FAITH, HOPE, LOVE
Opening Prayer
‘Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine…’ (Fanny Crosby, 1873). Thank You, my King for the blessed assurance of Your presence.
Read Hebrews 10:19–25
A Call to Persevere in Faith
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Christianity which does not begin with the individual, does not begin; but Christianity which ends with the individual, ends.’1The author of Hebrews highlights two blessed assurances: our salvation (20) and our Savior (21). On the basis of these certainties, He urges the pursuit of faith, hope and love.
Our walk with God begins as we ‘draw near’ by faith (22), and ‘receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need’ (4:16). We do so on the basis of Christ’s finished work – so we are confident of our salvation. But ‘commencement of the Christian life is not sufficient, there must be a continuation and completion.’2 Because salvation is not yet fully realized, it’s easy to be distracted, deterred, or dissuaded from staying the course. So we are urged to ‘hold unswervingly to the hope we profess’ because ‘He who promised is faithful’ (23) – we can have confidence in our Savior.
But even drawing close and staying close isn’t enough. The same Jesus who calls, ‘Come to Me’ (Matthew 11:28), also commands, ‘Go and make disciples of all nations’ (Matthew 28:19). The moment we begin to journey with Jesus we join a pilgrim community, charged with the demanding and often delicate task of spurring or provoking one another both to love right and to live right (24).
1David Bosch, cited by David Watson, Discipleship, Hodder and Stoughton, 1983, p199
2Thomas Hewitt, The Epistle to the Hebrews: Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, Eerdmans, 1979, p74
Apply
This week, what will you do to draw closer to God? To stay the course? To take others along?
Closing prayer
Jesus, I want to be faithful. Help me to walk with You one step at a time.
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