He Came to Give Us Abundant Life

Hebrews 2:16-17 says, "For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people." Christ came to save men, not angels (v. 16). That is why he was "made like His brethren" (v. 17a).

But there is more to it than that. Yes, Jesus came to redeem us, glorify us, sanctify us, and give us eternal life, but the writer of Hebrews gives yet another reason why Christ became a man. He also came to help us when we are tempted.

In Hebrews 4:15 we are told, "For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin." He felt everything we feel. He experienced every aspect of life and temptation that we experience. There is nothing you can experience that Jesus has not also experienced, yet Jesus was without sin. That is why He is "merciful and faithful" as our High Priest (v. 17b). He came to turn away God's wrath from us. That is the meaning of the word "propitiation" (v. 17c).

He also came to give us aid. "For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted" (v. 18). He knows when we hurt. He knows when we are weak. He knows when we are tempted. He is the God we can go to no matter what we are going through. He is the One who will bring you through to other side. He is the One who will give you strength for the journey of life.

In John 10:10 Jesus says, "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." Jesus came to give us abundant life. He came to aid us in living the Christian life to the fullest. Only as we live by faith and allow Jesus to live His life through us can we truly experience the Christian life as it was meant to be. It is indeed a most exciting life! Once you begin to experience the life Christ has for you, you will not want anything to ever get in the way of your fellowship with Him.

Billy Graham once said, "The greatest moment in human history was not when man set foot on the moon, but when the infinite and eternal God set foot on the earth in Jesus of Nazareth" (Bruce A. Demarest, Jesus Christ: the God-Man, The Victor Know and Believe Series, [Victor Books, a division of SP Publivations, Inc.: Wheaton, Illinois, 1978], 39).

That is ultimately what Christmas is all about. Christ becoming man that we might have life, both eternal and abundant. Amen.

He Came to Give Us Eternal Life

Hebrews 2:14a says, "Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same." To "partake" or to "share" appears twice in this verse. These are actually two different words in the original Greek text.

The first means "to share" in the sense of having fellowship, communion, or partnership with someone. It refers to having something in common with others. All human beings have "flesh and blood" (v. 14a). In this way we are all alike.

The second word means "to partake," and is the idea of taking hold of something that is different in nature or is not naturally of your own kind. That is what Christ did for us.

By nature we are "flesh and blood" (v. 14a), but not so for Christ. He left the glory that was His in heaven and willingly took hold of something that was different, something that was not naturally His. He was not by nature "flesh and blood" as we are, yet He became as we are in order to die in our place and give us eternal life.

Why did Christ become man? "That through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage" (vs. 14b-15). Jesus came not only to conquer Satan's weapon, sin, but to destroy the power of Satan, which is death.

People fear death because God requires it because of our sin. When a sinner dies apart from Christ he spends eternity apart from God's presence in hell. That is why Christ had to become a man. He went through death for us and came out the other side of death through the resurrection, thereby conquering death for us. And so, through His resurrection He gives us eternal life.

As a result, we need no longer fear death because death simply releases us into the presence of God. When you trust Christ for your salvation, He gives you eternal life. Jesus simply leads us into one side of the grave and out the other side into eternal life. That is why "Jesus... was made a little lower than the angels" (v. 9a). That is why Jesus became a man—to give you eternal life. That is what Christmas is all about—Jesus became a man to die for you and give you eternal life. Amen.

He Came to Give Us Sanctification

Hebrews 2:11 says, "For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren." Jesus came to redeem us and to lead us to glory. In the meantime, He came to sanctify us. He came to set us apart as His brethren. He came to restore the relationship between God and man.

To sanctify means "to set apart" or "to make holy." "For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified" (Heb. 10:14). We therefore stand before God in Christ as one who is pure just as God is pure, as one who is righteous just as Christ is righteous, and we are called His brethren because we, through faith in Him, share in His righteousness. "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor. 5:21).

Through Christ's death on the cross, sin's mastery over us was broken and His eternal righteousness was placed on us. We are "fellow heirs with Christ" (Rom. 8:17) because He has made His holiness our holiness. The righteousness of Christ not only makes us holy but makes us His brethren.

While positionally we are righteous in Christ, as believers who are human we still experience sin. And so Christ came to sanctify us. Through faith in Him we can begin to experience His righteousness in our life right now. Slowly, through practicing what we believe—spending time in the word daily, praying at every opportunity, spending time together in church—we can become more like Christ. We can begin to become righteous just as He is righteous. He came to give us sanctification—to make us like Himself. Amen.

He Came to Give Us Glorification

Hebrews 2:10 says, "For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings." The phrase, "it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things" (v. 10a) refers first of all to God the Father, while also referring to the Son.

"It was fitting" (v. 10a) means that the purpose fulfilled by God in Christ on the cross was right in line with His character. In fact, the work of salvation through the cross of Christ was right in line with God's nature as well. Through His grace He punished our sin and freed us from our sin. What He accomplished on the cross was entirely fitting for God's purpose.

"Jesus... was made a little lower than the angels" (v. 9a) that He might bring "many sons to glory" (v. 10b) and become the perfect "captain" (v. 10c) or "author of their salvation through sufferings" (NASB). Jesus became a man and suffered and died, that He might become the perfect provider of salvation for us.

The word translated "captain" (v. 10c), or "author" (NASB), literally means a "pioneer" or "leader." Jesus provided for our salvation in order to bring "many sons to glory" (v. 10b). He came to lead us to the Father, not only in restored fellowship now, but ultimately to spend eternity in glory with Jesus. Jesus came to give us glorification—to redeem us and lead us to our heavenly home where we will spend eternity with Christ. Amen.

He Came to Redeem

Scripture does not speak as to how the eternal God took on humanity. It is most likely far too great a mystery for our humble minds to grasp. The fact of Scripture is that God in Christ did become man. John, speaking of Jesus, said simply, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). Paul, speaking of Christ Jesus, adds, "Who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men" (Phil. 2:6-7).

Hebrews 2:9 says, "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone." It should come as no surprise that "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14), or Jesus came "in the likeness of men" (Phil. 2:7), or "Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels" (Heb. 2:9a) are all references to His incarnation, which occured for the main purpose of saving a lost people from eternal ruin. Christ became a man in every respect in order to provide us our salvation, our redemption from sin.

Christ came that He might taste death—the wages of sin—for each and every one of us (Heb. 2:9). When you think of Christmas, you think of the incarnation—God became man. When you think of the incarnation of Christ, you think of the fact that He came to die a death that was voluntary and substitutionary. He died in our place.

Because of our sin, we deserved to be hung on that cross. Yet Christ hung there and died instead, in our place, as our substitute. "By the grace of God" (Heb. 2:9c) Jesus came to redeem us from our sin. We deserved death, but we received salvation instead. That is grace. Amen.

Please God by Faith

Abel, Enoch, and Noah each "obtained a good testimony" (Heb. 11:2) by their faith. Of Enoch, in particular, it was said "that he pleased God" (v. 5b). Whether we are worshiping God, walking with God, or working for God, our motivating factor must be faith, because without faith there is nothing we can do that pleases God.

"But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is" (v. 6a). The faith that pleases God starts from conviction "that He is." It all begins by settling in your own mind that you do "believe that He exists" (NIV). Believing that the true God exists, pleases Him and is the first step of faith which leads to full saving faith when you follow through on that belief.

The faith that pleases God includes confidence "that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him" (v. 6b). We must believe that He is moral and just, and that He will reward faith. We must believe that He is personal, loving, and gracious to those who seek Him. When you join belief in God, "the evidence of things not seen" (v. 1b), with confidence in a personal, loving, gracious, rewarding God, "the substance of things hoped for" (v. 1a), you have faith, true saving faith—faith that leads to a changed life, a life patterned after Jesus.

