Romans 8 Study part 3 (SPOTLESS LAMB)

[Michael]

Book of ROMANS
A Study of Chapter 8
Part 3

Romans 8:3-4


Spotless Lamb


“For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”
– Rom 8:3-4 NKJV

Now here in vs 3 & 4 we are looking at the Law of Moses.
The problem was never with the law. Every law God gives is perfect. Psalms tells us - “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.” (Psalm 19:7). Paul asks & answers - “Is the law sin? Certainly not!” (Rom 7:7). And Jesus declared – “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” (Matt 5:17).

The problem was with them: “God found fault with the people.” (Heb 8:8 NIV)
And so it can become with us. When we half-heartedly attempt to follow God’s laws through the flesh, rather than by “walking according to the Spirit” we will fail.
God rebuked His people in the Old Testament, with the same words Jesus would use to describe the Jewish leaders in His day -

“This people honors Me with their lips,
but their heart is far from Me;
9 in vain do they worship Me,
teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’”
- Matt 15:8-9 RSV (Isaiah 29:13)

They would go through the motions, but their hearts were not toward God. Like Jesus said of the Pharisee’s - “you outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” (Matt 23:28)

Desiring the preeminence and loving the praise they would receive from men, many outwardly appeared to be following God and obeying His commandments, but “They did not keep the covenant of God; They refused to walk in His law.” (Psalm 78:10)

We too can wear our church-face and put up a show of righteousness on Sunday, but what does God see? Are we truly surrendering to Christ and walking in the Spirit by faith?
Hiding our struggles can give the enemy opportunity to tempt us and attack our faith. The Word says to “confess our faults/sins one to another, and pray for each other, that we may be healed.” (James 5:16). Let us bring everything of the old man into the Light, exposing all that we know is displeasing to God and allow Him to not only forgive us, but deliver us completely.
Forgiveness, an essential element to get us started on our Christian walk, is not an end. Complete deliverance is what God desires to bring us to. The Israelites could offer animal sacrifice and be forgiven. And contrary to some modern teaching, they were actually "forgiven" for the particular offence, Scripture is very clear on that (Lev 4:20, 26, 31, 35; 5:10, 13, 16, 18; 6:7; 19:22; Num 14:19; 15:25-28).

“the priest shall make atonement for him before Yahweh with the ram of the guilt offering for his sin that he committed, and so his sin that he committed shall be forgiven him.”
– Lev 19:22 LEB

But… animal sacrifice could not “take away” sin. It could not make us “perfect.”

“For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices which are continually offered year after year, make perfect those who draw near. 2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered? If the worshipers had once been cleansed, they would no longer have any consciousness of sin. 3 But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sin year after year. 4 For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins.” – Heb 10:1-4 RSV

God’s plan is not to merely forgive our sins. A forgiven sinner would still be a sinner, as we see in the passage from Hebrews 10 above. God’s plan is to remove sin from us, so that, as John writes – “we cannot sin” or “unable to sin.”

“Everyone who has been born of God does not sin, because His seed remains in him; he is not able to sin, because he has been born of God.” – 1John 3:9 HCSB

This passage from 1John is one I use often when teaching about the New Creation that we shall be if we overcome. In Christendom we commonly say that at our salvation we are “born again”, yet this verse (among others) in the NT show us that the fullness of our being “born again” into a “new creation” is something to look forward to. I believe this will happen to the First Resurrection saints when the Lord returns, as we read in 1Thess 4, 1Cor 15, 2Cor 5 and elsewhere. This is another study, but the point is that forgiveness of sins only is not what the Father desires, but individuals in whom, as Christ Jesus, sin itself has been removed and to continue in sin is impossible.

Is this possible? And if so, how?

It began “at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.”

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” – John 1:29 NKJV

“You know that He was revealed to take away sins.” – 1John 3:5 NRSV

Under the Mosaic Covenant the animal being sacrificed was to be “without blemish.”
Jesus was the perfect sacrifice that fulfilled the types of the OT offerings.


~ As we continue below, we'll look at how Jesus fulfilled each of the offerings ~

 

[Michael]

Jesus Fulfills the OT Offerings

THE PASSOVER LAMB -

“Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats.” – Ex 12:5 NKJV

As the Israelites prepared for the exodus from Egypt, they were to sacrifice a lamb without defect and sprinkle its blood on the doorposts and lintels of their homes, so that the Destroying Angel sent by God would pass over them when judgment came to Egypt. Along with the sacrifice they were to “Eat nothing made with yeast. Wherever you live, you must eat unleavened bread.” (Ex 12:20 NIV)

In the New Testament we are exhorted to - “Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.” – 1Cor 5:7 NIV

Jesus became that final, perfect, unblemished Passover Lamb. He set us free from bondage to the world, just as Israel was set free from Egypt at the first Passover.
Their individual obedience of sprinkling of the blood and the removal of leaven would protect them from the wrath of God that brought death to the firstborn of the Egyptians. Our own obedience in removing the leaven of worldliness and sin from our lives - which is repentance – frees us from the consequences of the “wages of sin.”

“Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” – 1Cor 5:8 NAS

We celebrate the Passover now, not by animal sacrifice and cooking our bread a certain way, but by remembering Christ’s sacrifice, and honoring Him by walking in repentance and “by the Spirit putting to death the deeds of the flesh.”

“For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, unstained, separated from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27 He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; He did this once for all when He offered up Himself. 28 Indeed, the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect for ever.”
– Heb 7:26-28 RSV


FREE WILL OFFERING -

“A burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord.
“If his offering is of the flocks—of the sheep or of the goats—as a burnt sacrifice, he shall bring a male without blemish.”
“It is a burnt offering, a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.”
- Lev 1:9b-10,13 NKJV

The Jewish Encyclopedia defines a “Freewill Offering” - A term applied to gifts presented out of the benevolence or religious impulse of heart of the giver, and not in fulfilment of any obligation, promise, or vow.

This offering was done out of love for God, to please Him.

“Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.” – John 10:17-18 NKJV

Jesus fulfilled this offering by willingly choosing to offer Himself and that which would be a “sweet-smelling aroma” unto God. May we freely offer ourselves to Him as well, not only out of obligation, but because we love Him.

“Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.” – Eph 5:1-2 NKJV

And surely those who abide in Christ will have His fragrance about themselves, sensed by those they spend any time with.

“For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life.” – 2Cor 15-16 NKJV


SIN OFFERING -

“If a person sins unintentionally against any of the commandments of the Lord in anything which ought not to be done, and does any of them…
“let him offer to the Lord for his sin which he has sinned a young bull without blemish as a sin offering.” – Lev 4:2-3 NKJV

This offering for sin, brought before and sacrificed by the priest, did indeed atone for the particular sin. The Word states plainly - “So the priest shall make atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them.” (Lev 4:20)

These priests were appointed to “offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.” (Heb 5:1), but were imperfect, and themselves needed atonement. So God appointed “a Son, made perfect forever”, to be the final High Priest, who would Himself be the atoning sacrificial sin offering.

“For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; 27 who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.” – Heb 10:26-27 NAS

Jesus fulfilled once forever the sin offering requirement that satisfied God.

“God condemned sin in the flesh by sending His own Son in flesh like ours under sin’s domain, and as a sin offering.”
– Rom 8:3b HCSB


~ continued below ~

 

[Michael]

Earlier we read that the sacrifices continually offered could forgive but not “take away sin.”
So came our Redeemer Jesus, the only One who could “deliver us from this body of death”

“Therefore, when He came into the world, He said:

“Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me.
6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure.
7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come— In the volume of the book it is written of Me— To do Your will, O God.’”

8 Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the law), 9 then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second. 10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” – Heb 10:5-10 NKJV


This was the last sacrifice. There will be no more offering for sin. Jesus is “the atoning sacrifice for the for sins of the whole world” (1John 2:2). “The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Is 53:6). “There is no salvation in any other Name” (Acts 4:12)

So this is wonderful news to those, like Paul, who want to be “delivered from this body of death.” But it is bad news to those who “love the darkness rather than the Light.”

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” – 1Cor 1:18 NKJV

“For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.” – Heb 10:26-27 NKJV

If we are counting on a fat bank account to save us, or trusting in our social status, then we will be greatly disappointed. For God looks not at those things, but rather on our deeds: what did we do with what He gave us in this life. Did we use our talents? Did we grow in the "fruit of the Spirit"? Did we "bear fruit worthy of repentance"? Did we "walk worthy of our calling"?

“And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” – 1Pet 1:17-19 NKJV


So Jesus fulfilled these sacrifices, as the “lamb without blemish or spot.”
“He doesn’t need to offer sacrifices every day, as high priests do—first for their own sins, then for those of the people. He did this once for all when He offered Himself.” (Heb 7:27) So now “there is no longer any offering for sin.” (Heb 10:18)

This had to be accomplished by a man. Perhaps we can look into this at a later date. But for now, let’s understand that it wasn’t as the Word (logos) that He could atone for our sins, but only as a Man. (We dug a bit into this in "The Greatest Gift: Inheritance of Creation - https://to-him-who-overcomes.com/greatest-gift)

“Therefore He had to become like His brothers and sisters in every respect, so that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people.” – Heb 2:17 NRSV

Indeed, He was the perfect Lamb, yet Jesus came looking like any other Jew at that time. We often picture Him as having a halo over His head, or light shining around Him, but Scripture says – “He didn’t have any beauty or majesty that made us notice Him. There wasn’t anything special about the way He looked that drew us to Him.” (Is 53:2 NIRV) He didn’t dress in priestly robes, or have a crown on His head; He looked like a regular guy. But when He spoke, people listened; when He healed someone, everyone noticed.

