Not By Food of Ritual

Pastor Martin continues our study in Hebrews 13, discussion the mandate that our faith is not by food or rituals, but by Jesus Christ alone.

Heb 13:9  Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.

Dietary laws- Lev 11…

Ceremonial cleansing to approach God.

Signs to the Nations of their calling – Light to the Gentiles, 

Acts 44:49…

Flashlights…

…not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.

Rom 3:1  What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? 

Rom 3:2  Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God. 

Rom 3:3  For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? 

Why would adherence to the dietary laws be unprofitable?

Heb 4:1  Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. 

Heb 4:2  For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. 

…not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them

peripateō

per-ee-pat-eh’-o

From G4012 and G3961; to tread all around, that is, walk at large (especially as proof of ability); figuratively to live, deport oneself, follow (as a companion or votary): – go, be occupied with, walk (about).

The occupation and adherence to the dietary laws as a means of justification was, and is, unprofitable for salvation.

Mat 15:10  When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: 

Mat 15:11  Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.” 

Mat 15:12  Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” 

Mat 15:13  But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 

Mat 15:14  Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.” 

Mat 15:15  Then Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.” 

Mat 15:16  So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? 

Mat 15:17  Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? 

Mat 15:18  But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 

Mat 15:19  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 

Mat 15:20  These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.” 

The dietary laws are part of the Law of Moses which was discussed in Acts 15…

SEE Acts 1:1-31

Act 15:1  And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 

Act 15:2  Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question. 

Act 15:3  So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great joy to all the brethren. 

Act 15:4  And when they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders; and they reported all things that God had done with them. 

Act 15:5  But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.” 

Act 15:6  Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter. 

Act 15:7  And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: “Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 

Act 15:8  So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, 

Act 15:9  and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. 

Act 15:10  Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 

Act 15:11  But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.” 

Act 15:12  Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles. 

Act 15:13  And after they had become silent, James answered, saying, “Men and brethren, listen to me: 

Act 15:14  Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name. 

Act 15:15  And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written: 

Act 15:16  ‘AFTER THIS I WILL RETURN AND WILL REBUILD THE TABERNACLE OF DAVID, WHICH HAS FALLEN DOWN; I WILL REBUILD ITS RUINS, AND I WILL SET IT UP; 

Act 15:17  SO THAT THE REST OF MANKIND MAY SEEK THE LORD, EVEN ALL THE GENTILES WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME, SAYS THE LORD WHO DOES ALL THESE THINGS.’ 

Act 15:18  “Known to God from eternity are all His works. 

Act 15:19  Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God, 

Act 15:20  but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood. 

Act 15:21  For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.” 

Act 15:22  Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas who was also named Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren. 

Act 15:23  They wrote this letter by them: The apostles, the elders, and the brethren, To the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings. 

Act 15:24  Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, “You must be circumcised and keep the law”—to whom we gave no such commandment—

Act 15:25  it seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 

Act 15:26  men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Act 15:27  We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who will also report the same things by word of mouth. 

Act 15:28  For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: 

Act 15:29  that you abstain from things offered to idols, (Revisit in Heb 13:10) from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell. 

Heb 13:9  Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.

Heb 13:10  We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. Associated with Acts 15:29 above…

Identification and association…

…”have no right to eat“

Those who serve the tabernacle and not the Son of God who sanctifies by His blood, have no right to eat at His Table!

See 

Mat 22:1  And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: 

Mat 22:2  “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, 

Mat 22:3  and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. 

Mat 22:4  Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.” ‘ 

Mat 22:5  But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. 

Mat 22:6  And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. 

Mat 22:7  But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 

Mat 22:8  Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 

Mat 22:9  Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ 

Mat 22:10  So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. 

Mat 22:11  “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. 

Mat 22:12  So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 

Mat 22:13  Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 

Mat 22:14  “For many are called, but few are chosen.” 

Heb 13:11  For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. 

Lev 4:13  ‘Now if the whole congregation of Israel sins unintentionally, and the thing is hidden from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done something against any of the commandments of the LORD in anything which should not be done, and are guilty; 

Lev 4:14  when the sin which they have committed becomes known, then the assembly shall offer a young bull for the sin, and bring it before the tabernacle of meeting. 

Lev 4:15  And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands on the head of the bull before the LORD. Then the bull shall be killed before the LORD. 

Lev 4:16  The anointed priest shall bring some of the bull’s blood to the tabernacle of meeting. 

Lev 4:17  Then the priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD, in front of the veil. 

Lev 4:18  And he shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar which is before the LORD, which is in the tabernacle of meeting; and he shall pour the remaining blood at the base of the altar of burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. 

Lev 4:19  He shall take all the fat from it and burn it on the altar. 

Lev 4:20  And he shall do with the bull as he did with the bull as a sin offering; thus he shall do with it. So the priest shall make atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them. 

Lev 4:21  Then he shall carry the bull outside the camp, and burn it as he burned the first bull. It is a sin offering for the assembly. 

See Lev 16…

Heb 13:12  Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. (John 19:17; Golgotha…)

Heb 13:13  Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach.

The writer is telling believers to stop identifying (being occupied with) the process, and instead go outside the camp to be identified with the sacrifice Himself.

Paul is telling the Jewish believers (remember this book is written to the Hebrews) to leave the Levitical system behind, and follow Christ.  Those who choose to remain in the Old Covenant have no right to eat at, be identified with, and be justified by the New Covenant bought by Christ’s blood.

Likewise, the Christian is to be outside the camp of the world.  We are to leave ALL THINGS that teach or encourage salvation by ANY OTHER MEANS than that of faith in Jesus Christ of Nazareth, King of the Jews!

Heb 13:14  For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.

We are to be in the world but not OF the world..

Col 2:18  Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 

Col 2:19  and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God. 

Col 2:20  Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations—

Col 2:21  “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” 

Col 2:22  which all concern things which perish with the using—according to the commandments and doctrines of men? 

Col 2:23  These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh. 

Heb 13:15  Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. 

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