A call to stand firm!

As one reads the Epistle to the Hebrews, it is evident that the writer is an accomplished theologian with the heart of a pastor. He desires that his readers live what they believe. He shows concern that some are or will start to fade in their trust in Christ alone. This is evident as one comes to the first of five warning passages at the beginning of chapter 2, verses 1-4.

William Barclay grasps the intent of the writer with a paraphrase of verse 1, Therefore, we must the more eagerly anchor our lives to the things that we have been taught in case the ship of life should drift past the harbour and be wrecked. The kernel of truth is the Gospel which must not only be heard and understood but received and retained. C. S. Lewis declared, . . .if you examined a hundred people who had lost their faith in Christianity, I wonder how many of them would turn out to have been reasoned out of it by honest argument? Do not most people simply drift away?

Have you, have I, taken the time to check the anchor of our souls? Robertson McQuilkin took that time with alarming accuracy, I fear the Dark Spectre may come too soon—or do I mean, too late? That I should end before I finish or finish, but not well. That I should stain your honor, shame your name, grieve your loving heart. Few, they tell me, finish well…Lord, let me get home before dark. Such personal examination is what the writer of Hebrews demands. It is not something we should fear but be grateful that it is never too late to stop the fade.

The writer’s warning begins with a declaration that the Mosaic Covenant mediated by angels demanded punishment for disobedience. How much more should the Gospel mediated through the work of Christ require punishment for turning away from such a great salvation. The focus of the warning is in verse 3a, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? I believe many people avoid Hebrews because of the fear of judgment. What if my faith in Christ is not sufficient to deliver me from the wrath of God? I believe Hebrews should not be avoided but understood properly.

I believe a proper understanding should begin by asking and answering three questions. First, does we in verse 3 refer to the saved or unsaved? It refers to the saved. Zane Hodges states, The “we” which pervades the passage shows that the author included himself among those who needed to pay close attention to these truths. Second, does escape refer to hell or discipline? It refers to discipline. Thomas Constable, The writer did not specify the punishment, but it cannot be loss of salvation since Scripture specifically states that we will not lose our salvation... Third, is this a warning to not reject salvation? No, it is a warning not to neglect the salvation one has received by faith in Christ alone.

Let me make a disclaimer. The intent of this study is not to weaken the warning passages in Hebrews but to reconcile them to Scripture. One must affirm that salvation is a gift and rewards are for faithful service. Note 1 Corinthians 3:11-15, For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. A proper goal of Bible study is to be faithful to all of Scripture. The integrity of Scripture demands interpretation of difficult passages through interaction with clear passages. God's Word will never contradict itself. May we study God’s Word with reverential fear.

It is of utmost importance to understand such a great salvation. The permanence of salvation for a Christian is not his or her faithfulness to God but God’s faithfulness to Himself. Consider several passages which proclaim salvation as a completed work of God the Father through Christ the Son. John 10:28-29, I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. Ephesians 1:13-14, In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. 1 Peter 1:3-5, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Philippians 1:6, And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

If the warning passages in Hebrews are for Christians and they are not warning against losing one’s salvation, what is the punishment? Let’s find the answer as we study the Epistle to the Hebrews under the Books of the Bible tab. May we not fade but stand firmly on the Solid Rock!

We are not alone!

These are trying times. A pandemic has changed the way we live, infecting millions of people and killing more than 500,000 people in the United States. A polar vortex swept through Texas causing untold suffering and damage. Many people are still without water, power, and limited access to food. It can seem like we are all alone. The universe is too big and we are too small. Where is the God of the Bible?

I encourage you to take heart from the Epistle to the Hebrews. Chapter 1 addresses the divine nature of Jesus Christ and proclaims His superiority to anything and everything in the universe. Yet, the writer takes time to declare that we are not alone in our suffering. There are supernatural beings sent by God to minister to those who trust in Him. They are called angels.

First, let me state that I believe God cares about you. He expresses His concern for those who trust Him throughout Scripture. Let me share a verse from Psalm 34:7, The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them; and Psalm 34:4, I sought the LORD and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. God knows our troubles and fears and He and promises deliverance.

In Hebrews, I want you to consider Hebrews 1:7, Of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire.” Thomas Constable declares, By describing the angels as winds the psalmist was drawing attention to their spirit nature, invisibility, power, and function as servants of a higher Power. Also, note Hebrews 1:14, Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation? This passage proclaims angels as those assigned by God to serve those who have placed faith in Christ alone.

