Hebrews 10:19-39 "Let Us" pt3

Text Read

19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that He opened for us through the curtain, that is, through His flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

32 But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, 33 sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. 34 For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. 35 Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. 37 For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; 38 but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him.” 39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.

Text Explained

2 Weeks ago Review 19-25: Two weeks ago we began with verses 19-25. In it we saw a synopsis of two foundational facts that the author of Hebrews has been emphasizing for several chapters. Namely that Christians have confidence to enter into the holy place, the throne room of God by the blood of Jesus, the Perfect Sacrifice, AND we have the Great perfect High Priest over all the house of God. Based on these two facts, first, we are called to draw near knowing that all our sins are forgiven and we are washed clean. Second we are called to hold fast that confession of faith, persevere as it were, not in a white knuckle we grit it out type of thing, but rather holding fast to the Person of Christ who is faithful. Third, we are called to stir one another up to both love AND good works, for biblical love always has an action. What we find in scripture is that, while love is not always an action, biblical love always produces an action. For we can act without love (1Cor 13:1-3), but true godly love will act. Thus we are called to stir one another up to both love & to do good works and the primary place where believers are to do this is when we meet together regularly as a local body. In other words, do not forsake/willfully refuse to be part of/you can show up but you don’t, the regular meeting of the local church as some do.

Last week Review 26-31: Then last week we worked through verses 26-31. In these verses we saw how Christians were under a dire warning if they chose to deliberately sin. We saw how this passage was not speaking to unbelievers or to those who had simply professed faith, but rather the warning was to genuine Christians who chose to deliberately/willfully sin. This was the same principle as found in Numbers 35 in the Mosaic Law. If a Christian chooses to deliberately/willfully sin rather that repent and forsake, then there is only one thing left for them and that is an earthly/temporal judgement. It is with this warning that we ended last week. Hebrews 10:30–31 “For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” It is from this warning that we now turn out attention to verses 32-39: But...

A Call to Persevere

32 But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, The author of Hebrews calls the believers to remember. What does he call them to remember, the struggles they had already gone through. We saw the call to draw near, hold fast, and to stir up one another, followed by a warning to not follow some sin but rather remember that you have already gone through difficult times. The author of Hebrews knew who these people were and so he practices what he preached earlier by stirring up the people to remember. Remember before when you were first saved. 33 sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. Some of the Christians, when they had gotten saved, they suffered for being identified with Christ. They were taunted/mocked and afflicted. They did not hide their faith, but rather their faith was visible in their manner of speech, in their home life, in their work ethic, and some of them were publicly mistreated for it. While others refused to let those being mistreated stand alone. It would have been easy for those Christians who saw their brothers and sisters in Christ suffering and said “That’s too bad for you.” No they stood with those who were being afflicted and in doing so received affliction and taunts. The ones received it for being a Christian and some others received it for choosing to stand with them. Yet what did this affliction and the standing with those being afflicted look like? 34 For you had compassion on those in prison, some Christians visited their brothers and sisters who were in jail and thus identified with the shame of those in prison. Others you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, Some lost physical assets simply for holding to the name of Christ. While they did not desire lose what they had worked for, what they had earned, they held on to the things of this earth with open hands. The Word says they did this because/since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. This reminds me of twin parables of Jesus. Matthew 13:44–46 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” These Christians had gone through persecution and had lost much, yet their perspective was that it had been worth it all. They had joyfully accepted the plundering of their property for the eternal possession of knowing Jesus. So the author of Hebrews calls these believers, who seem to be struggling with the grinding nature of life, to not turn to deliberate sin, but rather remember the past and too use it as an anchor point for the present. Sometimes we look back to the “good ol’ days.” “I remember when...” That is not what God is through this letter is telling the people to do. Rather He is telling them to think back to the previous trials of life and how they handled things. The previous trials were difficult. Yet they had previously accepted those trials with joy. So what had changed? In life, when we begin something new, it is often exciting. If you are training for a marathon or a sport, or when you start a new job. All of these are exciting and we often embrace the difficulties of the new with joy. Yet when the days turn to weeks, the weeks turn to months, and the practices and the training is repetetive, the excitement of the new wears off. It becomes a chore to show up to practices. It becomes a chore to continue to be faithful. We become tired. Emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually. All of these are tied together. You are not a spirit that has a body nor are you a body that has a spirit, you are both together and they are intrinsically tied together. So that when one part is being affected by something, they all are. So God tells the readers, and by extension us, to remember the “why”. What is the reason we had such joy in the early days of salvation? what is the reason why the readers were able to identify with those who were suffering and to suffer along with them? It is because of who Christ is. We were sinners, He was the Perfect High Priest and the Perfect Sacrifice. Because of Him, we are able to enter the throne room of God and with bold humility ask for help in our time of need, we are able to trust in the One who is Faithful, and we are able to stir one another up together. Remember Christ and the love with which He loved us. Remembering that 1 Peter 1:6 “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,” Always remembering that these trials have a purpose and remembering Jesus 1 Peter 1:8–9 “Though you have not seen Him/Jesus, you love Him. Though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” This is the reason God through the author of this letter tells the Christians, 35 Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. It is not the Faith that is lacking, rather 36 For you have need of endurance, Endurance is that thing that is so difficult. Endurance is the continuing of something after the excitement, the newness has long since vanished. Endurance is the continuing on when you want to quit. Godly endurance is doing the next right thing because that is what God desires of you. And the result is this: so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. God has promised an eternal reward to those who are faithful. So we trust the One who is Faithful to deliver on His promises. He has promised. 37 For, “Yet a little while, and the coming One will come and will not delay; Jesus will return but until then, we are called to trust. 38 but my righteous one shall live by faith, Faith is often mischaracterized as a blind crossing of the fingers. No, Biblical faith is a trust in a person. We trust that what Jesus has said, He will do. So we trust that what He has commanded is right is indeed right and thus we obey it trusting that His promises are sure. Again this is not blind crossing of the fingers. It is based upon the person of Jesus. He has kept His promises in the past and thus we can trust that He will keep His promises for the future. So the righteous, those who live in obedience to Him live by trusting/having faith in Him. Yet and if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him.” This is not a salvific statement but rather if you or I draw back from obedience, if we choose deliberate/high handed/willful sin, then Jesus has no pleasure in our lives. Oh, but the author of Hebrews ends this thought with an encouragement... 39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls. Those Christians who continue to walk by faith, remembering the reason of their faith and thus trusting in that person, demonstrate the realness of our faith and preserve their souls from loss. Now this is not eternal loss in hell. This is not a loss of salvation. This is a preserving a person from the destruction that sin always brings upon a person’s life to the deepest levels.

