He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.

Hebrews 7

He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever. Hebrews 7:3

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. My focus this morning is Hebrews 7:1-10, and my initial unaided observations of this text. With this text, we return to a discussion of the Great High Priest first started in chapter 4:14 and continuing through chapter 5:10 before a pause where the author of Hebrews warns the readers not to fall away from their faith, followed by an encouragement (starting in chapter 6:9 through the end of the chapter) to hold firm in their faith. The text for today examines the Priestly Order of Melchizedek and how it compares to Levites in their role of high priest.  The text in v3 describes Melchizedek as "without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever." Based on a previous post in my study of Hebrews, I learned about Melchizedek and how, although he does not have prominent role in scripture, the post shares (from the commentary) that Jesus's priesthood "must mean that Jesus’s priesthood, like Melchizedek’s, is born out of the sovereign purposes of God. The order—that is, the nature—of Jesus’s priesthood is of a sovereign order, a sovereign nature. Like Melchizedek, Jesus did not take the honor of priest upon himself; he was sovereignly appointed. And in his appointment and service as high priest, he was exalted above all others."  This morning, in v3 we once again see the connection between Melchizedek and Jesus - as Melchizedek "resembles" Jesus.

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My Prayer: Heavenly Father, You are a great God who loves me and You reign forever - and I know You will never leave or forsake me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.   

We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

Hebrews 6

We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 6:19-20

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. This morning, I maintain my focus on Hebrews 6:9-20, as I lean on my commentary, and how it unpacks the third division "The Hope Behind the Curtain," which refers to Hebrews 6:19-20.  Here, the commentary highlights how, in the midst of the ups and downs of life, we all need "an anchor for the soul...The promises of God are firm and secure enough to hold us steady in a storm."  The commentary then highlights (and wraps on this note) how Jesus's death on the cross "accomplish[ed] all that God’s justice required [for our sin]....As our great high priest, Jesus has purchased our salvation and assured us of the promises of God."  This assurance provides a supernatural confidence, hope, and peace that only Jesus offers - believe!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for this assurance, and the supernatural confidence, hope and peace that it provides.  I am not deserving of such assurance.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

...so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.

Hebrews 6

...so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. Hebrews 6:18

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. This morning, I maintain my focus on Hebrews 6:9-20, as I lean on my commentary, and how it unpacks the second division "The Oath-Giving, Promise-Keeping God," which refers to Hebrews 6:13-18. The commentary describes how the author looks at the Abrahamic Covenant, where God, when He promised Abraham to bless him and to make his descendants into a great nation, God did so by swearing an oath by Himself (see Genesis 22:16-17). It then describes how Abraham faithfully believed in God's promise and He persevered and waited patiently for the fulfillment of the promise.  The commentary then examines how the text for today includes "two unchangeable things" from v18 and the commentary defines these as "the irrevocable nature of God’s purpose and word, and the oath that he declared publicly." The commentary then wraps for the text by highlighting how believers should stand on these unchangeable things as an encouragement to "hold firmly" to faith.  It shares: "The church is the refugee who must flee to God for rescue and who needs strong encouragement to seize the hope set before her. Because God’s Word is true and it is impossible for him to lie, we have all the confidence in the world to take heart and trust God’s promises just as Abraham did. The faithfulness of God and the certainty of his promises are not theoretical propositions. They are unchangeable realities. Like Abraham, we can stake our lives on God’s promises because God is the One who has promised them. Our God is a promise-keeping God." 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for providing refuge and hope for me and my brothers and sisters in Christ.  Thank You also for all of Your promises and the faithfulness of these promises.  I am not deserving of how You bless me in these ways.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Hebrews 6

Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Hebrews 6:9-12

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. This morning, I maintain my focus on Hebrews 6:9-20, as I lean on my commentary, and explore reflections it provides both for the entire text of Hebrews 6:9-20, as well as specifically for the first division "God's Certain Promise," which refers to Hebrews 6:9-12.  The commentary reiterates my thoughts as posted yesterday, as the author of Hebrews pivots from an admonishment against spiritual sluggishness to "a word of assurance and comfort." To highlight this assurance and comfort, the author of Hebrews points to how, although there are some among the original recipients of this letter who are spiritually sluggish, there are others who are growing spiritually and showing "fruit" of their faith.  Assistance and service to brothers and sisters in Christ demonstrates such fruit as these early "Christians were showing their love for God by serving fellow brothers and sisters in practical ways. This love for other Christians solidified the author’s confidence in them.  One of the most important catalysts of spiritual confidence is spiritual fruitfulness. Our faithful activity as Christians fuels our assurance. This is why the author longs for these Christians to show the same earnestness for the faith that they demonstrated when they first believed." The text for this morning looks forward to tomorrow where the author of Hebrews encourages the faithful to imitate the saints from the Old Testament - starting with Abraham. 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God and You ARE an anchor for my soul as You give me full assurance and hope to carry me through to the end...thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You bless me and carry me.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

