Why Jesus Is Truly Enough (Hebrews Bible Study: Week 7)

 

Welcome back to the Hebrews Bible Study, friends, and thanks for joining me for week seven. Feel free to jump in now if this is your first time here, though you’re also welcome to go back to the beginning and read through it all (and I’ll leave links to each post) and start there. It’s a blessing to have you on this journey along with us!

Here are last week’s three points.

 

* Let us move onto maturity; there is so much more for us to grow in.

 

* God’s promises stand forever.

 

* Jesus is our hope – the One who represents us before God in the Holy of Holies.

 

And our weekly takeaway: Our true hope is in Jesus alone – in what He’s done, and in the work He does in our lives each day.

 

Previous Posts in This Study

 

// Welcome to The Hebrews Bible Study!

 

// Who is Jesus to You? (Hebrews Bible Study: Week 2)

 

// How Simple Belief Rescues Our Souls (Hebrews Bible Study: Week 3)

 

// Why Grace Brings Us To True Rest (Hebrews Bible Study: Week 4)

 

// We Are Redeemed! (Hebrews Bible Study: Week 5)

 

// Our Only True Hope (Hebrews Bible Study: Week 6)

 

Let’s Get Started!

 

Today’s study is based on Hebrews 7. You may click on the link here to read it.

 

Number One:

 

The law has changed – and it’s marvelous. Jesus is sufficient. (Hebrews 7:11-12)

 

When I was a young child, I remember salvation being explained to me like this: “Because we’re not perfect, Jesus came and died for us. He covered our sins, because nobody can live up to the perfection that God requires.”

 

So I thought, “But what if I could be perfect? What then?” The most complete answer to that I got was, “Because nobody’s perfect,” but being the persistent, question-asking child I was, I proceeded, “But what IF I were perfect? What IF I could do everything right? I wouldn’t need Jesus, right?”

 

What pacified me from then on until recently was the knowledge that if I could, somehow, be perfect, I’d most likely be overcome with pride that I was better than everyone else. And therefore, I decided it was impossible to be perfect, so it was a relief that to me that I had Jesus.

 

And yet, that was completely the wrong focus. For one, I had to know that it’s impossible to be perfect because sin is in our natures; it’s unavoidable, an instinct that runs so deep, no amount of therapy or treatment or strong-will can cure it.

 

And additionally, I had to know that it didn’t matter that I wasn’t perfect, for the only way to be saved is to believe on Jesus and in His righteousness for me and on His sacrifice and to have a relationship with God on His terms.

 

When Jesus came, things flipped. No longer was it an option for us to follow the Levitical Law to the end in order to be saved.

 

No, the Old Testament law of commandments and sacrifices and rituals and washings does not apply to us any longer.

 

Here’s something I wrote in week two:

 

“Jesus paid the penalty for our sins, but we must believe in Him in order to receive His salvation. This is the core message of Hebrews: believe in Jesus, because He truly is the real deal. He’s the One that saves. He’s at the center of this new order that we’re under.” – Who is Jesus to You? (Hebrews Bible Study: Week 2)

 

Because Jesus was our righteousness, our salvation can not come through anything or anyone else – He is our One Way to God. (See also: Hebrews 7:22)

Number Two:

 

Jesus will never stop being able to save us, sinners. (Hebrews 7:25)

 

Jesus lives today. He sits at the right hand of God, and He is always there to save those who call out to Him.

 

There is no such thing as “too far gone” to be saved. There is no such thing as too much sin or too much darkness or too much impurity, for the Light is more powerful than all of it.

 

Jesus would not have had a reason to come if we could have saved ourselves, and His sacrifice covers us precisely because we cannot rescue our own souls. It’s not about how great we are, but how great He is.

 

We must always keep it on the forefront of our minds that He is the source, the sustainer, and the giver of our salvation. And He is always there for us to call out to.

Number Three:

 

Jesus’ sacrifice for us was once for all – because He Himself was enough to cover all sin. (Hebrews 7:27-28)

 

Because Jesus was (and still is, of course) sinless, there was no need for Him to pay for His own sin; it wasn’t there. Instead, His perfect sacrifice covered all sin of every person on earth. To receive that, all we have to do is believe.

 

Once for all is huge. It means that we no longer need to work for our holiness, because Jesus has made us holy.

 

Not that we should live like lazy sloths; not at all.

 

In living a life of grace, we will be properly motivated to live well – not because we must earn something, but precisely because of that will we want to please our God in everything we do.

 

Recap:

 

*The law has changed – and it’s marvelous. Jesus is sufficient.

*Jesus will never stop being able to save us, sinners.

*Jesus’ sacrifice for us was once for all – because He Himself was enough to cover all sin.

 

In short? Jesus is enough for us – and even more; a life lived by grace is one of true holiness.

 

Questions of the Week:

 

1. How does it impact you to know that even if we could be perfect, salvation’s by grace, and not our own effort?

 

2. Have you ever listened to the lie that tells you that you’re too far gone to be saved?

 

3. What is your definition of “living well?”