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, clothing & shelter. We might call these “indispensable” because we cannot dispensewith them and survive. If there are such things for our physical lives, are there what could be called spiritual indispensables? This morning I’d like for us to look at seven which the Bible tells us about.

I. Without the Shedding of Blood There is No Forgiveness (Hebrews 9:19-22).

  1. 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).
  2. Blood of the new covenant is not that of animals but Christ Himself - our High Priest and Savior (Hebrews 9:11-15).
  3. 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.
  4. 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?
  5. 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).

  1. 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
  2. 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...
  3. 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.

  1. 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!
  2. 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.”
  3. 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...
  4. 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.
  5. 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

  1. Pure heart (Matthew 5:8). Note: “see God”again.
  2. Bodies a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2). Everything we do as a Christian should offer God a “loving sacrifice.”
  3. Holiness is a quality not a sect (I Thess. 4:3-7).

V. Without Love We Are Nothing (I Corinthians 13:1-2).

  1. 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, NKJV.
  2. Love of Jesus, keeps His commandments (John 14:23-24).
  3. Walk after His commands (II John 6).

VI. Without Chastisement We Are Not Sons (Hebrews 12:6-8).

  1. It yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness (Heb. 12:9-13). Chastisement is shown in Old & 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 - no forgiveness; no faith - we are displeasing to God; no works of obedience - no faith; 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!