Hebrews Chapter 9 - continued
Hebrews 9:1-29 says:
1Now the first covenant had regulations for worship
and also an earthly sanctuary. 2A tabernacle was set up.
In its first room were the lamp stand, the table and the consecrated bread; this
was called the
6When
everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the
outer room to carry on their ministry. 7But only the
high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never
without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had
committed in ignorance. 8The Holy Spirit was showing by
this that the way into the
11When
Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here,[b] he went through the greater and more
perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this
creation. 12He did not enter by means of the blood of
goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own
blood, having obtained eternal redemption. 13The blood
of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are
ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through
the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences
from acts that lead to death,[c] so that we may serve the living God!
15For this
reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may
receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to
set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.
16In the
case of a will,[d] it is necessary to prove the death of
the one who made it, 17because a will is in force only
when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is
living. 18This is why even the first covenant was not
put into effect without blood. 19When Moses had
proclaimed every commandment of the law to all the people, he took the blood of
calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled
the scroll and all the people. 20He said, "This is
the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep."[e] 21In the same
way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its
ceremonies. 22In fact, the law requires that nearly
everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is
no forgiveness.
23It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly
things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves
with better sacrifices than these. 24For Christ
did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he
entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence. 25Nor
did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest
enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the
creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the
ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face
judgment, 28so Christ was sacrificed once to take away
the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but
to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
·
The term “good”
was used in the Old Testament to describe the Promised Land.
Exodus 3:8 says:
8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of
the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious
land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites,
Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jobsites.
12.The
phrase “good things” refers to the blessings of the New Covenant which are
forgiveness of sin, cleansing from sin, and fellowship with God. V. 11
·
These good
things are already here.
13.
Because Jesus entered the true Most Holy Place, the Heavenly dwelling place of
God by His own blood His followers also have access to Heaven and the new earth
one day. Vs. 11-12
14.
Jesus entered the presence of God once and for all, not repeatedly or annually, having obtained eternal redemption for His followers. Vs.
12-14
Numbers
19:9-22 says:
9 "A man who is clean shall gather up the ashes
of the heifer and put them in a ceremonially clean place outside the camp. They
shall be kept by the Israelite community for use in the water of cleansing; it
is for purification from sin. 10 The man who gathers up
the ashes of the heifer must also wash his clothes, and he too will be unclean
till evening. This will be a lasting ordinance both for the Israelites and for
the aliens living among them.
11
"Whoever touches the dead body of anyone will be unclean for seven days.
12 He must purify himself with the water on the third
day and on the seventh day; then he will be clean. But if he does not purify
himself on the third and seventh days, he will not be clean. 13
Whoever touches the dead body of anyone and fails to purify himself defiles the
LORD's tabernacle. That person must be cut off from
14
"This is the law that applies when a person dies in a tent: Anyone who
enters the tent and anyone who is in it will be unclean for seven days, 15 and every open container without a lid fastened on it will
be unclean.
16
"Anyone out in the open who touches someone who has been killed with a
sword or someone who has died a natural death, or anyone who touches a human
bone or a grave, will be unclean for seven days.
17 "For the unclean person, put some ashes from
the burned purification offering into a jar and pour fresh water over them. 18 Then a man who is ceremonially clean is to take some
hyssop, dip it in the water and sprinkle the tent and all the furnishings and
the people who were there. He must also sprinkle anyone who has touched a human
bone or a grave or someone who has been killed or someone who has died a natural
death. 19 The man who is clean is to sprinkle the
unclean person on the third and seventh days, and on the seventh day he is to
purify him. The person being cleansed must wash his clothes and bathe with
water, and that evening he will be clean. 20 But if a
person who is unclean does not purify himself, he must be cut off from the
community, because he has defiled the sanctuary of the LORD. The water of
cleansing has not been sprinkled on him, and he is unclean. 21
This is a lasting ordinance for them.
"The man who sprinkles the water of
cleansing must also wash his clothes, and anyone who touches the water of
cleansing will be unclean till evening. 22 Anything that
an unclean person touches becomes unclean, and anyone who touches it becomes
unclean till evening."
·
The blood of
the old system offers human, not divine cleansing.
·
Outward
cleansing is “cleansing of the flesh”.
14. Whereas the O.T.
sacrifices and rituals provided ________________(outward)
cleansing, the blood of Christ will provide for true _____________(inner)
cleansing of the ______________(heart). Vs. 1-28
·
Christ’s
offering was not made by the flesh, but through the eternal Spirit.
·
The old
sacrifices could sanctify the ceremonially unclean from outward or ritual
impurity, but Christ’s sacrifice can cleanse or purify our consciences – our
inner selves that are spirit.
