This is a sermon manuscript for January 24, 2021. This lesson is part three of a four week series on The Grace of God.
Introduction
What did Jesus die in order to do? What was actually accomplished by his sacrifice? You might think the answer to these questions are obvious--and they are simple enough if we answer as the Scriptures do--but historically Christians and theologians have answered this in a number of different ways. This says more about our theological commitments than about Scripture’s clarity. Most Christians will affirm Jesus died in order to save sinners, but did he actually accomplish that goal? Yes, some sinners have been saved, and we expect more will be before the Lord returns. But was this outcome certain? Was it necessarily implied by the offering of God’s Son? Did Jesus actually accomplish and secure the salvation of anyone, or did his death and resurrection only make salvation possible for everyone?
In this third installment of our series on grace, I want us to contemplate the specificity of the grace by which God saves his people. We are thinking about grace in very specific terms today as the power and gift by which the Lord effectually redeems and delivers those who believe. We have already seen in the last two weeks this grace is not merely an offer or invitation, not an opportunity or possibility which our decision or action must activate. If that were the case, then Christ has not truly saved us, at least, not alone. We have given him necessary assistance. Such a view of grace says God’s grace is not enough, that his power cannot accomplish what he hopes to perform. This may not be how we speak about grace, but it seems to be what many people believe. Does God save his people by grace, or does his grace only give us the opportunity to save ourselves?
We read Hebrews 10:1-18, and the entire context is very important. But expounding all of it would take much longer than the time we have set aside today, so while remaining aware of the whole, I want to focus our study on vv.10, 14, and 18. What did Christ accomplish in his sacrifice?
Why is the Specificity of Grace Controversial?
The Assumption of God’s Universal Love
Most people who believe in God, even at the most superficial level, believe God must love all people, equally and in the same way. Those who consult the Bible may quickly find verses they think support this conclusion, but they might be surprised if they looked at those texts more closely. We’ll not delve deeply into the question of God’s love. We’re focusing on the specificity of grace, i.e. his saving work and power. But a few texts and observations may be helpful and appropriate.
Ps. 5:4-6: For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, Nor shall evil dwell with You. The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity. You shall destroy those who speak falsehood; The LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.
Ps. 7:11: God is a just judge, And God is angry with the wicked every day.
Ps. 11:5: The LORD tests the righteous, But the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates.
Pr. 6:16-19: These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.
Does God love everyone equally and in the same way? Clearly not! Does he love those who deserve his love, those among the human race who are lovable? No! All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. But if God hates sinners, as the Bible very clearly affirms, then how can we also say God loves sinners? The answer is, in part, that the love of God described in Scripture is not a general, emotional attitude; it is a saving disposition, a determination to bestow favor. And toward whom does God determine to show favor? Not every person, but those whom he chose before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4), whose names he wrote in the Book of Life at that time and not later when they believed (Rev. 13:8; 17:8), those whom he gave to his Son to redeem (Jn. 6:37; 8:47; 10:26-29; 17:2, 6, 9). Is it hard to understand that God has a special love of favor toward his children? Don’t you have a different kind of love toward your children than other kids?
The Assumption of God’s Universal Grace
Not only do people assume, without clear biblical warrant, that God loves everyone equally and in the same way, they assume his grace is also extended to everyone without distinction. Here they may, at first, seem to have some biblical basis, e.g.: “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men” (Tit. 2:11) or “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of our God who desires all men to be saved” (1Ti. 2:3-4) or “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise… but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2Pe. 3:9). Each of these texts need to be carefully considered in context, but it is enough today to make three observations.
First, there is a clear difference in Scripture between the invitation of the gospel and the application of saving grace. All people are encompassed in the former, but there is a more specific context for the latter. Second, the word all is used in different ways, and context must determine what it means. When the Bible says, “all the world should be registered” (Lk. 2:1), does it mean every individual person or all families in the Roman world? When it says, “all Judea and those from Jerusalem” were baptized by John (Mk. 1:5), does it mean every person or many people? When the Bible says “all will know [the Lord]” (Heb. 8:11), does it mean every person in the world or every person in a subset of the world, in this case, the New Covenant? Third, there is a difference between all without distinction (men, women, rich, poor, Jew, Gentile, etc.) and all without exception (every single person). Each of these must be considered in the above passages.
