Hebrews 10:31 It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
God is at the end of everyone’s road. There’s no escaping him. Whoever tries to flee from God will fall into his hands. A young man was waiting for his trial to begin when he asked permission to go to the bathroom. He stood on top of the toilet, pulled himself into the ceiling, and tried to get away. But the ceiling couldn’t support his weight, and he fell into the Judge’s chambers. How much worse to fall into the hands of the living God?
Hebrews 10:34 You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.
Some of the first Christians were thrown into prison and lost their homes. This was a terrible hardship but they still had joy because of their better and lasting possessions in heaven. With the passing of years, however, they forgot about their homes in heaven and missed their homes on earth. As a result, some were going back to their former way of life. Ironically, the closer they got to heaven, the more they cared about earth.
This makes little sense, of course, but we can fall into the same pattern if we’re not careful. Since every day brings us closer to the end of our journey, our excitement should increase steadily. [O]ur salvation is nearer now than when we first believed (Romans 13:11), wrote Paul. Our focus should never be on what we’ve left behind, but on all that God has prepared for those who love him (1 Corinthians 2:9).
Hebrews 10:36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.
Perseverance is the ability to stay with a task no matter how difficult it becomes. It includes endurance, persistence, tenacity, determination, diligence, commitment and stamina. It’s absolutely essential to finishing the Christian life.
In 1952 Florence Chadwick attempted to swim twenty-six miles from Catalina Island to the California coastline. But after fifteen hours a fog set in, and she doubted she could make it. She swam for another hour and then got into the boat—just a mile from the shore.
Two months later she tried again and kept on swimming, even through the fog. For the last several hours she never stopped thinking about the shore until she finally arrived. Satan says we’ll never make it, but God says we’re almost there. Heaven’s shore is always closer than we think.
Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command.
The existence of God is typically argued in three different ways. First, the universe didn’t always exist, and didn’t create itself, so there must be a creator. Second, the world shows signs of design, which point to a great designer. Third, the distinction between right and wrong point to a moral law giver. These arguments fall short of absolute proof, however, so a measure of faith is still required.
But faith is required for every explanation of the world, including atheism. To be an atheist you must believe that everything came from nothing, that non-life produced life, and that thoughtless matter produced people who think. This is why it takes more faith to be an atheist than to believe in God.
Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Biblical faith isn’t simply believing that God exists. Even the demons believe that (James 2:19), wrote James. Biblical faith is believing God exists, and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. That’s why many have served God at great expense. For the Son of Man is going to . . . reward each person according to what they have done (Matthew 16:27), said Jesus.
The repentant criminal who died next to Christ will be in heaven (Luke 23:43), but he won’t have the same reward as the Apostle Paul. Our greatest opportunity isn’t buying the right stock at the right price, but doing something for God every day. If we do this for sixty years, we’ll have over twenty thousand good deeds for God to reward. This is reason enough to get out of bed every day.
Hebrews 11:10 [Abraham] was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
As an example of faith, the writer referred to Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation. He was a wealthy man but, instead of building a house, he chose to live in a tent. Houses have foundations, tents do not. Houses are permanent, tents are not.
Abraham refused to settle down in this world because he was looking for a world that would last forever. Most people treat this life as though it were permanent, and the next as though it were brief. Abraham treated this life as though it were brief, and the next as though it were permanent. He chose to live in a tent because he was just passing through.
Reflection and Review
Why do Christians need to persevere?
What does it mean to earnestly seek God?
Should Christians live in tents?
God is at the end of everyone’s road. There’s no escaping him. Whoever tries to flee from God will fall into his hands. A young man was waiting for his trial to begin when he asked permission to go to the bathroom. He stood on top of the toilet, pulled himself into the ceiling, and tried to get away. But the ceiling couldn’t support his weight, and he fell into the Judge’s chambers. How much worse to fall into the hands of the living God?
Hebrews 10:34 You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.
Some of the first Christians were thrown into prison and lost their homes. This was a terrible hardship but they still had joy because of their better and lasting possessions in heaven. With the passing of years, however, they forgot about their homes in heaven and missed their homes on earth. As a result, some were going back to their former way of life. Ironically, the closer they got to heaven, the more they cared about earth.
This makes little sense, of course, but we can fall into the same pattern if we’re not careful. Since every day brings us closer to the end of our journey, our excitement should increase steadily. [O]ur salvation is nearer now than when we first believed (Romans 13:11), wrote Paul. Our focus should never be on what we’ve left behind, but on all that God has prepared for those who love him (1 Corinthians 2:9).
Hebrews 10:36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.
Perseverance is the ability to stay with a task no matter how difficult it becomes. It includes endurance, persistence, tenacity, determination, diligence, commitment and stamina. It’s absolutely essential to finishing the Christian life.
In 1952 Florence Chadwick attempted to swim twenty-six miles from Catalina Island to the California coastline. But after fifteen hours a fog set in, and she doubted she could make it. She swam for another hour and then got into the boat—just a mile from the shore.
Two months later she tried again and kept on swimming, even through the fog. For the last several hours she never stopped thinking about the shore until she finally arrived. Satan says we’ll never make it, but God says we’re almost there. Heaven’s shore is always closer than we think.
Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command.
The existence of God is typically argued in three different ways. First, the universe didn’t always exist, and didn’t create itself, so there must be a creator. Second, the world shows signs of design, which point to a great designer. Third, the distinction between right and wrong point to a moral law giver. These arguments fall short of absolute proof, however, so a measure of faith is still required.
But faith is required for every explanation of the world, including atheism. To be an atheist you must believe that everything came from nothing, that non-life produced life, and that thoughtless matter produced people who think. This is why it takes more faith to be an atheist than to believe in God.
Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Biblical faith isn’t simply believing that God exists. Even the demons believe that (James 2:19), wrote James. Biblical faith is believing God exists, and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. That’s why many have served God at great expense. For the Son of Man is going to . . . reward each person according to what they have done (Matthew 16:27), said Jesus.
The repentant criminal who died next to Christ will be in heaven (Luke 23:43), but he won’t have the same reward as the Apostle Paul. Our greatest opportunity isn’t buying the right stock at the right price, but doing something for God every day. If we do this for sixty years, we’ll have over twenty thousand good deeds for God to reward. This is reason enough to get out of bed every day.
Hebrews 11:10 [Abraham] was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
As an example of faith, the writer referred to Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation. He was a wealthy man but, instead of building a house, he chose to live in a tent. Houses have foundations, tents do not. Houses are permanent, tents are not.
Abraham refused to settle down in this world because he was looking for a world that would last forever. Most people treat this life as though it were permanent, and the next as though it were brief. Abraham treated this life as though it were brief, and the next as though it were permanent. He chose to live in a tent because he was just passing through.
Reflection and Review
Why do Christians need to persevere?
What does it mean to earnestly seek God?
Should Christians live in tents?