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A New and Living Way; Hebrews 10:20

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The New and Living Way

“By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh.” Hebrews 10:20

There is something striking about the way the Bible describes what God has done through Jesus Christ. It repeatedly uses the word new.

God promised a new covenant. Christ established it. Those who come to Christ receive new life. They become new creatures. They put off the old man and put on the new man. They receive a new identity and are called by a new name. They are taught to live differently.

This is more than an updated version of an old religion. Jesus opened “a new and living way.”

A NEW COVENANT

The coming of something new was not a surprise. God had promised it hundreds of years before Christ came.

Jeremiah wrote: “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant…” Jeremiah 31:31

God promised a covenant in which He would forgive iniquity and write His law upon the hearts of His people.

The prophets also spoke of an everlasting covenant and a covenant of peace. Isaiah spoke of God’s Servant being given “for a covenant of the people” (Isaiah 42:6). Ezekiel spoke of an “everlasting covenant” (Ezekiel 37:26).

Then Jesus came. When He instituted the Lord’s Supper, He said: “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins…” Matt 26:28

Hebrews explains exactly what happened: “In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old.” Hebrews 8:13

Christ did not simply repair the first covenant. He established a new one. (see Heb 7:12-14)

And that new covenant is the covenant under which we live today.

A New LIFE and a New Creation

The new covenant calls for a new kind of life.

Paul wrote: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.” 2Cor 5:17

That is personal. If I am in Christ, I am not supposed to remain the same person I was before.

Galatians 6:15 says that what matters is being “a new creature.”

The prophets had already pointed toward this kind of change. Isaiah recorded God’s promise: “Behold, I will do a new thing…” Isaiah 43:19

The New Testament shows us that this new work begins in those who obey the gospel of Christ.

God does not simply give us a new set of beliefs. He calls us to a new life.

Buried (IMMERSED in baptism) and Raised to Newness of Life

Romans 6 makes the connection even clearer. Paul says: “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead… even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Romans 6:4

Notice the progression.

We are buried with Christ. We are raised with Christ. THEN we walk in newness of life.

Colossians 2:12 describes us as being “buried with him in baptism” and raised with Him.

Galatians 3:27 says: “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”

What baptism is Paul talking about?

He is talking about immersion in water.

The word baptism means immersion, and the Bible repeatedly connects baptism with water. The Ethiopian eunuch went down into the water with Philip, and they came up out of the water (Acts 8:36-39). Peter commanded baptism with water (Acts 10:47-48). Ananias told Saul to arise and be baptized and wash away his sins (Acts 22:16).

This is not something man invented. Jesus commanded it.

Jesus said: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them…” Matthew 28:19

Mark records: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved…” Mark 16:16

Water baptism is therefore not a work that replaces faith. It is an act of obedient faith.

The question is not whether baptism is a human work that earns salvation. It does not.

The question is whether a person who believes Jesus should obey what Jesus commanded.

  • Jesus commanded baptism.
  • The apostles commanded baptism.
  • And when people believed the gospel, they were baptized.

Acts 2:41 says those who gladly received the word were baptized.

Acts 8:12 says men and women believed and were baptized.

Acts 18:8 says many Corinthians hearing, believed, and were baptized.

Faith does not make obedience unnecessary.

Faith obeys.

That is why Romans 6 connects baptism with being buried and raised with Christ and then walking in newness of life.

Baptism is not presented as an empty ceremony. It is connected with entering Christ, being raised with Him, and beginning a new life.

The Christian life is supposed to look different because the Christian has become different.

New Wine and New VESSELS

Jesus used another picture to describe what He was bringing.

“New wine must be put into new bottles.” Mark 2:22

The point is simple. The new work Christ was doing called for something new.

We cannot claim the new life Christ gives us while continuing to live according to the old life we left behind.

The gospel is not just something we add to our lives.

It changes our lives.

A New Man in a New IMAGE

Paul gives us another powerful picture in Ephesians 4.

He tells Christians to put away the old manner of life and: “put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Ephesians 4:24

Colossians 3:9-10 says: “Ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man…”

Then Paul explains that the new man is: “renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.”

That is what Christ is doing in us.

We put off the old man. We put on the new man. We become more like Christ.

Christianity is not about becoming a slightly improved version of the old me. It is about becoming a new man in Christ.

A New NAME

God also promised that His people would receive a new name.

Isaiah wrote: “thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name.” Isaiah 62:2

Isaiah 65:15 speaks of God calling His servants “by another name.”

Then we come to the New Testament.

Acts 11:26 tells us: “And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.”

James refers to “that worthy name by the which ye are called” (James 2:7).

Peter says: “if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed.” 1 Peter 4:16

Revelation also speaks of a “new name” given to those who belong to Christ (Rev 2:17; 3:12).

God gives His people a new identity.

We are not defined by who we used to be. We belong to Christ.

New GARMENTS

The Bible also describes this new identity as putting on new clothing.

Isaiah wrote: “he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness.” Isaiah 61:10

Paul uses the same kind of language when he says: “put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 13:14

And again: “put on the new man.” Eph 4:24

Colossians 3 tells us what these new garments look like. We put on mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, forgiveness, and love.

