In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of coming to God's Word with a childlike heart and a hunger for His revelation. He highlights that only God can reveal Himself and make Himself known to us. The speaker also discusses the concept of spiritual perfection and how it is attained through the progressive revelation of Christ in our lives. He references the book of Hebrews, specifically mentioning the use of the word "perfect" and "perfection" throughout the book. The speaker concludes by assuring the listeners that spiritual perfection is not limited to a select few, but is within reach for all believers through the new covenant established by God.

Well, good afternoon, brothers and sisters. As we come to look at God's Word, there's a principle of Bible study that is absolutely indispensable, a principle that we can never take for granted, a principle we can't live without. In our study of the Word of God, He has given us many helps, many aids, concordances, word studies, commentaries, books of sermons, all kinds of help. But at the end of the day, we must come as little children before the Lord, and we must cry out to Him, and He must dawn Christ upon us. Only God can reveal God. Only the Lord can make Himself known. And He has promised that if we would come as little children, if we would come hungry, as a dry ground, that He would rain His water upon us. He has invited us to open our mouths wide so that He can provide for us. He delights to unveil Himself. There is no reluctance on His side. He wants to make Himself known. And so, as we get ready then to look in the Word of God, I'll ask you to bow with me as we commit this time unto Him. These words are from 1 John 5, 20. We know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we might know Him who is true. Our Heavenly Father, we pause now and we thank Thee that Thou hast not left us on our own as we come to Your Word to a subject of theme like spiritual perfection. Thou hast put in our hearts Your light, Thy Holy Spirit, to search the depths of God and to make known unto us our Lord Jesus. We know in Your revelation of Yourself to us You have made Christ central in the Godhead. We just pray then now that we might behold Him. We know when we see Him we'll be like Him. And so give us that present foretaste of the glory to come. Show us the Lord this afternoon. Continue to meet with us as we gather in these meetings with Your precious people. These things we claim in the matchless name of our Lord Jesus. Well, it's a joy to be able to share with you again on this great theme. So much, as Dana suggested, has been written and spoken about this theme it almost makes your head swim. I don't know if you're familiar with the name Benjamin Warfield, but he was a Princeton Presbyterian. In fact, he was twice the president of that seminary, reformed theologian, and after his death in 1921 they published his works in ten volumes. And two of those ten volumes are on this subject of spiritual perfection. He's written over a thousand pages on spiritual perfection. But I know you haven't come this weekend, and neither have I, to hear about what does Benjamin Warfield think about spiritual perfection. Or any man. You're not interested in what Bishop Ryle said, or what Calvin said, or Wesley said. And to be perfectly honest, you really haven't come primarily to hear what Stephen Kahn says, or what Brother Engle says, or Brother Miller says. I hope you've come because you want to know what God says. And is there word from heaven? And has God spoken on this tremendous subject? And I believe He has unveiled His heart. We desire to lay before you what He's put on our hearts. We believe that the Holy Spirit has guided each of us as we've waited before the Lord, so you might have those portions that He's given to us. None of us knew beforehand what His brother was going to prepare. I don't know if the other brothers felt this way, but I really wanted to know the direction that they were going to go. But by God's grace, we've waited before the Lord. We have sought His face. We've asked Him to show Himself. And we believe then that God will dovetail our life to give us a more complete vision of our perfect Savior, the Lord Jesus. Our brother Stephen has begun to set before our hearts what it's all about, this spiritual perfection, what it is, what it is not. He's pointed our eyes to our perfect Lord Jesus, His immaculate life, the death by which He released that life, and how we honor Him by allowing that life progressively to be revealed in us, bringing us to sonship, manifesting Christ through us, and how we might know that we're on that path. But now if we can change gears just a little bit, I'd like to turn in a pointed way, or a more pointed way, to the how of this whole matter of spiritual perfection. Whatever it is, how can I enter in? How can it be mine? How can I know by experience God's provision for me to move on into spiritual perfection? I think sometime at a conference like this, we can get sort of a general blessing, and the truth of God is somehow way up here, and we can't get it down into our hearts, into our being. How I pray that the Lord will enable us to enter in, and I'd like to share a few thoughts concerning God's provision on how to enter into this great matter. Let me share what I'll be sharing today, and then give sort of an overview of the direction that