Proved in Perseverance (part 1)

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Introduction

This is a major concern for the author of Hebrews and so Hebrews is filled with warnings - some of them pretty scary. It almost seems as if the author of Hebrews believes that you can lose your salvation - that Jesus isn’t enough.

But as you read Hebrews, you see very clearly that this is not the case. The warnings are intended to help us and keep us. Thomas Shreiner is the Dean of the School of Theology and Professor of NT Interpretation at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Here is what he has to say on the subject.

VIDEO - STOP @ 2:23

Open with my to Hebrews chapter 3, and I want you to look at two conditional statements that are unavoidable in this passage - verse 6 and verse 14

Hebrews 3:6 ESV

6 but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.

Hebrews 3:14 ESV

14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.

The evidence that we are joined to Christ is that we continue steadfastly in the faith that we showed when we first believed. The warnings in Hebrews (and elsewhere in the Bible for that matter) are God’s means of keeping us. This is how warnings work.

When you say to your daughter - don’t touch that stove, it’s hot!

The aim is to keep her from hurting herself.

In much the same way, the author of Hebrews , in effect says - keep obeying, keep striving, keep holding on to your faith until the end because THAT is the evidence that what you possess IS, indeed, saving faith!

The grave danger that the author is concerned about is Believing something to be true about yourself that your life and actions do Not prove to be true.

The author forces us to look at our lives TODAY as the test of genuine faith.

If I asked you - are you saved, are you a Christian, are you a follower of Jesus. And you said - yes, pastor Joe, I am! And I asked you to prove it, I hope that you wouldn’t show me...

your baptism certificate or

church membership affirmation

or have me call your mom to tell me the story about that moment when you were 12 and prayed a prayer to ask Jesus into your heart.

While all of those things are good and important, the world is filled with people who did those things but who are now living in sin and rebellion and who are in grave danger of their eternity being in the lake of fire because the evidence that the prayer of salvation actually meant something is TODAY - this moment. Are you STILL following Jesus.

Our perseverance doesn’t complete the work of the cross; it proves the work of the cross is alive in us.

Hebrews 3:14 ESV

14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.

Pastor Josh Hamm, from our Brunswick campus, asked a great question in our sermon prep meeting this week.

Why Don’t People Endure In Their Faith?

For the next 2 weeks we’ll explore three answers that we find in this section of Scripture that stretches from 3:1-4:13.

3 Reasons why People Don’t Endure In Their Faith.

1. Identity Crisis (We trust in family ties or religious involvement, but forget it’s Jesus, not affiliation, that saves us.)

2. Obedience Deficiency (We assume salvation gives us a free pass to live how we want, expecting forgiveness without transformation.)

3. Accountability Intolerance (We resist loving correction, unwilling to let others help shape our walk with Christ.)

We'll deal with the first two this week and we'll address accountability and tolerance next week.

1. Identity Crisis (vv. 1-6)

Hebrews 3:1–6 ESV

1 Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, 2 who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s house. 3 For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. 4 (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) 5 Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, 6 but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.

The first few words aim to clarity the identity of those who are hearing. This is so, so important to the theology of Hebrews and to the way that we interpret it. The author uses three three descriptors of identity here

Holy

The use of holy here does not mean that the people were morally or ethically perfect - that they had set some sort of high standard of loving. Rather, the point is that through Christ they have been made acceptable to God, invited into close relationship because Jesus had dealt fully and finally with their sin.

Brothers & sisters

It’s actually probably best to say “brothers and sisters in Christ”. The Greek word here is not focused on gender, but on familial relation. Fellow believers who have been brought into the family through Jesus.

Who share in a heavenly calling

Who are not merely brothers and sisters of one another, but who are brothers and sisters of Christ. And he is not ashamed of you. Those who Jesus has called to himself for saving faith.

If you are a follower of Jesus, these are key attributes of your identity, and the author begins here because identity drives much of how we live. If you are a follower of Jesus, live into these identity markers! Perhaps in your family, you say something like, Valenti’s don’t do that. In much the same way, the author of Hebrews says if you are a part of a holy family headed to heaven, act like it!.

