Confidence In The Salvation Of Others

INTRODUCTION

A couple of weeks ago, we encountered a very tough section in the book of Hebrews. It was tough, not necessarily in trying to understand what was being communicated. Rather, it was tough because of the implications that were being made clear to us.

Namely, that people who have tasted the gospel and seen that the Lord is good, but have turned away, no longer have any hope for repentance.

Some of you have approached me about it and we have had some difficult conversations.

Many of us know people who, at one time, were on fire for the gospel, but now are far from the Christian faith.

It seems as though Hebrews 6:1-8 was speaking directly about them.

It is easy to get discouraged with passages like this in the Bible, especially when we know what it means for certain friends and loved ones.

And it is understandable, because we care deeply for people and their eternal destiny.

We should care and be concerned.

I would like to challenge you to consider what Charles Spurgeon says on the matter: Christian, if you should fall away, you could never be renewed unto repentance. Thank your Lord, then, that He keeps you.

We could spend our time worrying about our loved ones or our selves, and we know what that gets us:

Matthew 5:27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

Or we can be thankful to God that we are not the keepers of our own salvation, but He is. He is the one who softens and hardens hearts; He is the one who saves and sanctifies us.

In moving on from Hebrews 6:1-8, we come to a section in the letter where the author expresses their Confidence In The Salvation Of Others.

CONFIDENT OF THINGS PERTAINING TO SALVATION (verse 9)

The author of Hebrews has just issued a stern warning for those who have tasted the goodness of the gospel, but have turned away from it. If they turn away from the cross of Christ, there remains no hope for them because the cross is their only hope.

Now, the author turns their attention to those who are believing the gospel and seeking to live accordingly.

And of these folks, there is confidence that there will be better things - i.e. not turning away - and that what they produce are things that belong to salvation.

These are, as John the Baptist would say in Matthew 3:8, fruit in keeping with repentance. The bottom line is this: repentance without change is no repentance at all.

Repentance is a change of mind and actions where we cease our approval of wickedness and justification of bad behavior. It is the reorienting of our lives from focusing on ourselves to directing our focus toward the Lord.

This does not mean that we only repent once at the start of the Christian life and then go on our merry way. Rather, we make the daily decision to offer ourselves to God and to confess when we have sinned.

Romans 12:1-2 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

1 John 1:8-9

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

These daily choices flow from and confirm the initial act of repentance, where we realized our desperate state, admitted our need for forgiveness, and came to Jesus in a childlike manner of faith, believing He alone can grant our forgiveness..

Thus, one who repents and follows Christ, will have evidence of that in their lives. And that is what this next section touches on…

CONFIDENT OF SERVICE FOR GOD’S NAME (verses 10-12)

The point here is that deeds of kindness done to the people of God are reckoned by God as done to himself, and will surely receive their reward from him

Matthew 25:35-40 - when Jesus judges the sheep and goats

For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

Jesus makes it very clear that we are to love one another, and to be kind and hospitable to one another. That is what genuine love and concern looks like, and what His followers are called to.

God knows who are really His and who are faithful. He will not forget His own or their work for Him. Our names are securely in His book of life. Our salvation will not be lost and our rewards will not be forgotten.

John MacArthur

Many Christians today, as throughout history, experience times of doubt and even anguish at the supposed prospect of losing their salvation. When they read or hear a message of judgment, they are shaken and insecure. They do not know what it is to rest in the finished work of Christ and in their positional standing in Him before God.

A Christian is not saved because of the good works that they do; rather, the good works are an evidence of their salvation. And God knows when our service is truly for His glory by whether or not it is done out of love for His name.

1 Thessalonians 1:3–4 ESV

remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you,

These faithful believers to whom Hebrews was primarily addressed loved the name of the Lord. This was positive proof that their faith was the real thing. They were ministering to each other because they loved their Lord.

The phrase "one another" is derived from the Greek word ἀλλήλων which means "one another, each other; mutually, reciprocally."

It occurs 100 times in the New Testament.

Approximately 59 of those occurrences are specific commands teaching us how (and how not) to relate to one another.

POSITIVE COMMANDS

Love one another (John 13:34 - This command occurs at least 16 times)

Be devoted to one another (Romans 12:10)

Honor one another above yourselves (Romans 12:10)

Live in harmony with one another (Romans 12:16)

Build up one another (Romans 14:19; 1 Thessalonians 5:11)

Be likeminded towards one another (Romans 15:5)

Accept one another (Romans 15:7)

Admonish one another (Romans 15:14; Colossians 3:16)

Greet one another (Romans 16:16)

Care for one another (1 Corinthians 12:25)

Serve one another (Galatians 5:13)

Bear one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2)

Forgive one another (Ephesians 4:2, 32; Colossians 3:13)

Be patient with one another (Ephesians 4:2; Colossians 3:13)

Speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15, 25)

Be kind and compassionate to one another (Ephesians 4:32)

Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:19)

Submit to one another (Ephesians 5:21, 1 Peter 5:5)

Consider others better than yourselves (Philippians 2:3)

Look to the interests of one another (Philippians 2:4)

Bear with one another (Colossians 3:13)

Teach one another (Colossians 3:16)

Comfort one another (1 Thessalonians 4:18)

Encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

Exhort one another (Hebrews 3:13)

Stir up [provoke, stimulate] one another to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24)

Show hospitality to one another (1 Peter 4:9)

Employ the gifts that God has given us for the benefit of one another (1 Peter 4:10)

Clothe yourselves with humility towards one another (1 Peter 5:5)

Pray for one another (James 5:16)

Confess your faults to one another (James 5:16)

NEGATIVE COMMANDS (how not to treat one another)

Do not lie to one another (Colossians 3:9)

Stop passing judgment on one another (Romans 14:13)

If you keep on biting and devouring each other...you'll be destroyed by each other (Galatians 5:15)

Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other (Galatians 5:26)

Do not slander one another (James 4:11)

Don't grumble against each other (James 5:9)

We do all this because we are in a real sense members of one another (Romans 12:5; Ephesians 4:25)

ILLUSTRATION:

In 1979, Vladimir Bojev, a tough, hard-drinking Russian unbeliever, barged into a Baptist service in Russia and blustered, “I’m going to destroy you all. You are just religious fanatics.” To his surprise a beautiful young lady suggested that the believers gather around him and pray for him. Bojev said, “The next thing I knew, I was the center of a prayer circle. I had never before known such love.” The Baptists invited him back, and Vladimir returned to meet with the Baptists daily for two months. He received Christ, married the young lady, and became pastor of a Baptist church. Vladimir said, “Their love won me to Christ and I was converted.” Transformed lives convince others that our Christianity is genuine. Transformed lives attract others to Jesus.

CONCLUSION

Can it be said of us that others are confident of our salvation?

When they think about us, or see us, do they think they will see things pertaining to salvation?

Our salvation is rooted in Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross.

But from those roots ought to grow a life of love and consideration of others, pointing them to Jesus as the only source of hope for them.