sacrifices – La Vista Church of Christ

Outside the Camp

Jeffrey Hamilton — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 00:29:21 +0000

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by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

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Text: Hebrews 13:9-14

I. Understanding the place of the Old Testament is difficult for man

A. God is clear that

1. The Old Law would come to an end - Jeremiah 31:31-34

2. The Old Law did come to an end - Colossians 2:14; Ephesians 2:15-16

B. The book of Hebrews is mostly about why that change had to take place and how much better the New Law of Christ is - Hebrews 8:6

C. We are going to examine the concluding summary of Hebrews to better understand these things - Hebrews 13:9-14

II. The book of Hebrews was targeted to Christians from a Jewish background

A. From the establishment of the church there were always elements who tried to push Christianity back toward the Old Law - Acts 15:1-5

B. The book of Galatians deals with the issue

1. A perversion of the Gospel - Galatians 1:9-10

2. Christians were being pulled away by Judaizing teachers - Galatians 3:1-4

3. People wanted to make it a Jewish sect - Galatians 6:12-15

III. Old Testament Food versus New Testament Food

A. It wasn’t just circumcision that was at issue, there was push to conform to the dietary laws

1. “Righteousness” was being determined by conforming to the rules of the Old Law - Colossians 2:17-18

2. Even though food doesn’t make a person righteous - I Corinthians 8:8

3. Foods do not profit the person occupied with them - Hebrews 13:9

4. Don’t subject yourselves to regulations - Colossians 2:20-23

5. Righteousness comes by grace, not by law keeping - Romans 3:27-28

B. Under the Old Testament, only the priest could eat from the altar - Numbers 18:9-10

1. It was a part of a priest’s rights - I Corinthians 9:13

C. But Christians have food which cannot be eaten by priests following after the Old Law - Hebrews 13:10

1. They had no right to it

2. Jesus declared that he was the bread - John 6:35, 48, 51

3. That bread we partake in - I Corinthians 5:7; 10:16-17

4. The Lord’s Supper represents this, but we understand that Jesus wasn’t talking about physical food, but spiritual food

5. Christ bought with his blood our salvation - Hebrews 10:5-12

6. And those remaining under the Old Law had no right to partake in it

D. Notice that the writer talks about those serving under the tabernacle

1. Why tabernacle instead of temple?

2. A tabernacle was a tent, a temporary dwelling

3. This was a further stab that the Old Law was only temporary

E. Pulling in the Old keeps you out of the New - Galatians 5:2-4

IV. Jesus’ death is compared to the sacrifices of the Old Testament - Hebrews 13:11-12

A. The sin offerings were not fully burnt on the altar - Leviticus 16:27

B. It wasn’t a coincidence that Jesus died outside the city limits - John 19:17-18

C. In this way, Jesus became a type of burnt offering. His sacrifice was in the category of burnt offerings - Ephesians 5:2

D. But because it was outside the gates of Jerusalem, what was done was not fully a part of the Old Law. It is for this reason that Jesus’ blood reaches those not born as Jews - Ephesians 2:11-18

E. Using Jerusalem as a symbol, the writer points out that to partake of this sacrifice, the Jew must go outside the camp - Hebrews 13:13

F. They had to come out of the Old Law - Romans 7:4

G. That it would involve hardships was a given - Matthew 5:10-12

V. No continuing city - Hebrews 13:14

A. The Old Law had been fade since the days of Jeremiah - Hebrews 8:13

B. The city that the Jews took so much pride in would not last - Matthew 24:1-2

C. There was nothing left for the Jews under the Old Law

D. But in Christ we seek an eternal home - Philippians 3:20-21

E. Salvation is not in the Old Law, but in Christ and his law.

F. Will you also seek for the continuing city to come?

What Jesus Sacrificed

Jeffrey Hamilton — Thu, 27 Nov 2025 00:56:40 +0000

by Doy Moyer

Jesus Sacrificed His Body

The sacrifice of Jesus is vital to salvation (Ephesians 1:7). Yet it was not just the death of Jesus that saves us; the resurrection was necessary to defeat death and thereby offer us the hope of eternal life (I Peter 1:3-5). To be sure, Jesus sacrificed His body. He came in the flesh with a body prepared for the task to offer Himself up as an atoning sacrifice. Peter wrote, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed” (I Peter 2:25). The Hebrews writer shows this to be the case: “Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, ‘Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book’” (Hebrews 10:5-7).