I'll be going tomorrow in the privilege that I have. There are so many texts that could be chosen. Actually, the Lord began to open up what I'm going to share with you. When I was studying Hebrews in another connection, I wasn't thinking about this conference, this gathering, when I was going through Hebrews. But as I went through, the Lord seemed to call my heart's attention to how many times the word perfect is used in Hebrews. And perfection. And perfected. In chapter 6-1, we're told to press on to perfection. The book closes with this benediction. Chapter 13, verse 20 and 21, And now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equipped you in every good thing, and the word there is, make you perfect in every good thing, to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Hebrews has so much to say about spiritual perfection. And so I began to focus on that topic. And I believe God began to open up this truth. He said, you want to understand perfection? Then you have got to understand this. And my heart began to study that. And all of a sudden, Hebrews became alive with that. And closely connected to that, He said, but you can't get this unless you get this. And God began to open my heart to those two realities. Let me set before you what they are. Turn, if you would please, to Hebrews chapter 7, verse 19. Just going to give isolated verses here to get my burden before you. Hebrews 7.19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did. Do you see that we're on topic? That's the thing. The law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did, by the which we draw nigh to God. And then if you'll turn to chapter 10, verse 1. 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 thereto perfect. Clearly, the human author is telling us that the old covenant, that the law, could not bring anybody to spiritual perfection. Chapter 9.9 says it couldn't bring the priests who carried out the ceremony to perfection, and it couldn't bring the worshippers to perfection. Hebrews 7.19 The law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did. The New American Standard says, on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope. And I'm suggesting to you, brothers and sisters, since this can't bring me spiritual perfection, but the better hope can, we ought to know what the better hope is. Would you agree with that? See, that's right there. Turn, if you would, to chapter 8. Same book, Hebrews 7 and 8. If that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second. For finding fault with them, He says, behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will effect a new covenant. And so that's the first thing, God assisting us, I want us to look at. The better hope. The new covenant. Because if we're ever going to reach spiritual perfection, whatever it is, God said, I'm going to provide that through the new covenant. This will not work. It will never work. This will. So we need to look at that. Then, chapter 7, verse 11. Here's the second thing we need to look at. And God helping us. And if He's pleased, we'll look at this tomorrow. Chapter 7, verse 11. If there was perfection through the Levitical priesthood, for under it the people received the law, what further need was there that another priest should arise after the order of Melchizedek and not be reckoned after the order of Aaron? Not only was there the need for another covenant, chapter 5, verse 8. Though he were a son, he learned obedience from the things which he suffered. Having been perfected, he became to all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation, addressed by God as high priest, according to the order of Melchizedek. And chapter 5, verses 18-22 says the same thing. And Hebrews 8, verse 6 says the same thing. He has obtained a ministry more excellent by as much as he's also the mediator of a better covenant. Hebrews 10, 19-22 says the same thing. There's another covenant and there's another priest. I need both. A new covenant, a new priest. Or to put it together, we'll say it this way, I need to see the new covenant and I need to see him who is the mediator of the new covenant. Hebrews 7, verse 22 The surety of the new covenant. The guarantee. He's going to offer me this in the new covenant. And then he's going to guarantee it. Now this afternoon, I want to look with you at the new covenant. God's provision to take me to spiritual perfection. And after we're all done, I'll say it up front, I'll say it at the end. The new covenant is a wonderful thing. But it's not him. It's not him. We need to look at the new covenant. That's God's provision. This can't take me and this can. But that's not him. The most wonderful thing about the new covenant is not the new covenant. The most wonderful thing about the new covenant is Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant. The guarantee. The surety of the new covenant. And so that's what I'd like to look at in the privileges I have. Spiritual perfection through the new covenant. Spiritual perfection through the mediator of the new covenant. Through the new priest. Now this is going to sound like I'm going backwards, but I'm really not. Because this is the prayer of my heart. God opened two passages to me and it's become the prayer for this weekend. And I'm going to ask you to look at those prayers because I want you to pray for me and for the brothers in terms of these two