Spiritual Indispensables
Introduction.
Think with me for a moment about your life and what there is in it that you
could and could not live without. Often things that we really love we say we
couldn’t live without (e.g. chocolate, a mate, a hobby, certain entertainment).
In terms of physical life we really only could not live without things like
food, water, and shelter. We might call these “indispensable” because we
cannot dispense with them and survive. If there are such things for our
physical lives, are there spiritual indispensables? This morning I’d
like for us to look at seven things the Bible says we cannot live without.
I. Without the Shedding of Blood There is No
Forgiveness (Hebrews 9:19-22).
- The blood of
animals (i.e. bulls, goats, etc.) - the Hebrew writer makes it clear that
this was limited in its value. (Hebrews 10:1-4).
- Blood of the
new covenant is not that of animals but Christ Himself—our High Priest and
Savior (Hebrews 9:11-15).
- Redemption
through blood. (Colossians 1:13-16). Unlike the limited nature and power
of animal sacrifices this blood offers redemption and forgiveness because
of its source. Jesus is and was “the image of the invisible God.” Divine
blood can bring about Divine forgiveness! How does one access this blood.
- Baptized into
His death (Romans 6:1-4). When a person is baptized into Christ they are
baptized into Christ’s death, gaining access to this redeeming blood. What
is the benefit?
- His blood
cleanses us (I John 1:5-7). Truly, without blood (His blood) there is no
forgiveness of sins. If we are outside of Christ and have never been
cleansed by His blood the stain and filth of sin clings to us to this very
moment.
II. Without Faith it is Impossible to Please God (Hebrews 11:1-6).
- The unbeliever dies in sins (John 8:21-24). Just as the
one without the blood of Christ retains their sin, the one who does not
believe in the source of this blood will die in sins. By contrast...
- The believing
receive forgiveness (Acts 10:36-43). God wants all men to believe in Jesus,
the source and only source of forgiveness. In fact...
- Scriptures was
written to produce faith (John 20:30-31).
III. Without Works, Faith is Dead (James 2:26). The kind of faith that pleases
God—the kind of faith that gains access to this saving blood is a living,
active, working faith.
- Not faith only
(James 2:21-24). The world teaches salvation by “faith alone,” yet the
only place the phrase “faith only” is found in Scripture is James 2:24. It
teaches just the opposite. If salvation is by faith only who needs
Christ’s blood? Who needs His death? James isn’t teaching that works merit
salvation, but he is teaching that the only type of faith that pleases God
is one that is obedient!
- Faith leads to
obedience (John 3:36). “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life;
and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of
God abides on him.”
- Faith is dead
without obedience (James 2:17). Someone will say - “Your teaching that
baptism is a work that saves a person.” It is a work of an obedient faith.
Listen to how Paul describes it...
- In baptism we
rise in faith (Col. 2:11-12). Our obedience and our faith go hand in hand.
You can’t have one without the other, but one completes and accomplishes
the other.
- Faith works love (Galatians 5:6).
We see this in life—a person who loves another demonstrates that love. One
who doesn’t demonstrate love does not really love! (e.g. husband &
wife).
IV. Without Holiness We Can’t See God (Hebrews 12:14). “holiness” hagiasmos Thayer
says means “consecration, purification, the effect of consecration,
sanctification of heart and life.” We must have a
- Pure heart (Matthew
5:8). Note: “see God” as in Hebrews 12:14.
- Bodies a living
sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2). Everything we do as a Christian should offer
God a “living sacrifice.”
- Holiness is a lifestyle
not a part-time hobby (I Thess. 4:3-7).
V.
Without Love We Are Nothing (1
Corinthians 13:1-2).
- Faith working
love (Galatians 5:6). Remember - “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision
nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love” (Galatians
5:6).
- Love of Jesus,
keeps His commandments (John 14:23-24).
- Walk after His
commands (2 John 6).
VI. Without Chastisement We Are Not Sons (Hebrews 12:6-8).
- It yields the
peaceable fruit of righteousness (Heb. 12:9-13). Chastisement is shown in
Old and New Testament to come from what God teaches us in His word,
through the trials of life, and through the correction of faithful
brethren. These things (when received by those guided by God’s word) are
God’s ways of teaching and training us as children.
Review: We have seen that without Christ’s blood there is no
forgiveness; without faith we are displeasing to God; without works of
obedience we do not have a faith pleasing to God; without love, holiness,
and the chastening of God we are nothing, illegitimate children, and will
not see God. All of this leads to one final unavoidable “indispensable”
VII. Without Christ We Can Do Nothing (John 15:4-6). Note: The ungodly do plenty of
things, but not of the sort that please God. Apart from Christ we can do
nothing that will take away a single sin; we can do nothing that be good enough
to make us right with God. We are lost and without hope!