15. The sacrifice of
Christ provides true inner cleansing from both the guilt and power of sin and
thus enables us truly to come into God’s presence. Vs. 13-15
·
Christ has
provided a new and truly effective way of approaching God and is why it is
called the New Covenant!
·
Christ’s
sacrifice has established the New Covenant Jeremiah predicted.
Jeremiah 31:31-34 says:
31 "The time is coming," declares the LORD,
"when I will make a new covenant
with the house of
and with the house of
32 It will
not be like the covenant
I made with their forefathers
when I took them by the hand
to lead them out of Egypt,
because they broke my covenant,
though I was a husband to [a] them, [b] "
declares the LORD.
33
"This is the covenant I will make with the house of
after that time," declares the LORD.
"I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
34 No longer
will a man teach his neighbor,
or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the
LORD,'
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the
greatest,"
declares the LORD.
"For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no
more."
·
The phrase
“those who are called” refers to all God’s people.
16. The
first covenant revealed the will of God but did not provide effective
deliverance from sin, from the “transgressions” that people committed. V.15
17. The Old Covenant set
up and pointed forward to the new. Vs. 1-28
·
There are two
Greek words for covenant that the NIV translates as “will”. Vs. 16-17
·
The Greek
word, “Suntheke” was used to represent an agreement mutually negotiated and
agreed on by two or more parties. 16
·
The Greek
word, “Diatheke” was used to describe a disposition or potential agreement that
one person gave to other people which they could accept or reject but could not
negotiate or change. V. 17
·
Secular Greek
writers often used “Suntheke” for covenants or agreements among people. Vs. 16
·
However, the
translators of the Greek Old Testament used “Diatheke” to portray God’s
“covenant” with His people. V. 17
·
New Testament
writers followed the practice of the Greek Old Testament.
18. GOD’S PEOPLE COULD
REJECT THE COVENANT HE OFFERED THEM, BUT THEY COULD NOT NEGOTIATE OR ALTER ITS
STIPULATIONS. Vs. 16-17
NOTE: Even though most
Modern English versions translate “Diatheke” as “will”,
in the Greek it means COVENANT!
·
Most Bible
scholars agree that vs. 16-17 should be translated Covenant.
19.The
animal sacrifice that initiated a covenant in the O.T. represented the death of
the persons(s) or making the covenant. Vs, 16-20
NOTE: A sacrificial
animal was slaughtered and cut in two. The one making the covenant passed
between the halves of the animal, signifying that if he did not keep the
covenant he was making, he would die as the animal has died – the practice was
called the “walk of death”.
Genesis 15:7-21 says:
7 He also said to him, "I am the LORD, who
brought you out of
8 But Abram said,
"O Sovereign LORD, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?"
9 So the
LORD said to him, "Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years
old, along with a dove and a young pigeon."
10 Abram
brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each
other; the birds, however, he did not cut in half. 11
Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.
12 As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a
thick and dreadful darkness came over him. 13 Then the
LORD said to him, "Know for certain that your descendants will be
strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated
four hundred years. 14 But I
will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out
with great possessions. 15 You, however, will go to your
fathers in peace and be buried at a good old age. 16 In the fourth generation your descendants will come back
here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure."
17 When the sun had
set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared
and passed between the pieces. 18 On that day the LORD made a covenant with
Abram and said, "To your descendants I give this land, from the river [a] of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates-
19 the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 20 Hittites, Perizzites,
Rephaites, 21 Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites."
·
Genesis
15:7-21 offers the best example of this type of covenant.
·
In the
incident that this passage describes, Abraham killed the animals and divided
them in two, but “a smoking fire pot with a flaming torch” representing God
himself passed between the pieces.
·
By this act,
“the Lord made a covenant with Abram” – keep in mind that God did all the work.
·
A COVENANT
MAKER DID NOT LITERALLY DIE, BUT HIS DEATH WAS SYMBOLIZED BY THE COVENANT
SACRIFICE.
·
V. 17 –
“Because a will is in force only when somebody has died” could mean “on the
basis of the deaths of sacrificial animals or on the basis of sacrifices”.
·
We could
translate V. 17 – “Because a covenant is in force only on the basis of
sacrifice”.
·
Vs. 16-17
could be translated, “In the case of a covenant, it is necessary for the death
of the one who made it to be offered because a covenant is in force only on the
bases of sacrifices”.
·
V. 17b reads,
it never takes affect while the one who made it is living, or “it does not take
affect until the maker’s death has been symbolically enacted by the sacrifice.”
·
In the case
of Christ, however, the death was not symbolic but real.