requests. One is in Ephesians 6 and the other is in Colossians 4. First Ephesians 6. The Apostle Paul says, Please pray for me when I speak about the mystery of the Gospel. Listen to verses 19 and 20 please. Pray on my behalf that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the Gospel for which I am an ambassador in chains. That in proclaiming it I may speak boldly as I ought to speak. The Apostle Paul desired to speak as he ought to speak. And he said when I speak the mystery of the Gospel here's how I ought to speak. Boldly. Please pray for me. Pray that as I speak the mystery of the Gospel I can speak boldly. Then look at Colossians 4. Begin at verse 2. Devote yourself to prayer keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving praying at the same time for us as well that God will open up to us a door for the Word so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ for which I've been imprisoned that I may make it clear as I ought to speak. Now he says I've got to present the mystery of Christ and I want to do it as I ought to do it. Only two times in the New Testament do you have the expression as I ought to speak. And both times he says pray for me. Pray for me. I want to speak as I ought to speak. And he said when I speak the mystery of the Gospel I ought to speak boldly. And when I handle the mystery of Christ I ought to speak clearly. And so he said pray for me. Pray that I might speak boldly. That I might speak clearly when I handle these mysteries. Now you're familiar aren't you what a Bible mystery is? Bible mystery is not something mysterious. That's not what it is. Some people have the idea it's a mystery. That means it's difficult. It's confusing. It's complicated. It's deep. It's cryptic. Something hard to get a hold of. No that's not a Bible mystery. A Bible mystery is the truth that cannot be known unless God reveals it. That's a Bible mystery. A truth that needs God's light. No amount of academics in the world no amount of study no amount of logic no amount of human wisdom can ever figure out a mystery a Bible mystery. God must reveal a Bible mystery. Daniel chapter 2 verse 19 says, Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel. And then verse 21 It's He who reveals the profound and hidden things. He knows what's in the darkness. Like dwells with Him. You know once God opens a mystery it's not a mystery anymore. Once God puts His light on it it's as simple as pie. There are many Bible mysteries. Mark 4 talks about the mystery of the kingdom. 1 Corinthians 15 I show you a mystery the mystery of the rapture. Ephesians 1 talks about the mystery of His will. Ephesians 5 the mystery of the church in union the bride and the groom this is a great mystery. Colossians 1 Christ in you the indwelling Christ this is a mystery. There's a mystery of iniquity. There's a mystery of godliness. There's a mystery of God. But all the mysteries are swallowed up in two. There's the mystery of the gospel. There's the mystery of Christ. And Paul as he takes all those mysteries he says pray please pray for me that I might speak as I ought to speak. We're going to look at the new covenant that's the mystery of the gospel. Pray that I'll be bold as I present the mystery of the gospel. Please take that seriously. And then we're going to look at the mystery of Christ. Pray that I might speak as I ought to speak. Clearly. Simply. Plainly. When we talk about the mystery of Christ. Now because I or my brothers speak boldly or clearly that doesn't mean our life will be your life. It's a mystery. Only God can reveal God. You're not going to get it because we're bold. You're not going to get it because we're clear. We can have the best illustration in the world. You won't get it until God dawns it on you. And so let's pray not only pray for the speakers as they handle the mystery of the gospel and the mystery of Christ that they might be bold and simple but that God might be with the listener that He might open up that mystery so that we can know how to enter into these things. Well, God help us. Let's begin then with the mystery of the gospel. God says, if perfection could have come this way but the law made nothing perfect why can't the first covenant the law bring anybody into spiritual perfection? Now the first covenant that's what a covenant is a covenant was made between two people so God made a promise with His people it's an agreement between two parties basically party number one fulfills the condition and then party number two fulfills the promise basically if you do this then I will do this that's a covenant now what's the this? here's the covenant if you will be spiritually perfect then I will do this I will grant you life well, did it work? Hebrews 7.11 again please if there were perfection through the Levitical priesthood what further need was there that another priest should arise? Hebrews 7.19 the law made nothing perfect chapter eight verse six now he hath obtained a ministry more excellent by so much as he is also the mediator of a better covenant which has been enacted upon better promises for if that first covenant had been faultless there would have been no place sought for a second for finding fault with them he said behold the days come says the Lord I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel with the house of Judah not according to the covenant I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to