Shoulder To Shoulder #1284 -- 3/28/22 ---- "On Our Journey Home -- Joy in the Journey".
Posted by: lifeunlimited <lifeunlimited@...>
SHOULDER TO SHOULDER is a weekly letter of encouragement Bob has written since 1997, covering many topics selected to
motivate people to be strong students of the Word and courageous witnesses of Jesus Christ. It is a personal letter of
encouragement to you, written solely to help "lift up hands that hang down".
"The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything." -- Albert Einstein
“There is a common, worldly kind of Christianity in this day, which many have, and think they have -- a cheap Christianity which offends nobody,
and requires no sacrifice, which costs nothing, -- and is worth nothing.” – J. C. Ryle
Shoulder To Shoulder #1284 -- 3/28/22
Title:
"On Our Journey Home -- Joy in the Journey"My Dear Friend and Fellow Kingdom Seeker:
Greetings again from famously dry Yuma, AZ, in the "Sahara of the West", the Sonoran Desert. While the temps have been unusually high, it cooled down yesterday and, after a lengthy nighttime rain shower last night, today is a much milder day with highs to be only in the 70's for most of the week after last week's upper 90's.
We have officially concluded our season at Chapel de Oro with our final service this past Sunday -- and here we are with April on the verge of pushing its way into our lives. Our friends from Missouri, Danny and Melody Hoppers, will be leaving soon -- too soon, we might add -- and making their way back to the Ozarks . . . and its approaching humidity, mosquito's and chiggers. It has been a wonderful time we had longed for since we started ministering here in 2017.
There are three things heavy on my mind today as I write to you. Obviously Putin's invasion of Ukraine is constantly before us every waking hour -- sometimes even when we have dreams about it in our sleep. Our thoughts doubtless zero in on the many friends we have from the years we lived in Kyiv. Our hearts are broken to see the carnage of the city so proud and elegant in its historical structures and noteworthy monuments. If you have never been to Kyiv, you cannot sufficiently picture what it was like. Its architecture mirrors its great history. Living in a 1,500 year-old city was a time we will never forget, and will cherish those years as the most loved and fruitful years of our lives.
Then, of course, the Ukraine situation ties directly into the second thing on my mind -- the developing world conditions that trumpet the coming of Christ with increasing sights and sounds. The ongoing polarizing of nations into three major groups may merely be a fleeting mirage, but wisdom suggests that it may be the early stages of the Bible's announcements that the vultures are gathering and beginning to circle.
While current players seem to be shifting back and forth, the international developments are still like watching a global chess game where individually -- and then collaboratively -- the nations appear to be moving with steady stealth toward conglomerates of Arab nations in the Middle East, Oriental nations in Asia, and northern European nations. Only time will tell if there is any apocalyptic significance to it all, but if our general understanding of the Bible is correct, there is significance -- great significance. I have little doubt that a serious chess match is not far away.
Against those first two thoughts, then, the third one on my mind is the rich and precious time we've had this season at Chapel de Oro. And, it seems even more significant than usual because of the first two. This season we had twenty Sundays in which we met -- and apart from the first Sunday of January and then one recent "music Sunday" March 6th, I preached every Sunday, following the season's theme, "Finding Today's Strength and Tomorrow's Hope".
During the season we considered, (most people probably won't care all that much) . . .
"Everything He Has is Everything I Need" from Ephesians 1,
"Strength To Rise Out of Ashes" from Lamentations 3,
"Renewing My Strength By Resting on God's Word" from Hebrews 4,
"Returning to The Place of Refreshing" from Acts 3,
"The Supremacy of the Eternal Sacrifice" from Hebrews 1,
"Why Christ Came -- Just in Time, Right on Time" from Galatians 4,
"Christ Incarnate -- From Eternity Into Time" from John 1,
"The Shepherds -- the Fields -- The Lamb" from Luke 2,
With the beginning of the new year and following the Sunday we took off to officiate at my cousin's celebration of life service, we then focused on a "series within the series", following the same general theme, but looking at it from the reality that "our days are numbered", so in light of that, how must we live?