20. BECAUSE WE COULD NOT
KEEP OUR PART OF THE COVENANT, JESUS FULFILLED THE WALK OF DEATH FOR US SO THAT
WE COULD DO THE WALK OF LIFE. Vs. 15-22
John
10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I
have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
·
JESUS KEPT HIS
PART OF THE COVENANT AND STILL CHOSE TO DIE FOR US BECAUSE HE KNEW WE COULD NOT
KEEP OURS.
·
·
JESUS DID
NOTHING WRONG, BUT DIED IN MY PLACE SO I WOULD NOT HAVE TO.
·
In V. 19, the
preachers mind turns to Exodus 24:3-8, which records Moses’ inaugurating the
covenant with blood sacrifices.
Exodus 24:3-8 says:
3 When Moses went and told the people all the LORD's
words and laws, they responded with one voice, "Everything the LORD has
said we will do." 4 Moses then wrote down
everything the LORD had said.
He got up early the next morning and built
an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars
representing the twelve tribes of
8 Moses then
took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, "This is the blood of
the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these
words."
·
God did not
make this covenant in private, just with Moses, or just with the leaders; he
offered it to all people.
·
The scroll
representing God, and all the people was bound together by the blood of the
covenant.
·
Exodus 24:3-8
actually says that Moses put the blood on “the altar and the people” not “the
scroll and the people”.
·
The “scroll”
or the “Book of the Covenant” may have been laying on
the altar when Moses poured the blood on the altar.
·
The preacher
speaks of the scroll in V. 19 because it contained the stipulations of the
covenant.
·
By saying
that Moses bound the people to the scroll with the blood, he emphasized the
need for God’s people to obey.
·
The
definitive statement with which Moses concluded the establishment of the Old Covenant
shows the importance of the blood: THIS IS THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT, WHICH GOD
HAS COMMANDED YOU TO KEEP. V. 20
·
Hebrews
·
The old high priest
only entered the
·
That all
covenants were inaugurated with blood sacrifices. Vs. 16-17
·
The Mosaic
covenant was inaugurated by blood and carried out by using blood of sacrifices
to bring purification. Vs. 18-21
·
IN FACT THE
LAW REQUIRES THAT NEARLY EVERYTHING BE CLEANSED WITH BLOOD.
·
The word “nearly”
is the preacher’s admission that a few things were not purified under the Old Covenant.
21. GOD FORGIVING ME OF
MY SINS COST GOD A
·
The New Kings
James version reads, “Without the shedding of blood, There
is no remission. There is no release”.
22. The Old Covenant
could never release a person from the guilt and bondage of sin – only the New
Covenant could give freedom. Vs. 23
·
Jesus came to
offer a better sacrifice that would completely do away with sin, just not cover
it.
·
THERE IS NO
RESURRECTION FROM SIN WITHOUT A crucifixion FOR SIN.
Vs. 27-28 – “Jesus is
coming again” completes the analogy with the Aaronic high priest on the Day of
Atonement.
·
On that day,
the high priest offered a sacrifice.
Leviticus
15 "He shall then slaughter the goat for the sin
offering for the people and take its blood behind the curtain and do with it as
he did with the bull's blood: He shall sprinkle it on the atonement cover and
in front of it.”
·
This offering
was equivalent of Christ coming to earth and offering Himself once and for all.
·
Then the high
priest entered the
Leviticus
15 "He shall then slaughter the goat for the sin
offering for the people and take its blood behind the curtain and do with it as
he did with the bull's blood: He shall sprinkle it on the atonement cover and
in front of it.”
·
Finally the
high priest returned to the waiting people, the equivalent of Christ’s second
coming with the fullness of the promised blessings for God’s own. Vs. 27-28
Leviticus
17 No one is to be in the Tent of Meeting from the time
Aaron goes in to make atonement in the Most Holy Place until he comes out,
having made atonement for himself, his household and the whole community of
Israel.”
·
The finality
and definitiveness of Christ’s sacrifice by which He entered Heaven is
demonstrated by the fact it was not repeated.
·
·
The
definitive removal of sin is accomplished by nothing other than the sacrifice
of Himself.
23. CHRIST WAS SACRIFICED ONCE AND FOR
ALL TO TAKE AWAY THE SIN OF MANY FOVEVER. Vs. 25-28
·
Christ bore
the curse of the covenant that fell on those who transgressed the covenant.
·
Jesus took on
Himself the judgment that was due to sinners who violated God’s covenant.
QUESTION: IF THE NEW
COVENANT CLEANSES THE INNER CONSCIENCE OF THE BELIEVER AND TAKES AWAY SIN, THEN
WHY DO I STILL STRUGGLE WITH A HARDENED AND SINFUL HEART AT TIMES?