lead them forth out of the land of Egypt for they continued not in my covenant and I regarded them not let's say all you had was Hebrews 8.7 look again at Hebrews 8.7 and pretend that's all you had I speak as a fool, you have more but pretend that's all you had if that first covenant had been faultless there would have been no place sought for a second if all you had was 8.7 wouldn't it look like God is saying that there was some fault with the first covenant if that covenant had been faultless there would have been no need for another almost implying that there is some fault with that first covenant that's what it looks like but notice verse 8 for finding fault with them the translation that says finding fault he says to them doesn't capture the Greek the literal Greek is finding fault with them wouldn't you expect it to say it finding fault with it if this covenant had been faultless but finding fault with it he didn't say it because the fault was not with the covenant it was with them and we find in that single word them one essential difference between the covenants there was nothing wrong with the covenant the requirement to be spiritually perfect there's nothing wrong with that the law is holy and just and right and pure and good and spiritual there was no fault with that the fault was with the people it was with them and what is the fault of the new covenant or the old covenant Romans 8.3 spells it out Romans 8.3 says what the law could not do weak as it was through the flesh that's the fault they tried to do it in the flesh couldn't be done in the flesh that's the weakness that's why the law made nothing perfect that's why the law could bring no one to maturity to fullness to completeness because of the weakness of the flesh now if you're going to correct the fault what's going to change? not the law be spiritually perfect that remains you're not going to change that what are you going to change? and the answer is them I need a covenant that will change them that will change the people the new covenant was given to correct the fault and God helping us we need to look at that covenant you see here's the essential difference between the covenants the first covenant was made between God and His people and it didn't work because they were weak in the flesh the second covenant was not made between God and His people the second covenant was made between God the Father and God the Son on behalf of His people that's not the same thing it's different altogether God made a covenant with His Son two times it's spelled out I'm going to ask you to turn then to Hebrews chapter 8 verse 10 and we'll just pick up these few verses this is the covenant I'll make with the house of Israel after those days said the Lord I'll put my law into their mind and on their heart I will write them I will be to them a God they will be to me a people they shall not teach every man his fellow citizen every man his brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least to the greatest of them I will be merciful to their iniquities and their sins I will remember no more in that He saith the new covenant He hath made the first old but that which is becoming old and waxing aged is nigh unto vanishing away and then Hebrews 10 verse 14 to 17 says basically the same thing now to make this intensely practical let me share with you three characteristics of the new covenant you're talking about how, how can I enter in I'll tell you not this way the law made nothing perfect gotta get yourself out of the picture altogether God makes another covenant with His Son on behalf of His people God says take a look at this covenant and see if that will help you along the path to spiritual perfection let's take a look at this covenant the first characteristic of the new covenant when I say three that's not all inclusive these are the basics there's others when you read Hebrews 8 and Hebrews 10 and Jeremiah 31 and Jeremiah 36 and Ezekiel and so on when you look at all the new covenant passages there are other promises but in all the new covenant passages this characteristic is there and again it's a mystery you can hear me say it and I won't clear my throat I'll say it very plainly very boldly but God has got to dawn this on your heart thousands of Christians can recite this and they don't know it they've never learned it here's the thing the new covenant is absolutely unconditional it's unconditional it's filled with I wills there's not a single I will if it's if I will, I will Hebrews 8 verse 8 I will effect the new covenant verse 10 I will make I will put my laws I will write them I will be their God I will be merciful verse 12 I will remember their sins no more I won't go through it now but read Ezekiel 36 22 to 32 you sort of have a sandwich there in 22 God says not for your sakes am I doing this in 32 He closes it and says not for your sakes am I doing this and what's in between the not for your sakes 13 I wills 13 I wills I will prove I will take I will sprinkle I will give I will make I will I will not even once does God say if see we're talking about Christian perfection and we throw our hands out oh no how am I ever going to reach Christian perfection does this help there are no ifs there are no ifs no condition 100% unconditional God isn't saying I will if when He said that man miserably failed because his flesh was weak couldn't keep the smallest