Useful Bible Studies > Hebrews Commentary > chapter 10

The Bible’s evidence that Christ has defeated the devil, sin and death

Hebrews 10:15-16

By his death on the cross, Christ defeated his enemies. Those enemies are the devil, sin (evil deeds), and death. We have been thinking about the evidence that his success is complete:-

·        Christ became alive again after his death. The author does not mention that evidence in this passage, but he will mention it in Hebrews 13:20.

·        In heaven, the evidence is that Christ sits on the right side of God the Father (Hebrews 10:12).

·        In the future, the evidence will be that Christ will return to rule the world (Hebrews 9:28).

·        On the earth now, the evidence is in the lives of God’s people. God is making them holy (Hebrews 10:14).

·        Lastly, we have evidence in the words of the Bible (Hebrews 10:15-17).

The Bible is not just a book that people wrote long ago. The Bible is the words of God’s Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:20-21). And because it is God’s word, the Bible is alive (Hebrews 4:12). It is actually working in the lives of God’s people. It is active in their hearts and minds (Hebrews 10:16). In other words, it guides their thoughts and intentions, their desires and hopes.

The words in Hebrews 10:16-17 are a translation of words from Jeremiah 31:33-34. But they are not the same translation that the author used in Hebrews 8:10-12. One translation is from the ancient Bible in the Greek language called the Septuagint. The other one is the author’s own translation. The author could make that translation because he knew the original passage ‘by heart’. That phrase means that he had learnt it. But we also know from that passage that God actually puts his words into his people’s hearts and minds. And that is how he works, by his word, in the lives of his people.

Next part: When God does not remember sin (Hebrews 10:17)

 

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© 2014, Keith Simons.