The importance of the body of Jesus is highlighted by the instructions concerning the Lord’s Supper, wherein Jesus says of the bread, “Take, eat; this is my body” (Matthew 26:28). Paul also wrote of the Lord’s Supper, “The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread” (I Corinthians 10:16-17). The body of Jesus was sacrificed, His blood shed, to open up the new and living way to God (Hebrews 9-10). That same body was raised up to give us hope of life. In other words, the body of Jesus is crucial to our own death and resurrection.

However, the sacrifice was not just about Jesus’ body. He took on flesh and blood (Hebrews 2:14), but He was God manifested in the flesh, and He emptied Himself to go to the cross and draw us back to God (John 12:32). Jesus was not guilty of sin, but He became the sin offering so that we can be forgiven. Understanding the full extent of Christ's suffering is beyond our grasp, but there is something more to consider.

Jesus Sacrificed His will

We can see this in the quote from Hebrews 10: “Behold, I have come to do your will, O God.” Every other aspect of the sacrifice of Jesus boils down to this. Would He give up His will not to suffer horrifically so that the lost world may be saved? Would He accept the will of the Father to carry out the plan to be the sacrifice? Bear in mind that what Jesus faced in the cross is not something He wanted or enjoyed. The Hebrews writer tells us that He despised the shame of the cross (Hebrews 12:2). The result of what it accomplished brings joy, but that did not mean He enjoyed the process of being shamed and humiliated as a criminal on a cross. Jesus sacrificed His will to avoid the shame and agony for the greater result of salvation.

This is reflected in His prayer in the garden before His arrest: “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42). He had already told His disciples, “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me” (John 5:39). He did not come to do His own will independently of the Father. He came to die, and that meant giving up His desire to avoid the shame.

Paul writes about Jesus’ self-emptying attitude as he encourages Christians to “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3-4). Jesus is the greatest example of this humble spirit. Paul continues, “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:5-8).

Jesus’ attitude is an example of self-denial. While it is the will of Jesus that all be saved, He did not desire to suffer such an excruciating death. He wanted there to be another way, but He knew, according to Scripture, “that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead” (Luke 22:46). His will to avoid the agony of bearing sin was overcome by His greater desire to save the world from that sin.

This attitude of Jesus is our example, and we face that same battle. Do we do our own will apart from God, or do we sacrifice our will for His will?

Jesus shows us the way.

Do These Passages Talk of Human Sacrifices?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 07 Sep 2025 02:39:23 +0000

Question:

I have a question about human sacrifice in Scripture, please. I believe in the Bible and I am a Christian, of course. But the following verses do bother me, because they really do sound like human sacrifice:

Isaiah 34:5–6 (about Edom): “The LORD has a sacrifice in Bozrah, a great slaughter in the land of Edom.”

Scholars note that herem language is close to dedicating something wholly to God, which is similar to the language of offering or sacrifice. (Deuteronomy 20 and I Samuel 15, etc)

“For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you.
Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you,
I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life” (Isaiah 43:3–4).

"The righteous is delivered from trouble, and the wicked walks into it in his stead" (Proverbs 11:8).

“The wicked is a ransom for the righteous, and the treacherous for the upright” (Proverbs 21:18).

Answer:

A sacrifice is an offering to God, the giving of something belonging to a person. It can be the giving of a possession, such as money or grain, or it can be the giving of the life of an animal.

"Draw near, O nations, to hear; and listen, O peoples! Let the earth and all it contains hear, and the world and all that springs from it. For the LORD'S indignation is against all the nations, And His wrath against all their armies; He has utterly destroyed them, He has given them over to slaughter. So their slain will be thrown out, and their corpses will give off their stench, and the mountains will be drenched with their blood. And all the host of heaven will wear away, And the sky will be rolled up like a scroll; All their hosts will also wither away As a leaf withers from the vine, Or as one withers from the fig tree. For My sword is satiated in heaven, Behold it shall descend for judgment upon Edom And upon the people whom I have devoted to destruction. The sword of the LORD is filled with blood, it is sated with fat, with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams. For the LORD has a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Edom. Wild oxen will also fall with them, and young bulls with strong ones; Thus, their land will be soaked with blood, and their dust will become greasy with fat. For the LORD has a day of vengeance, A year of recompense for the cause of Zion" (Isaiah 34:1-8).