condition and so God had to completely take man out of the picture and spoke to our substitute a representative man the last Adam and he met all the conditions that's why you don't have any that's why I don't have any not the tiniest if someone says now come on I read my Bible aren't there conditions in the Christian life certainly I'm not blind if you love me if you keep my commandment if you abide in my word if you ask in faith if you confess your sin if you walk into life there are plenty of ifs but not one of them has to do with the new covenant these are super structural ifs you must learn to rest on the unconditional and then the conditional is going to become automatic you rest on the covenant God made with His Son I can't begin to keep the conditional until I've learned to rest in the unconditional the unconditional that's what's foundational the rest is super structural we lay hold of the conditional by laying hold of the unconditional I'll tell you my heart my arms will be opened wide to all the conditions of God if God would dawn on me the unconditional if I could rest in that thousands miss that you need to get the idea of spiritual perfection and as Dana said probably come frightened to a conference like this spiritual perfection and then you think oh boy yes I can mature I can become a son I can become mature if if I study if I cry if I repent if I have quiet time faithfully if I give to missions if I tithe if I surrender if I assemble if I minister I tell you the natural heart has a critical case of if we need a healing until God dawns that mystery on us we are going to constantly fall into the fault that the new covenant came to correct now I ask you to pray that I speak with boldness I don't know how to say it any clearer absolutely unconditional it's as unconditional as the love upon which it's based there are no conditions that was the fault of the old covenant the flesh couldn't meet the tiniest condition so God says alright I'll take away all the conditions the old covenant is if the new covenant is is God does not say I will if he just says can you trust God to pull out all the stops and allow you to believe that with all your heart if you bring in the tiniest condition that if will become an enemy of the new covenant and contaminate the grace of God there can be no ifs not seeing this truth the unconditional nature of the new covenant has left so many Christians just beating the air in their experience with the Lord if I put an if where God has put an is I'm a legalist if you put an if where God has put an is you're a legalist let's trust the Lord together on this basic thing if you're serious about spiritual perfection I don't think you'd be here if you weren't then ask God to open your heart to that truth the law made nothing quick never could it can't because of the weakness of the flesh but the bringing in of a better hope did and God made a covenant with his son and his son met all the conditions so that he offers it to you I hope that's more inviting spiritual perfection I can begin this way with no conditions it's a mystery and God has to show us that thing look at chapter 8 verse 10 here's the second characteristic of the new covenant this is the covenant I'll make with the house of Israel after those days I will put my laws into their mind and I will write them in their heart similar verse in Hebrews 10, 16 it's not only unconditional it's internal internal as exposed to external of course one of the most graphic contrast I think between the old and the new covenant is in 2nd Corinthians 3 where the Christian is described as the letter of Christ not written with ink but the spirit of the living God not on tables of stone but on the tables of the heart God promised in Ezekiel 36, 26 he'd give a new heart put a new spirit in that heart remove the heart of stone cause you to walk in my way you see when he speaks about spiritual perfection in these terms you don't become afraid God said I'm going to offer you spiritual perfection alright good deal and I'll write it in your mind what does it mean I'll write it in your mind it means I'll make you know it and I'll write it in your heart what does it mean I'll write it in your heart I'll make you love it what a covenant he said I want you to have spiritual perfection I tried that it didn't work now I've got another way I'll meet all the conditions I'll make you know it I'll put it in your heart I'll cause you to love it you familiar with the word phylactery you know how Jesus got on the Pharisees for that Matthew 23 they were little boxes and they actually wore them on their forehead and on their left arm you see they thought they were obeying Deuteronomy 11 18 God says put my words as a sign on your hand and as frontlets on your forehead and so they made little boxes they put bible verses in the boxes and they wore it on their head they had a strap to hold it on there didn't matter that their minds were vile and corrupt and full of dirty thoughts and unholy thoughts and their hands did all kind of evil it didn't matter because they had a bible verse on their muscle and they were carrying that around I tell you I could take the Ten Commandments to my forehead you'd think I'd look a little odd I could take the Ten Commandments and walk around for ten years would that take to my head? and I'm no closer to spiritual perfection that's all outside that's all external