Text Applied

Thus, how can we persevere/endure? We must Remember

First: Remember those two foundational facts of the Christian life: Jesus is our Great High Priest and He is our Perfect Sacrifice. Hebrews 10:19–21 “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God,”

Second: Remember that because of His Perfect Sacrifice, we are able to go directly into the throne room of Grace and find help in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16 “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.” Scripture makes no pretty promises about this life. John 16:33 “I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” In this world we will have troubles, but we have the Great High Priest who offered the Perfect Sacrifice, who has overcome the world, and because of that we can find help in our times of need.

Third: Remember that Jesus is Faithful. Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” And again in 1 Thessalonians 5:24 “He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it.” The strength of Christianity is not found within people it is found within the Savior. If a father is holding his child’s hand, the strength of that grip is not found within the child. If that were so, it would be weak indeed. No the strength is found within the father’s grip. It is not based upon you, but it is based upon Christ and He is faithful.

Fourth: Remember the local body of believers whom God has placed you in. They are there to stir one another up to love and good works. In other words, to obedience. Yet if you fail to show up, if you fail to be a part of, then you have removed yourself from a vital God-ordained source of encouragement and growth. Side note: there is a difference between attending a church and actually being part of one. Hebrews 10:24–25 “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

Fifth: Remember the danger of deliberately choosing sin over faithful obedience. If you are a child of God, He will discipline you. If you persist in your sin, at the end you will find physical death, though your soul will be saved though as by fire. 1 Corinthians 3:15 “If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.” Side note: If you are able to live in known sin and there is no conviction, then you are most likely not a Christian at all. Hebrews 12:6 “For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and chastises every son whom He receives.”

Sixth: Remember the Reason. Remember Christ. Remember what He has saved you from. Remember what He has for you. Remember Christ. As the Apostle Paul said: 2 Timothy 2:8–10 “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.”

Concluding Thought: In order to persevere, in order to endure the trials and difficulties of this life, we must remember the One in Whom we have Believed. Remember Christ your Savior. As the songwriter puts it:

Remember Christ The Son of God and Son of Man Receive the bread Broken for each one of us

Remember Christ Whose covenant was sealed in blood Receive the cup The love of God poured out for us

Remember Christ Whose sacrifice has brought new life And to the Lamb Who lived and died now glorified

We give thanks, thanks to the Lord For His love endures We give thanks Thanks to the Lord our God -By David Ware