The Lord was angry with all the nations, but Edom's sins were particularly bad. The book of Obadiah details the sins of Edom. Thus, God declared that the nation would be "devoted for destruction." "Anything devoted to destruction is most holy to the LORD. No one who may have been set apart among men shall be ransomed; he shall surely be put to death" (Leviticus 27:8-9). Jericho, as the first city taken in the conquest of Canaan, was placed in this category (Joshua 6:17-19). The Amalekites were also placed in that category for their sins (I Samuel 15:2-3). This is why Saul and his men's violation of the destruction was so heinous a crime (I Samuel 15:21). Benhadad, king of Syria, was devoted to destruction. Because the king of Israel let him go, he and his people were marked for death (I Kings 20:42). When God marks something for destruction, He is serious about it. This is not a sacrifice to God. God is removing evil from the world, and those who do His bidding are not allowed to profit from it in any way.

In describing the destruction of Edom, God used the imagery of sacrifices being made.

"But now, thus says the LORD, your Creator, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel, 'Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I have given Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in your place. Since you are precious in My sight, since you are honored and I love you, I will give other men in your place and other peoples in exchange for your life. Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' And to the south, 'Do not hold them back.' Bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth'" (Isaiah 43:1-6).

God promised to return Israel to their land. He accomplished it through the Persian kings. However, choices have consequences. To get Israel back, God had to set in motion events that would eventually lead to the Persians attacking Egypt and its neighbors. God assures Israel that He prefers them to these greater nations. These mighty nations would be sacrificed so that Israel could have its homeland back. Again, this is not God receiving sacrifices from men. God is the one directing this to be done. Now, the reason God was willing to do this is because Egypt and its neighbors were deep in sin, so to God it was a minor loss. This is an example of Proverbs 21:18 being put into practice by God. God will sacrifice the wicked to benefit the righteous.

Regarding Proverbs 11:8, many times, wicked people set traps to bring down the righteous. The righteous avoid trouble by carefully considering the results of their choices and consistently applying God’s wisdom in their decisions. In this way, the righteous avoid the traps set by the wicked. However, the wicked don’t care about the morality of their choices. Thus, the problems avoided by the righteous are the same problems into which the wicked run headlong, and their own traps often snare the wicked. "He who leads the upright astray in an evil way will himself fall into his own pit, but the blameless will inherit good" (Proverbs 28:10).

None of these passages deals with humans offering other humans up as a sacrifice to God. God does execute justice that will result in the death of the wicked, but this is not human sacrifice. "Beware that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, 'How do these nations serve their gods, that I also may do likewise?' You shall not behave thus toward the LORD your God, for every abominable act which the LORD hates they have done for their gods; for they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods" (Deuteronomy 12:30-31).

Gender Roles Within the Sacrificial System

Jeffrey Hamilton — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 02:35:44 +0000

by Perry Hall

Gender requirements were specified in the Mosaic sacrificial system. We will reveal how this is important to our topic of gender roles within the church. Before that, let's examine the gender specifications.

The priesthood and the Levitical ministers were all males. This is undisputed and must be meaningful since pagan religions had both male priests and female priestesses. Either pagan religions were more enlightened or less enlightened.

There is another aspect worth considering. Were there gender-specific requirements for the animals being sacrificed?

Burnt offerings had to be male (Leviticus 1:3, 10).
Peace or Fellowship offerings could be male or female (Leviticus 3:1,6).
Sin offerings had to be male for leaders (Leviticus 4:3, 14, 23), but female for the common people (Leviticus 4:28, 32).
Guilt offerings were males (Leviticus 5:15; 6:6).

What is the point of this exercise?

God specified males for both the priesthood and Levitical ministers.
God specified when he wanted male-only sacrifices.
God specified when sacrifices could be male or female.

First, regardless of whether we can discern a reason for God's gender-specific requirements, that is not the point. God declared it. Therefore, that is valid enough.

Second, patriarchy is often negatively described as a power play of male domination over women. However, within the sacrificial system, we see a different dynamic of males sometimes being prioritized - sacrifice, not domination.

Third, whether a sacrifice was male or female did not determine the intrinsic value of the animal. The point was not value within gender. The value is ultimately found in faithfully following God.

Fourth, some exceptions were made when the person was poor. They could offer certain birds that were not gender specific. However, no one had the authority to make the exception the rule. No one had the right to argue that if a female bird was acceptable for some, why not a female cow for atonement for all?

