Hebrews 10:19-39
Stand your ground
Millions of Christians around the world today are still being persecuted for their faith. The letter of Hebrews is written to Christians who were the subject of persecution (possibly at the hands of Nero in Rome). One of the main purposes of the book is to encourage the readers to persevere. The writer has finished his doctrinal exposition. He now begins a prolonged call to perseverance. Here he gives reasons, incentives and encouragements to stick at it.
You can be confident
Persevere because of what Christ did and does for you. You have a new freedom, boldness and confidence. You are welcomed into God’s presence through the sacrifice of Jesus: You ‘can now – without hesitation – walk right up to God into “the Holy Place”. Jesus has cleared the way by the blood of his sacrifice’ (vv.19–20, MSG).
You are not on your own
We are to persevere because we have one another to help. As the writer urges us to ‘hold unswervingly to the hope that we profess’ (v.23), he does so in the context of community. Gather together often: ‘consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another’ (vv.24–25).
This really matters
He warns against deliberately continuing to sin (v.26). This means something like sinning ‘defiantly’. He warns of ‘a mighty fierce judgment... if you turn on God’s Son, spit on the sacrifice that made you whole... God has warned us that he’ll hold us to account and make us pay... Nobody’s getting by with anything’ (vv.26–31, MSG).
This is often applied to people outside of the church but actually it was written in the context of the Lord judging his own people. This is not something his readers have fallen into. He reminds them of the time when ‘you stood your ground’ (v.32).
The rewards are great
He encourages them to ‘Remember those early days when you first saw the light? Those were the hard times! Kicked around in public, targets of every kind of abuse – some days it was you, other days your friends. If some friends went to prison, you stuck by them. If some enemies broke in and seized your goods, you let them go with a smile, knowing that they couldn’t touch your real treasure’ (vv.32–34, MSG).
Be patient
Life is long and life is short. On the one hand, life is long. In the course of a lifetime there will be tests, trials and difficulties that require stickability: patience, endurance and perseverance: ‘Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised’ (v.36, NLT).
On the other hand, life is short. In a short time, we will either have died or Jesus will have returned:
‘For in just a little while,
the Coming One will come and not delay’ (v.37, NLT).
The writer has full confidence that his readers will persevere: ‘But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved’ (v.39).
Lord, help me to persevere and to encourage others towards love and good deeds as we meet together.
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