Friday, August 22, 2014

Whose house we are...blessed hope! Hebrews 3:6

6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
What does it take to be counted as Christ's house? The answer is in the text! If we hold fast our confidence. Confidence is merely an alternate word for faith here. If we hold fast our faith we shall succeed. Faith in Christ is a living transmission of power. His life is imparted to the soul. We may have victory over sin which is otherwise the chord and ownership of Satan. Righteousness is the seal of God's possession. If we hold fast to faith in Christ's work for us in the sanctuary then His blood covers us and His life empowers us. Our part is to hold fast...to believe.  John 6:27  Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. 28  Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. Faith in Jesus is a belief that produces action. "Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and have the faith of Jesus." Revelation 14:12. Fallen man cannot set himself right with God. The works of Judaism, Catholicism, or the host of other man made hybrids of faith are useless in this respect. To believe in Christ as our atoning priest is to disbelieve all these religious counterfeits. To believe in Christ is to cast off any confidence in creature merit. Once we accept what the priesthood of Christ means, and renounce faith in our own righteousness, then God will work His works in us.
Paul is referencing Psalm 95:8 in verses 7 and 8. God was making this point to the Exodus people. But they hardened their hearts. They would not trust in this specific truth. They covenanted with God on the basis of self confidence. It was destined to fail. Paul is admonishing the Hebrew Christians of his day to avoid repeating the mistake in their day of opportunity. The judaistic mindset would threaten their faith. The remedy was in considering what manner of high priest God had provided. To do so would repeatedly expose both the judaistic and Roman apostasies yet to come.  We live in a day when these apostasies are mature. How much more should we consider our High Priest and what He is to us!

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