Fifth, if God specified only males for certain sacrifices, who had the right to add female sacrifices? Likewise, if God allowed male or female animals to be sacrificed, then no one had the right under God's law to restrict.

Today, within the church, God has gender-specific roles. The determining factor is not whether males and females are equal; it is God. The sacrificial system in the Law of Moses demonstrates this principle.

Personal Sacrifice and Service

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 10 Nov 2024 18:42:59 +0000

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by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

Text: Philippians 2:17-18

I. Paul often discussed the topic of unity in his letters to the various churches.

A. Unity based having the same goals and the same standards - Romans 15:5; I Corinthians 1:10; II Corinthians 13:11; Ephesians 4:1-3; I Thessalonians 5:11-15

B. Paul’s letter to the Philippians is no different - Philippians 1:27; 2:1-2

C. To gain that unity, Paul emphasizes to the brethren in Philippi that they needed to be willing to give personal sacrifice and service to others

II. The example of Paul - Philippians 1:21-26

A. Paul is awaiting trial, though he is certain at this point that he will be released - Philippians 2:24

B. He is willing to die for Christ because of the great advantage of joining God in heaven - Philippians 2:17-18

C. Yet, he is willing to delay that joy in order to help the Philippians - Philippians 1:24-26

III. The example of Christ - Philippians 2:3-11

A. Even though Jesus had everything in heaven, he willingly gave them up for mankind

B. He died on the cross, not for his benefit, but for ours - Romans 5:6-8

C. He left us an example - I Peter 2:21-25

IV. The example of Timothy - Philippians 2:19-23

A. Paul had no one better to send because of his genuine concern for the brethren

B. Most seek their own benefit and not what is needful for Christ, but Timothy is different in this regard

C. He has proven himself to be willing to serve

V. The example of Epaphroditus - Philippians 2:25-30

A. He had become ill and nearly died trying to serve Paul on behalf of his brethren in Philippi

B. And what was his concern? That the brethren in Philippi were distressed about his illness!

VI. Their own example - Philippians 4:15-19

A. More than once the brethren had sent funds to Paul so that he might continue preaching the gospel

B. Philippi is in Macedonia. The area where Paul mentions the brethren’s poverty - II Corinthians 8:1-5

1. Though time has elapsed between II Corinthians and the Philippian letters, it shows the willing attitude to give of themselves to others so prevalent in this region.

VII. All was not well in Philippi - Philippians 4:1-3

A. Two women, Euodia and Syntyche, were at odds with one another.

B. Their disagreement threatens to eventually destroy what Paul had so carefully built up

1. The impact of their disagreement must have been affecting the mood in the church, which was why Paul so frequently told them to rejoice and be glad.

2. Tension keeps everyone from doing their best.

C. The solution is hinted at throughout the letter

1. Personal sacrifice to benefit another.

a. Too many people hold grudges

b. “He owes me an apology,” and thus it remains in a stalemate

c. I Corinthians 6:7-8

2. Personal service to benefit another

a. If we focus outward, we stop seeing the petty slights as major problems.

b. Romans 12:18-21

D. The next time you find yourself in a meeting where emotions are escalating, or in the parking lot arguing over something that is really not all that important, or you realize you feel jealous of a brother or resent a sister in Christ, think about Paul’s letter to Philippi.

1. Sacrifice your own personal interests for the sake of others

2. Serve your brethren to the best of your abilities

E. If we all made this our goal, I doubt we would find time or inclinations to argue.

[Based on an article by Bob Hutto]

Why weren’t the Israelites allowed to eat fat?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 03 Nov 2024 22:51:50 +0000

Question:

First, I wanted to say thank you for all that you do! Your articles are very helpful in learning the truth of God's word. I am contacting you today because I saw a discussion for which I did not have an answer. It concerns Leviticus 3:17, "It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations, in all your dwelling places, that you eat neither fat nor blood.”

I’ve read a few of your articles about it being still sinful to eat the blood of an animal, and I agree with your conclusion that we should not do that. However, I have not seen any discussion on the “fat” part of that Scripture in your articles. If the first part of that verse is still in force for those living under New Testament Law, then so would the part about not eating fat. Can you clarify what the word “fat” would include today if it is a sin to consume that part of an animal today? Would it include fat on steaks, using lard to cook with, pork belly, hotdogs, and many other meats containing or containing fat?

Your insight on this subject would be very appreciated! Thanks again, and God bless!