If you are of the belief that we cannot know God, you are wrong. We can know God in a very personal way. It all comes down to faith. It all comes down to trust. To believe in God and to trust Him by faith in Jesus for your salvation is the key. And when you trust in Jesus, your life will be changed, you will begin to live for God by your faith. And that is when God is pleased, when we place our whole faith in Him and live for Him, seeking to please only Him by our faith.

God said, "And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart" (Jer. 29:13). And Jesus added: "For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it shall be opened" (Luke 11:10).

Not only must we believe that He is, but we must also believe that He rewards those who seek Him. When we truly seek Him we will find Him, and He will both save us and change us. That is the reward He gives us—salvation. And it is all because of our faith.

Jesus said, "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you" (Matt. 6:33). In other words, every good thing that God has, including eternal life, is the reward for faith. Just trust Him and walk with Him.

God's greatest truths are known only by simple faith. The person of faith knows the truth. Faith is the only way to God. Trust God by faith. Live for God by faith. And you will please God by faith. Amen.

Live for God by Faith

The writer of Hebrews provides many examples of faith in Hebrews 11:4-40, a chapter well-known as the "Hall of Faith." For now we will consider the first three, all of whom lived before the flood. All of them stand as great examples as to what it means to truly trust God by faith. Trust is shown in how we live our lives. These three men, Abel, Enoch, and Noah, have shown us how to live for God by faith.

"By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks" (v. 4). That last phrase points out something significant—though Abel died a long, long time ago, he "still speaks" to us today concerning faith in God and living by that faith.

Adam and Eve saw God from a different vantage point than any of their descendents. They walked with God and saw Him face-to-face. They talked with God and had fellowship with Him, living with Him in the garden of paradise every day, until they sinned. But even then they had the memory of their unique relationship with the Creator. Not so for anyone since—not even Cain, their firstborn, or his brother Abel. Beginning with these brothers, all of us have need of faith in the fullest sense—trusting in Him whom we have not seen. In that full sense, Abel might be called the first man of faith. And understand, his faith had to do with his personal salvation.

Genesis 4:2-7 is the reference to which verse 4 speaks. There we are told that "Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground" (v. 2). After some time they brought their offerings before the Lord. Naturally "Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground," while "Abel…brought of the firstborn of his flock” (vs. 3-4a). Then it is said, "The LORD respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering" (vs. 4b-5a). Why?

Some have pointed out that Cain "brought an offering" that may not have been of the firstfruits of the land and it was certainly not a blood offering for sin. But, even so, that is only a symptom of a deeper underlying problem—faith, or the lack thereof. In verse 7 God told Cain, "If you do well, will you not be accepted?" And Hebrews 11:4a adds by inspiration of the Spirit, "By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain." Faith is the key!

Because he believed, because of heartfelt faith in God, Abel offered a better sacrifice. Because he offered a better sacrifice, he obtained righteousness, that "good testimony" spoken of in Hebrews 11:2. Because he obtained righteousness, he is for us a living voice saying, "righteousness is by faith." That is his witness.

"By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, 'and was not found, because God had taken him'; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God" (v. 5). While Abel worshiped by faith, Enoch walked by faith. We are told "he pleased God" (v. 5b), and verse 6 adds that "without faith it is impossible to please Him." So Enoch waked by faith, pleasing God. And he too "obtained a good testimony" (v. 2) from God—he "was taken away so that he did not see death, 'and was not found, because God had taken him'" (v. 5a).

The reference is to Genesis 5:21-24. "And Enoch lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Methuselah. Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became the father of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters. So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him."

Enoch stands as an example to all of us of what it means to be in fellowship with God. It means coming to God by faith and accepting the salvation He offers. It means walking with God by faith every day, doing what God wants you to do and going where God wants you to go. It means spending time with God in prayer and the reading of His Word. It means fellowshiping with others who believe and sharing Christ with those who don't. It means living for God by faith. When you have true faith, you will live for Him and you will one day be ushered into heaven to spend eternity with Him.

"By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith" (Heb. 11:7). When you truly believe in God, it will show itself in the way you live, in the things you say, and in the things you do. That is Noah. He took God at His Word and acted accordingly. He is an example of the work of faith—obedience. As Noah shows us, faith can only be seen by the things it does.

Genesis 6:9 says, "Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God" (NASB). He was a man who responded to God's Word. "By faith Noah…moved with godly fear" (Heb. 11:7a). He was warned by God "of things not yet seen" (v. 7a) and he responded with faith and obedience. Being warned about the flood he dropped everything and started building "an ark for the saving of his household" (v. 7b). He had been faithful over many small things, now the Lord gave him something great to do. He had never seen rain or a flood, yet he didn't question; he only obeyed.

By his unwavering faith Noah "condemned the world" (v. 7b). His example of faithfulness stood in contrast with the rest of the people, and 2 Peter 2:5 calls him "a preacher of righteousness." Through Noah the world was rebuked for their sin and disobedience. For 120 years as the ark was being built people were given time to repent and come to God, but they did not. But Noah was vindicated because he "became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith" (Heb. 11:7b). He was the first man in Scripture to be called righteous. God looked at Noah and saw His Son Jesus Christ. He looks at you the same way when you trust God by faith and live for God by faith. Amen.

Trust God by Faith

Ancient Hebrew poets would often use two parallel and almost identical phrases to express their point (MacArthur’s New Testament Commentary: Hebrews, [Moody Publishers: Chicago, 1983], 286). That is precisely what our writer does in Hebrews 11:1 to express his definition of faith. It is not a formal or highly theological definition. Rather, the writer uses this literary form to emphasize certain basic characteristics of faith that are important in understanding the message he is trying to get across.

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (v. 1). First, faith is "the substance of things hoped for" (v. 1a). The NASB says, "the assurance of things hoped for," and the NIV says simply, "faith is being sure of what we hope for." Being certain "of what we hope for" (v. 1a)—that God will keep His promises—and living accordingly with full "assurance" is what faith is all about.

In Old Testament times, men and women had to rest on the promises of God. God had told them of a coming Messiah, a Deliverer who would take away sin. He told them that one day all Israel would be made clean and be ruled by this righteous Messiah. God's faithful believed God's promises, as incomplete and vague as many of those promises were. They did not have a great deal of specific light, by New Testament standards, but they knew it was God's light, and put their full trust and hope in it.

The promises given to the Old Testament saints were so real to them because they believed God, that they based their lives on them. All the Old Testament promises related to the future—for many believers, far into the future. But the faithful among God's people acted as if they were in the present tense. They simply took God at His word and lived on that basis. They were people of faith, and faith gave present assurance and substance to what was yet future.

The Greek word translated "substance" (v. 1a) or "assurance" (NASB), appears two other times in Hebrews. In Hebrews 1:3 it is rendered "exact representation," speaking of Christ's likeness to God, and in Hebrews 3:14 it is rendered "assurance," as in Hebrews 11:1. It refers to the essence, the real content, the reality, as opposed to mere appearance. So faith provides the firm ground on which we stand, waiting for the fulfillment of God's promise. Far from being something that is uncertain, faith is the most solid possible conviction. Faith is the present essence of a future reality.

Foe example, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were confronted with a choice. They could obey Nebuchadnezzar, whom they could see very well, or God, whom they had never seen. Without hesitation, they chose to obey God. Man's natural response is to trust his physical senses, to put his faith in the things he can see, hear, taste, and feel. But the man of God puts his trust in something more durable and dependable than anything he will ever experience with his senses. He puts his trust in God and His promises.