"Living Confidently in the Middle of Chaos" from Matthew 24 and II Peter 3:11,
"Finding Strength For The Shaking" from Hebrews 12,
"Developing Fortitude For the Future -- Live By Conviction, Not Compromise" from James 1 and Philippians 3,
"Developing Fortitude For the Future -- See With Clarity" from II Kings 6,
"Developing Fortitude For the Future -- Act With Courage, Not Cowardice" from Joshua 1,
"Developing Fortitude For the Future -- Live With Consistency, Not Contradiction" from Romans 12 and Jude 1,
"Developing Fortitude For the Future -- Minister With Compassion, Not Callousness" from Colossians 3 and Luke 10,
"Finally There -- Heaven or Horror" from Luke 16 and John 14,
"On Our Journey Home -- Joy in the Journey" from Hebrews 6.
Some months ago the eldest son of our friends, Danny and Melody who are now visiting us, had his home and all belongings destroyed in a late night fire. We felt prompted to send a financial gift to them to help lighten the load as they adjust and begin rebuilding their lives. Coincidentally, -- and is it really??? -- we received a "thank you" card from them just today with a personal note that concluded with the following verses --
"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality." Rom 12:11-13.
Wow! No passage that I can think of better sums up all I have preached this season than this. Just look at the underlined words -- fourteen of them in all! Between the first Sunday of November and this past Sunday of March, I think I preached in one way or another about every single one. How awesome is our God, or what!!!!
So, today, I want to share some final thoughts from last Sunday's sermon, "On Our Journey Home -- Joy in the Journey". My thoughts will be necessarily lengthy, because if I chop up the text into segments, it will lose its "punch". So, I'll do that right after you take a look at . . .
THIS 'N' THAT:
+ Help Us Send Aid to Ukraine: Our ministry, Life Unlimited Ministries, is a 501.c.3 mission-driven ministry we began in the Fall of 1980. Because of our years in Ukraine, we have numerous ministries to which we are sending financial aid, and will continue to do so on an extended basis. Our regular ministry expenses are currently being met, so we are focusing much of our attention on our many friends and colleagues in Ukraine and adjoining countries.
At this time we are assisting a family holed up in the root cellar of their "dacha" near Kyiv and living on $65 per month pension, hospitalized children needing kidney transplants and now living as refugees, and four strategic Christian ministries "on the ground" providing rescue runs, humanitarian aid, and housing for many refugees.
I'm sure you are probably already giving monetarily to the crisis of humanity there, but I would like to ask you to pray about giving through Life Unlimited Ministries. I do this for several reasons: -- 1) we are personally involved with real people and not with large massive organizations; 2) everything we send goes through churches and ministries committed to sharing the Gospel; 3) 100% of what we receive goes directly to people "on the ground", with none being held back for our operating costs; and 4) we pay all transaction fees ourselves.
So far, God has provided over $7,000, all of which is in process of being sent to help refugees. We've already sent over $2,500, and are sending more this week. So, if God puts it in your heart to join us in this long-term project (it will take a long time for refugees to return or resettle), and you'd like your contribution to be more "personal" and not so "generic", you can make any check out to "Life Unlimited Ministries", write "Ukraine Project" on the memo line, and mail it to . . .
Life Unlimited Ministries
Box 25118
Yuma, AZ, 85367
This is just a suggestion, of course, but any gift, no matter how large or small or whether a one-time or ongoing gift will be an incredible blessing to some refugee from Ukraine. If you are interested in a wire transfer or direct deposit, email us at either [email protected] or [email protected].
