This chapter is broken down into three segments of verses that inform us of the dignity of Christ, warns us of the danger of unbelief brought about by sin and the need to stay faithful to Christ…following him with a steadfast zeal.
Christ is the Messenger sent to us by God. This truth resting firmly on our faith is revealed to us through Christ and He is the hope we have for a better day. Christ is many things. He is the Messiah and is anointed to both the offices of Apostle and High Priest. He is Jesus, our Savior, our healer…the Great Physician. Consider if you will what He is to us now…what He will be to us hereafter and forever. The Jews have always recognized the faithfulness of Moses and held him in the highest of esteem. Moses was a faithful servant but Christ was the eternal Son of God. Here was a point of separation. They were being told that Christ was the Master of this house, of His Church, His people, as well as their Maker. They must follow the ways of Christ, be steadfast and possess perseverance throughout this journey, until the end. All our thoughts of Christ and his salvation will bring us more wisdom, the need to love others and confidence and obedience.
There are days when we can be provoked into something we would not usually do, days that we give in to our temptations. A Christian knows that he is totally dependent on God’s will and guidance in his life. To ignore that is to provoke God. When we harden our hearts we open the door to the sins that abound in our world. We have all seen or have known someone whose sin has destroyed their life and the lives of those around them, this should serve as a warning to all of us. All sin but especially that which is committed by professing Christians not only provokes God but grieves God greatly. God is not given to wrath or does He rush to justice…God is gracious and gives us every opportunity to change and repent. Those who persist and are impenitent to His grace and forgiveness will risk the wrath of God from which there is no rest. If we allow ourselves to distrust God, we may fall away and soon desert Him. We have all heard the saying there is no promise of tomorrow, we must make the best of this day, make it God’s day. There is not one Christian among us that will not or does not need another Christian’s help. There are none among us, no matter how low they may have gone that do not deserve our care for their standing in the faith, their safety and health, all God’s creation is our responsibility. Sin comes at us in many different ways and it takes more than just our eyes to recognize it. Sin can appear fair, but it is vile. Sometimes it seems pleasant but it is destructive, promising much but giving nothing. Our deceitful behavior to hide the sin hardens our hearts and souls. One sin leads to another and with each sin that follows, it become a habit. We must beware of sin.
Christians are sometimes referred to as the Saints and are therefore made partakers of Christ. The things of the Spirit, the nature, graces and the righteousness, the very things that are the life of Christ. We are interested in all things Christ, all He has done or will do. The same spirit and faith we set out with to attain, learn and live the ways of God we should maintain until the end. Staying strong, having perseverance in the faith is proof of our sincerity. Hearing, studying and learning the word and doing so often is a means of salvation. If we do not do the above we are weak and open the door to temptation and the Divine wrath. Obedient faith makes us partakers of Christ and His complete salvation. We should not put our trust to the things of this world, opting instead to be part of the true believers living to be part of that final day and eternal salvation. Sin is defeated by the power of our faith and in that faith lies the power of the Spirit and the glory of our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ.
Life is Good
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