Faith is also "the evidence of things not seen" (v. 1b). The NASB says, "the conviction of things not seen," and the NIV says simply that we are "certain of what we do not see." This carries the same truth a little further, to its logical conclusion. "Conviction" leads to a response. Outwardly our life will show our inward assurance. The person of faith lives as he believes. He is committed to live out what his mind and his spirit are convinced is true.

"The elders obtained a good testimony" (v. 2), or "gained approval" (NASB) because they lived by their conviction concerning God and His promises. God said it; they believed it and proved it by their life. Like them we are to live by faith, by "the conviction of things" we have "not seen" (v. 1b).

This is illustrated in verse 3: "By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible." None of us saw God create this world. The Scriptures tell us about it and we trust by faith that it is true. The creation can be understood, but only if you are willing to be taught by the Word of God. As John MacArthur said, "Faith comprehends that which the mind of man, no matter how brilliant, cannot fathom" (Ibid). It is by faith that you are convicted of the truth of creation. And it is by that same faith, an absolute trust in God and His Word, that you are to live your life. Amen.

Full Assurance of Salvation

Sorry for the long delay. Still dealing with my heath issues. Parkinson's is giving me a little kick. Balance issues; trimmer worsening; over hot, though not as bad as it was. My new nuerologist upped my medication dosage, but trouble getting my new prescriptiion to the pharmacy. I used to take that same one and started with that. It is helping a lot. Pray I get my new script on Monday so I don't have a relapse. Now to today's Bible Insight!

After giving the severest of warnings, the writer of Hebrews gives a great promise. His hope and prayer was that the unbelievers among his readers would not fall away, but would fall on their knees and come to Christ. For those who do, and for all who believe, great things are in store.

You will note how the writer changes gears. Now he makes complete the contrast between unbelievers who have no hope and believers who are assured of their salvation in Christ. Having told the unbelievers that their only hope is in Christ and having warned them against falling away from the truth they know, he now turns to believers and speaks of the promise of assurance which they have in Christ. This makes his thought complete and further sets the stage for the unbelievers to come to Christ.

Only here does he call us "beloved" in the book of Hebrews (Heb. 6:9a). Throughout the New Testament, when it is not used of Christ, "beloved" always refers to bona fide, born again believers. He says to believers, "we are confident of better things concerning you" (v. 9a). If you truly believe, then you are not in danger of "falling away." Good things are in store for you. That is the promise.

What are these good things? They are "things that accompany salvation" (v. 9b). They are the solid food of righteousness in Christ, shown in our changed lives. They are your "work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints and do minister" (v. 10b). God will not "forget" (v. 10a). Those of you who believe have your name securely written in His book of life. Your salvation will not be lost. Your rewards will not be forgotten.

True believers keep on loving and serving. They keep on resting on the assurance of hope in Christ, a certain hope of spending all eternity with Him. That assurance of salvation is one intended result of this passage. The other is that the unbelievers would follow our example and trust Christ for their salvation, joining us in that blessed hope, experiencing the promises of God right alongside us.

And so, speaking again to unbelievers, our writer adds, "And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises (vs. 11-12). He tells them to consider the life of the believers in their midst and to imitate them. That means trusting Christ unto salvation and being transformed by Him just as you and I have been changed. Then they too will experience that assurance that comes only from walking with God. Amen.

A Word of Warning

Hebrews 6:4-6 gives what amounts to a word of warning: "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame."

The NASB slightly rearranges the wording in verses 4-6 for clarity: "For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God, and put Him to open shame."

This grave warning is for those who have five great advantages, yet have not trusted Christ for their salvation. In fact, there is no mention of salvation here. No mention of justification, the new birth, regeneration, let alone sanctification.

So who is he talking about? Those who "were once enlightened" (v. 4a) are not spoken of as born again, made holy, or made righteous. None of the normal words for salvation are used and this phrase is never used in the New Testament to refer to salvation. To be "enlightened" refers to the intellectual perception of spiritual or biblical truth. In the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, this word is often translated "to give light by knowledge or teaching." It means to be aware of something, to be instructed or informed. It carries no connotation of response. It does not indicate acceptance or rejection, belief or disbelief.

When Jesus began His ministry in Galilee He quoted Isaiah 9:1-2 which says in part, "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light." All who heard and saw Jesus saw this "great light," but not all of them believed and were saved. Seeing God's light and accepting it are not the same thing. All who hear the gospel are to some extent "enlightened," but not all are saved. That's who is in view here. People who have heard the truth about Jesus but still do not believe.

They "have tasted the heavenly gift" (v. 4b). The Holy Spirit is mentioned next, so this probably refers to Christ and the salvation He brings. But note what is said: not that they have feasted on this "heavenly gift," but only that they "have tasted" or sampled it. It was not received. It was not accepted or lived, only looked at or considered.

They "have become partakers of the Holy Spirit" (v. 4c). To understand the meaning of this statement you must first understand the meaning of "partakers." In the Greek, this word has to do with association, not possession. It has to do with sharing in common associations and events (MacArthur's New Testament Commentary: Hebrews, [Moody Publishers: Chicago, Illinois, 1983], 144).

In this context, it has to do with anyone who has been where the Holy Spirit has been at work. It is possible to be around the work of the Holy Spirit and even share in what He does, yet not be saved. These people have seen the signs, wonders and miracles of the Spirit, yet they still do not believe. Believers, on the other hand, are not only "partakers" of the Holy Spirit, but the Holy Spirit is within them.

They "have tasted the good word of God" (v. 5a). Again they have "tasted" something—God's word. The usual Greek word for "God's word" is logos. But that is not the word used here. Instead the word rhēma is used. It refers to the parts, not the whole. They heard the words of God preached. They had "tasted" them, sampled them, but they had not eaten. They had been taught about God, perhaps even attended church regularly, but they had not accepted the truth of the gospel of Christ. Paul says, "Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves" (2 Cor. 13:5). If you have only "tasted," it is time to eat.

They "have tasted…the powers of the age to come" (v. 5b). These Hebrews had seen firsthand the miracle "powers of the age to come," yet they did not believe. They still had not responded to the gospel of Christ and receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior. They only "tasted." They did not respond.

As a result, their guilt only increased. To them this stern warning is given: to come that close to Christ and His gift of salvation and then to "have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God, and put Him to open shame" (v. 6). When you continue to walk away time after time, despite being so close to salvation, you eventually become "dull of hearing" (Heb. 5:11), your heart is hardened, and you make "no" your final answer. It is then that you have passed the point of no return. It is then that you are like the "earth which drinks in the rain" (Heb. 6:7) but produces only "thorns and briers" (v. 8a), "rejected and near to be being cursed, whose end is to be burned" (v. 8b). There is no going in and out of salvation. You either accept it and are saved, or you reject it and are cursed. There is no other choice. Amen.

Move On with Christ

Went to Oklahoma to see my son Tim and to preach a funeral for a friend. Did neither. Became extremely weak; could barely walk. Cut the trip off early and returned home on Thursday. Went to emergency and spent the night in Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. Turned out a new med I have been on about six months or so was driving my blood sugar too low. Stopped that med and am home now, and doing better. Enough about me. On to today's Bible Insight.

There are people who adopt a form of Christianity without experiencing its reality. They attend church for years, hearing the gospel preached over and over again, yet they never really make a commitment to Christ. That is the person the writer is speaking to in the opening verses of Hebrews 6. He is speaking to the Jew who has heard the gospel but not yet accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. So the warning applies to anyone who has heard the truth of God's saving grace in Christ, yet has not responded in faith.

These people may have seen the truth of the gospel change the lives of people they know. They may have even made some sort of profession of faith, only to turn around and walk away from full acceptance. To them is given the severest possible warning: when you persist in rejecting Christ time and time again, you may one day find yourself passing the point of no return spiritually. You may one day find that you have lost forever the opportunity of salvation. The one who is indecisive eventually follows his evil heart of unbelief and turns his back forever on the living God.

