Even though I believed in Jesus I had sin in my heart.

Hebrews 10; 1-18

I am so thankful before the Lord that I have attended church before. Until I was 19 years old, I thought that I was going to hell. It’s not because I didn’t believe in Jesus but even though I believed in Jesus I had sin in my heart. That sin had not been forgiven. Does that even make sense? How can one have assurance that his sins have been forgiven? At times I thought like this, even though I had the Bible.

Hebrews chapter 10; 1-18: It clearly tells us about how our sins are forgiven. Many pastors in Korea say that we are a cult. Recently I searched on YouTube of the people who say we are cult and I found out that they come from a certain church. They say that in our church we don’t pray and we don’t give offering but we have our offering box right in front of the door. The most important and startling thing they said was, how can we be righteous when we are sinners? The most difficult thing in people is that, the thought and the concept of God is completely different from humans. We are trapped in space, time, and difficulties and fear and that we have to be careful about our lives. But God being the Almighty and the Holy being has powers beyond our limitations. When we read the Bible with our thoughts and concept, this does not make any sense.

CLF Participants at a past conference

I went to Brazil and there were about 500 pastors whom we had a seminar every day from 5 to 12 o’clock. We had the seminar for two hours each and I went to Peru and there were 600 pastors gathered and we had the same seminar. Am too happy to have these seminars. When I was in sin before, I was in deep burden and agony. However, as I received salvation and read the Bible, it started to make sense and I would go to seminars continuously where I would see the pastors who were in sin and burdened like me receive the forgiveness of sin that was so touching.

What’s amazing is that normal brothers and sisters don’t know much about the Bible but when we talk to pastors they can distinguish whether this is Biblical or not, so it’s really interesting to talk to pastors. Normal people think that Hebrews book is very complicated. People normally, even pastors do not talk about the book of Hebrews in their sermons. But when I see, Hebrews is the easiest book in the Bible.

Training program for Pastors and church leaders

The law is not the very image, it is the shadow of the good things to come. When God gave us the law, he made a covenant with the Israelites that if they keep the law they will be blessed and their whole life will be blessed. However, if you do not keep the law you were to be cursed. And the Israelites said that they would keep the law, so the covenant was set up. That is why we say the law is the covenant.

It was a promise that God gave and it was not intended for the people to keep the law so that they would enter the Kingdom of Heaven. And God told Moses about the tabernacle which he was to build on the land. God as well gave us the burnt offering since we could not keep the law. In the Book of Romans, it is recorded that; Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound but where sin abounded grace did much more abound (Romans 5:20). The law entered that the offence might abound.

So for example, let’s say you have cancer, you have to find the cure for cancer. However, if you don’t know that you have cancer and this cancer spreads all over your body, then you will die. So you have to diagnose the disease first then treat it. Just like cancer, we cannot really keep the law by ourselves, we have to rely on Jesus.

Coming in front of Jesus even though Jesus washed our sins on the cross, if we do not know that we are sinners then we won’t know the reason why Jesus was crucified. So, in order for us to realize that we are sinners before we come at the cross of Jesus, that is what is recorded that moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. So as we commit more sins we realize that we are sinners. The law was given to us so that we can realize that we are sinners. The Bible talks about the law many times and the law means many things. For example, Jesus says the Law of Moses and the Law of Moses means the Bible Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Leviticus and Deuteronomy as the books of law. When Jesus talks about the Law of Moses, He means that God gave us the law so that we may know about Jesus e.g. the Sabbath.

Among the Ten Commandments; remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. So this is the fourth of the Ten Commandments. This Sabbath is meant for us to keep. Well the Sabbath of the Jews was not Sunday. From sunset of Friday to Saturday was the exact Sabbath of the Jews so you were not to carry anything. So when the sun sets completely the servants put down all that they were carrying and the masters could not do anything about it. That is why the servants waited and were excited for their Sabbath because they were not to carry anything. But on any other day they would get punished in case they put down the luggage. In Colossians, it is recorded that; let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink or respect of a holiday or of a new moon or Sabbath day which are a shadow of things to come but the body is of Christ (Colossians 2:16-17).

The Sabbath was the shadow of things to come. So no matter what luggage you have you can put them down because Jesus is the master of the Sabbath. Thus, those who keep the Sabbath are keeping the form of the Sabbath. But they do not keep the true meaning of the Sabbath. In Hebrews, it is recorded that; he that enters into rest has also seized from his own works as God did from his (Hebrews 4:10).

