August 7, 2014

WITHOUT A SHADOW OF A DOUBT

Hebrews 10:19–39

Curtis Lane
Thursday's Devo

August 7, 2014

Thursday's Devo

August 7, 2014

Central Truth

From this passage, I am tremendously encouraged by the hope that we live in as followers of Christ. When we put our faith in Christ Jesus as our Savior, we have full assurance that our Savior will be faithful in His promises to us.

Key Verse | Hebrews 10:23

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:23)

Hebrews 10:19–39

The Full Assurance of Faith

19 Therefore, brothers, 1 10:19 Or brothers and sisters since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

32 But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, 33 sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. 34 For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. 35 Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. 37 For,

“Yet a little while,
    and the coming one will come and will not delay;
38  but my righteous one shall live by faith,
    and if he shrinks back,
my soul has no pleasure in him.”

39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.

Footnotes

[1] 10:19 Or brothers and sisters

Dive Deeper | Hebrews 10:19–39

What a great God we have that we can stand so confidently in our faith. Coming from Alabama, we had a lot of revivals in my church. The revivalists all did the same thing when they were introduced to you. They would shake your hand, look you in the eye, and ask you, "If you died tonight, would you go to heaven or hell?" Every time they asked me, I would say, "I am going to heaven!," but when they left, I would wonder whether I was really going to heaven. Was I sure that Jesus was all I needed to have faith in?

For some people in the South, if you waver about this question, you are not a faithful follower of Christ. I wish I would have known this passage when I was asked the question. Because of the blood of Jesus, we can confidently stand and say "yes." We are saved and have eternal life when we put our trust in Christ -- not because of anything we did, but because of the blood of Jesus. I hope that when people see my life, they see first the blood of Christ that covers me and then a person who has peace and confidence in the Savior. Go in the confidence of knowing that Jesus Christ's blood is enough, and that we can, without a shadow of a doubt, know that we will worship Him for eternity.

Discussion Questions

1. Do you live in the confidence of the Lord's sacrifice?

2. Do you remind yourself daily about the confidence that we have in Jesus?

3. How can living in this truth affect your daily life?