These are the people Jesus is speaking about when He says, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'" (Matt. 7:21-23).

To them the writer of Hebrews lays down a challenge: "Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment" (Heb. 6:1-2).

The key thoughts are "leaving" (v. 1a) and "go on to perfection" (v. 1b), which are really two parts of the same thought. Together they are the first step these unbelievers have to take to become spiritually mature.

"Leaving" (v. 1a), in the Greek, means to forsake, to put away, let alone, disregard, put off. It refers to total detachment, total separation, from a previous location or condition (MacArthur's New Testament Commentary: Hebrews, [Moody Publishers:  Chicago, Illinois, 1983], 136). It is "the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ" (v. 1a) that he must leave. That is a reference to the types and pictures of Christ in the Old Testament, or the Old Covenant, which has been replaced with the New. So the unbeliever must abandon his former life and all ties with the Old Covenant and accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior in order to be saved.

All unbelievers must abandon the old life for the new life of faith in Christ in order to be saved. That is repentance. Then, having accepted Christ as Lord and Savior, "go on to perfection" (v. 1b) with Christ, or move on with Christ to spiritual maturity. We are never to leave the basic principles, the elementary teachings of the gospel, no matter how mature we grow in Christ. The issue here is not that of growing spiritually as a Christian, but of coming into the first stage of Christian maturity as a new believer. It is a matter of putting away that which you have been holding onto, and taking up a whole new life in Christ.

"Go on to perfection" (v. 1b) is translated in the NIV, "go on to maturity." It is not enough to leave behind your old life. It must be replaced with the new life in Christ. Nothing short of that will do. Turning away from your old life of sin by your own willpower, without turning to Christ and receiving Him as your Lord and Savior won't cut it. Leaving the old life behind and receiving the new hinges on accepting Jesus by faith.

Moving on to maturity involves several things. First, "not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God" (v. 1c). His Hebrew readers were notorious for repenting from evil and turning toward God over and over again, without ever trusting in the Savior. That had to stop. To repent of evil and turn to God was necessary, but it had to be based in faith and acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. That is God's only provision for salvation.

Second, "not laying again the foundation… of the doctrine of baptisms" (v. 2a). "Baptisms" (v. 2a) would be better translated "washings," as it is not the word for Christian baptism, but the word for Jewish purification ceremonies or washings. It is these washings that they are told to abandon, because as believers they receive "the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit" (Titus 3:5).

Third, the "laying on of hands" (v. 2b) refers to bringing a sacrifice to the temple and laying hands on it to identify with it. Leave those things behind because you are now identified with Jesus Christ. Lay hold of Him. Walk by faith in Him.

Fourth, the "resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment" (v. 2c, NIV) is a doctrine believed by Jews and Christians. Yet the Old Testament is incomplete in its teaching on these subjects. Only in the New Testament is the doctrine expounded on in great detail. An unbeliever has limited knowledge of these things, so he must leave these "elementary principles" (v. 1a) behind and follow Jesus as Lord and Savior. Then he can move on with Christ "to perfection" (v. 1b), or "to maturity" (NIV) in Him. And so the writer adds: "This we will do if God permits" (v. 3). God is the One who gives us the power to turn to Him through faith in Christ, and He is the One who changes us. Amen.

Be Content

The New Testament writers often linked sins of impurity (Heb. 13:4) with sins of covetousness (v. 5). Such is the case here. Hebrews 13:5a says, "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have." The NIV says, "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have" (so also the NASB).

The covetous man thinks only of himself and pursues his sin, whether sexual or financial or whatever it is, without regard for anyone else. Everything is selfish, without any regard for others. Even when he shows love to another, it is all about what he can profit. So verse 5 warns against the love of money and urges us to be content with what we have.

Remember, covetousness is an attitude of the heart. You don't have to acquire a lot of things to be covetous. In fact, you don't actually have to collect anything at all. To be covetous has to do with wanting things to the point of longing for them, setting your thoughts and attention on them to the point of becoming completely obsessed with attaining those things whether you actually acquire them or not.

It also has to do with obsessing over things someone else has, desiring to acquire those things at any cost. Hence, the tenth commandment: "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's" (Exodus 20:17).

It is a form of the law of diminishing returns: a principle of increasing desire and decreasing satisfaction. Ecclesiastes 5:10 says, "He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity." The more you acquire, the more you desire. The having never catches up with the wanting.

For the believer, covetousness is needless. Why? Because God has promised never to leave you nor forsake you. "For He Himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you'" (Heb. 13:5b). These words point to the reliability of God. He has your back. He has promised to be there for you at all times, meeting your every need. Therefore covetousness in all forms is useless. It is satisfaction with God's provisions that must characterize every believer. Come what may, security comes from God, not material wealth or any other material possession. "Be content with what you have" (v. 5a, NIV).

When we trust God and not material things, "we may boldly say: 'The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?'" (v. 6). When we have the Lord, we have it all. Nothing else matters. 1 Timothy 6:6-8 says, "Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content." Amen.

The Marriage Bond

The writer of Hebrews turns to love within the marriage bond—how we treat our partner. Hebrews 13:4 says, "Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge." That opening phrase should be understood as a command: "Let marriage be held in honor among all" (NASB). In God's eyes marriage is an honorable estate. He established marriage at creation and has honored it ever since. We should do no less.

Paul warns that in the last days false teachers will "forbid marriage" (1 Tim. 4:3), apparently thinking that celibacy is better, that somehow marriage just gets in the way. Not so says the Lord. Marriage is not only permissible, it is honorable. God established it. Jesus honored it with His first miracle. The Holy Spirit used it as a picture of the church in the New Testament. So we too must honor marriage and hold it in high esteem. And that means keeping "the bed undefiled" (v. 4b).

In 1 Corinthians 6:18 Paul tells us to "flee sexual immorality." "Sexual immorality" means "fornication." It comes from the root word meaning "fornicators" in the Greek, which occurs in Hebrews 13:4. "Fornicators" and "adulterers" do not honor marriage, they tear it down. Those people "God will judge" (v. 4c). We are not to be like them. It is our moral responsibility to be sexually pure, keeping  the "marriage bed undefiled."

Much like today, in the ancient world to remain sexually pure was a novel idea. For them chastity was an unreasonable demand to make. At that time, it was seen by many as a miracle that Christians were able not only to demand such purity, but that they could make it work. As in that day, we too must make it work.

For the Christian, remaining pure and keeping marriage honorable as God designed it is a must. No matter how well we sustain our love for one another and for unbelievers, no matter how much sympathy we show to those in need, if we break down in this area and do not keep ourselves pure, our testimony to those same unbelievers will be destroyed. We cannot afford to let that happen. As Paul said, "Do not let immorality or any impurity or greed even be named among you, as is proper among saints" (Eph. 5:3). Amen.

The Standard of Christian Compassion

The writer of Hebrews encourages believers to "remember the prisoners as if chained with them" (Hebrews 13:3a). "Strangers" (v. 2) come without invitation but "prisoners" (v. 3a) must be sought out. In the first century, prisoners were not well treated, and they depended—often even for necessities like food—on sympathizers. Not everyone would give such sympathy. Many would refuse to help them for fear of identifying with the prisoners and suffering similar punishment. But Christians are to have compassion on those in prison "as if you were their fellow prisoners" (v. 3a, NIV).

Not only prisoners, but we are also to "remember... those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also" (v. 3b), or "as if you yourselves were suffering" (NIV). As Paul stated, "And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it" (1 Cor. 12:26). So we show sympathy to the hurting by sharing in their suffering, or by coming alongside to pray for them and to lift them up by helping in whatever way we can.