QUOTES FOR THE WEEK:
> " The way you store up treasure in Heaven is by investing in getting people there." -- Rick Warren (author, The Purpose Driven Life, and other books)
> " He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you…" -- Apostle Peter (1 Peter 1:3-4)
> " Life, if properly viewed in any aspect, is great, but mainly great when viewed in its relation to the world to come." -- Albert Barnes (Presbyterian theologian. 1798 - 1870)
? " The Christian experience, from start to finish, is a journey of faith." -- Watchman Nee (Chinese pastor, 1903-1972)
> " For the Christian, heaven is where Jesus is. We do not need to speculate on what heaven will be like. It is enough to know that we will be forever with Him." -- William Barclay (Scottish Bible Scholar. 1907 - 1978)
> " But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, . . ." -- Apostle Paul (Philippians 3:20)
> " The way to Heaven is ascending; we must be content to travel uphill, though it be hard and tiresome, and contrary to the natural bias of our flesh." -- Jonathan Edwards (1703 - 1758)
> " I would not give one moment of heaven for all the joy and riches of the world, even if it lasted for thousands and thousands of years." -- Martin Luther (1483 - 1546)
> " Christ-likeness is your eventual destination, but your journey will last a lifetime." -- Rick Warren
(author, The Purpose Driven Life, and other books)> " To risk reputation and affection for the truth's sake is so demanding that to do it constantly you will need a degree of moral principle that only the Spirit of God can work in you. Do not turn your back like a coward, but play the man. Follow boldly in your Master's steps, for He has made this rough journey before you. Better a brief warfare and eternal rest than false peace and everlasting torment." -- Alistair Begg (1951 - present, pastor, "Truth For Life" podcaster)
> " If you know that God loves you, you should never question a directive from Him. It will always be right and best. When He gives you a directive, you are not just to observe it, discuss it, or debate it. You are to obey it." -- Henry Blackaby (Canadian pastor, author of Experiencing God and dozens more)
ON OUR JOURNEY HOME! JOY IN THE JOURNEY!
As I began thinking about how to finish up the season at Chapel de Oro, I felt impressed to talk about how we need to finish our own time on this earth well, actively, and courageously as the return of Christ appears to be more eminent by the day. Too many of my friends are fretting about all that is happening and crying out, "Lord, get us out of here!"
I'm inclined to believe God is more interested in sustaining us while we're still here than He is in getting us out of here. There remains much yet to be done. It occurred to me that a primary element involved in our being strong, courageous, and persistent in these days is the idea of "Hope". After all, that is the ultimate conclusion of these eighteen sermons I just finished preaching.
But, what kind of hope? Is it merely that "blessed hope" of when Christ returns? Or is there more to it than that? I love the http://www.gotquestions.org website. In addressing what that phrase -- "blessed hope" -- means, the writer penned these words:
"Titus 2:12–13 says that the grace of God teaches us 'to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.' This passage identifies the 'blessed hope' as the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ, our great God and Savior.
"The word blessed can mean 'happy' or 'beneficial'; our hope is 'blessed' in that Jesus’ return will be an amazing, joyful experience for the believer in Christ. We will be blessed beyond measure when we see Christ. The trials of this life will be over, and we will see that 'our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us' (Romans 8:18). The word hope does not communicate uncertainty, as in 'hope that something might occur'; rather, it is the glad assurance that something will take place. Jesus is our hope, and no one can take that hope away. 'Hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us' (Romans 5:5).
"The 'blessed hope', then, is the joyful assurance that God will extend His benefits to us and that Jesus Christ will return. We are waiting for this event now. Jesus said He would return (John 14:3), the angels said He would return (Acts 1:11), and the epistles say He will return. Jesus could come back at any time for His church, which includes all believers in Christ from the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2 onward. . . . It will be announced by the voice of the archangel and God’s trumpet call. . . .
"Should this blessed hope of Christ’s any-time return have an effect on the believer in Jesus Christ? John wrote, 'All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as [Jesus] is pure' (1 John 3:3). The believer anticipating Christ’s blessed return will seek to live, in the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, a life of purity. We will all stand before the Lord and give an account of how we lived for Him on earth (2 Corinthians 5:10).
"Jesus’ imminent return should motivate the believer to live godly in an ungodly world. The word looking in Titus 2:13 is the key for that to happen. To be 'looking' means that we live each day in continual anticipation and expectancy, with the conviction that Jesus could come at any time. That hope becomes a transforming reality in this life, resulting in God being glorified through us (1 Corinthians 10:31). The blessed hope brings us joy and cheers us through the trials of this world. It should also cause us to stop and evaluate our thinking, words, and actions."
In this concise explanation, the writer shows us that our confident expectation of heaven awaiting us also generates a confident motivation for us to live enthusiastically, joyfully, and effectively in this life as we anticipate the next. As I thought about that dual application of hope, I was drawn to Hebrews 6:1-20 -- mainly because the word, "Hope" appears more times in Hebrews than any book in the New Testament except Acts and Romans.
