Five times during the course of Hebrews, the writer digresses from the main text to give some specific warnings to the Christians it is addressing. If we believe Christianity is slipping away, then I suggest these are where we start looking to fix it.
Key Warnings For Christians
There are usually urgent conditions behind every warning
- Pay closer attention (Hebrews 2:1-4) – We should be more diligent in our Bible study. Anything that is neglected becomes old and useless faster than the things we use and protect. Neglect of our Bible study causes us to drift away.
- Care for your beliefs (Hebrews 3:7-11) – The lure of innovative worship and doctrine, or refusing to leave something old and familiar when the truth is before us will cause us to fall.
- Work toward maturity (Hebrews 5:11-6:20) – It is just as fatal to our salvation to do nothing as it is to commit outright sins. You see, doing nothing is an active decision and is therefore a sinful act.
- There are no more sacrifices (Hebrews 10:26-29) – The last and greatest sacrifice has been made for us. If we refuse to honor that through obedience, there is nothing more that can be done
- Listen to the voice of heaven (Hebrews 12:25-29) – God always acted as promised based on the words of his prophets, how much more sure is it that he will act upon the words delivered by his own Son?
Since I first worked on this lesson, I have added two additional points.
- Enter the rest (Hebrews 4:11-13) – Following the word of God takes a lot of work and focus. Whether or no we take it on, we will be exposed by it.
- Avoid strange doctrine (13:9-15) – Any doctrine that does not come from Christ is strange or foreign. It doesn’t matter if we grew up with it or our best friend taught it to us. Stick to the Bible.
These seven building blocks are required for strong churches, families and individuals. When properly applied, they make the rest of God’s word easy to follow and a joy to be a part of.
July 24, 2013
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