We should have such feeling for our friends in prison and for "those who are mistreated" that we become one with them. Compassion is an essential part of Christian living. Sympathy, or compassion for the hurting, is an extension of Christian love.

In the early church, if a fellow believer was in jail, they would pay his fine or redemption price. Some early Christians even sold themselves into slavery to get money to free a fellow believer. That is true sacrificial compassion!

As Christians, we must show sympathy to fellow believers. In some cases, just being there for them is all that is needed. In other cases, we need to help them directly, either financially or otherwise. In all cases, we must pray for them without ceasing. Whatever you do, "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ" (Gal. 6:2). Amen.

The Standard of Love

Hebrews 13:1 says, "Let brotherly love continue" or "Let love of the brethren continue" (NASB). The primary moral standard of Christianity is love, and the particular love exhorted here is "love of the brethren" (v. 1) or love of fellow Christians. "Love of the brethren" (v. 1) is one word (philadelphia) in the Greek, and is often translated "brotherly love." It is composed of two root words—phileō, meaning tender affection, and adelphos, meaning brother or near kinsman; literally, "from the same womb," hence, "brotherly affection" or "brotherly love" (MacArthur's New Testament Commentary: Hebrews, [Moody Publishers: Chicago, Illinois, 1983] 422).

As Christians we share a common bond. We are all saved by the blood of Jesus, and that bond links us together as "brothers in Christ" forever. That common bond is what causes us to have love and affection for each other. In fact, that common bond in Christ is why you can meet another brother for the first time and feel a special closeness and trust immediately. In Christ we as believers are one, and our love shows it.

The specific command here is to "let brotherly love continue" (v. 1). First, this command indicates that such love already exists. It is not something that we have to generate. It already exists. It is the natural outflow of the Christian life. It is what defines us. When you love Christ, you will love the brethren. In John 13:35, Jesus said, "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." Therefore, we are not told to make this love happen. We are told to let it continue. Don't stifle it. Don't let it grow cold, but nurture it.

"Continue" (v. 1) means "to hold fast, or remain steadfast" (The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, [Zondervan Publishing House: Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1971], 224). We are exhorted to "remain steadfast" in our love for one another. Never let it go. Keep on keeping on in loving your brothers and sisters in Christ. If you see a need among the brethren, meet it as God provides. Be there for each other at all times, never attacking, but always coming alongside to help in their time of need. Note how the NIV puts it: "Keep on loving each other as brothers" (v. 1). That is the standard—sustained love.

1 Peter 1:22 says, "Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart." And Romans 10:12 adds: "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor." Philippians 2:3-4 says, "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others." In other words, "brotherly love is caring for fellow Christians more than we care for ourselves" (MacArthur, 424). Nurture and build that love.

Hebrews 13:2 adds: "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels." "To entertain strangers" (v. 2a) is literally "to show hospitality to strangers" (NASB). "Strangers" (v. 2a) can refer to unbelievers as well as believers. Galatians 6:10 says, "While we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith." As Christians our love starts with but does not end with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are to show love to everyone, even our enemies. Jesus said, "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you" (Matt. 5:43-44).

We help others from the heart of brotherly love and for the sake of Christ, not out of any thought of entertaining angels. Yet, who knows? Abraham entertained three men from the heart in Genesis 18, not knowing that two of the men were angels and the third was the Lord Himself. Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me" (Matt. 25:40). Feeding the hungry, taking in the stranger, clothing the naked, and visiting those who are in prison in Jesus' name is to serve Him. Continue in that love. Amen.

Encourage in Love

A life that is committed to Jesus will draw near in faith, it will hold fast in hope, and it will also encourage in love. Hebrews 10:24-25 says, "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching." This is talking about fellowship love—truly loving one another. Fellowship love is what defines you as a Christian.

The Jewish believers this was written to were having a hard time letting go of the old way. How often we struggle with much the same thing. Our writer is telling us that one of the best ways to hold fast to the things of God—the real things of God found only in our Lord Jesus Christ—is to be in fellowship with God's people, the church.

That's right! He is saying, "Don't go it alone." Don't try to be a "lone ranger Christian." If you want to draw near in faith, there is no better place than in the church. If you want to hold fast in hope, there is no better place than in the church. In the church you will be loved and encouraged as you seek to follow the Lord Jesus. In the church you can be used of God to love and encourage others as they seek to follow the Lord Jesus.

This is the only place in the book of Hebrews you will find the expression "one another" (v. 24a). We are to encourage each other in our walk of faith. It's not a picture of a leader directing everyone else in what they are to do. All of us are involved. We are to "consider one another" and "to stir up love and good works" (v. 24).

"Love" (v. 24b) is agape love. It is found in only one other place in Hebrews. There it says, "For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister" (Heb. 6:10). With the love of God we minister to one another. In so doing, we "stir up love" (v. 24b) among the brethren and we encourage "good works" (v. 24b).

Note that faith and hope might be able to be practiced alone, but not love. That is why verse 25 follows quickly on the heels of verses 24. Our writer says. "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some" (vs. 24-25a).

Some were going it alone. They were "forsaking the assembling of ourselves together" (v. 25a). By staying away from the church, they could not "stir up love and good works" (v. 24b), nor could they be so encouraged by others. Instead, they left themselves open and vulnerable to the attack of the enemy.

Rather, we are to gather ourselves together quite often, "exhorting one another," (v. 25b), or "encouraging one another" (NASB), "and all the more as you see the Day approaching" (v. 25c, NIV). "The Day approaching" (v. 25c) is the day that Jesus returns. This makes these verses apply to all of us. Every day is a day closer to the coming of the Lord. So each and every day we should be all the more diligent to gather together and encourage each other in love.

The best way to remain strong in faith, hope, and love is by being in fellowship with God's people until Christ returns. Let's face it. We need each other. We need to be in fellowship together on a regular basis if we are to strengthen and encourage each other.

Faith is a life-long commitment. It involves daily drawing near to God in faith and seeking His presence and guidance. It involves daily holding fast in hope to the promises of God and His Word. It involves coming to church at every opportunity to fellowship with other believers and to encourage each other in love and good works. It involves putting all of yourself into all of Christ. Are you letting Christ have all of you? Are you daily living for Him? I pray so. Amen.

Hold Fast in Hope

A life that is committed to Jesus will draw near in faith and hold fast in hope. Hebrews 10:23 says, "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." The best Greek manuscripts of this text have the word "hope," rather than "faith," as in the King James version, though faith is truly involved. A person who genuinely trusts in Christ cannot help being hopeful. A hopeless believer is a contradiction in terms.

To "hold fast" (v. 23a) is to "hold unswervingly" (NIV). It means to "retain a firm grasp" (The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Vol. 12, Zondervan Publishing House: Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1981, 104). The best description of holding fast comes from the story of a young boy who is building a tree house. He suddenly falls from the tree house and catches hold of a large branch. So he holds on with all of his strength. He holds on for dear life, as though it is a matter of life and death. That is how we as believers must hold on to "the confession of our hope" (v. 23a), or "the hope we profess" (NIV).

"Hope" is expectant. It anticipates that God will fulfill His promises. We can "hold fast" (v. 23a) to our hope in this way because behind it is a God in whom we have full confidence. We can count on Him. His promises will be kept because "He who promised is faithful" (v. 23b).

Not only are we to "hold fast the confession of our hope" (v. 23a), but we are to do so "without wavering" (v. 23a). James 1:6 says, "He who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind." That is what it means to waver. It means to be tossed this way and that because of doubt, never knowing what to believe. But we are to "hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering" (v. 23a). We are to "hold unswervingly to the hope we profess" (NIV).

