Hebrews 13:13 “Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.”
“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ” (Galatians 2:16), we joyfully follow our Beloved Lord “without the camp”. In following Him, we “go forth” into the New Testament order of worship, rejoicing in “the faith of Jesus Christ”. As we “go forth” “without the camp”, we leave behind all the Old Testament Laws for ceremonies and sacrifices and any other works systems for Eternal Salvation that men might dream up. But, we joyfully follow our Lord “without the camp”, jubilantly proclaiming that Grace has come; for, “Even when we were dead in sins, [God] hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)” (Ephesians 2:5) and He “hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began” (II Timothy 1:9). And Grace becomes exceedingly sweet to our spiritual taste when we understand that “God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Therefore, we are thankful for the opportunity to “go forth … without the camp, bearing his reproach”. We simply cannot suffer and sacrifice to the degree and majesty that our Lord did, but He has enabled us to endure all the tribulations and trials that this present world can fling at us, while we are taking up our cross (Matthew 16:24) and seeking to faithfully follow our Lord Jesus Christ “without the camp”. Great peace and joy and comfort is found with the Lord, “without the camp”, “Let us go forth”!