3:6 ". . . but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house—whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end."
6:11 "And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, . . ."
6:18 ". . . so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us."
6:19 "This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil,
7:19 ". . . (for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God."
10:23 "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; . . ."
Four of those seven times are found in chapter six, and this is what drew my attention to some serious study of that chapter. I think of being on a long journey and finally arriving home. In spite of the “joy in the journey”, it culminates as we turn the final corner, pull into the driveway, turn off the key, and with a sigh say, “Finally home!” After a very long trip of traffic jams, detours, rough roads, mechanical breakdowns, and stretches of tedious and monotonous roads, you're able to sit back, lean back in the seat, and know you have arrived. You're finally home.
I still remember that year in Des Moines, Iowa, when Jo Ann and I heard Ben Markley sing an amazing song we had never heard before. It was Don Wyrtzen's beautiful rendition of what it must be like to go to heaven, and realize for the first time, that you are "Finally Home."
"When engulfed by the terror of tempestuous seas,
unknown waves before you roam.
At the end of doubt and peril is eternity,
though fear and conflict seize your soul.
(Chorus)
But just think of stepping on shore and finding it Heaven,
of touching a hand and finding it God's
Of breathing new air and finding it Celestial,
Of waking up in Glory and finding your Home.
When surrounded by the blackness of the darkest night,
oh how lonely death can be.
At the end of this long tunnel is the shining light,
for death is swallowed up in victory!
(chorus)
but just think of stepping on shore and finding it Heaven,
of touching a hand and finding it God's
Of breathing new air and finding it Celestial,
Of waking up in Glory and finding your Home.
Perhaps you feel the same about your own life’s journey. God has provided strength and endurance that has taken you to mountain vistas, valleys of refreshing, deserts of drought, and detours into the unexpected and unknown, but you are encouraged and hopeful because you know you are nearer home today than ever in your life. Chances are, you also know that there is still much yet for you to do before Christ calls you home.
When you and I look back over life’s roadways, we’re certainly aware of moments when we complained, felt lost, became angry, seemed confused, or even doubted the directions we took, but I think there will be the singular overriding sense that we have doubtless truly enjoyed the journey. As the Goodman’s sang for so many decades, “I wouldn’t take nothin’ for my journey now. I know I’m gonna make it somehow”, most of us really wouldn’t change a thing about our lives because we know deep down that every single event that took place and every minute that transpired was indelibly stamped, “God’s Plan”, on each one.
Obviously neither you nor I have pulled into the driveway and turned off the ignition yet, but in looking at familiar landmarks we recognize that, for all accounts and purposes, we are at least getting nearer the last corner on the way home. Truly, heaven will be a wonderful place. Until then, though, let’s examine some things today that can guide us through the final stretch and fine-tune us for the final destination for which we long. Because “getting there” can still be “half the fun”.
So . . . . don't miss the joy that is still in the journey. To help you enjoy the journey, let me suggest five things that we can take from the sixth chapter of Hebrews that will not only ease the jolts from the road, but might even put a little bounce in your step. You might even find yourself skipping along rather than dragging your tired "dogs". First, learn to . . .
LIVE FAITHFULLY: -- It’s Still Faith, Not Works: (1-2)
1. "Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works & of faith toward God, 2. of instruction about washings & laying on of hands, & the resurrection of the dead & eternal judgment."
In a way, the basics of faith in Christ are much like the tithe when it comes to the matter of giving. As one of my friends once said, "Tithing is a great place to start, but it's a horrible place to get stuck." His point was that when it comes to stewardship, tithing is the place to begin, but not the ultimate goal. There is much more to giving and much more to stewardship. It has been at least 50 years since we gave only 10% in tithes and offerings. When my father died in 2003, he was giving away 50% of his income. He never lacked for anything as a result.
In the same way, there is much more to being a Christian than merely those "elementary" teachings about which the writer of Hebrews spoke -- that is, the basics, namely the fallacy of getting to heaven by good works, of salvation by faith alone, baptism ("washings"), of the laying on of hands, of the principle of the resurrection, and of the reality of eternal judgment.