This is another proof of salvation. Holding fast to your hope in Christ doesn't save you, but it does prove you are saved. When you trust in Christ, you place your hope in God, that He is faithful and will keep His promises. You have hope. Your hope in God defines you. It shows that you are a Christian, so you hold on.

To be without hope would tell a different story. The person who lets go has lost hope. He is not saved and his life and his lack of hope prove it. To continue to live a life set apart for God is a mark both of faith and hope. As John MacArthur said, "Holding on does not keep us saved, any more than good works will make us saved. But both are evidence that we are saved. Many people who have confessed Christ continue to give evidence, by their lives, that they have never known Him" (MacArthur’s New Testament Commentary: Hebrews, Moody Publishers: Chicago, Illinois, 1983, 265).

Holding on is what John Calvin called "the perseverance of the saints." Again, as John MacArthur said, "It is not something we do to keep ourselves saved, but it is evidence, on the human side, that we are saved. It is a paradox, just as is the doctrine of election. God sovereignly chooses those who are saved, but He will not save anyone who does not believe. God keeps us secure in His Son, but our own wills, expressed in holding on in perseverance, are also involved. As the strongest Calvinist theologian recognizes, God's sovereignty does not exclude man's responsibility" (Ibid).

Jesus said, "No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him" (John 6:44). And He also said, "If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine" (John 8:31).

In the parable of the sower, Jesus revealed four types of responses to the gospel. Some people have the "seed" of the Word of God stolen away by the devil before it can take root. Others respond with joy at first but walk away at the first temptation. Still others believe until they run into a few problems. But the true believers "are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance" (Luke 8:15).

Many are those who have a superficial start but in the end they fall away and walk away from Christ. A true believer will still be around in the end. Nothing can make him waver from his faith and hope. Amen.

Draw Near to God

Hebrews 4:16 says, "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." To "come boldly to the throne of grace" involves drawing near to God.

Hebrews 10:19-22 explains, "Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water."

We draw near to God "by a new and living way which He (Jesus) consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh" (v. 20). "New" (v. 20a) is used only once in the New Testament. Its original meaning was "freshly slaughtered." Jesus is the new way, the freshly slaughtered sacrifice, who opens the way to God. It seems contradictory that the freshly slaughtered way would also be the "living way" (v. 20a). But Jesus' death conquered death and gives life. His death is the only way to life that is everlasting.

It seems that as Jesus lived and ministered on this earth, it was as though His flesh, like the veil in the temple, was a barrier between God and man. Only by its sacrifice could sins be atoned for. Only by its sacrifice could man be brought into the presence of God. When the veil of the temple was torn in two during the crucifixion, you might say that the spiritual veil of His flesh was also torn in two,

As a result, not only did Jesus open the way to God, but He is now our "High Priest over the house of God" (v. 21). He is in heaven ministering on our behalf as our intercessor before the Father. Not only does He provide the way to God, He takes us with Him into the presence of God and ministers for us in heaven. With Christ we are in God's presence. Romans 5:10 says, "For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life."

So your life as a Christian must be defined by drawing near to God in faith. Verse 22 adds, "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water." "A true heart" (v. 22a) means "a sincere heart" (NIV) or one that is genuine, without superficiality, hypocrisy, or ulterior motive. Coming to God "in full assurance of faith" (v. 22a) requires a commitment that is genuine. Draw near to God every day by seeking Him with your whole heart, a heart cleansed by Jesus.

"Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience" (v. 22b) pictures deliverance. Jesus died to remove our sins. When we receive Him by faith, our conscience becomes free from guilt. God sees us as being guiltless and we are able to draw near to Him. And "having… our bodies washed with pure water" (v. 22b) does not refer to baptism, but to transformation. Our lives are transformed, they are changed by the Holy Spirit who indwells us.

These two aspects of cleansing go together. Salvation involves both. The death of Christ pays the penalty for your sin and the Holy Spirit cleanses you and changes you from the inside out. Draw near to God with a sincere faith every day. Let Jesus cleanse your innermost thoughts, and let Him transform your life. Amen.

By Faith You Have Joy in God

Romans 5:11 gives reason for joy: "And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation." Through Christ we have been reconciled to God. Our relationship with God has been restored to what it was meant to be. For this reason, we "rejoice in God" (v. 11a). Although subjective in nature, our joy assures us that we are eternally bound to Christ.

We rejoice in our salvation and we rejoice in who God is. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, God has given us an abundance of joy. Joy permeates our lives because of Christ in us. God fills us with joy so that we might give it back to Him through worship and through praise.

David declared, "Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together" (Psalm 34:3). Again, the Psalmist wrote, "For our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name" (Psalm 33:21). And again, "Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy; And on the harp I will praise You, O God, my God" (Psalm 43:4).

Romans 5:1-11 speaks of the many results of our justification in Christ. Together they reveal the truth of our eternal security in Christ, the fact that we are eternally bound to the Savior. In that we should rejoice greatly.

There is a little chorus that speaks directly of the joy that is ours in Christ. It goes like this: "What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought, since Jesus came into my heart! I have light in my soul for which long I had sought, since Jesus came into my heart!" This chorus speaks directly of the great joy that is our's in the Lord. Amen.

By Faith You Are Delivered by God

Romans 5:9 says, "Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him." Because we have already "been justified" (v. 9a) by the blood of Christ, through faith in Him we will "be saved from" God's "wrath" (v. 9b) in the day of judgment. On the cross, Jesus took upon Himself our penalty and He suffered the wrath that we deserved to suffer. God's wrath came upon Jesus so that it would not come upon you.

Paul explains, "For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life" (v. 10). If God redeemed us while we were "enemies" of God (v. 10a), while we were at war with God, then certainly He will keep us redeemed!

God "reconciled" us to Himself "through the death of His Son" Jesus Christ (v. 10a). Therefore, having achieved our justification through Christ's death, it only follows that "we shall be saved by His life" (v. 10b). In other words, by His death Christ achieved our justification and by His resurrection life He will secure our salvation.

Not only did Jesus deliver us from sin and judgment, but He also gives us assurance of our salvation. He eliminates any uncertainty or doubt you may have. God has made sure our deliverance from sin and future judgment, so we have no reason to be insecure concerning our future in heaven with Him.

If you know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, if you have trusted in His shed blood on the cross for your forgiveness and salvation from your sin and its consequences, then you can rest assured of your future in heaven with Him. By faith you are delivered by God. You are eternally bound to the Savior. Amen.

By Faith You Have the Love of God

The greatest manifestation of God's love in all of history is this: "For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly" (Rom. 5:6). "In due time" (v. 6b) or "at just the right time" (v. 6a, NIV), "when we were still powerless" (v. 6b, NIV), "Christ died" (v. 6b) for us. We were "ungodly" (v. 6b) and unable to help ourselves. We had no hope of salvation. We couldn't save ourselves. So God did it for us "at just the right time" (v. 6a, NIV).

God's great love is demonstrated in the fact that Christ died for "the ungodly" (v. 6b). By contrast Paul notes in verse 7: "For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die."

The point is this: rarely would a person sacrifice his own life to save the life even of someone seen to be of upright character, though Paul concedes that on a rare occasion perhaps someone would "dare to die" for one thought to be "good" (v. 7b). It is even less likely that anyone would sacrifice himself to save someone who is known to be evil. Yet that is just what Christ did. He died for the "ungodly" (v. 6b), and in that we find our security.

Paul continues: "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (v. 8). This is the main point of verses 6-8. It was for "sinners" that "Christ died" (v. 8b). He died for people who were neither "righteous" (v. 7a) nor "good" (v. 7b). He died for the "ungodly" (v. 6b)—for "sinners" (v. 8b). He died for you and me when we were helpless sinners. God loves you; Christ died for you. That is the bottom line.

