How Then Can We Live…persevere in the will of God
Do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.
Hebrews 10:35-36
The writer of Hebrews offers a not-so-gentle prod to these Judean Christians—you who believe and are saved are not to shrink back (10:39). Rather, remember those earlier days after you had received the light (10:32). Then, they had full assurance of faith (10:22), knowing they were able to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way (10:19-20) rather than by the Law. Then, they had hope (10:23) of their eternal reward. Then, they stood (their) ground in a great contest in the face of suffering (10:32). Now, their confidence is fading.
A history lesson ensues. Just look at all the ancients who were commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised (11:3-39)—a heavenly country (11:15), to be made perfect (11:40), the Christ (11:26). It becomes a lesson in this postmodern world for us who know Jesus to also throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and…run with perseverance the race marked out for us (12:1). We need but fix our eyes on Jesus (12:2).
After all, it was Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (12:2), the one who suffered to make the people holy through his own blood (13:12), who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and set down at the right hand of the throne of God (12:2). The opposition He endured was crazy. We should not grow weary and lose heart (12:3).
We look forward to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God…to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven…to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant (12:22-24).
Run the race. Stay the course. Set the example. Tell the tale: Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name (13:15). To God be the glory!
Nancy P
