3. Eternal Redemption

In chap. 9. we get the basis of faith and groundwork of the gospel. These Hebrews were inclined to drop back into their gorgeous ritual, and the apostle tells them it was only a shadow of the good things; they, the realities, had now come. Every-thing was wrapped up in Christ. According to the instructions of Lev. 16,—a type of better things,—a bullock was slain, and its blood sprinkled on and before the altar, and atonement was made for twelve months. Then it required to be repeated. Christ “by his own blood entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us." It is not an annual atonement. Once for all the work has been done. Nor is Christ like Aaron, who came out again; but, in virtue of that finished work, He sat down, and He will never rise up to do a single thing again for the purgation of sins. It is all done. If you are convicted and self-condemned, turn round and believe in Christ. What is then your place? It is Christ's place; a totally new one. The gospel knocks off our shackles and sets us free. "In whom we have redemption, through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins." What kind of redemption is it? It is an “eternal redemption." Can we never lapse back? No, never! Then what about the dog returning to his vomit, and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire? Simply this, that the dog returned because it was a clog, nothing else; and the sow because she was a sow. When she was washed she was a clean sow, before that she was a dirty one, but she was never anything else than a sow. People may say they are Christians. Ah but actions speak louder than words.
Nothing will meet your case, my friend, but divine grace. The works of the flesh are vain. A man told me the other day that he had signed the pledge. I said, you may bind and fetter yourself as you like, and have the blue ribbons of pledges too, but that can never save you. You are still like the man in Mark's gospel, who had been often bound in fetters and chains, yet had broken them all, neither could any man tame him.
In chap. 9:14, we see that the blood of Christ purges the conscience from dead works to serve the living God. You are a worshipper now, in living association with Christ. You have a clean conscience, and you become a worshipper; you become attached to Him, who has delivered you, through the blood of the covenant. The old one had an “if" in it. The first thing the people did was to break it. The law said, "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image," &c., and they were worshipping one within forty days The new covenant is pure, sovereign, absolute grace. I have got an eternal salvation, and now.