A Call to Persevere

Hebrews 10:19-39

     Being a Christian seems to be getting harder each day.  We are facing more and more pressure and intimidation to compromise our faith or to give it up completely.  It is becoming socially unacceptable to be a Christian and to live by God’s values and principles.  And, if we add in the normal everyday stresses, problems, and difficulties - just being human can be difficult. We are still blessed, though, as we can still openly worship, witness, pray, and hand out God’s Word.  But we must be careful that we do not get comfortable and take what we have for granted.  We must not think that we can ignore the challenges placed upon Christians and the Church today and that they will just go away.  They won’t. 

     God has called us to follow him and to not give up.  A great resource that will help us to stand firm and persevere is taught to us in Hebrews chapter ten - drawing near to God. 

     Faith and drawing near to God are inseparable.  Faith is defined as sincerely coming to God, believing in his goodness and our need for his help.  By coming to Christ (through faith), one finds mercy, grace, help, and salvation, sanctification, and cleansing.

    Salvation is from sin

    Sanctification is the process of being made holy

    Cleansing is purifying

There is no drawing near to God without first coming to Christ.  Then the benefits of salvation, sanctification, and cleansing can do their intended work.  We must allow them to work in us.  They do not just happen.  We cannot follow God and persevere in the faith if we are Luke-warm or half-hearted Christians.  We must walk in a deep and abiding relationship with God.

     There are 5 Exhortations given to us in verses 22-25: 1) Let us draw near to God, 2) Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, 3) Let us consider how we may spur one another on, 4) Let us not give up meeting together, and 5) Let us encourage one another.

     There are 4 Conditions given for drawing near to God in verse 22: 1) A sincere heart, 2) Full assurance of faith, 3) Hearts sprinkled (cleansed) from a guilty conscience (inward cleansing), and 4) Bodies washed with pure water (outward cleansing).

     The writer of this passage speaks of the hope we profess -- or once professed.  Was our hope not that God could save us and deliver us from sin?  Do we still have that hope - for us - for others?  God is faithful to do what he has promised (v. 23).  He will deliver us and others from sin.

     The writer also addresses those who deliberately keep on sinning.  We must remember that salvation is not freedom from God’s righteous requirements and grace is not a license to keep on sinning.  God is not an enabler - he is a deliverer!  And he can make us into instruments to help deliver others from sin and destruction.

     It is indeed a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God!  God is serious about sin and holiness.  God knows the destructiveness of sin.  God loves us enough to tell us the truth before we die and face him.

     We are encouraged to remember the “early” days.  Our early days when salvation was fresh and we were excited.  The early days of the church when Christians persevered and grew even in the midst of great persecution.  And the history of the church and all that has taken place.  Are we to give up now and throw it all away?  I think not!  Because we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved (v. 39).

Jesus is coming again!   How will how find us and his church?   We must not shrink back!

     Pastor Carl