This is what the new life should look like.

We take off the old behavior and put on Christ.

The New and Living Way

Put all of this together and the message becomes clear.

God promised a new covenant.

Christ established it through His blood.

Those who come to Christ receive new life.

Through baptism, we are buried and raised to newness of life.

We become a new creation at baptism.

We put off the old man and put on the new man.

We receive a new identity and name.

We put on new garments of righteousness, holiness, and love. Galatians 3:27

And all of it points us back to Hebrews 10:20:

“A new and living way.”

Jesus did not merely make the old way easier. He opened a new way to God.

The question is not simply whether we believe that Jesus opened that way.

The question is whether we are walking in it.

If I have entered the new covenant, I should live a new life.

If I have been raised to newness of life, I should not keep living like the old man.

If I have put on Christ, people should be able to see Christ in the way I live.

That is the challenge of the new and living way.

Christ made all things new. He calls us to live as new people.

agape

spencer

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

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I’ve recently been asked “why do we care so much about the name Church of Christ?” I’ve had this before and have a response, but then I actually came across a religious group that pride themselves on having no name.

This is a problem folks. It’s already disappointing to have denominations calling themselves after the names of men, but to go so far as to not have a name at all just takes the cake!

Why is this such a problem you ask? Because God did supply names from the very beginning. God sent the animals He created to Adam to “see what he would call them” [Gen 2:19]. God also found it important to change Abrams name to Abraham, [Ge 17:5]. Moses also needed to know God’s name, and God gave one, [Ex 3:14] which Jesus called Himself and was convicted of Blasphemy by the Jews [Joh 8:58, Mr 14:62-63].

The Psalms also proclaim the name of God, [Ps 83:18]. His name is to be revered, and not blasphemed, [Ex 20:7; De 5:11; 28:58; Ps 111:9; Mic 4:5; 1Ti 6:1]

The names of the Old Testament often had meaning. Hosea was commanded by God to give his children certain names which had meaning, [Ho 1:3,4,6,9; 2:1]

Names were given in prophecy as a proof of their fulfillment, i.e., Josiah [1Ki 13:2].Then there are the prophecies about Jesus, including His name! [Isa 7:14, Mat 1:23]. Isaiah also prophesied about a new name for God’s people, “And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name. [Isa 62:2]

Is this enough to show that names are important? I believe so, but let’s continue our study.

The chief priests sought for a name from Jesus for the things that He said and did, [Mt 21:23]. The Samaritan Woman knew what the Savior would be called, [Joh 4:25]. His parents “called His NAME Jesus”, [Mt 1:25, Lu 2:21]

As we continue to study, we find that the Holy Spirit found it important to reveal a name for God’s people under the new covenant, “And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.” Ac 11:26

NAMES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

So, all of this leads us to the questions, what should His church be called? Should there be a name, is there a name given in the scriptures? Let’s turn to the word of God in the New Testament….

Jesus said, “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” [Mt 16:18] Peter had just given the confession in vs 16 “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” This shows upon what His church would be built. A careful examination shows that it’s NOT Peter, he has the keys. It’s NOT Christ Himself, He’s doing the building. Upon what is Christ building His church? The confession that Jesus is the Christ, the son of the Living God. HIS NAME.

We see this confession being professed by the Ethiopian, [Ac 8:37]. There are multiple passages about confessing and believing in the name of Jesus the Christ. [1Jo 4:15; 5:5, 13]

Looking to the letters to the churches, we find the authors using names for the New Testament Church… church of God [Ac 20:28, 1Co 1:2]. Church of the living God, [1Ti 3:15]. Church of the firstborn, [Heb 12:23]. We find letters addressed to a particular city, “church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ:” [1Th 1:1] Paul ended his letter to the Roman Christians with the salutation, “The churches of Christ salute you.” [Ro 16:16]  Body of Christ, [Eph 4:12].

With all of these names, which one are we to use? Let’s consider some things about Jesus the Christ. He said He would build His church, [Mat 16:17]. He, Jesus the Christ, commanded that the Apostles “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:” [Mt 28:20]. Which is His doctrine, [2Jo 1:9]. His, Jesus the Christ’s, blood was shed for us, [Mt 26:28, Mr 14:24]. He, Jesus the Christ, is the head of the church, which is His body, and is the savior of the body, which He gave Himself for it. [Eph 1:22-23, 5:23-25]. And we are often reproached for His name, [1Pe 4:14].

Space prevents me from including other “____ of Christ” writings. Doctrine, partakers, gospel, servant, word, mystery, minister, cross, faith, knowledge, work, kingdom, obedience, grace, members and of course the day of Christ.

An honest study of the Word of God reveals that the church belongs to Jesus the Christ, it is the church of Christ. What we fail to find is denominational names, too many to even list. What’s in a name? Ownership, that’s what. [1Co 6:15, 19] Who owns you, is it Jesus the Christ or someone else? [Joh 8:44]

Spencer Preaches and Teaches at the Franklin St. Church of Christ in Borger, Tx