Hebrews 6

We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 6:19-20

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. My focus this morning is Hebrews 6:9-20, and my initial unaided observations of this text. The author of Hebrews pivots from an admonishment to grow in spiritual maturity and an ominous warning to those who don't, to hope and encouragement.  V9-12 expresses the author's hope that the Jewish believers focus on the hope that comes from loving and serving God, as this hope will carry them through the ups and downs of life, prevent them from being "sluggish" in their faith, and help them finish the race of faith.  In v13-20, the author then pivots to "the certainty of God's Promise."  This promise, first made to Abraham by God, who in Genesis 12:1-3, then again in 22:17-18, is that Abraham's descendants will be blessed and become a great nation.  The author of Hebrew's describes how the promise itself is made by God, including an oath to Himself, is something in which we can have faith because when God promises something we can be assured that it will be done.  In v18, readers are encouraged, because of how God is faithful, to "have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us."  V19-20 then describe this hope and encouragement as "a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul[.]"  Thank You God for giving us this "anchor of the soul"!

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My Prayer: Heavenly Father - what a great God You are, that You are faithful and You give me and my brothers and sisters in Christ and anchor of the soul!  I am not deserving of such a blessing.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my faith towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.

Hebrews 6

For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. Hebrews 6:4-6

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. This morning, I maintain my focus on Hebrews 6:1-8, as I lean on my commentary and explore what the commentary describes as the second division "The Danger of Irreversible Apostasy," which looks at Hebrews 6:4-8. Here, the commentary addresses what it refers to as "some of the most difficult verses in the entire New Testament."  Apostasy is often debated within the church and many worry whether they can lose their salvation.  The commentary explores several available scholarly interpretations for this text and ultimately describes apostates as those who left the faith, but "showed they were not truly part of the faith in the first place."  It goes on to offer that this text "is a caution for individuals who have tasted the things of Christ but have not become genuine Christians." Scripture references offered by the commentary that support how true believers cannot lose their salvation include John 5:24; Romans 8:39; 11:29; 1 Corinthians 1:6-8; Philippians 1:6; 2 Thessalonians 3:3.  Matthew 13:24-30 and the Parable of the Weeds is offered as a clear connection to this story and how the second and third soil best represent those who never had genuine faith and fall away.  The commentary wraps for this text by sharing an encouragement: "[h]appily, Hebrews does not end with this warning. The author assures believers that he had to write the warning for the unbelievers in the church needing to hear it. Pastorally, he is not seeking to put insecurity in the hearts of Christians. Believers who are faithfully following Christ’s commands can be confident in their salvation. If we seek assurance of our faith, we will find it by doing the things faithful Christians do. We will grow out of the elementary things and into maturity."

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me, keeps me, and who helps me stay on track with my faith and gives me Your Word, my church, my brothers and sisters in Christ, the Holy Spirit...all to stay on track and not fall away.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits.

Hebrews 6

Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits.  Hebrews 6:1-3

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. This morning, I maintain my focus on Hebrews 6:1-8, as I lean on my commentary and explore what the commentary describes as the first division "Leaving the Elementary Foundation," which looks at Hebrews 6:1-3.  In this text, the commentary highlights how the author of Hebrews calls out how the original audience (Jewish believers deeply familiar with the Old Testament) "were neglecting the great salvation offered in Christ. As a result, they were stalling out in their spiritual growth and abandoning the faith."  The commentary then highlights, from the text, "three foundational truths about Christ:

• A foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith in God
• Instructions about washing and the laying on of hands
• Resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment."

Broadly, the commentary describes how the Jewish believers were slipping back into their old ways of doing things, including a focus on works, ceremonial washings (vs Christian baptism), and a failure to truly grasp that "[u]nless Jesus Christ stands as our advocate and our substitute, we cannot stand before God in the judgment that is coming."

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My Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for taking my place on the cross and for giving me victory over sin and death - I know there is nothing I can do to earn this - it is only by Your grace.  I am undeserving...my sin is great and it continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.