Answer:

The context of Leviticus 3:17 is the various laws dealing with how peace offerings were to be offered (Leviticus 3:1). Peace offerings were to show fellowship between the worshiper and God. When combined with other sacrifices, the peace offering was always the last offering done, as sin must be atoned before fellowship can exist with God. Individuals also offered peace offerings at appointed occasions, such as feasts, as the fulfillment of a vow, or as a freewill offering (Numbers 16:3; 29:39). When an individual offered a peace offering, he was allowed to choose whatever he desired within specific guidelines.

When the peace offering involved a clean animal, the blood was poured out before the altar. The fat, kidneys, and liver were offered up as a burnt offering (Leviticus 3:3-5). What remained could be eaten by the offerer and the priests (Leviticus 7:11-18), so long as it was consumed within 48 hours. Any leftovers beyond that time were to be burnt. Leviticus 3:17 emphasizes that the fat belongs solely to God.

We don't offer animal sacrifices in the New Testament. The prohibition against drinking blood comes from God's covenant with Noah (Genesis 9:4). The Law of Moses and the Law of Christ continue that prohibition. It is broader because it was not limited to just sacrifices.

Why Blood?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 22 Sep 2024 17:21:40 +0000

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by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

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Text: Hebrews 9:15-22

I. Let’s look at Hebrews 9:22

A. Have you considered, “Why blood?”

1. If I wanted to clean something, blood is not the first thing that I would think of using. Blood stains are often difficult to remove.

B. How is it that remission of sin requires the shedding of blood.

C. What makes blood so important?

II. God gives us a hint as to the value of blood

A. Deuteronomy 12:23 - Life is in the blood

B. God connects life to the blood that flows in men and animals.

C. Herein then lies the importance of blood – it represents life.

III. Life, represented in blood, becomes the payment for sin

A. When we sin, we cut ourselves off from God - Isaiah 59:1-4

B. It is easy to imagine the murderer defiling himself with the blood of his victim, but God tells us that all sins are the equivalent of murder in His eyes.

1. The real victim in sins committed is the sinner - Romans 6:23.

2. When we sin, a precious soul has been murdered in God’s sight.

a. Yet it is not eternally lost.

b. It can be bought back or redeemed.

C. Since the creation, man has offered animals on altars.

1. The first instance recorded is the offering of lambs by Abel in Genesis 3.

D. Under the Law of Moses, numerous sacrifices were required.

1. God explains why in Leviticus 17:11

2. In other words, life is offered for life.

E. Despite all the animals sacrificed, the offerings were never enough - Hebrews 10:1-4

1. The writer argues that the requirement to repeatedly offer animal sacrifices proves that they did not remove sins.

2. Instead, all that blood shed continually reminded the worshipers of their sins.

F. There then remained the need for a permanent solution - Hebrews 10:10

1. Ephesians 1:7 - In Christ’s blood we have forgiveness

2. It wasn’t the blood of animals or even of sinful men. God offered the precious blood of His own Son - I Peter 1:18-19

G. Jesus’s sacrifice was not just for those who followed after Him. It also reached back through time - Hebrews 9:15

IV. I John 1:7 - The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin

A. Sin is viewed as filth, which is removed by the blood of the Son of God.

B. Back under the first covenant, items used in the service of God were sprinkled with blood to dedicate them to God - Hebrews 9:21-22

C. The word “sanctification” refers to something set apart to the service of God

1. What is sanctified is considered pure and holy

D. In describing Christian martyrs - Revelation 7:14

1. This is why another term for a Christian is “saint”. A saint has been sanctified by the blood of the Savior. He is set apart for service to God - I Peter 4:1-2

E. The blood of Christ is far more effective for cleaning the conscience and setting one apart from the world - Hebrews 9:13-14

V. Perhaps you noticed that in several of the verses that we have cited that covenants are also connected to the shedding of bloods.

A. Covenants are the predecessor of our modern-day contracts.

1. Covenants contained binding terms. They could be specific tasks to be accomplished, or on-going terms of a relationship.

2. Covenants also had witnesses, something permanent which testified to the existence of the covenant.

a. When men made covenants, they would setup a monument, such as was done between Jacob and Laban in Genesis 31:43-54.

b. The witness to the covenant God made with Noah was the rainbow - Genesis 9:12-15

c. The witness to the covenant God made to Abraham and his descendants was the circumcision of the foreskin - Genesis 17:11

3. The parties in a covenant would sit down to fellowship meal, to show their acceptance of one another. It showed that the covenant had settled any dispute and that they were now at peace.

