Philip Dampier's Blog

“Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things. I urge you to do this in order that I may be restored to you the sooner.” One truth is evident in this verse. We all need prayer, and we…

“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.” It appears from the context that the…

“Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” Here we have more about sacrifices. The Christian is all about doing good. If you aren’t doing good, you aren’t following Jesus. Everywhere Jesus went, He did good, and to every…

“Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.” In a sense, the author tells us, sacrifice from God’s people is still needed. Jesus took the place of animal sacrifices and blood sacrifices but not…

“For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.” This is not a new teaching. The writer mentioned the same idea in connection with Abraham. The Jews were sure that Jerusalem would be the eternal city of God, but that was not the…

“Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured.” Some who went to the cross with Jesus went to jeer and ridicule. Their kind still exists. Some who went to the cross with Jesus were commanded to go. Going because you have to is…

“So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood.” Golgotha was not in the city of Jerusalem. The place of the skull was outside the “camp,” so to speak. Jesus was taken outside, just like the animals that were sacrificed on the…

“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 holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp.” The altar symbolizes the place where the…

“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.” The problem of false prophets and teachers is not a new one. Those who alter the word…

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” In a world of constantly changing values, it’s nice to know that somethings don’t change. In a turbulent society and culture, when the ground seems to sway beneath our feet, we long for an anchor to hold on to. In…