...we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:10)It's sort of hard to get my mind around that fact...and it is a fact. I'm holy. Yeah, I know, it sounds silly for me to even think it, let alone say it out loud. I'm holy. God says so. It's a done deal. I can't make any improvements on it no matter how hard I try.
So if my giving to the church, or my serving others, or my feeble attempts at righteous living, or my daily(ish) Bible reading and praying doesn't do anything to help me be holy...if it is, indeed, a done deal...then what's the point? I (we) need to give up the notion that we will ever "earn" anything from God. We won't. We can't. It's a gift. It's done.
But there is a "therefore"...
Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:19-25)This is our response. This is the result of our having been made holy. I love those verses because they are so encouraging and positive and uplifting. These are well known verses that are quoted often...and rightfully so. But they're followed by this:
If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Hebrews 10:26-31)This holiness is a gift not to be taken lightly. It is a costly and precious gift that deserves our appreciation demonstrated by our changed lives. That's why we do all that stuff about giving and serving and righteous living. It's the natural response to the gift that was given. It's the least we can do.
Hebrews chapter 11 begins with these famous words:
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)This chapter is a wonderful recap of all the Old Testament characters we read about back during the summer. It shows that the great things that they said and did were all a result of their faith. And the thing is, what they believed in and trusted in were never realized in their lifetimes.
All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. (Hebrews 11:13)We have this tendency to think that if we decide to begin living out lives by faith that suddenly everything will change in our lives. Circumstances will improve. Sickness will be healed. Marriages will be strengthened. Kids will no longer rebel. Our lives will be better. However...
These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. (Hebrews 11:39-40)Don't get me wrong. I believe that a life lived in faith is most certainly a better life. But I'm beginning to learn that our physical lives here on earth are not really what God's promises are all about. He has something better in mind. Something bigger. Something eternal. Our lives here may, indeed improve. They may not. Either way, I think this chapter is urging us to keep on believing. Keep on trusting. Keep on looking forward. Knowing that our holiness is a done deal, and our future is sure.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:1-3)....................................................................................................................................
On a completely different topic, I feel I must comment on one more verse that made me think about my prayer life:
Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. (Hebrews 13:3)When I pray for people in difficult circumstances I find that a part of my prayer is often an expression of gratitude that I, personally, have never had to experience the difficulty that the object of my prayers is experiencing. I wonder about this in light of this verse. I suppose, in a way, if my brother or sister is going through difficult times, so am I. I need to think about this more and the ramifications of this on my prayers.
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