10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.
10 We [emphatic] have an altar
The emphasis on the word “we” is a contrast to those “carried about with strange doctrines” of the previous verse.
The “altar” here is not a physical altar but refers to Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross. He fulfilled the purposes of Old Testament sacrifices. His altar was unique and not just any system of sacrifice.
from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.
“Those who serve” here were the priests from the Old Testament. The sin offering removed impurity from the community (Le 4:1–21) and individuals (Le 4:22–35). This offering for the community could not be eaten by the priests. These sacrifices had to be burned outside the camp of Israel (Le 4:11–12, 20–21; 6:30; 16:27). An offering presented for the guilt that affected the nation of Israel could not be eaten (Le 6:30). Levitical priests had no standing in the church. Those who served the rites and ceremonies of Judaism were excluded from the “altar” of Christ.
Faith for the genuine believer brings the “right” of access to God by “grace.” Grace is all that God provides toward the believer.
PRINCIPLE:
Biblical discernment is the basis of stability in the Christian life.
APPLICATION:
A key satanic strategy is to move Christians away from sound doctrine. We live in a day of superficial Christianity. People determine truth by their experience rather than by what God says. We should not be surprised about this because it happened in the early church as well (Ga 1:6–8).
False teachers are often likable and charismatic, which makes them more dangerous. This appearance can lead Christians to think they are true or right (Ac 20:29–30). It is even more dangerous from those who operate under the appearance of being evangelicals (2 Co 11:13–14). If the devil can lead the Christian away from sound doctrine, then he has won the victory because biblical truth is the basis of everything the believer holds.
Christians without discernment are vulnerable to every wind of doctrine. They lack judgment because they have not been exposed to or accepted sound doctrine.
