I want to stay in Hebrews Chapter 1 this morning. We only discussed the first part of the chapter yesterday, but look at the remainder of Chapter 1. In v.4 we saw where Jesus was given the greatest name above every name, "a more excellent name." But then, God goes on to say some pretty amazing things. He tells the angels to worship His firstborn when Jesus was born into the world. But, then God says to the Son,
Hebrews 1:8-12 But to the Son He says: "YOUR THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER; A SCEPTER OF RIGHTEOUSNESS IS THE SCEPTER OF YOUR KINGDOM. (9) YOU HAVE LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HATED LAWLESSNESS; THEREFORE GOD, YOUR GOD, HAS ANOINTED YOU WITH THE OIL OF GLADNESS MORE THAN YOUR COMPANIONS." (10) And: "YOU, LORD, IN THE BEGINNING LAID THE FOUNDATION OF THE EARTH, AND THE HEAVENS ARE THE WORK OF YOUR HANDS. (11) THEY WILL PERISH, BUT YOU REMAIN; AND THEY WILL ALL GROW OLD LIKE A GARMENT; (12) LIKE A CLOAK YOU WILL FOLD THEM UP, AND THEY WILL BE CHANGED. BUT YOU ARE THE SAME, AND YOUR YEARS WILL NOT FAIL."
These scriptures are taken from Psalm 45:6,7 and Psalm 102:25-27. The writer here makes a distinction between the Son and the angels. Jesus has a place of position as the Firstborn of creation and the only begotten Son of God that is above all. He is righteous and hates lawlessness, as we see through the Gospels in the accounts of His ministry here on earth. But, He is also annointed with the power of God, with gladness even more than anyone else, including the angels. Jesus laid the foundation of creation. Heaven and Earth are products of the word of His hands. All these will pass away and perish, but He will not. Through His mercy and grace and the power of His blood He has saved us and placed us within Him so that we will be changed and become like Him. He does not change, so we must and it begins at the point of salvation.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Ezekiel 36:26 I will give you a new Heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
No longer will we have a hardened heart due to the fall of man and our sinful nature. We will have a heart of flesh, a soft and open heart to the things of Christ. Not only are we new creations born of the incorruptible seed placed within us, but we are Transformed, meaning we actually become something different than what we are. Man has done a great job of attempting to transform himself into something different than what he is. Plastic surgery is a big business. There are so many different body modification procedures people - men and women - choose to perform on their bodes and thousands go through the procedures. I am including tattoos and body piercings (extreme). The intended outcome is to look better or different than what they do right then because they are dissatisfied with their appearance, but there is a deeper root issue there than just dissatisfaction with outward appearance.
1 John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
You see, we have to go through spiritual transformation regardless of outward appearances because our outward appearance truly does not matter. Even beyond that,
2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Hebrews 1:12 LIKE A CLOAK YOU WILL FOLD THEM UP, AND THEY WILL BE CHANGED. BUT YOU ARE THE SAME, AND YOUR YEARS WILL NOT FAIL."
The Creator of the heavens and earth does not change. Not only that, but He already knew our hearts, our names, the mistakes we would (will) make as we walk through this life. Yet, He accepts us anyway because of His righteousness, we are made righteousness.
Romans 8:29-30 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. (30) Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
Glory, hallelujah and AMEN! There is nothing more that you or I can do to become any more acceptable to the very One who gives us life. We can commit our lives to Him. We can walk out the transformation through the renewing of our minds on a daily basis.
Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. (2) And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Sometimes we place so much focus on the friendship and love of Jesus as a brother, as a friend and as a Savior, that we can forget or overlook the fact that He is still Soveriegn God that is blameless, sinless, righteous and holy. So, if He does not change and we are supposed to be conformed into His image, then it is up to us to find out what Paul meant when he said to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.
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Hebrews 1:8-12 But to the Son He says: "YOUR THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER; A SCEPTER OF RIGHTEOUSNESS IS THE SCEPTER OF YOUR KINGDOM. (9) YOU HAVE LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HATED LAWLESSNESS; THEREFORE GOD, YOUR GOD, HAS ANOINTED YOU WITH THE OIL OF GLADNESS MORE THAN YOUR COMPANIONS." (10) And: "YOU, LORD, IN THE BEGINNING LAID THE FOUNDATION OF THE EARTH, AND THE HEAVENS ARE THE WORK OF YOUR HANDS. (11) THEY WILL PERISH, BUT YOU REMAIN; AND THEY WILL ALL GROW OLD LIKE A GARMENT; (12) LIKE A CLOAK YOU WILL FOLD THEM UP, AND THEY WILL BE CHANGED. BUT YOU ARE THE SAME, AND YOUR YEARS WILL NOT FAIL."
These scriptures are taken from Psalm 45:6,7 and Psalm 102:25-27. The writer here makes a distinction between the Son and the angels. Jesus has a place of position as the Firstborn of creation and the only begotten Son of God that is above all. He is righteous and hates lawlessness, as we see through the Gospels in the accounts of His ministry here on earth. But, He is also annointed with the power of God, with gladness even more than anyone else, including the angels. Jesus laid the foundation of creation. Heaven and Earth are products of the word of His hands. All these will pass away and perish, but He will not. Through His mercy and grace and the power of His blood He has saved us and placed us within Him so that we will be changed and become like Him. He does not change, so we must and it begins at the point of salvation.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Ezekiel 36:26 I will give you a new Heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
No longer will we have a hardened heart due to the fall of man and our sinful nature. We will have a heart of flesh, a soft and open heart to the things of Christ. Not only are we new creations born of the incorruptible seed placed within us, but we are Transformed, meaning we actually become something different than what we are. Man has done a great job of attempting to transform himself into something different than what he is. Plastic surgery is a big business. There are so many different body modification procedures people - men and women - choose to perform on their bodes and thousands go through the procedures. I am including tattoos and body piercings (extreme). The intended outcome is to look better or different than what they do right then because they are dissatisfied with their appearance, but there is a deeper root issue there than just dissatisfaction with outward appearance.
1 John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
You see, we have to go through spiritual transformation regardless of outward appearances because our outward appearance truly does not matter. Even beyond that,
2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Hebrews 1:12 LIKE A CLOAK YOU WILL FOLD THEM UP, AND THEY WILL BE CHANGED. BUT YOU ARE THE SAME, AND YOUR YEARS WILL NOT FAIL."
The Creator of the heavens and earth does not change. Not only that, but He already knew our hearts, our names, the mistakes we would (will) make as we walk through this life. Yet, He accepts us anyway because of His righteousness, we are made righteousness.
Romans 8:29-30 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. (30) Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
Glory, hallelujah and AMEN! There is nothing more that you or I can do to become any more acceptable to the very One who gives us life. We can commit our lives to Him. We can walk out the transformation through the renewing of our minds on a daily basis.
Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. (2) And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Sometimes we place so much focus on the friendship and love of Jesus as a brother, as a friend and as a Savior, that we can forget or overlook the fact that He is still Soveriegn God that is blameless, sinless, righteous and holy. So, if He does not change and we are supposed to be conformed into His image, then it is up to us to find out what Paul meant when he said to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.
Join the discussion on Facebook.
