THE GOSPEL IN HEBREWS, D Mayfield

If you are familiar with the book of Hebrews, you know it is addressed particularly to Jews: some who believe in Jesus Christ but also to the larger audience of seeking Jews.

In the book, Jesus is presented as being greater than anything in the Law of Moses. He is a better High Priest and a better sacrifice. He is so much better that the Hebrews writer says those old things are mere shadows of something better to come: namely Jesus Christ.

After a long discourse on these subjects, the Hebrews writer says as a conclusion…

1. Through Jesus’ death and shedding of His blood, He provided “a new and living way”, Heb 10:19-20

And since we have a great High Priest in heaven, who has provided the better sacrifice to atone for our sins…

2. GET BAPTIZED: “let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience AND our bodies washed with pure water.” Heb 10:22. This can only be talking about the person of faith, submitting to the water of baptism where sins are washed away and the soul is made new. In the previous chapter, there is one verse that contains the Gospel that says, “how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” Heb 9:14.

3. REMAIN FAITHFUL: “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;” – Heb 10:23. Baptism is in inaugural event to initiate a soul into the saving blood of Christ. But it is only the first step to be followed by a life of faith with no wavering.

4. ASSEMBLE WITH THE CHURCH: “and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another;…” Heb. 10:24,25a. The church of Christ (Rom. 16:16) is not built by Jesus for nothing. As the church of the first century met continually, so should a new Christian today. The Hebrews writer to keep the faith, “For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints. Assembling isn’t just pew sitting to hear a lesson and then head to a hot lunch. The church is where we first minister to one another.

5. WAIT FOR HIS COMING: “and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” What day is the Hebrews writer referring to? In ch. 9, he says, “And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of man, WILL APPEAR A SECOND TIME FOR SALVATION WITHOUT REFERENCE TO SIN, TO THOSE WHO EARGERLY AWAIT.” Heb 9:27-28.

The invitation is to you who have been putting off your faith response to Jesus’ Gospel. Will you be baptized (Mk. 16:16) and will you stay faithful until death?



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