Not By Food or Ritudal

Pastor Martin discusses Hebrews 13:9, a message on Not by Food or Rituals
- **Hebrews 13:9**: The heart should be established by grace, not by foods, as dietary laws haven't profited those focused on them.
- **Dietary Laws in Leviticus 11**: Served as signs to the nations of Israel's calling to be a light to the Gentiles.
- **Acts 44:49 and Romans 3:1-3**: Emphasize the special role of the Jews and the oracles of God entrusted to them.

### Unprofitability of Dietary Laws

- **Hebrews 4:1-2**: Gospel preached to them didn't profit because it wasn't mixed with faith.
- **Matthew 15:10-20**: Jesus teaches that what defiles a man comes from the heart, not from what he eats.

### Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15)

- **Acts 15**: Early church leaders decided Gentiles didn't need to follow the Law of Moses to be saved but should abstain from specific practices (Acts 15:1-29).
- **Hebrews 13:10**: Believers have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.

### Identification and Association

- **Matthew 22:1-14**: Parable of the wedding feast; those who rejected the invitation and the improperly dressed guest symbolize those not accepting Christ.
- **Hebrews 13:11-13**: Jesus sanctified people with His own blood outside the gate, symbolizing the call to leave the old system and identify with Him.

### Living Out the Faith

- **Hebrews 13:14**: Believers seek a city to come, not an earthly one.
- **Colossians 2:18-23**: Warns against false humility and strict religious practices that don't have real value.
- **Hebrews 13:15**: Continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, which is a standing order.

### Conclusion

Believers are called to move beyond the old covenant rituals and dietary laws, focusing on the grace and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Our faith is not in adherence to these laws but in the transformative power of Christ's sacrifice, leading us to a life of praise and faith.