{"id":3726,"date":"2021-09-22T17:30:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-22T23:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/drbobewell.com\/?p=3726"},"modified":"2021-09-21T09:59:53","modified_gmt":"2021-09-21T15:59:53","slug":"dead-works","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drbobewell.com\/?p=3726","title":{"rendered":"Dead Works"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I was struck with a new perspective on this passage in Hebrews 9, which might relate to what I wrote yesterday about the “boat<\/a>.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under the old covenant the blood of bulls, goats, and the ashes of a heifer were sprinkled on those who were defiled and effectively cleansed them outwardly from their ceremonial impurities. Yet how much more will the sacred blood of the Messiah thoroughly cleanse our consciences! For by the power of the eternal Spirit he has offered himself to God as the perfect Sacrifice that now frees us from our dead works to worship and serve the living God. (Hebrews 9.13, 14, TPT)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFrees us from our dead works<\/em><\/strong> to worship and serve the living God.\u201d A lot of our Christian activity is dead works. Church attendance can be a dead work. Even putting on the \u201cchurch service\u201d that others attend can be a dead work. Believe me – I’ve worked on church staff. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It takes real effort to sustain life (enthusiasm) in any activity. A new activity feels fresh when we begin, but pretty soon, it can become dead. Even daily “time with God” can be a dead activity. Navigator Skip Gray said years ago, “Many people fellowship with a habit, not with God.”\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.\u201d<\/em> (Revelation 3.1, ESV, from the letter to the church at Sardis.) <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I can be dead in <\/em><\/strong>trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2.1, 2<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I can participate in dead works<\/em><\/strong> (Hebrews 9.14, above).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to the parable of the two sons<\/a> in Luke 15, of the two sons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n