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In October 2020, our congregations focused on the Epistle to the Hebrews as part of our Bible study. As always, the first evening began with a detailed introduction to the letter. While reading it, I noticed several warnings and exhortations that I hadn't been aware of before. These warnings were undoubtedly very important for Christians back then – but they are just as relevant for us today as they were almost 2000 years ago.
Even in his time, Jesus spoke of temptations and warned against certain things. For example, he urged people to remain faithful to the end and to persevere even in persecution. Later, the apostles also warned and strengthened the churches in the same way, so that they would neither stray from the right path nor miss their goal. Such warning signs are also found in the Epistle to the Hebrews, intended to shake people up and urge them to keep their eye firmly on the goal and to reach it safely.
The first Bible passage that caught my attention in this regard is Hebrews 2:1-4: “ Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we hear, so that we do not drift away from the goal . For if the word spoken through the angels was firm, and every transgression and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we neglect the great salvation that was first preached by the Lord and confirmed to us by those who heard it? And God has testified to it by signs, wonders, and various miracles, and by the Holy Spirit being distributed according to his will.”
How important it is in this day and age that we are men and women of the Word. The Word of God is under heavy attack today, much of it is doubted, it is grossly distorted and misrepresented, so that it is sometimes truly astonishing how the Bible is treated. As Christians, we must always be people who pay close attention to the Word of God so that we don't drift away from our destination. I think everyone can picture a ship's captain here. If he weren't very precise with his navigation and only ever aimed roughly at his destinations, he would inevitably miss many a destination by many kilometers and be sailing on dangerous roads.
We are on our way to our heavenly home, and it is of utmost importance that we do not miss this destination, for after our departure we can make no corrections but will arrive at one final destination: either in paradise with the Lord Jesus or in eternal damnation, in hell, which is prepared for the devil and his angels. Because it is such a final destination, we must never become careless in our faith and our lives.
“Therefore, holy brothers and sisters who share in the heavenly calling, look to the apostle and high priest we confess, Jesus, who is faithful to his Maker, just as Moses was in all God’s house. But he is worthy of greater glory than Moses, just as the builder of a house is more honorable than the house itself. For every house is built by someone, and the builder of all things is God. Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a minister, bearing witness to what was to be spoken later; but Christ was faithful as a Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if we hold fast to the boldness and the boasting of the hope that we have” (Hebrews 3:1-6).
What follows is an exhortation to look to Jesus the High Priest and to hold fast to the boldness and glory of hope. Many Christians get off to a good start in life, following Jesus with zeal and boldness. But as life progresses, difficulties, temptations, and even false doctrines often cross our paths, and then we are faced with making decisions. To whom do I look then? Is it always Jesus, our High Priest, or is it some preacher of novel and appealing words?
Throughout life, difficulties, temptations, and even some false doctrines often cross our path, and then it is a matter of making the right decisions.
“ Take care, brothers and sisters, that none of you has an evil, unbelieving heart and falls away from the living God . But exhort one another daily, as long as it is called ‘today,’ lest one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin . For we have received a share in Christ, if we hold fast to the first assurance to the end, as it says [Psalm 95:7-8] :
“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as they did in their bitterness.” For when they heard this, some became bitter, but not all who came out of Egypt under Moses. And with whom was God angry for forty years? Was it not those who sinned and whose bodies wasted away in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, except the disobedient? And we see that they could not enter because of their unbelief ” (Hebrews 3:12-19).
We see that the danger of apostasy and unbelief has always been a constant threat to God's people. Just as it was for the people of Israel in the desert, so we experience it in our time. Not all who accept the Lord Jesus and are baptized into the body of Christ remain faithful to the end and serve the Lord faithfully until the very end. Therefore, the Hebrews are repeatedly warned in this letter to persevere and not waver in their faith, so that they may enter into eternal rest.
“ Therefore let us be careful with fear that none of you should be left behind while the promise of entering his rest still stands. For it has been proclaimed to us also , just as it was to them. But the word they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united in faith with those who heard it . For we who believe enter into his rest, just as he has said [Psalm 95:11] : ‘I swore in my anger, “They shall not enter my rest”’” (Hebrews 3:12-19).
We are on our way to our heavenly home, and it is of utmost importance that we do not miss this destination. Once we depart, we can no longer make any corrections.
Even today, it is not a given that we will become believers, find a place in a church community, and then effortlessly reach our eternal goal without great difficulty. We should even be vigilant to ensure that none of us is left behind. The perseverance of every Christian's pilgrimage is crucial. Not growing weary, not giving up, and not allowing ourselves to be led astray from the true faith by various teachings is of paramount importance today, as it has always been.
God knows our efforts, our love, and our entire life journey, and He will always deliver a just judgment on every life. And yet, it must be emphasized again and again that it is not the beginning, but the end that is crowned. And sadly, many a valiant soldier of Christ has fallen by the wayside and never recovered. That is why God places these warning signs for us in His Word, which are meant to admonish and encourage us never to give up and never to lose hope.
“For God is not unjust to forget your work and the love you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you do now. We want each of you to have the same eagerness to the very end, so that you do not become lazy, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises” (Hebrews 6:10-12).
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Remember him who endured so much opposition from sinners, so that you should not grow weary or lose heart. Yet you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood in the struggle against sin” (Hebrews 12:1-4).
At the end of this letter, it almost sounds like a summary of the warning signs on our life's journey:
- Let us cast off everything that burdens us, especially sin.
- Let us proceed with patience in the battle that is destined for us.
- And look to Jesus (to no other), the author and perfecter of our faith.
- Remember Him who endured so much opposition from sinners,
- …that you do not grow weary and lose heart.
- You have not yet resisted to the point of bloodshed in the fight against sin.
Dear brothers and sisters, let us make these exhortations signposts on our journey of faith. Perhaps you are currently facing a difficult path. Look to Jesus and to those who came before us, who even paid with their lives in the struggle of faith. Let us remain faithful to the Lord with perseverance and diligence, and let us not waver.
Ernst Fischer
Municipality of Cloppenburg