So the author begins by clarifying their identity in Christ, and then he begins to explain to them why Jesus is better than Moses. Why their identity in Christ is more important than their identity as a descendant of Abraham and Moses.

We see two primary roles of Jesus described here in verse 1 - apostle and high priest.

An apostle represents God to the people. If you were here for our series in Exodus you will remember that God spoke to Moses and Moses, in turn, shared what God had said with the people.

Also in Exodus we learned of the institution of the high priesthood - remember all of the stones on the high priests garb that represented the 12 tribes - the priest would make sacrifices in the temple for the people—representing them to God.

Jesus does both of those:

He is a better Word - God’s final and perfect communication to man - so as a believer you have the best words from God.

He is a perfect high priest who has made the once-for-all sacrifice. So, you have readily available forgiveness when you confess your sin and repent.

And this is why the author bids us toCONSIDER Jesus - give sustained, deliberate mental attention to Jesus.

Moses was one of the most important, if not THEE most important historical figure in Judaism. And Moses did a really good job—the author never disparages Moses, he just elevates Jesus as better.

Moses was faithful to serve in God’s house as a servant, Jesus built and governs God’s house as son.

Moses brought the law, Jesus fulfilled the law.

Moses testified/pointed to a better savior to come

Jesus was that savior.

The identity issue facing every Jew who had converted to Christianity was:

In what identity is my hope rooted?

Is it in being Jewish, an Israelite - a part of the people to whom God gave the law through Moses?

Is it in Jesus Christ?

Look a bit further down the in verse 3 to verse 16

Hebrews 3:16–19 ESV

16 For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? 17 And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

The author makes a rather convincing argument here.

These are the people who saw all of the miracles, the ten plagues, the death of the firtborn in all of Egypt.

These are the people who walked across the Red Sea on dry land and watched as the sea came back down on the Egyptians

These are the ones who followed the pillar of cloud and fire

These are the ones who walked directly with and learned directly from Moses.

These are the ones who were at Sinai when the law was given.

These are the people who built the tabernacle and experienced the presence of God fill it.

These are the ones who covenanted with God….

…And yet - they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years and died before entering the Promised Land - why?

Unbelief - unwillingness to trust God.

It’s as if the author is saying to the first century recipients of this letter - going back to Judaism is not worth it because Moss cannot save you - only Jesus can do that - so look to HIM?

You’ll see this as a major problem that both Jesus and the apostles address throughout the New Testament - the Hebrew people lean into their bloodline, being descended from Abraham, the family of those to whom the law was given at Sinai—as the thing that saves them, but Jesus is constantly reminding them that this is not the case.

John 8:31–37 ESV

31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you.

We learn two things here that are important for me and you

1. Faith isn’t a family heirloom

You don’t join God’s family because of your family.

Being raised in a Christian home is a blessing, but faith isn’t inherited—it’s chosen.

There’s no ‘buddy pass’ to heaven.

My kids don’t get in on the ‘my dad’s a pastor’ plan, and neither do you.

Each of us must follow Jesus personally.

2. Proximity isn’t adoption

Sitting in this room, hanging out with Jesus-followers, or even being active in church doesn’t make you part of God’s family.

Proximity to the people of God is not the same as adoption by God.

You can be near the family every day and still not be part of it. Only Jesus makes you His own.

This is why the author spends so much time in this chapter telling us that Jesus is better than Moses because there are a lot of good things that POINT to Jesus that are not Jesus.

Why Don’t People Endure In Their Faith?

1. Identity Crisis (vv. 1-6)

We trust in family ties or religious involvement, but forget it’s Jesus, not affiliation, that saves us.

2. Obedience Deficiency (3:7-11; 18; 4:6-7; 4:11-13)

In his book Losing Our Virtue, David Wells says that worldliness is a system of values in any given age which makes sin look normal and righteousness seem strange.

We live in a world that it riddled with compromise and, sadly, that includes the church.

We’ve chosen not to heed the warnings of Hebrews to pay the closest attention to Jesus lest we drift!

I had the honor to partner in ministry with Rick Eimers for about 18 years here at CVC. And one refrain that he would remind me of over and over again is, “Joe, you and I are one or two bad decisions away from ruining everything.”