"For" (v. 8b) means "on behalf of." Christ died on your behalf. God's love poured out at the cross of Christ, shows again that you are eternally bound to the Savior. Amen.

By Faith You Are Indwelt by God

Romans 5:5 says, "Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." The Greek word translated "poured out" refers to the "inexhaustible abundance of the supply" (Expositor's Bible Commentary, Vol. 10, [Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1976], 57). Our future hope is certain because God's love is "poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit" (v. 5b). God's love flows through us in abundance because the Holy Spirit dwells in us.

The key phrase here is "the Holy Spirit who was given to us" (v. 5b). By God's grace, when we believed in Christ we were not only saved from our sin but God sent His Spirit to indwell us. He lives right inside us and He is the one who empowers us to live godly lives. He makes us more like Jesus every day.

One of the great evidences of salvation is the fact that the Holy Spirit is empowering us to live godly lives. Without Him we couldn't make it. God's Spirit within us gives us the desire to pray and worship and study God's Word. He is the one who develops godliness in us.

As a believer, the Holy Spirit within you pours out God's blessings in your life. His presence guarantees that you are eternally bound to the Savior. Romans 8:14 says, "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God." The Holy Spirit working within you to make you godly is evidence that you belong to God and that you will spend eternity with Him. Amen.

By Faith You Have Assurance from God

You can trust God to complete the good work He began in you! Note Romans 5:3-4: "And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope." When hard times come, rest assured that God is there. Because you stand in the grace of God, by faith you can face all sorts of "sufferings" (NIV, ESV) or "tribulations" (KJV, NKJV).

"Tribulations" (v. 3, KJV, NKJV) refers to the idea of "being under pressure." It is the idea of squeezing olives in a press to extract the oil or squeezing grapes to extract the juice. No matter how tough things may be in your life and no matter how much you may be ridiculed for your faith, God is there. Rest in Him, and He will see you through any amount of suffering.

By grace, God brings us through our times of suffering and produces "perseverance" in us, or the ability to endure. By faith, our steadfast endurance builds "character." The Greek word for "character" refers to the idea of "tested value." Job understood this when, in the midst of his troubles, he said, "When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold" (Job 23:10b).

God will see to it that you are "conformed to the image of His Son" (Rom. 8:29). God will complete the work He began in you by building your character and making you more like Jesus. The end result is obedience to God's Word, which in turn leads you into a godly lifestyle.

"Character" in turn produces "hope" (v. 4). Godly character proves your salvation and gives you assurance of spending eternity with Christ in heaven. Obedience to the Lord proves your salvation. As you become more and more like Jesus, you become more and more certain of that salvation. Godly character, thus, gives you assurance from God that you belong to Him for all eternity. Amen.

By Faith You Have Access to God

Our justification also means we have direct access to God in Christ. Romans 5:2a says, "Through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand." "Through whom" (v. 2a) refers to the Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him we have eternal peace with God and through Him we have direct access to God. "Access" (v. 2a) can also mean "approach" or "introduction" (NASB), and only occurs three times in the New Testament. Each time it speaks of the believer's access to God through Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 2:17-18 declares that Christ "came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father." Those "who were afar off" (v. 17) refers to the  Gentiles, while "those who were near" (v. 17) refers to the Jews. "Both have access... to the Father" (v. 18) through the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 3:12 adds that in Christ "we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him." In other words, by faith through Christ we can approach God directly in prayer with boldness and confidence. Because of this truth, Hebrews 4:16 says, "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

"This grace in which we stand" (Rom. 5:2a) refers to the fact that our salvation is forever. "Grace" refers to the free gift God gave us, namely salvation and every spiritual blessing that accompanies it. "Stand" refers to permanence, or standing firm and immovable. By faith we stand firm in the grace of God.

God's grace saved us and God's grace keeps us saved. It is a permanent reality. Standing in the grace of God, means standing in constant forgiveness. That is why Paul said, "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus" (Phil. 1:6, NASB).

Having been saved by grace and now standing securely in God's grace, you are instructed to "rejoice in hope of the glory of God" (Rom. 5:2b), because your future is secure. You are to be absolutely jubilant, because God in Christ guarantees your "hope" that one day you will partake "of the glory of God" (v. 2b). You will spend eternity with Him and His glory will fill you forever. By faith you are eternally bound to the Savior! Amen.

By Faith You Have Peace with God

Justification brings a wealth of blessings into our lives. God rewards people of faith. God's promises to us are sure. He is faithful and will do everything He promised in His Word.

The first promise He fulfills in us when we trust Christ as our Savior, is peace—peace with God. Note Romans 5:1—"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."

"Therefore" (v. 1a) connects us back to chapters three and four, where Paul established that, as believers, we are justified by faith. The verb translated "we have" (v. 1b) is in the present tense, indicating something that is already possessed. As a believer, you already possess "peace with God" (v. 1b). It is something you have by virtue of your justification.

Here, "peace" (v. 1b) is not subjective. It is not referring to a simple "feeling" of peace within you. It is objective. It refers to harmony with God.

We were at war with God. We were "enemies" (Rom. 5:10a) of God. We were in rebellion against God, as evidenced by our sin. But God reconciled us to Himself through the cross of Jesus Christ.

"Through our Lord Jesus Christ" (v. 1b) we were "justified by faith" (v. 1a) and the war with God came to an end. His wrath toward us was removed as a result of our justification. We now "have peace with God" (v. 1b)—a peace that will last through all eternity. Amen.

Righteousness Fulfilled

God sent His Son as our substitute to condemn sin, in order that "the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us" (Rom. 8:4, KJV). He condemned sin so that the demands of the law might be satisfied, thus enabling us to live by God's Word. In other words, our justification through the substitutionary work of Christ on the cross leads to our sanctification.

God did not free us from our sin so that we could do as we please. Rather, He freed us from our sin so that we would do as He pleases. God did not redeem us so that we could continue sinning. He redeemed us so that we might begin to live righteously by having "the righteous requirement of the Law… fulfilled in us" (v. 4a).

Paul goes on to say that the law is fulfilled in those of us "who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit" (v. 4b). Only those who seek to follow Christ in obedience and who show the fruits of righteous living in their lives are truly justified in Christ. Holiness is the proof that we have been reconciled to God. Lack of holy living is evidence to the contrary.

Only those who know God through Christ can move on toward righteous living. And everyone who knows God through faith in Christ will go on toward holy living. Your justification demands it, and the Holy Spirit dwelling within you provides the way. That is God's message.

Verse 4 tells us that there is no condemnation to those who "walk… according to the Spirit" (v. 4b), because they are the ones "who are in Christ Jesus" (v. 1a). If you truly believe on Jesus for your salvation, you will "walk… according to the Spirit" (v. 4b). There are no exceptions. Again, this is made certain by the Holy Spirit living within you.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, "unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:20, NASB). Later in that same chapter, Jesus commanded, "You are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matt. 5:48, NASB). God's intent in saving you is not only to bring you into eternal life with Him, but to bring you into a life of righteous living right now. Righteousness is at the very heart of God's salvation promise.

Positional righteousness should be reflected in practical righteousness. In Christ, you are declared to be righteous. In Christ, you should live righteously right now. Galatians 2:20 says, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

God saved us so that He might make us righteous. Let Christ live in and through you, and your changed life will stand as proof of your salvation. Such a life lived by faith in God's Son will assure your heart of the certainty of your eternity with Christ. That is God's salvation promise. Amen.

Penalty Paid in Full

Romans 8:3 says, "For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh." This statement may be the most accurate description of the doctrine of substitution in all of Scripture. It is the heart of the gospel. Jesus Christ paid the penalty in full for everyone who would trust Him alone for their salvation.