4. But, important for our discussion, covenants were sealed by blood sacrifices.

B. Hebrews 9:18-20 - The covenant brought by Moses was sealed with blood

C. The new covenant was likewise established by shed blood.

1. Jesus, when establishing the memorial meal that we know as the Lord’s Supper - Matthew 26:28

2. Testaments (as in “Last Will and Testament”) come into effect with the death of the testator - Hebrews 9:16-17

3. Christ taught His new covenant while He walked this earth, but it could not go into effect until the lawgiver died

D. And in his death, Jesus purchased the church with his blood - Acts 20:28

E. When the church gathers to partake of the Lord’s Supper, it is eating the covenant meal showing our fellowship with one another and with God - I Corinthians 10:15-17

1. The reason the Lord’s Supper is some times called “communion” is in reference to Christians sharing the remembrance of our covenant formed by Christ’s death.

VI. We are prepared to walk the holy way prepared by Jesus because his blood cleansed us - Hebrews 10:19-22

A. In this passage we see the allusion to Moses sanctifying the tabernacle with sprinkled blood, but how does the washing of our bodies with pure water come into play?

B. Baptism is that washing - Romans 6:3-4

1. Baptism symbolizes Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection.

2. You could say that it is through baptism that we come into contact with the cleansing blood of Jesus.

C. This is why Ananias told Paul to wash away his sins in baptism - Acts 22:16.

1. It is not the water that cleanses, but the blood of Christ, contacted by us in the watery grave of baptism - I Peter 3:21

2. The power is not in the water, but in the blood. And the way to contact the blood is through humble obedience of baptism.

D. Recall also that Christ’s shed blood purchased the church.

1. We enter a relationship with Christ through baptism - Galatians 3:27-29

2. Hence we read that on the day of Pentecost - Acts 2:41, 47

VII. Have you entered into that relationship? Have you been cleansed and set apart to serve the Lord of Life?

Suggested song: Nothing But the Blood of Jesus

The Red Heifer

Jeffrey Hamilton — Tue, 07 May 2024 17:08:22 +0000

by Terry Wane Benton

The Muslims have occupied the place of the Jewish temple with the Dome of the Rock for centuries. There are Jews who want very badly to remove the Muslims and the Dome of the Rock so that the Jews can rebuild a temple in that place. Their temple was destroyed according to the prophecy of Daniel 9:24ff and the clear prediction of Jesus in Matthew 24 and Luke 21. That temple was destroyed to show that God was with Jesus and not with the Jews who rejected Jesus. Paul said they were cut off from God’s blessed olive tree because of their unbelief (Romans 11). The nation of Israel is not God’s people. They rejected God when they rejected Jesus, and they were cut off from God’s favor.

There are no biblical predictions that God will reestablish them as a nation. All nations are equally blessed as individuals from all nations are converted into Christ (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Galatians 3:26-28). All who are converted into Christ become the true spiritual Israel, the true seed of Abraham. When Jesus comes again, it will not be to set up an earthly kingdom in earthly Jerusalem, and He will certainly not divert back to the old system of Judaism with its Levitical priesthood and animal sacrifices. Why would He take us back to the inferior system of the earthly temple? We have a greater temple now (Ephesians 2:19f; I Peter 2:5-9) and brings marvelous light to the souls of His converts, the true spiritual Israel, His blessed church.

There was much scriptural abuse to try to trick people into thinking God still has a future plan to restore Israel and their old temple system, but that is only wishful thinking based upon twisted Scriptures and a whole lot of wishful imagination. Some are saying that when the Jews offer the “red heifer,” an old ritual of cleansing, this will signal that the Jews are about to run the Muslims out and retake the temple mount, cleanse the defiled area, and begin removing the Dome of the Rock and start rebuilding the old Solomonic temple. Of course, if they ever try this, it will initiate a full-scale war with all the Muslims, and God has had no interest in restoring earthly Judaism. He had it destroyed in AD 70 permanently because Jesus’ greater temple is spiritual for all nations. The greater temple that has God and His blessings is not earthly. All spiritual blessings are in Christ (Ephesians 1:3,7). There are no spiritual blessings associated with the Muslim’s Dome of the Rock, nor with the Jews, even if they succeeded in rebuilding an earthly temple there. All nations can have God’s favor and blessings only by coming into “the heavenly places in Christ” and becoming His servants in His spiritual and far greater temple built upon Jesus. Read all the above scriptures!

