Living in the Light of Jesus’ Coming

Stirring up One Another | Hebrews 10:19-25

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, 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. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 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.

Hebrews 10:19-25

Just as we examined last week, this section draws us to the conclusions based on the last 10 chapters of Hebrews.

Because Jesus has entered the holy places of heaven, we can enter the presence of God with confidence. Jesus opened the curtain through his death and resurrection.

Because Jesus is our great priest over the house of God, we can draw near to God with clean hearts, clear consciences, and purified bodies.

Now, if these things are true (and Hebrews has spent 10 chapters explaining why they are), then we can also “hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering.” The first readers of Hebrews are experiencing some form of persecution. Though there is some debate as to the nature of the persecution, the fact is they, like we do today, are facing struggles that may have them questioning God’s faithfulness.

Hebrews reminds us that we can hold on to our faith because God has proven his faithfulness.

The life of Jesus is thousands of years in the making, and God fulfilled His promise to save humanity. Now, we wait for Christ’s Return in which all things will be made new. And with that reality in mind, Hebrews gives us some very practical principles to live by.

First,

Because Jesus is on His way, we are to stir up one another to love and good works.

How can we stir up one another? Primarily, as Hebrews says in the next clause, it occurs as we meet together regularly. The context is almost certainly the local church gathering for worship, but we should not take this as merely showing for worship as a checkmark in a to-do list. If we are bodily present, but not actually contributing, then we miss out on our opportunities to stir up one another.

I believe we tend to forget what the Early Church looked like in the first and second centuries. They primarily met in homes, and congregations would rarely be more than 50 people. There is evidence of larger gatherings in cemeteries or outdoor locations, but we should remember persecutions happened sporadically, and Christianity was not a legal religion for Rome until the fourth century. Thus, it may be more appropriate in our time to consider the small group setting as something more akin to what is in mind here.

Think about it. How can you know the struggles your neighbor is facing unless you can talk about it with him? How can you share when you have doubts or questions? The corporate worship time is phenomenal for many reasons, but its one weakness is its inability to build true fellowship. We can see our community of faith and join in worship with that community, but we cannot stir up one another in this setting. It is a one-way street of communication—from stage to audience. Again, it is a great time, but it lacks true fellowship and accountability.

For that, we need to be apart of a small-group. Now, whether that group meets on Sunday morning, and we call it “Sunday School,” or it meets at another time, and we call it “small group” (or life group, community group, or whatever other term comes into vogue), doesn’t really matter. The principle is simply this:

Each Christian needs a small community of like-minded believers in which they can support one another, hold each other accountable, and learn together.

And look again at that last phrase of verse 25—“and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” There is never a time in the Christian walk where we don’t need the small group anymore. Instead, we actually need it more and more, because each day we live is one day closer to the Day Jesus returns. And the closer we get to His Return, we will find ourselves more and more in seasons of doubt and evil.

It is in this spirit that Hebrews will turn its attention on those who continue to sin deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth. What hope is left for the one who rejects the sacrifice of Jesus Christ?

Maintaining True Faithfulness | Hebrews 10:26-31

For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 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? 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.

Hebrews 10:26-31

We have discussed the idea of whether someone can lose their salvation when we read chapter 6. Here, we once again are confronted with this question, unless we remember the context. Hebrews is addressing those who are coming out of Judaism and into Christianity. In light of the fact that Jesus has sacrificed once and for all, that means there will not be another “Day of Atonement” for humanity.

Under the old system, those who ignored the law of Moses died without mercy. Hebrews is referring to the death penalty, specifically, but the principle is that if God adjudicated justice in the old covenant, how much more will He in the new covenant? After all, the old covenant was only for the Israelites. Now, the new covenant is for all people. So what hope is there for the person who rejects the new covenant?

There is none.

Just as in Israel’s day there were Israelites who were not faithful, so today, we see those who call themselves “Christian,” but they are not faithful. And just because someone calls themselves a title doesn't meant they are actually that title. Jesus said we would know false teachers by their fruit, and we would know his followers by their love. The proof is not in what people say, it is in what they do.

Thus, regardless of wherever someone says their faith lies, if they continue to deliberately sin, then they can only expect judgement for that sin. Compare this to James who tells us a faith without works is dead—another way to translate that is “useless”.

