Jesus Suffered Outside the Gate

Remember Your Leaders

“Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them.” (Hebrews 13:7-9 ESV)

The leaders that we are to remember today are those who speak the whole counsel of God, the gospel that Jesus taught and that his New Testament apostles taught, and not this diluted and altered “gospel” message which is permeating the modern market-driven “churches” here in America today. We remember the ones who teach that faith in Jesus Christ, which comes from God, and is gifted to us by God, results in us denying self, dying daily to sin, and walking in obedience to our Lord and to his commands (New Covenant).

And the leaders for whom we are to consider the outcome of their way of life, and to imitate their faith, are the ones who meet the biblical requirements for elder and overseer and deacon. For they live morally pure and upright lives above reproach. If they are married, they are faithful to their spouses and they are leading their wives and children in the ways of righteousness and holiness, in walks of faithful obedience to the Lord. And they lead by example, not lording it over the people like a cult leader.

And we are not to be people who are being led away by diverse and strange teachings like so many are teaching today in the name of Jesus Christ, and in the name of Christianity, and in the name of the gospel of Christ. So many are teaching that we can “believe” (rarely biblically defined) in Jesus, have all our sins forgiven, have heaven guaranteed us when we die, be assured that nothing can take that away from us, but regardless of how we live. For they do not teach dying to sin daily and walking in obedience to our Lord.

For if our hearts are truly being strengthened by God’s grace, then we need to understand that his grace, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce (say “No!” to) ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for our Lord’s return. For Jesus Christ “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

[Titus 2:11-14; Ephesians 2:8-10; Romans 3:23-25; Romans 5:1-2; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 2 Corinthians 6:1-2; 2 Corinthians 9:8; Ephesians 6:24; Hebrews 10:26-31; Hebrews 12:12-17; 1 Peter 2:24]  

Outside the Camp

“We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” (Hebrews 13:10-16 ESV)

Jesus not only was crucified “outside the gate,” but he operated his ministry on this earth “outside the camp.” I wanted to understand what this phrase means so I looked it up in several commentaries. The gist of what I learned is that “outside the camp” metaphorically speaks of being outside the boundaries of institutional religion and its politics, ceremonial laws, sin, the sinfulness and evil of the world, and/or our self-lives. 

I also wanted to understand the meaning of “camp” in this context, so I looked it up, too. A camp can be a group or faction (offshoot; division) of people who share similar beliefs. It can also be a place of temporary stay or representing that which is temporal, i.e. of this world.

In other words, Jesus operated his ministry outside the confines and restrictions of institutional religion, hypocritical legalities of religious belief and practice (like that of the Pharisees), and the sinful pleasures of this world. He did not conform with the world in order to reach the world. And, to the displeasure of the “religious,” he did not conform to their hypocritical religious practices and rituals, either. 

He was a “Free Spirit” in many respects, i.e. he operated in the Spirit of God, not according to the external rules and regulations of humans which had no value at all in freeing one from slavery to sin. He didn’t placate sin, and he didn’t dilute the truth of the gospel. He didn’t try just to make people feel good about themselves, either, but he spoke the truth in love, told them about their sin, warned of judgment, and called for repentance, faith, and obedience, leading unto eternal life. He didn’t entertain the sinner. He told the sinner he must die if he wants to live. 

So, we, too, must operate “outside the camp” (outside the mainstream of religious movement which entertains, placates and comforts the sinner in his sin), and we must operate in the power and the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives in teaching and in practicing what is true and what has eternal value. 

When we do this, though, we should anticipate that we will also be treated as Jesus was treated. Operating “Outside the camp” of hypocritical and/or the pleasure-driven religious movements means we will bear the reproach Jesus endured, for the religious and conformists will hate us because we walk about in freedom in the Spirit of God as did Jesus, and many will feel as though we are somehow outside of God’s grace because we do not practice what they practice. 

Yet, we should not be about building kingdoms of men on this earth (businesses of humans called churches), but we should seek our heavenly home and work for God’s eternal kingdom. Our focus should be on what has eternal value, not on what will bring us and/or others pleasure or temporary comfort in this life. 

The fruit of our lips should be that which brings honor, glory and true praise and adoration to God, and that which also acknowledges (gives value to) his name (his divine character and will). Jesus never changes, and his gospel never changes, so we should not present to the world a Jesus or a gospel different from the one told about and taught in scripture. Obey Christ. Do his will. And operate “Outside the camp.”

As the Deer 

By Martin J. Nystrom

Based off Psalm 42:1

As the deer panteth for the water

 So my soul longeth after You

 You alone are my heart's desire

 And I long to worship You

You alone are my strength, my shield

 To You alone may my spirit yield

 You alone are my heart's desire

 And I long to worship You

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZv3jzOTE70

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