He describes them as being "the basics" -- in other words, those are "everybody knows that" principles. But, when he instructs us to "leave" those principles, what exactly does he mean by that. Well, let's look at the literal meaning of the word in the original Greek language:
“Leaving” (aphiēmi) does NOT mean to walk away from those teachings or abandon them. Rather it means to go still further, to go onward. It means to “move forward, move away from, depart, leave”. Don't get stuck there because there is more to it. Don’t just stand there forever! Leave! Move on! Stop hanging on to things that don’t work or are basic. We not only became Christians by faith, but we are to live "Faith-full-y" -- FULL of faith! Full and overflowing in trusting Christ.
To put it a little more succinctly, to be "faithful" means that, . . .
"We should be filled all the way up and overflowing with our willingness to, without hesitation, trust AND OBEY Christ completely in every situation." -- T. Allen Robburts
In other words, not only have we been saved by faith, but we also live by faith – not by sight -- what we see in the visible world -- or feelings -- by our emotions over circumstances (II Cor 5:7). To be "faithful" is to be "full of faith" or "filled with faith". This was one of two primary characteristics that was found in Stephen when he was selected from all the thousands of new believers in Jerusalem to serve the needy (Acts 6:1).
There are several phrases in the Bible that reveal the fact that true faith is never static, but is always either diminishing or increasing in strength. In that sense, faith is not so much what you believe as it is how you respond in a situation. Many people are surprised to learn that faith is more like a verb than it is a noun.
For me personally, faith is not so much about who or what I believe, but rather who I trust. The word "believe" is too often misconstrued as a rather academic word, while "trust" pushes us to realize that our faith is never passive, but always actively engaged in a given situation. So, when you see the word "faith" in the Bible, it sometimes helps us understand it better if we substitute the word, "trust" in its place. It's one thing to "have faith" or to "believe", but it's another to actually "trust".
Remember when the father of the demon afflicted boy asked Jesus, "Lord, I believe, but help my unbelief!"? (Mk 9:24). The implication is clear -- there was a part of the man who believed because he had seen Jesus' miracles, but he wanted a greater level of faith that quelled all his misgivings, doubts, and inability to truly entrust his son to Jesus' care.
The disciple, Matthew, records four occasions when Jesus even had to confront His disciples over the fact that they simply didn't really trust Him as fully as they should. He alluded to the problem when He confronted them as being men of "little faith" -- Mt 6:30, 8:26; 14:31; 16:8. Think of how humiliating it must have been for them; for over a period of nearly three years, some of them still had faith problems.
The first time they were challenged with their meager faith was at the beginning of His ministry when He dealt with it during the occasion of His "Sermon on the Mount". The last time was when they had forgotten to pack lunch and became hungry while ministering near the Sea of Galilee. And their little faith was right after Jesus had fed 4,000 men plus women and children from seven meager fish.
While there is no scripture that uses the term, “ever increasing faith”, there are numerous references that indicate to us that faith actually does increase or grow. In fact, the first time this happened, the disciples quickly knew that they didn't have the faith it would take to forgive a guy who would mistreat them seven times in a single day and come back each time to ask forgiveness. They simply said, "Lord! Increase our faith to the point that we could forgive him seven times!" (Lk 17:5). They weren't asking for an increased quantity, but rather a stronger quality.
Wow! Where in the world can you and I go to try to develop such faith? Well, Paul makes it pretty clear. He said, "Faith comes by hearing . . ." Now, that word, "hearing" is critical to our understanding. It is referring to a specific action on our part -- are we truly "hearing" God when He speaks to us? That means that in order to be "hearing" like that, we must first be "listening", as illustrated in the life of young Samuel -- "Speak, Lord; for your servant is listening." (I Sam 3:1-11).
The scripture doesn't end, though, by simply telling us that faith comes by hearing; rather, it then tells us how we can hear -- ". . . by the Word of God." (Rom 10:17). The only reasons the Bible would make such a statement is first, that we must understand that we cannot hear God without delving into His Word; and second, that faith, then, must be a vibrant and ongoing active practice in our lives. Therefore, our only conclusion to reach is that faith is something that has an ebb and flow to it -- sometimes it is weaker, and sometimes stronger. But, our goal is that it is always increasing in intensity.
