Today's Bible Study Lesson
“A Persevering Faith”
Aim: Explore
the
stories
of early believers who suffered for the sake of their faith,
Long
for
the courage to endure suffering as a result of our faithful witness,
and Share
in
suffering of Christians around the world.
Background: Hebrews
10:19-39
Bible Lesson:
Hebrews
10:23-36
Memory
Verses:
“Let
us hold fast the profession of [our] faith without wavering; (for he
[is] faithful that promised;” Hebrews
10:23 KJV
Some
Highlights:
-
As
we continue our lessons in the Unit: Faith Gives Hope, our study in
Hebrews 10:23 opens with an exhortation to hold tightly to the
profession of our faith in Jesus Christ without wavering because our
hope is in God who can be trusted to keep His Promise of Eternal
Live and salvation from Eternal Damnation. The readers of this
epistle, Hebrews, had undergone and were still undergoing
persecution because of their faith. The writer is providing them
encouragement
to keep on keeping on!
-
Next,
the author asks the hearers to consider or to
contemplate
how they can encourage and motivate each other to
show
love and to
do good
works within their
community of believers. Unfortunately, either due to weariness or
laziness some of the saints had begun
to neglect to meet together. It
is so important for
like
minded folks to assemble together
to
strengthen
and encourage each
other.
As believers share faith experiences with one another, the body of
believers gains
confidence
to continue to fight the good fight of faith. The
author even reminds his hearers of the urgency of staying on task
because
the
Day of the Lord’s appearing was approaching. Believers
must remember that time is
in
God not God in time for He is infinite and we are finite, meaning
our time is short and we must work while it is day for night cometh
and no man can work.
-
The
saints are reminded by the author that as believers, we
must not let our guard down and willfully continue
to engage
in sinful behavior for we have received the truth and know right
from wrong. These saints had come to be Christians from the Old
Jewish dispensation of the Law given by God through Moses where the
sacrifices of animals were frequently given to cover their sins. If
one deliberately violated the Law and there were two or three
witnesses, the offender could
immediately
be
executed
by stoning. But now in Christianity, Jesus has
died
once and for all as the perfect sacrifice for humankind’s sins if
one believed on Him, so there was
no
further
sacrifice needed
or possible. If one decided to not accept the sacrifice given for
his sins through Jesus’ death on the Cross, the author leaves to
the hearer’s imagination
how great a punishment which awaited … Eternal Damnation! To
despise or to reject the Blood shed by Jesus on the Cross for our
sins and to reject the Holy Spirit of Grace in favor of sin
endangers one’s soul. The author shudders
to think of one falling into the hands of the Almighty Living God
without being washed with the Blood of Jesus through one’s faith.
-
In
the
final
verses,
the author reminds the saints of the persecutions that they
experienced in times past after they learned
of the Good News of Jesus Christ and
embraced
Christianity. They are reminded of the
public
ridicule and
afflictions both physical and emotional which they had endured. They
are also reminded of
how
they supported others who had experienced similar treatment. In
other words, there had been a joyful unity in suffering knowing that
their faith held great reward, Eternal Life. Keeping this in mind,
the believers are
exhorted to not throw away or abandon their
faith
in Jesus Christ in the face of adversity. They are encouraged to
endure to the end for He that hath promised Eternal Life is faithful
and able to keep what He promises.
Take
Aways:
-
Christians
will face hardships and challenges along our Christian journey, but
we must hold on to our faith in Jesus Christ.
-
The
assembly of Christians together provides strength and encouragement
for each
other.
-
Persecution
for Christ’s sake holds great reward, far greater than this
world’s silver or gold.
Bible
Verses to Keep in Mind:
“And
ye shall be hated of all [men] for my name's sake: but he that shall
endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” Mark
13:13 KJV
“Thou
therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” 2
Timothy
2:3
KJV
“My
brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing
that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience
have [its] perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete,
lacking nothing.” James
1:2-4 NKJV
“Therefore
we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet
the inward [man] is being renewed day by day. For our light
affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more
exceeding [and] eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the
things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the
things which are seen [are] temporary, but the things which are not
seen [are] eternal.” 2 Corinthians
4:16-18
NKJV
“For
the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels,
and then He will reward each according to his works.” Matthew16:27
NKJV
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