"For" (v. 3a) means "because," and introduces an explanation of verse 2. You have been set free from "the law of sin and death" and redeemed by "the law of the Spirit of life" because of what Jesus Christ did for you on the cross (v. 2). There is no imperfection in the law, yet it was incapable of saving you. It is "holy and just and good" (Rom. 7:12), yet its standards are impossible to live up to in your own power. Because of your sin, you fall short of the law's demands. Because of your sin, the law could only condemn you to an eternity apart from God. And so a substitution was necessary. Enter Jesus Christ, God's Son, our substitute.

"What the law could not do," that is, save us, "in that it was weak through the flesh" (v. 3a), refers to our depravity. Our sin rendered the law helpless to save. So God did it. "God… by sending His own Son” (v. 3b) took care of our need. Christ paid the penalty that was ours to pay; and He paid it in full! He died in our place. He was our substitute on the cross.

Note what it says here about the form in which Jesus appeared in the world: "In the likeness of sinful flesh" (v. 3c). It does not say simply "in the flesh," and especially not "in sinful flesh." Rather, He came "in the likeness of sinful flesh" (emphasis added). He came in a nature like that of our sinful flesh, yet one that was not itself sinful. In all ways like us, "tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin" (Heb. 4:15b, NASB). That is the key. That is why He could die in our place. That is what qualified Him to be our substitute.

And so Christ died in our place "on account of sin" (v. 3d). Christ died as a sacrifice for our sin. The law couldn't save us; the sacrifice of God's Son did. He was God's offering for our sin. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, God "made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." And so, "He condemned sin in the flesh" (v. 3e). Sin once condemned you. Now Christ your Savior condemns sin and delivers you from its power, as well as its penalty.

The thrust of this passage, and all of Romans 8, says that Christ did not suffer and die to save you, only to lose you again to damnation. His life was perfect; His sacrifice was perfect; and His saving grace is perfect. In Christ your salvation is secure. That is why Paul declared in 1 Corinthians 15:55-57, "'O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?' The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (NASB). Amen.

Justified in Christ Jesus

Romans 8:2 tells us that we have been justified, or set free from sin in Christ Jesus: "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." "For" (v. 2a) means "because" and introduces the reason there is "no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus" (v. 1). For believers, "law" (v. 2a) here refers to a principle of operation, just as it did when Paul earlier spoke of "a law of faith" (Rom. 3:27), and in Galatians when he speaks of "the law of Christ" (Gal. 6:2).

Here in verse 2, "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus" is set over and against "the law of sin and death." The thought is this: Those in whom the Holy Spirit dwells, those who believe in Christ Jesus, are set "free from," or are delivered from the condemnation their sin required. In Christ you are set free to live the life of the Spirit as God intended.

This is justification—delivered from sin and set free to obey Christ. True salvation will always lead to true obedience. True salvation by faith in Christ delivers us completely and permanently from sin's power and penalty. But it also gives us the ability to obey God.

Paul told Titus, God "saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior" (Titus 3:5-6). When you place your trust in Jesus, it is the Holy Spirit who gives you life in Christ and who enables you to live the spiritual life in Christ Jesus as God intended you to live.

As a believer, you are no longer a slave to sin. You are no longer under sin's control. You are free from its bondage and its ultimate penalty—death. Satan and the influences of the world around you, even your own humanness, can cause you to falter and fall back into sin in some way or another, but they cannot destroy you because your new life in Christ is the life of God's Spirit within you. He has set you free to obey God! That is the refreshing message of Romans 8:2. Amen.

No Condemnation

Romans 8:1 says, "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit." "Therefore" (v. 1) marks a result, a consequence, or a conclusion. Paul spent the first seven chapters in Romans primarily focused on justification by faith alone, which was made possible solely by the power of God's grace. Now there is a major change of focus. In chapter 8, Paul begins to look at the results of that justification in our lives. What does this all mean?

The Greek word for "condemnation" appears only in the book of Romans; here and in Romans 5:16, 18. Although it relates to the sentencing for a crime, its primary focus is not so much on the verdict as on the penalty that the verdict demands. As Paul already declared, the penalty or "condemnation" for sin is death: "For the wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23).

But the good news Paul is declaring here in Romans 8:1 is the same as the last part of Romans 6:23, which says, "but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." The good news for Christians is that there will be "no condemnation" (Rom. 8:1). There will be no sentencing and no punishment for sins ever committed—past, present, or future. Your sins are all forgiven in what Christ did for you on the cross. The penalty has been paid.

The Greek word "no" (v. 1) is an emphatic negative adverb of time, which carries the idea of complete cessation. For the believer, it is over! Never will anyone who is in Christ suffer any condemnation at all! Not now. Not in the future. That is eternal security.

It does not mean that there is nothing worthy of condemnation. It means what it says: "There is… no condemnation" (v. 1). All of us deserve to be condemned for our sin. All of us fall short. But praise be to God, Jesus paid the penalty for us on the cross, and through our faith in Him, the condemnation we deserve has been removed. There is no greater statement of eternal security.

Who is secure? "Those who are in Christ Jesus" (v. 1). Those who come to Jesus by faith. When you trust Jesus for your salvation and receive Him by faith, your sins are forgiven, you are declared righteous, and you are never again subject to condemnation. Your conflict with sin continues until you go to be with the Lord, yet there still is no condemnation for you because the penalty was paid in Christ and applied by grace. This truth, that you, being in Christ, will never face the eternal death penalty, is the foundation of all of Romans 8.

The last part of verse 1 in the KJV and NKJV, "who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit," is not found in most of your translations because it is not found in most of the oldest and best manuscripts of Scripture. This statement was probably inserted here by a copyist. The exact same statement is found in the context in verse 4, and so the addition here does not change the meaning.

To "walk" means to regulate the inward and outward life—how you live. It follows from the nature of your union in Christ that your whole life, your very character, will be transformed. Your old nature, your "flesh," will no longer control you. Rather, the Holy Spirit, who now resides within you, will control you and transform you into the very image of Christ. Amen.

The Gift of God—Eternal Life in Christ

The gospel message is really quite simple. Romans 3:23 says, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." None of us are free from sin. We are all in need of a Savior. To that is added in Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

God made us to have fellowship with Him. But our sin has cut off that fellowship and separated us from God. The "wages" we should receive is to be eternally separated from God (spiritual death), but God wants no such thing. Therefore He has offered us a free gift—eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:1 says, "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus." Who are in Christ Jesus? Those who have placed their faith in Christ and received Him as their personal Savior. Ephesians 2:8-9 explains: "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."

There is that phrase again—"gift of God." Salvation from your sin is God's gift to you by His grace through your faith. There is nothing you can do to earn it. You can't buy it; you can't earn it. No matter how good you make yourself in this life it will never be enough. However, you can receive it because it is a free gift that God is offering to you right now.

John 1:12 says, "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name." Believing (faith) leads to receiving (through prayer and submission). When you have faith, you not only understand who Jesus is, but you come to know Him in your heart inwardly by placing your complete trust in Him and asking Him to come into your life and take control of your life. That is receiving God's gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 John 5:11-13 adds this assurance: "And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God."

Again, God has given us the gift of eternal life. This gift of life is in Jesus. Everyone who has received Jesus into their life by faith has this eternal life in Him. They are the ones who have the Son. Therefore, when you know Christ Jesus in this way, when you "believe in the name of the Son of God," you can "know that you have eternal life" (1 John 5:13).

God sent His Son to die on the cross for you, so that through faith in Him, you would have forgiveness of sin and new life in Christ. If you receive Jesus Christ by faith, you will receive eternal life. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

Confess your sin and ask Jesus into your life right now, and you will begin a relationship with the Son of God that allows you to experience His love and strength each day. All who know Jesus as Savior and Lord can fully experience that grace from God. Let Him in and let Him give you that grace. Amen.