True faith in Jesus Christ is displayed with evidence in the life of the believer.

It is one thing to sin in ignorance, it is a whole other thing to know the story of Jesus, the teachings of Jesus, and to continue in sin as though nothing has changed. Grace is not a license to sin, it is a call to transformation and love.

Consider the story of the Prodigal Son. Jesus tells the story of a young man who, rebelliously, demands his inheritance from his father while his father still lives. He takes his inheritance and engages is extravagant, dishonorable living. After squandering his wealth and reputation, he realizes the weight of his sin and chooses to return home to work as a servant. The father welcomes the son back as a son and calls for a great celebration. It is a beautiful picture of grace.

Now, what will the father do if the son decides to continue living extravagantly and sinfully? Has the son actually learned anything? Has he actually repented of his former life?

In fact, the son’s attitude of repentance is reinforced by the story of the other brother. The other brother who stayed home is actually enraged at his father’s show of grace.

Who is truly showing grace? Who actually shares in the attitude of the father?

Christians get into this debate about losing salvation because they look at salvation as simply a legal proceeding. That is only one aspect. The deeper truth is that we are corrupted by our sin and need heart transformation. When Christ saves us, we are compelled to live in obedience because we are new creations. If there is no evidence of transformation, then what hope do we have because our faith is dead.

Hope in cheap grace or lip service to God is a false hope that will only lead to ruin.

Hebrews will now contrast this attitude with what true faithfulness looks like.

Pressing on toward the Goal of Faith | Hebrews 10:32-39

But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. 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. Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For,

“Yet a little while,
    and the coming one will come and will not delay;

but my righteous one shall live by faith,
    and if he shrinks back,
my soul has no pleasure in him.”

But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.

Hebrews 10:32-39

We should take note that we are not promised an easy life as Christians. One of our deacons made the comment one day that Christianity has the worst marketing strategy. “Come take up a cross and die.” That isn’t exactly something that would sell well in today’s world, but that is the call of Jesus. We are called to die to self knowing that whatever affliction we face in this life is nothing compared to the riches that come in the new heaven and new earth.

Hebrews takes a little artistic license with Habakkuk 2:3&4 giving it a more Messianic nuance than the original quote in order to reinforce the promise that we have in Christ. We are not given a timeframe, but we are told that Jesus will return. Until that day, we are to live by faith.

Christians are called to faithfully press on to the coming of the Lord regardless of this world’s troubles.

As way of warning and evidence of faithful living, Hebrews uses an interesting phrase for those who fail to live faithfully—they “shrink back.” How do some “shrink back”?

Commentators debate what exactly is in mind here, but I believe the meaning is twofold. First, there is the actual assembling together aspect. Faithful Christians will continue to meet together.

Now, does this mean that someone who doesn’t attend a church is unsaved? Not necessarily, but a Christian who is seeking the Lord will inevitably want to find like-minded believers. I do believe in our day, we have to keep in mind the number of people who have experienced “church hurt” as the new buzz word states it. The fact is many have been hurt by those who claim to be part of the body of Christ. While I cannot state the condition of anyone’s salvation, I would remind all Christians, and especially those in leadership, of Jesus’ warning in Matthew 18:6.

but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

Matthew 18:6

False teachers will find themselves in double judgment—once for their false doctrine and twice for their leading people away from the true Christ.

One way we can stir others to love is to remind them to love well and seek those who are truly seeking Christ. And that leads me to the other meaning of “shrink back”. These are people who have failed to live as the same description of verses 32-36.

They do not endure hard struggles. They do not partner with those who are treated with reproach and affliction, nor do they have compassion on those in prison. They wail and moan when their property is taken because of their faith.

To be clear, these are people who would rather have social standing and wealth rather than serve others in the name of Jesus Christ.

There is no reward for the cowardly Christian.

This last section of chapter 10 sets the stage for the rest of Hebrews. For today, consider where your own walk with Jesus is.

Have you surrendered in faith?

Are you pressing on toward the goal of your faith?

Have you allowed the pressures and persecutions of this world to cause you to shrink back in faith? If so, turn to the Lord who gives all good things for courage. Join with other Christians who support one another in their faith helping each other to strive all the more in love and faithfulness.