Because God created the earth in six days and rested on the Sabbath, it doesn't mean that God was tired. God had done everything and had nothing more to do. Therefore, that means that when we rest on the Sabbath day, that implies that when we come to Jesus everything has been taken care of including our sins, that is why we can rest.

People say that the Ten Commandments is the law. Some people think that the Books of Moses is the law. Others think that the law is about giving offering. But when you think carefully you can know the real meaning of the law. That is why in Hebrews chapter 10, it says that the law having the shadow of good things to come and not the very image of the good things. So what this means is that the Good things to come is about Jesus coming and washing away our sins. That is what the law says, just like the Sabbath it means Jesus freeing us so that you can put down everything you have.

In the Old Testament we had burnt offering, we had the bulls and goats. If you look at the book of Leviticus chapter 4, it talks about giving offering. The book of Leviticus has offering for each and every cases. So in the sin offering the goat or the sheep dies for our sins. Therefore, when you commit sin you give these and your sins are forgiven.

This is also the shadow of the good things to come. Washing our sins through goats, explained how Jesus would come and wash away our sins. In Hebrews 10, for the law having the shadow of the good things to come, it was not the very image of the things and never would those sacrifices which were offered year by year continually make them perfect.

So this is a very interesting story, and if you understand verse 1 the rest of the book will explain itself. Then, what does the law here mean? It does not talk about the Ten Commandments. It means the sin offering. The law can mean many things and here the law means the sin offering.

The law having a shadow of the good things to come; just as we put down everything on the Sabbath, that Sabbath, explains how we can come before Jesus and put down everything so you can rest. You were not allowed to carry anything. Just like that, Jesus was crucified on the cross so that when we come inside of him just like the Sabbath you are not allowed to carry anything, you are not allowed to carry any sin.

Just like it was recorded in the Old Testament when you give offering your sins are taken away. So when you offer a bull or a sheep, even though your sins are forgiven, it’s just a shadow of the good things to come. It is just the shadow of Jesus Christ who took away all our sins. The real image is Jesus coming to this world and washing away our sins. So in verse 1 it says the law having the shadow of the good things to come which is not the true image can never with the same sacrifice which they offered year by year continually make them perfect.

The world we live in is not eternal it’s in the realm of time. So there is nothing eternal in this world. The world we live in is in the realm of time so whatever that is made is in the realm of time. Thus, if we wash our sins with the blood of sheep and goat, does your sin get forgiven? Yes it gets forgiven however it’s in the realm of time so it’s not eternal forgiveness. Sin is only forgiven that moment. After you give your sin offering and your sin is forgiven and maybe a month later you commit sin are you a sinner or righteous? You are a sinner, right.

So even though you gave offering and your sin was forgiven and you sin again, that means that you have to give another offering for your sin because it’s in the realm of time. But in the realm of eternity, everything lasts forever.

In Hebrews 10:1 King James Version (KJV) 10 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.

When they give offering their sin are forgiven only at that moment, it’s not eternal. Even though your sins are forgiven, if you committed sin again you become a sinner so you have to give another offering then. This is the shadow of Jesus Christ but in verse

2: For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sin. So if those offerings could make perfect, there would be no need to give another offering again. This is what it means to be perfect.

In verse 3 it says

3: But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year.

4: For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.

It doesn’t take away sin fundamentally but it’s temporarily. This is only an example of how Jesus would take care of our sins. So if the blood of bulls and goats would take away our sins there was no reason Jesus should come into the world. In verse 5 it says

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

“Sacrifice and offering You did not desire,

But a body You have prepared for Me.'

If we could be holy by those sacrifices and offerings there was no need for Jesus to come anymore. However, if we commit sin we become sinners again so it’s only temporary. Thus, God did not want this sacrifices and offerings but a body He had prepared. That means Jesus Christ as human body. Thus, offerings and sacrifices did not give pleasure to God. Why is He not pleased with these sacrifices and offerings? There is sacrifice and offering that pleases God.

