the sacrifices because we could make ourselves perfect through our ability to sacrifice out of what we own.  However, the new system acknowledges that we can’t make ourselves perfect through any kind of sacrifice.  In fact, we don’t even own the things we would sacrifice anyways.  We have been given everything by God, so at best we aren’t making a sacrifice but rather returning to God what is already His.  The new system acknowledges that we must rely fully on Christ, because everything God always comes from Him, first.

Do you believe everything you have is ultimately God’s?  How does such a belief change how we live?

Third Thought:

Just because the system changes, doesn’t mean that we have the right to ignore everything in the past, either.  We might argue that perfection doesn’t come through obedience to the Law – and it doesn’t.  We who are in Christ are set free – but we are not set free to do anything we please.  We are not free to sin.  We are free to be obedient to God’s will.  Knowing and obeying God’s law is one way that we can get to know God’s ways.  We simply have our relationship with the Law altered.  Rather than relating to the Law because we believe salvation comes through it, we relate to the Law as a response to our salvation through Jesus Christ.

Why is it easy to hear arguments like we have here in Hebrews and want to throw out the Law and only consider the teachings of Jesus Christ?  Can you put our changed relationship with the Law in your own words?  Why do you need to be in a relationship with God’s Law?

Passage for Tomorrow: Hebrews 7:15-19