·
TO WALK OUT
THE NEW COVENANT, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THE CHRISTIAN:
1) BE IN FELLOWSHIP WITH
OTHER BELIEVERS WHO ARE FOLLOWING GOD’S
Hebrews
10:24-25 says:
24And let us consider how we may spur one another on
toward love and good deeds. 25Let us
not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us
encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
2) THANK, WORSHIP AND
PRAISE GOD FOR THE NEW COVENANT BLESSINGS ON A DAILY BASIS.
1 Thessalonians 5: 16-19
says:
16Be joyful always; 17pray
continually; 18give thanks in all circumstances, for
this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 19Do not put
out the Spirit's fire;
·
A GRATEFUL
HEART IS OBEDIENT TO GOD AND HIS COVENANT.
3) READ THE COVENANT STIPULATIONS/COMMANDS
AND BLESSINGS ON A DAILY BASIS.
Hebrews 4:12-13 says:
12For
the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it
penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the
thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13Nothing in all
creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give
account.
4) BELIEVE THE NEW
COVENANT PROMISES AND OBEY THE COVENANT COMMANDS ON A DAILY BASIS.
Matthew 7: 21-27 says:
21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will
enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is
in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord,
Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and
perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly,
'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' 24"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and
puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and
beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on
the rock. 26But everyone who hears these words of mine
and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house
on sand. 27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the
winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."
5) COMMUNICATE WITH GOD
BY PRAYING AND LISTENING TO HIM ON A DAILY BASIS REALIZING THAT WHAT YOU THINK
ABOUT THE MOST IS THE DOMINANT PRAYER REQUEST THAT GOD HEARS.
Philippians 4:4-7 says:
4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let
your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by
prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your
requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends
all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is
noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is
admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
James 1:5 says:
5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who
gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
6) AFTER BREAKING THE NEW
COVENANT, CONFESS AND REPENT FROM YOUR SINS ON A DAILY BASIS.
1 John 1:8-9 says:
8If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves
and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he
is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all
unrighteousness.
7) FORGIVE THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE HURT YOU WHETHER
THAT BE YOURSELF, LOVED ONES OR PERCEIVED ENEMIES
KNOWING THAT GOD WILL FORGIVE YOU IN DIRECT PROPORTION TO HOW YOU HAVE FORGIVEN
OTHERS.
Luke 6:27- 38 says:
27"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies,
do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who curse
you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29If someone
strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your
cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. 30Give to
everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31Do to others
as you would have them do to you.
32"If
you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love
those who love them. 33And if you do good to those who
are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. 34And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment,
what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be
repaid in full. 35But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get
anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most
High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36Be
merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
37"Do
not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be
condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure,
pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.
For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
8) SURRENDER THE HURTFUL/SINFUL
PAST TO GOD AND GIVE THE ANXIOUS FUTURE TO GOD – STAY CONNECTED TO GOD IN THE PRESENT.
Philippians 3:10-16 says:
10I want to know Christ and the power of his
resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him
in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the
resurrection from the dead. 12Not that I have
already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to
take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers,
I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do:
Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I
press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me
heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Matthew 6:25-31 says:
25"Therefore
I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about
your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the
body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of
the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly
Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who
of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[b]?
28"And
why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do
not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even
Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of
these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the
field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not
much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not
worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we
wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore
do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has
enough trouble of its own.
Philippians 4:4-8 says:
4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let
your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by
prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your
requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends
all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8Finally,
brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is
pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or
praiseworthy—think about such things.
·
NOTE: WHEN YOU
SURRENDER YOUR PAST JUDGEMENTS, SIN, SHAME, HURT, AND ANGER TO GOD AND TRUST
HIM WITH YOUR FUTURE ANXIETIES IT FEELS LIKE LOSING A FRIEND – IN THOSE TIMES
REMEMBER THAT WITHOUT A CRUCIFIXION OF THE FLESH THERE CANNOT BE A RESURRECTION)
OF THE SPIRIT.
Galatians 2:20-21 says: says:
20I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer
live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in
the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21I
do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through
the law, Christ died for nothing!"[a]
Galatians 3:10-13 says:
10All 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."[c] 11Clearly no one is
justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by
faith."[d] 12The law is not
based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live
by them."[e] 13Christ redeemed us
from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written:
"Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."[f] 14He redeemed us in
order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through
Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
Galatians 5:16-25 says:
16So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not
gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17For the
sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit,
and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with
each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18But
if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
19The acts
of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of
rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and
envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that
those who live like this will not inherit the
22But the
fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against
such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to
Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us
keep in step with the Spirit. 26Let us not become
conceited, provoking and envying each other.
Romans 8:1-2 says:
1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who
are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ
Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.