but God says I'll write it in your mind I'll write it so you'll know it I'll put it in your heart so you'll love it someone says well I'll tell you how you know it just read it God means what he says no he doesn't don't throw me out yet he doesn't mean what he says he means what he means he means what he means and he's got to reveal what he says you can hear one thing from the lips but his heart might be saying another thing in Luke 17 he says go show yourself to the priest that's what he said and then when the Samaritan came back and fell down before him dissolved in praise and worship he said where are the nine? well the answer is they showed themselves to the priest that's what you told them to do he said no that's not what I told them to do that's not what I meant what I meant is that you give evidence that you have been cleansed of moral leprosy and falling down before me that's evidence he can say one thing and mean another thing King Solomon in 1 Kings chapter 3 he said bring a sword divide the baby that's what he said that's not what his heart said his heart was saying save the baby you got to hear the king's heart not just the king's words you need to understand what God means when he says in Luke chapter 14 to hate your father and hate your mother and hate your wife hate your children hate your brothers and hate your sisters what does it mean? not just what it says be perfect as God is perfect as your father is perfect that's what he says we need to get to his heart and he said I'll tell you what in the new covenant I will write it in your mind inside so that you'll understand so that you'll know intuitively spontaneously internally you will know and not only that I'll write it in your heart some of you sports fans out here let's say you like baseball what if God commanded you to play baseball? have a hard time with that? some of you like boating let's say God commanded you to go boating if you love to do it anyway what a nice command he said I'll take all my commands and I'll write them in your heart so that you'll love so that you'll lick your chops over the will of God you want to talk about spiritual perfection? oh I'm going to have to do this I'm going to have to do this if I do this no ifs no ifs it's unconditional God will write it in your mind he'll make you know it in this connection I love Psalm 40 verse 8 I delight to do thy will oh my God see we don't just do God's will by outwardly conforming to some command new covenant obedience has delight in it I delight to do thy will in fact if the delight is not there the obedience is not there in spiritual perfection he's promised to do this we can fake the external I can go through the motions you can go through the motions but you can't fake the delight God has to put that in there joy in doing the will of God some would teach obey God whether you feel like it or not even if it's drudgery obey the Lord what we need is discipline there are unpleasant things that he's called us to do I think there's a more excellent way that sounds so much like old covenant faking there's got to be delight in it where it's not new covenant anyone can turn the other cheek in an outward way delight to do it that's new covenant that's a million miles removed there's a note of joy in all new covenant obedience the flesh can work and give and sacrifice and perform but the flesh has no ability to generate joy it cannot put the delight in there 1 Thessalonians 5.18 says in everything give thanks Ephesians 5.20 says for everything give thanks how am I going to thank God in everything and for everything the answer is by the new covenant by the new covenant sometimes I get bothered by testimonies that smell of smoke you know that's a reference to Daniel hear a testimony I passed through a bitter struggle but I finally gave in to the will of God that's not new covenant the bitter struggle part that's the pain of the old covenant it's a contradiction to say new covenant and the burden is heavy and the yoke is hard it's a contradiction don't answer, just think do you have a bitter struggle every time you have to forgive your brother or sister some wrong they've done do you have a bitter struggle to love your wife as Christ loved the church bitter struggle to count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations do you have a bitter struggle when you have to be patient with evildoers you say I have a bitter struggle at the start but then I'm relieved at the end well praise God you're relieved at the end but new covenant lets you get relieved at the start that's what it's all about He gives His grace at the beginning and all the way through and at the end that's His promise it's internal He'll do it He'll make you know it He'll cause you to love His will come to a theme like spiritual maturity and you get so frightened and so afraid not if you see this not if you see the new covenant the covenant God has made with His Son He said I'll meet all the conditions for you I'll put it in your mind I'll put it in your heart someone says oh that's just you know spiritual perfection that's not for me that's for the spiritual hot shots for all those people who really know Greek and Hebrew God's put it within the reach of all of us I like to paraphrase verse 11 Hebrews 8 from the least of them to the greatest to this from the dumbest to the smartest see that's what He's saying think of the dumbest