When God had the Romans destroy the earthly temple in AD 70, it was a permanent declaration that God is not associated with that temple nor the people who utilized it. It destroyed the Levitical priesthood records so that the Jews lost clear genealogical proof of legitimate priesthood to Aaron and his sons. They cannot offer an acceptable “red heifer” sacrifice to cleanse anything since they cannot prove beyond doubt that they have certifiable Levites to perform the sacrifice. Further, the priesthood has been changed to Jesus (Hebrews 7:11ff), and the only acceptable sacrifice for cleansing is Jesus. Animal sacrifices are not acceptable to God. So, even if a Jew offers the red heifer as a signal of cleansing, it means nothing to God. He has no plans to return to the inferior system of an earthly temple with animal sacrifices.

Do not be deceived! All of God’s blessings are offered now in Christ, and none are associated with the old system of Judaism, and there is no divine plan to return the Jews to the inferior temple that God destroyed and has kept the Jews from it all these years. He wants all nations, including the people of earthly Israel, to believe His word and yield to Jesus as the king of kings and Lord of lords. He is the way, the truth, and the life, and no man comes to the Father except through Jesus (John 14:6). God does not accept animal sacrifices, and the red heifer would be no exception. Jesus’ precious blood is “once for all” people and all time. You either convert your heart and life to Him, or you remain under the curse of eternal death or separation from God. When Jesus comes, it will be to deliver up His kingdom (I Corinthians 15:22f), and His people will be “caught up” (I Thessalonians 4:17ff) to meet the Lord in the air, and there we will always be with the Lord. Don’t be deceived by twisted scriptures, wishful thinking, and wild imaginations! All God’s favor is associated with His church in Christ, not earthly Israel!

Hosea: A Leader Who Made an Astounding Sacrifice!

Jeffrey Hamilton — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 21:52:07 +0000

by Max Dawson

One of the things I have learned about leadership is that sometimes, the best leaders are those who were reluctant to be leaders. Witness the case of Moses (Exodus 3:7-4:17). I have known men who were reluctant to serve as an overseer of the church, as a deacon, or even as a Bible class teacher; their reluctance was due to the gravity of the work. They were hesitant because they knew the work was such that, if not done well, they might do more harm than good to the kingdom.

I wonder if Hosea was a reluctant leader. There is no doubt that God chose him to bring a message to the people of Israel (Hosea 1:1). In the opening chapters of his book, Hosea appears to have no reluctance. If there was any reluctance, it does not appear in the text. But why would there be any reluctance? It would be because of what God directed Hosea to do! He was told to take a wife of harlotry, so he went and took Gomer as his wife (Hosea 1:2-3).

How it must have grieved Hosea to marry a woman who would not be faithful to him! He watched her drift from their marriage time and again. When Hosea was told to speak to the Israelites about their spiritual condition, he could do so with pain and passion in his heart, for he knew firsthand what it was like to have an unfaithful wife. He knew firsthand how God must have felt about His unfaithful wife, Israel!

Few leaders have been called upon to sacrifice more than Hosea. God told him to marry this woman, a woman who was destined to bring him lonely nights and endless heartaches. Where was Hosea's chance at personal happiness and contentment in life? How he must have agonized over Gomer—just as God agonized over faithless Israel.

Indeed, Hosea sacrificed so much in serving God and in being a leader in Israel. While his role as a leader was certainly unique, don't miss the point: Leadership is about sacrifice! Sometimes, people think leadership is about being looked up to and respected and about perks and privileges! Where were Hosea's perks and privileges? Who would look up to and respect such a man? Only those godly and devout Israelites who truly understood Hosea's role could look up to and respect him. They could appreciate his sacrifice.

An important lesson can be drawn from Hosea: Being a leader in God's kingdom is not about perks and privileges. It is not about gaining rights but more about giving them up! While God may not require leaders today to do as Hosea did, he does require leaders to sacrifice! For those men who lead God's flock as shepherds, God requires that they put time, energy, heart (and sometimes even money) into their work. Sacrifice.

Sacrifice. You can't serve God's people without it.

