25 Mar 2024
The Book of Hebrews is all about persevering in sanctification; it is about pressing on, about keeping going, and not turning back. Without holiness, writes the author, ‘no one will see the Lord. The Christians then were facing persecutions. Among them were Jewish Christians; they were not excused from worshipping Caesar like the rest of the Jews; hence the persecutions they endured were horrific – losing their homes, imprisonment, even death. The temptation to abandon Christ and to return to Judaism and security was intense. Christians also were persecuted when they refused to worship Caesar.
The hardship and opposition were severe; they therefore needed to pay close attention to the gospel, to digest what they had heard, so that they would not drift away.
The following quotation from Robert Anderson’s “Early Christians in Rome” is helpful to ponder as we may face the same persecutions and sufferings they went through as believers (and in fact many Christians today are already facing these in other contexts);
“The catacombs are full of Christ. It was to him that the Christians of the age of persecutions ever turned. It was on him they rested – in gladness and in sorrow; in sickness and in health; in the days of danger – and these were sadly numerous in the first two centuries and a half – and in the hour of death. It was from his words they drew their strength. In the consciousness of his ever-presence in their midst, they gladly suffered for his sake. With his name on their lips they died fearlessly, joyfully passing into the Valley of the veiled Shadow. On the tablet of marble or plaster which closed up the narrow shelf in the catacomb corridor where their poor remains were reverently, lovingly laid, the dear name of Jesus was often painted or carved”.
It reminds us that CHRISTIANITY IS CHRIST. If we claim to be Christians, we must learn this well and experience this deeply in our lives. It is this reality that will help us go through the broken world fearlessly, with faith, looking to the pioneer and author of our faith, who not only opens the way for us to know the Triune God and salvation, but will complete it for us, provided we continue to look unto him and not turn back and forsake him.
In our study of Luke’s Gospel, we saw how the OT believers, who waited so long for the Messiah, beheld his arrival. Simeon lifted the baby Jesus and declared him as GOD’S SALVATION.The author of Hebrews wrote:
“in the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe” (Hebrews 1:1-2).
Today, in our own context, as we observe ‘Good Friday’ and ‘Easter’, let us realise we are looking back at Christ’s completed mission at the cross, his resurrection and his ascension and glorification. Jesus Christ sits at the right hand of the Father as the God-man (with a resurrected body), advocating for us and interceding for us (individuals and corporately as a church).
Like the Christians in the past, we are to pay close attention to the gospel and not drift away. What do we need to do to slow down and go backward in the Christian life? The book of Hebrews’ answer: “Nothing!” Drifting is the easiest thing; we just allow the tide and the waves to drive us along. But it is swimming against the tide that requires effort, and the Christian life is against the tide all the way. One of our great enemies (besides the devil, the world and indwelling sin) is spiritual weariness, being sluggish and indolent.
We might think that those who have withstood trials and sufferings for their faith would not be in danger of failing to persevere and to keep going. However, the battle to be holy and true to God is fierce, the conflict is long, the opposition is strong, and the obstacles are many. Spiritual lethargy can set in,
even for those who have won great victories in the past.
What is the key theme in Hebrews? True believers do not turn back or shrink back. They believe and persevere, and press on. They keep on going into the future and arrive at the fullness of salvation – just like the men and women of faith in the past.
The author of Hebrews urged believers to keep focusing on Jesus, to keep on running towards the goal in Christ (the perfector of our faith). We are to throw away excess ‘baggage’ and ‘weights’ that slow us down in our race; we are to keep away from straying away to side tracks, but to continue to run the race with endurance. We are to keep ourselves from entanglement with sin. Christians are at the same time righteous in Christ and sinners in themselves; we are righteous sinners, saved by grace.
We are not to cuddle sin; we are to deal drastically and mercilessly with sin in our lives; God is holy and he hates sin. If we profess to love God, we cannot at the same time love sin – mortification of sin and the flesh is essential in the quest for holiness in Christ!