Heb 9:14, what does it mean?

[J.D.]

What does this verse mean?

"Heb 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"

 

[skypair]

What does this verse mean?

"Heb 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"

J.D. -- your conscience is your soul. If you know you are saved, then you know that you are forgiven of "dead works to serve the living God." However, if you have not pled the blood of Jesus unto justification, you don't even have the Spirit much less a forgiven soul!

skypair

 

[Scarlett O.]

What does this verse mean?

"Heb 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"

Verse 13 - The sacrifices of the animals made under the first covenant only made people ceremonially clean....clean on the outside. It possibly changed their behavior, but only briefly. And they had to sacrifice again and again and again because their was no place for instrinsic change.

Verse 14 - The sacrifice of Jesus and His blood makes us clean on the inside when we become saved. It purges not our behavior, but our desires and heart, which in turn change our behaviors. We don't have to do anything ourselves, such as perform animal sacrifices or participate in works for the sole purpose of making ourselves outwardly clean. Those works are dead works. In other words, we don't work to be saved (dead works), we work because we are saved and to serve the Living God because we love Him, not appease Him in hopes that we might gain His favor.

 

[J.D.]

Verse 13 - The sacrifices of the animals made under the first covenant only made people ceremonially clean....clean on the outside. It possibly changed their behavior, but only briefly. And they had to sacrifice again and again and again because their was no place for instrinsic change.

Verse 14 - The sacrifice of Jesus and His blood makes us clean on the inside when we become saved. It purges not our behavior, but our desires and heart, which in turn change our behaviors. We don't have to do anything ourselves, such as perform animal sacrifices or participate in works for the sole purpose of making ourselves outwardly clean. Those works are dead works. In other words, we don't work to be saved (dead works), we work because we are saved and to serve the Living God because we love Him, not appease Him in hopes that we might gain His favor.

Thanks, Scarlett. Was that from a commentary or a paraphrase?

 

[Scarlett O.]

Verse 13 - The sacrifices of the animals made under the first covenant only made people ceremonially clean....clean on the outside. It possibly changed their behavior, but only briefly. And they had to sacrifice again and again and again because their was no place for instrinsic change.

Verse 14 - The sacrifice of Jesus and His blood makes us clean on the inside when we become saved. It purges not our behavior, but our desires and heart, which in turn change our behaviors. We don't have to do anything ourselves, such as perform animal sacrifices or participate in works for the sole purpose of making ourselves outwardly clean. Those works are dead works. In other words, we don't work to be saved (dead works), we work because we are saved and to serve the Living God because we love Him, not appease Him in hopes that we might gain His favor.

The words I have in red are from either the Message or the NIV. I can't remember which one I was looking at online. Sometimes I like to read scripture from variety of translations and/or paraphrases on biblegateway.com.

The rest of the words are my commentary, but the main thing is God's Word.

 

[J.D.]

Now notice the passage says that the blood of Christ will purge our conscience.

John Owen said that all the benefits of salvation, including faith, flows from the work of Christ and His cross. This passage seems to speak to that idea.

Now look at the following verse in that light:

15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

This verse limits the benefits of the cross to those those "which are called". Hence, limited atonement.

 

[convicted1]

RE: Heb 9-14, What does it mean?

Heb 9:14 is a question that is related directly to Heb 9:13. 9:13 talks about how the blood of bulls and goats, which if are put on clothes would stain them, basically stayed sins for one year. But 9:14 talks how that Jesus' blood applied to our lives stays our sins eternally. His blood makes our robes WHITE. It's a reference about how weak the Old Law is in relation to the Grace Covenant. May God Bless!! John 3:16 :1_grouphug:

 

[skypair]

Now notice the passage says that the blood of Christ will purge our conscience.

IOW -- save our souls eternally, J.D.

John Owen said that all the benefits of salvation, including faith, flows from the work of Christ and His cross. This passage seems to speak to that idea.

Yeah.

Now look at the following verse in that light:

15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

Here Paul is saying that the OT saints will receive the inheritance of the Holy Spirit indwelling (like we have) in the future -- an "inheritance." Paul is telling us specifically about the OT saints -- not limiting the atonement of Christ but the regeneration of Christ to those who believe.

skypair