I believed him then and I believe him now.

Do you?!

20 years of marriage in and I’ll tell you what matters - TODAY!

If I cheat on Linda do you think she’s going to give a rip about that little vacation we took to Florida for our anniversary last year or the Christmas present I bought her in 2015?!

TODAY matters

Hebrews 3:7–11 ESV

7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, 9 where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years. 10 Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’ 11 As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’ ”

This is a quote from Psalm 95 - a psalm of David that begins quite beautifully - come, let us sing to the LORD, let us make joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. It continues until about halfway through when it shifts to, “today if you hear his voice do not harden your heart” - as if this warning is a vital part of the worship.

Hardness of heart is a state where a person is resistant or insensitive to God’s Word and will. And it’s a danger place to be.

The people in the Exodus heard from God through Moses and they were disobedient and rebelled. Therefore, they did not enter the land that had been promised to them.

Look down to chapter 4 and verse 6 - the author is still speaking about entering God’s rest:

Hebrews 4:6–7 ESV

6 Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, 7 again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”

The parallel pretty clear.

If you and I - like those of that generation - resist the Word and will of God, we’ll fail to enter the ultimate rest of heaven.

TODAY

It can be good to look back and remember the moments of surrender and transformation and spiritual change. to share our testimony and consider those things, but don’t rest there - don’t stop there. Don’t try to live off of last week’s holiness because today just might devour you!

And, in the same way don’t keep saying to yourself, TOMORROW I’ll follow Jesus, tomorrow I’ll open my Bible, Tomorrow I’ll start being generous with my finances, tomorrow I’ll start my sobriety, tomorrow I’ll apologize, tomorrow I’ll put some blocks on my phone, tomorrow I’ll confess my sin.

The devil LOOOOVES tomorrow!

TODAY if you hear his voice, do not harden your heart!

Continue in verse 9 of chapter 4

Hebrews 4:9–11 (ESV)

9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.

So - there is an eternal rest that is coming. And in that rest all who have persevered in their faith will fully and finally rest because no longer will be battle against the world, the flesh, and the devil. In heaven, obedience will be easy. So - since that remains as an option - since that is the hope we’re aiming for....verse 11

11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.

Hebrews 4:12–13 ESV

12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

God’s Word is going to do supernatural stuff - the Bible is going to find you out. It’s going to get into all of the hidden spaces, the dark place, the places in your heart and mind that no one else knows about. The Bible is going to expose and the question for you and I is if we’re going to continue to suffer from a disobedience deficiency or allow God’s Word to correct every part of who we are methodically, continually, increasingly so that we look a little bit more like Jesus every day.

Rick keeps stepping into my text, so I’m gonna just step in a LITTLE BIT because this is so important.

Hebrews 4:14–16 ESV

14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

You don’t have to fear repentance. You don’t have to fear allowing the Bible to bring you out of the shadows and into the light. You don’t have to fear because Jesus is ENOUGH and you can come to him and receive mercy!

And this is the striving that we do day in and day out - we strive for holiness and when we fail we do not despair because we can come to our great high priest for help in time of need.

But you’ve got to be willing to come face-to-face with your disobedience and DO something about it.

You cannot continue in unrepentant sin and expect heaven. I know I use this text all of the time, but I’m doing it again.

Matthew 7:21–27 (ESV)

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

For most people these 2 points actually work in concert - identity crisis leads to obedience deficiency

You said a prayer at one point in life and have maybe had some years of being on fire for Jesus. But you’re not as excited as you once were. You come to church each week and belong to a LifeGroup and jump through all of the hoops, but you’re taking advantage of God’s grace, are not paying close attention to Jesus, you’ve drifted, and you’re too afraid of the consequences to bring your sin to the light or too in love with the sin to let it go.

Repentance today is the first step towards perseverance tomorrow. As we close, we going to be taking the Lord’s Supper together. This is a great time to ask the Lord to search your heart and to bring to mind any area that needs to come to light and be repented of.

Psalm 51:1–3 ESV

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.

Psalm 51:16–17 ESV

For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.