In verse 7 it says

Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come— in the volume of the book it is written of me— to do your will, O God.’ ”

So the volume of the book is talking about the Old Testament. He records about how to give offering of sheep and goats; to show what is written of Jesus. Jesus said, 'Lo! I come to do thy will, oh God,' this is Jesus saying that He came for eternal forgiveness of sin.

Verse 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)

Verse 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.

So the first is the offering of sheep, bull and goat and he taketh away our sins by his offering. In verse 10, 'By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. In chapter 10; 10 Jesus was crucified on the cross so that we can become holy.

Does it say through repentance? No, it does not say repentance. What does the Bible say in Old Testament? In order to take care of our sins the blood of sheep and goat is painted on the horns of the altar. So if you give offering in heaven, because heaven is in the eternity if your sin is washed and forgiven there then it is for eternity, because heaven is eternity. Therefore, Jesus did not paint his blood on the horns of the tabernacle on this world but he forgave sin on the tabernacle in heaven.

So if you are in this world it was only temporarily but if you give offering in heaven, then it is eternal. Living spiritual life is what you believe in, so you do not ask for forgiveness. It’s not through repentance that you receive forgiveness of sin. Sin is washed away by the blood of Jesus that was shed on the cross. That is the only thing that can wash away our sins.

You have to repent however repentance itself does not wash away sin. If repentance would take away our sins then Jesus would not have to come because John the Baptist preached repentance. Only the blood of Jesus can wash away our sins, that is why Jesus as he was crucified on the cross he was punished for all our sins.

So last time a certain pastor came to Korea and stayed there for 30 days and after 30 days he was to go back to the estates but he couldn’t finish the work here. So he went to Japan and came back so that his visa could be extended. So he boarded a ship to Japan and we gave him only the ticket and he had no money. So there was this restaurant because he had no money so he could not eat there. It didn’t take long before he arrived in Japan.

In Japan, this one brother asked him whether he ate but he said he did not since he had no money. But the brother checked his ticket and the meals were included in the fare. It was written on the ticket. It wasn’t written in English, it was only written in Japanese and Korean but the pastor could not read Korean. Even when the meal was prepared and provided, he did not know so he couldn’t eat. Just the same way, Jesus took away our sins whether you believe it or not. Your price of sin has already been paid for.

Because I travel a lot, this year I have already spun the earth two times. And I see people drinking expensive liquor and I say to myself, “I don’t drink those expensive liquor so can I get a discount. In the airplane ticket, all the meals are already included right? What’s interesting even though you have not eaten your meal, you can’t do anything right?

Jesus has taken away our sins entirely. There is this one elder in Church who had dedicated his life for the church and when he was facing death he realized that his sins were not taken away. And I feel so bad when I see people suffering in sin.

The blood of bulls and goats is only temporary but the blood of Jesus Christ is permanent. Most of the pastors think that they are sinners. Those pastors who hear this come to our church and over the years we fellowship with different pastors and I spent a week teaching about the forgiveness of sin.

In Uganda I have taught many pastors about the forgiveness of sin. No matter what you do, your sins can only be forgiven by the blood of Jesus Christ. In the book of Hebrews 10, from verse 1 upto verse 9 it talks about how sins are forgiven temporarily, but from vs10 it speaks about eternal forgiveness of sin through the blood of Jesus. There are so many people who do not believe in this and this is very wrong.

Verse 11: And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.

Our sins have been washed forever so we are eternally holy and righteous. Satan deceives us to believe that we are still sinners. Only the Holy Ghost gives you the power to overcome sin so there is no man who can overcome sin on their own. Even though I commit sin from time to time my sins are already forgiven.

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.

Who are his enemies? Those who do not believe that their sins were taken away and that means that the cross was not enough. Those who go to church and say that they are still sinners.

Verse 14: For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

So by being crucified on the cross, those who are sanctified he has perfected forever. This makes so much sense and is very easy however if you are deceived by Satan this cannot be easy.

Verse 15 : But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before,

So the original law was recorded on the stone however this law has been written in our heart and mind.

Verse 17 : then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.

Verse 18 : Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin

Hebrews chapter 10 is so easy to understand. Our sins have been washed away eternally. And people cannot get this. This is so pitiful. And there are people who are calling us names. I feel so sorry for them. There are pastors who think that they have made it and so most of the time I feel like am such a lacking person and God made me his servant to preach the Gospel to people all over the world.

I hope many of you will join this to do the work of the gospel and that will please God.