The first king of Israel, Saul, was a “choice and handsome” man, who “stood a head taller than any other man in Israel.” (1Sam 9:2). He was freely given charge over the nation of Israel. In the end, he displeased God by his choices and actions, and he lost the kingdom.

“I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments.” - 1Sam 15:11 NKJV

According to the Word of God, had Saul obeyed the Almighty and followed Him with all his heart, God would have established his kingdom eternally. But when Saul loved not the commandment of God, the prophet rebuked him -
“And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you. For now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 14 But now your kingdom shall not continue.” – 1Sam 13:13-14a NKJV

The last King of Israel, Jesus, the King of kings, did not stand out because of His appearance. He had to give up His very life so that He might inherit the nations. In the end He pleased God in everything He did; and was granted authority over heaven and earth.

Unlike Saul, unlike Adam, unlike the un-regenerated human heart, of Christ it was written - “I delight to do Thy will, O My God: yea, Thy law is within My heart.” (Psalm 40:8).

Came the Voice from heaven on the mountain top -

“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” – Matt 17:5 NKJV
And after His ultimate sacrifice, and glorious Resurrection Jesus appeared to His faithful disciples -
“Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” – Matt 28:18 NKJV

“(God) raised (Christ Jesus) from the dead and made Him sit at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.” – Eph 1:20-21 RSV


~ concluded below ~

 

[Michael]

~ continued from above ~


Of this One, the Spotless Lamb, is fulfilled the prophecy of Daniel’s vision -

“He was given authority to rule, and glory, and a kingdom; so that those of every people, nation, and language should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His kingdom is one that will not be destroyed.” – Dan 7:14 HCSB

This One, Jesus, received the Kingdom because He remained spotless through every trial; obedient to God even to death (Phil 2:8). Indeed, He was perfected through His suffering and sacrifice on Calvary. (Heb 2:10)
And now He is bringing a remnant to perfection as well. “For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.” (Heb 10:14 NKJV)

The Law of Moses could not perfect even those who adhered to its requirements. While both Testaments speak of several saints who “walked blameless” in the Law, none could have been perfected and delivered from sin. Therefore, continual sacrifices were needed. Until Jesus.

“And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.” – Heb 10:11-14 NKJV

Before He came forth from Mary, God instructed Joseph concerning our Savior -
“you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” – Matt 1:21 NKJV

Jesus came to save us “from” our sins, not “in” our sins. To “take away” sin, not merely cover it. Certain rituals under the Mosaic Covenant forgave people “in” their sins. Jesus suffered, died and rose again so that we could be delivered “from” our sins.

“You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin.”
– 1John 3:5 NAS

We begin with “redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” (Col 1:14), then “if indeed (we) continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel” (Col 1:23), the mystery of that gospel “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col 1:27) becomes reality, and He is able to make us “holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight” (Col 1:23), and “present every man perfect in Christ Jesus” (Col 1:28). Amen!

We need to realize that Jesus came to set us free from sin so that, like Him, we can actually become blameless, spotless, and perfect. Unless we grasp that Truth by faith, we will remain in our sins. There are some current doctrines which overemphasize a misunderstanding of the purpose of Grace that have the Church of God in bondage to sin, rather than setting us free. Let us grasp hold of the Word spoken through John, and really believe God’s Truth concerning His view of sin.

“My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
3 We know that we have come to know Him if we keep His commands. 4 Whoever says, “I know Him,” but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. 5 But if anyone obeys His word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in Him: 6 Whoever claims to live in Him must live as Jesus did.” – 1John 2:1-5 NIV

Our God did not give us a single command through Christ that we cannot keep. His grace gives us the ability to obey His Word to the letter. Is this our hope? To be truly blameless and pure like the One we follow: our Savior, our Lord, our brother.

“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 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. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” – 1John 3:1-3 NKJV

Oh, saints, I love this – “we shall be like Him”! Spotless, blameless, without blemish… if we would only believe and obey and walk the path that the Father has called us to walk.

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you without blemish before the Presence of His glory with rejoicing” – Jude 1:24 RSV

Amen.


Next… SANCTIFICATION