Does that sound too good to be true? I believe God cares about us more than we can imagine. We are not alone despite great difficulties. We must trust God at His word and turn to Him despite the circumstances that can seemingly overwhelm us. Some might disbelieve but many have shared experiences of God’s angelic protection and deliverance. The following story of deliverance was shared by Pastor R. Kent Hughes,

On a dark night about a hundred years ago, a Scottish missionary couple found themselves surrounded by cannibals intent on taking their lives. That terror-filled night they fell to their knees and prayed that God would protect them. Intermittent with their prayers, the missionaries heard the cries of the savages and expected them to come through the door at any moment.

But as the sun began to rise, to their astonishment they found that the natives were retreating into the forest. The couple’s hearts soared to God. It was a day of rejoicing!

The missionaries bravely continued their work. A year later the chieftain of that tribe was converted. As the missionary spoke with him, he remembered the horror of that night. He asked the chieftain why he and his men had not killed them. The chief replied, “Who were all those men who were with you?” The missionary answered, “Why, there were no men with us. There were just my wife and myself.” The chieftain began to argue with him, saying, “There were hundreds of tall men in shining garments with drawn swords circling about your house, so we could not attack you.

Since God chose to send His Son to make payment for your sins by sacrificing His life for yours, don’t you think God would send His angels to protect you? Consider a wise statement from R. Kent Hughes, Our superior Christ has assigned his angels to minister to you. And if he wills, he can deliver you anytime and anywhere he wishes. Christ is superior to everything. He is adequate in your hour of need. You must believe it, and trust him with all you are and have.

I encourage you to join me in the study of the Epistle to the Hebrews. The study of Hebrews 1:4-14 may be found under the Books of the Bible tab. Allow God to open your eyes spiritually to see how much He cares for you and me. We are not alone!

What makes Jesus so unique?

Jesus is a name that gives rise to differing responses. Some think of him as a religious leader who died for his beliefs. Some think of him as a man who was sincere but sincerely wrong. Some consider him evil for promoting himself as someone greater than he was. Christians believe He is so much more.

The first three verses of the Epistle to the Hebrews are astounding. Ray Stedman declared, The epistle to the Hebrews begins as dramatically as a rocket shot to the moon...It is a paragraph daring in its claims and clearly designed to arrest the reader’s attention and compel a further hearing. They boldly teach that Jesus is superior in His person and in His work. He is fully God and fully man, one person with two natures. If those claims are true, Jesus is the most unique person who ever lived. Let’s take a glimpse at the claims in Hebrews 1:1-3. Since I believe they are true, I encourage you to consider them with an open mind and heart and see if a true knowledge of Jesus can transform your life for now and eternity.

The writer to Hebrews emphasizes Jesus’ unique nature. He is the Son of God through whom God now speaks to mankind, Hebrews 1:1-2a, Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son. As Son of God, certain privileges were assigned to Him by the Father as noted in Hebrews 1:2b, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. James Moffatt, . . .what the Son was to possess was what he had been instrumental in making. These last days speaks of the time since the incarnation of the Son who though fully God became fully man, one person with two natures.

The characteristics of the Son’s natures are detailed in Hebrews 1:3, He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. This verse is either the most ridiculous statement ever made or the greatest revelation of the person and work of Jesus, the Son of God. In his divinity, Jesus is declared to be fully God. He is proclaimed as the one who holds the universe together by his command. In his deity and humanity, he is identified as the Savior of mankind. He sits with authority at the right hand of God. At such a statement, we must either laugh in derision or bow our knees in submission.

What should these theological statements about Jesus, the Son of God mean to you and me? Consider the following responses.

• R. Kent Hughes, Just as the universe was called into existence with a spoken word, so it is sustained by the utterance of the Son...He can sustain the universe, and he can sustain the struggling, harried church. Jesus is adequate for everything.

• Charles Spurgeon, Surely, if Christ upholds all things He can uphold me. If the word of His power upholds earth and heaven, surely, that same word can uphold you, poor trembling heart, if you will trust him.

• William Barclay, The glory of God is not the glory of shattering power, but the glory of suffering love.

• Charles Spurgeon, Christ at the right hand of God signifies the eternal certainty of His reward. It is not possible that He should be robbed of the purchase of His blood...He has redeemed His loved ones from among men, and He shall have all those whom He has purchased.

I encourage you to join me in the study of the Epistle to the Hebrews which may be found under the Books of the Bible tab. May you know Jesus as the unique person who alone can make an eternal difference in your life.