The Blood of Christ

Jeffrey Hamilton — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 00:10:39 +0000

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/The-Blood-of-Christ.mp3

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

Text: I Peter 1:18-21

I. The blood of Christ is strongly connected with the concept of salvation from sin.

A. It has been in the plan of God that Christ should die for mankind

1. Isaiah 53:5 - He was wounded for our transgressions.

2. Zechariah 13:1 - A fountain opened for sin and uncleanness

3. God even used the enemies of Christ to make this point - John 11:49-52

4. Planned before the foundation of the world - I Peter 1:18-21

II. What Christ’s blood does for man

A. It takes care of man’s sins

1. It washes away sins

a. Sin makes a person defiled - Isaiah 1:16

(1) Not physically but spiritually - Titus 1:15

b. Christ’s blood cleanses us

(1) He washed our sins in his own blood - Revelation 1:5

(2) It makes us pure - Revelation 7:14

2. This is the idea of sanctification – being set apart as something holy

a. It was done under the Old Law - Hebrews 9:18-22

b. We were sanctified by Jesus’ blood - Hebrews 13:12

3. It cleanses us from sin - I John 1:7

a. Though sin stains the heart, we are made pure - Isaiah 1:18

4. It purges our conscience - Hebrews 9:13-14

5. It puts away sin - Hebrews 9:26

6. It forgives or remits sins

a. Sin incurs a debt toward God

b. Shedding of blood is necessary for forgiveness of sin - Hebrews 9:22

c. Jesus’ blood was shed for the remission of sin - Matthew 26:28

B. It restores our relationship with God - Colossians 1:20

1. Man’s sins put a barrier between man and God - Isaiah 59:1-2

2. Desire of the world, makes us enemies of God - James 4:4

3. Through Jesus we are reconciled to God - II Corinthians 5:18-21

4. We are reconciled by Jesus’ death - Romans 5:10-11

C. It justifies us - Romans 5:9

1. When we sin, we incur a death penalty. We stand condemned before God. - Proverbs 12:2

2. When we sin, we break God’s law - I John 3:4

3. There is no condemnation in Christ - Romans 8:1

D. It redeems man by purchasing him out of the slavery of sin - Colossians 1:13-14; Ephesians 1:7

1. That we should no longer be slaves of sin - Romans 6:6

2. Redeemed us from every lawless deed - Titus 2:13-14

3. Redeemed by the blood of Christ - I Peter 1:18-19

E. In the buying back of men from sin, Jesus’ blood purchased the church - Acts 20:28

III. The blood of Christ is a gift freely and universally given

A. It is a free gift - Romans 5:15-16

B. One act brings justification to all men - Romans 5:18; I Corinthians 15:22

C. He tasted death for everyone - Hebrews 2:9

D. Salvation has appeared to all men - Titus 2:11

E. Christ gave himself as a ransom for all - I Timothy 2:5-6

F. God wants everyone saved - I Timothy 2:3-4

1. He wants everyone to repent - II Peter 3:9

2. God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked - Ezekiel 18:23

3. Notice that these last two verses imply that while the gift is freely given and offered to all, all will not benefit from the gift.

IV. God’s gift to man was the shed blood of Christ, but how do we gain access to the gift?

A. Jesus’ blood was shed in his death - John 19:34

1. Baptism represents his death - Romans 6:3-4

B. Jesus’ blood washes away sin - Revelation 1:5

1. Baptism washes away sins - Acts 22:16

C. Jesus’ blood sanctifies us - Hebrews 13:12

1. We are sanctified and cleansed by the washing of water - Ephesians 5:25-27

2. A washing of regeneration - Titus 3:4-7

D. Jesus’ blood cleanses our conscience - Hebrews 9:13-14

1. Baptism saves as an answer of a good conscience toward God - I Peter 3:21

2. Baptism with faith saves - Mark 16:16

E. There is no condemnation in Christ - Romans 8:1

1. Baptism puts us in Christ - Galatians 3:26-27; Romans 6:3

V. So many object to baptism, claiming it is nothing more than a work

A. Actually faith, repentance, and confession are more properly works than baptism because they are things I must do. Baptism is something that must be done to me.

B. When people claim that man is not saved by his own works, such is true (Ephesians 2:8-9).

1. But when they then say that baptism is such a work, they are saying that baptism is a work of man.

2. We are to do the works of God - Ephesians 2:10

3. Hence, let us read Matthew 28:18-20 and let me borrow a question similar to one Jesus once asked, the baptism commanded by Jesus is it from God or from man?

a. If it is from man, then why is it commanded by Jesus?

b. If it is from God, then submitting to it is doing the work of God and not man.

C. Will you not do the work of God today?