The Bible is very clear that, to whatever extent a universal invitation is given, the intent and application of saving grace is very specific to those whom God is drawing to himself, sanctifying by his Son, and indwelling by his Spirit. We’ll see that even more clearly in our study today.
The Failure to Make Careful Definitions and Distinctions
Many people struggle with these ideas because they fail to carefully define terms and make necessary distinctions. For example, what do we mean by the grace of God? More specifically, what do we mean by saving grace? Is this only an opportunity, a general provision without any actualized potency, or is it an effectual sacrifice which is applied by God to specific individuals who are brought to life and faith by that grace? Is it God’s will for all men to be saved? It depends. What do we mean by the will of God? Are we speaking of his revealed will, i.e. his commanded word, or of his secret will, i.e. what he decreed would happen before the foundation of the world? We could go on in this fashion for some time; definitions and distinctions are essential.
Let me explain how I am using the important terms in today’s study, how I think these ideas are used in the passage we are looking at. Grace is God’s gift and power for saving sinners. It is not merely a potential but actual work which accomplishes what God intends by Christ’s sacrifice. Grace is not general benevolence. It is not merely an opportunity. It is a power that performs what it means to do without the recipient’s agency. Grace is the power that brings about the new birth, without which no man is able to believe. It is the gift which enables faith and repentance and fills the human heart with love for God who loved the sinner first. Grace is an enabling bestowal, not an offer that you can accept or not. It is a transforming influence, not an opportunity to change yourself. Grace does not make salvation possible; it actually saves God’s people.
You may say, “But Pastor, people must believe in order to be saved, so obviously grace does not save a person all by itself!” But when the Reformers said, rightly, following the text of Scripture, that salvation is by grace alone, they did not mean that sinners do not have to trust in Christ. They meant that sinners trust in Christ by grace. In other words, their faith is a gift which they would not possess or be able to exercise without the grace of God. All those who are made alive by grace will (as a result) believe because God works decisively in their heart by grace.
God’s People Receive Definitive Sanctification by Christ’s Offering (10)
Sanctification refers to holiness. Usually when we speak of sanctification in salvation, we are describing the process of grace whereby God grows us in holiness and Christlikeness. But here the Bible is speaking of something else, not an ongoing work, but a once and for all act, definitive sanctification wherein a person is set apart from the world and placed in covenant with God.
The Hebrews writer does not say, “By that will [God’s will which Jesus fulfilled] we can be sanctified if we believe and endure.” He does not say Christ’s sacrifice makes this sanctification possible. He says that by God’s will which Christ fulfilled we have been sanctified through Jesus’ sacrifice once and for all. The phrase have been sanctified (ἡγιασμένοι ἐσμὲν) translates a perfect participle. Greek uses the perfect tense to describe something that has already been completed but has lasting results. This is not will be sanctified, can be sanctified, or is being sanctified. We have been sanctified, once and for all time (ἐφάπαξ), by the sacrifice of Christ.
There is no longer any need for animal sacrifices. The priestly system of atonement in the OT has been fulfilled by the work of Christ. But who is sanctified in this way? Is it all people in the world? Is it every Jewish person? No, it is very clearly those who believe, those who truly belong to God, who are cleansed from sin in order to serve him through faith. It describes those who are brethren (v.19), who have Christ as their High Priest (v.21), whose hearts have been cleansed (v.22), and who have hope (v.23). The writer admits some are only outwardly sanctified and not truly, spiritually sanctified by Christ in this once and for all way. He speaks of those who are hypocrites in vv.26-31. But he is not talking about merely an external or visible sanctification which might last for a time and then be abandoned. He is describing those who do not “draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul” (v.39). Those who truly belong to God in Christ are sanctified already. They are in a special relationship with him. But this happened not by their decision or work or diligence, but once and for all by the sacrifice of Christ.