Christian you know I hope you're thinking of yourself there is there hope for a dumbo like me to be mature in the Lord is there hope for a dumbo like you to be mature in the Lord and the answer is yes to the new covenant there is not me old that made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope did and the better hope is the new covenant the new covenant will work for anybody because it's unconditional the new covenant will work for anybody because God writes it in your mind it'll work for anybody because God puts it in your heart and He makes you love it you know the difference between Christmas tree righteousness and apple tree righteousness you can guess Christmas tree righteousness is a life decorated with spiritual things like a holiday tree you got bulbs on it and tinsel on it and little balls on it and candy canes on it and stars on it and cards on it and an angel see for years that was my that was my whole Christian life people say you know you're supposed to be a Christian and get mature and move on gotta have quiet time gotta memorize scriptures give submissions and so apple tree righteousness that's from within that's life that's fruit that's production that's what He promised He would do for us one more characteristic and we'll close the new covenant is not only unconditional not only internal but it's intimate now Lord willing tomorrow we'll develop this a little more Hebrews 8 and verse 10b and 11 I will be their God they shall be my people they shall all know me this word know this is like Adam knew Eve and Abraham knew Sarah it's the intimacies of the marriage tie knowing in that intimacy that's the end of the new covenant to have a union with Him in such a way that you don't even have to say know the Lord they see it character He's manifesting Himself in your life the thing that separates a person from union with the Lord as you know is sin verse 12 I'll be merciful to their iniquities I'll remember their sins no more that's part of the new covenant forgiveness is not just forgiveness God doesn't forgive you so you'll be clean He forgives you to clear the deck so that He can have union with you and fellowship with you notice He didn't say in verse 12 I will forget your sin you sometimes hear that God forgives, God forgets God does not forget I remind you He's omniscient He can't forget that's an infirmity that's a weakness He does not forget for me forgetting is involuntary increasingly as Lillian gets older I forget more and more but somebody can come and remind me of what I've forgotten remember that person remember that name remember that time remember that experience and then I recall if God forgot your sins then Satan could remind Him He doesn't forget your sins He wills not to remember that's the same thing He chooses not to remember and what's involuntary for me forgetting is voluntary for Him and He chooses not to remember and even when you try to remind Him of your sins He chooses not to remember I tell you this New Covenant is something no sin between you and me between the Lord and us we can walk in this intimacy He'd be our God we'd be His people talk about spiritual maturity God said I have provided in the New Covenant I have provided in the New Covenant in this mystery a covenant that is absolutely unconditional a covenant that deals with the inside a covenant that will write His law in your mind so that you'll know the will of God you'll know His purpose you'll love His will you'll delight to do His pleasure and you'll walk in an unbroken union with Him brothers and sisters in Christ do not run scared from the glorious truth of Christian perfection God has made provision in His covenant and in the mediator of the New Covenant to bring every one of us into spiritual perfection you say it just sounds so impossible well I hope after hearing about the New Covenant your heart is stirred and says that's not possible but you know that might even work that might even be practical for me if in fact there are no conditions if He will really put that in my mind so I know His will if it's true if it's actual then it's called on us the first night to believe God for these things that He'll write it in my heart that He'll cause me to love His will walk in His ways do His bidding delight to do His bidding that He'll be my God that I can be His child oh I'll tell you you say wow that's all I need you're done go away New Covenant alright now listen if that's all you had you would not reach Christian maturity you can't separate that from Hebrews 7.22 Hebrews 7.22 calls our Lord Jesus the guarantee of the New Covenant I've got to know how to get that in here that's wonderful by itself but that's theology you can't feed on a cookbook you gotta have food you gotta have the life of God and now God's gonna show us how He takes this and brings that through the mediator of the New Covenant through the perfect one through our Lord Jesus Christ may He make this real Our Heavenly Father how we do thank You so much for Your provision we know nothing was ever made perfect by the Old Covenant and in Your great grace You made a covenant with Your Son on behalf of Your people a covenant that sets us free You called it the bringing in of a better hope right that better hope in our life in our heart we pray that not one of Your children would leave this conference hopeless we ask in the name of the mediator of the New Covenant