God’s People Receive Definitive Glorification by Christ’s Offering (14)
Verse 14 takes us another step. Not only have God’s people been definitively sanctified by Christ’s sacrifice, they have been perfected forever (τετελείωκεν εἰς τὸ διηνεκὲς). Perfected until the next time they sin? No. Have the potential to be perfected if they endure? No. Is this an offer or opportunity? No. It is an accomplished fact, an act of grace, which is performed, completed, and has permanent results. God’s people are glorified. This is exactly what Paul says in Romans 8:30: “Moreover whom he predestined, these he also called; whom he called, these he also justified; and whom he justified, these he also glorified.” Did Paul mean we would be glorified one day? No, he says we are glorified, right now. We have been perfected forever by the sacrifice of Christ. Verse 14 uses perfected in a similar way to how Paul speaks of justified. We are forgiven, accounted as righteous, and accepted by God, now and forever.
There are three points that need to be made lest we misunderstand this verse. First, the ones who have been perfected by Christ still have to endure. Hypocrites will not. There will be some pretenders in the visible Church. They may be outwardly identified with Christ, but they do not truly belong to him. They have not been perfected. But the endurance of those who are sanctified and perfected is the work and result of grace. This text is very clear. We do not persevere in order to be accepted by God. We persevere because we have been accepted by God. We do not obey God so that we can be perfected; we obey God because we have been perfected. Perseverance is essential, but it is also inevitable for those who are saved by the grace of God.
Second, those who have already been perfected are still being sanctified right now. This may seem to contradict what we just saw in v.10, but it does not. The two refer to different aspects of sanctification. In v.10 the sanctification is once and for all, definitive. It is being set apart from the world and accepted by God, placed in a special relationship to him. In v.14 sanctification is an ongoing process, the work whereby we become more like Jesus every day, throughout our lives. How do you know who has already been perfected? By looking for those who are being sanctified right now. Those who are growing in grace are those whom grace has already saved.
Third, just as definitive sanctification leads to progressive sanctification, so definitive glorification leads to future and final glory. We are not yet in the presence of Christ, at least, not yet face to face. We are still pilgrims in the present age. But we have already been glorified with Christ in the heavenly places (cf. Eph. 2:4-7). We already partake of the divine nature (2Pet. 1:4), and therefore one day what Christ has already accomplished for us will be consummated in full glory.
God’s People Receive Definitive Remission by Christ’s Offering (18)
Finally, God’s people receive the forgiveness of sins by the sacrifice of Christ. Not just the sins they previously committed, not just the opportunity to have their sins forgiven in the future. They receive remission, forgiveness, and it is accomplished and complete, which is why there is no longer any need for further sacrifices. Jesus’ sacrifice provides forgiveness once and for all time.
Here again, we must make a distinction lest we imagine I have never been guilty of any sin because I was forgiven two thousand years ago. There is a difference between forgiveness being purchased and forgiveness being applied. Saul was not a forgiven man when he left for Damascus to arrest any Christians he found there. But he was forgiven by the time he reached the city. What changed? He met Jesus, realized he was the Christ, and put his trust in him. Jesus taught us to pray for the forgiveness of our sins every day in the Lord’s Prayer; we should, and we do. But why if we have definitive remission? Because a sanctified, perfected, and forgiven person will continue to acknowledge the sin in his life and his need for God’s forgiveness. We do not take that grace for granted. We constantly stand in need of it. But Jesus does not have to die again. We do not need any further offering, any sacrifice, any act of penance. We are forgiven, once and forever, by grace.
Conclusion
Jesus did not die to establish a blood bank to which anyone and everyone may apply but which otherwise is effective for no one. If Jesus’ sacrifice only makes forgiveness possible, then we cannot say God’s people have been sanctified, are already perfected forever, and have full and final forgiveness. We can’t say these things if grace is only an opportunity, a potential blessing, an invitation. But thank God grace is not merely a prospective work; it is an accomplished work. It is not merely an opportunity; it is a divine operation. It is not merely potential; it is powerful and effectual. It accomplishes exactly what God pleases, for all those to whom he means to give it. Jesus did not die for sin in general. He died for our sins on the cross (1Cor. 15:3). He bore our sins in his own body on the tree (1Pet. 2:24). God’s grace is specific and special. It will not fail because he cannot. He is not trying to save uncooperative sinners. He has saved his people, and it is his grace that makes us cooperative. Amen.