In that, according to II Cor 5:7, we "walk by faith", again we see that because "walking" is a verb indicating action and progress, faith is also an ongoing act that, as it is enacted, should inevitably increase in strength.
Once again, Jesus had to chide and correct His disciples when they were unsuccessful in casting a demon out of a little boy (See Mt 17:14-21). He told them it was because their faith was "little". At first glance, we would probably do the same thing as most people and conclude that they didn't have "enough" faith.
However, I believe that is to misunderstand the entire concept of faith. I might be wrong, but I don't recall Jesus ever dealing with the "amount" of faith one might have. In fact, He went on to tell His disciples that if their faith was only the size of a mustard seed -- one of the tiniest seeds ever to exist in the entire world -- they could move mountains by their spoken word.
Rather than dealing with the "amount" of faith, I believe He was confronting them over the presence and the strength of their faith -- in their case, the weakness of their faith. The Greek word for "littleness" of their faith is "oligopistia". It comes from two root words, "oligos" and "pis'tis", meaning, "the puny extent, degree, or duration to which your faith goes". It is the matter of strength, not a matter of amount.
Keep in mind that this episode took place right after Jesus' disciples had watched Him transfigured before their very eyes and talking with none other than Moses and Elijah! And yet, they were unable to exercise their faith sufficiently enough to deliver one little boy from one single demon! Yes, they had faith -- but not faith strong enough yet to believe He had empowered them to conquer the demons of hell.
Faith has to be exercised. It has to be implemented -- used. We live by faith that, when expressed, moves us to the next episode and level of faith. Rom 1:17 tells us that we don't just "have" faith, but we actually "live" by faith. The Greek word, "zaō", literally means that we actually exist, breathe, live, become full of vigor, be energized to action and movement, in trusting God.
II Thes 1:3 also brings us back to that root Greek word for faith, "pistis". It is a "constancy of persuasion that leads to consistent action throughout all areas of life." It is a faith that penetrates, motivates, and controls all of life. It is what Paul was describing in Gal 2:20 when He declared, . . .
"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me."
In speaking to the intellectuals of Athens on Mars Hill, he articulated it like this . . .
"For in Him I live, I move, and I exist." (Acts 17:28).
Mk 1:21-29; I Cor 16:13).
5. Faith is a power muscle – the more it’s used, the stronger it becomes. “Use it – or lose it”. Don’t get stuck! So, once again, we see that living "Faithfully" is not so much about loyalty as it is constant but ever-increasing confidence and trust in God in and for every situation. Paul concluded his first letter to the Corinthian believers by telling us to . . .
". . . Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong."
If we are to truly have "joy in the journey to Home", we must live our lives filled to overflowing with confident trust in Christ. Nothing will generate joy and energy like that. Don't sell yourself short! You can do it.
If we live by such faith, we will, almost by default, also . . .
LIVE ASSUREDLY: -- Salvation has Never Been Merely About a Taste Test: (3-6)
3. And this we will do, if God permits. 4. For in the case of those who have once been enlightened & have tasted of the heavenly gift & have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5. & have tasted the good word of God & the powers of the age to come, 6. & then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God & put Him to open shame.
These may be some of the most contested verses in the Bible, and there are numerous efforts made to explain what the writer is talking about. One thing is clear, though; a person makes a grave mistake if he or she merely considers them from the idea of losing one’s salvation. This is not the subject of this scripture. It’s about saying, “This is not possible!”
If you try to understand these verses outside the context of the first two, you will fall into the trap of believing that a "saved" person can lose his salvation. But, if you read it within the context of what the writer stated as being "the basics" -- that is, what we already know about Christ, salvation, and faith in Him (6:1-2) -- then we have to conclude that it is impossible to simply do a "taste test" on Jesus. It's an "all or nothing" situation.
The writer, rather, is dealing with skepticism, simply “checking Jesus out” to see if it's really true, instead of being truly assured or convinced that He is Who He claimed and can do what He claimed to do. It’s being convinced. If one is not living "Faithfully", he will not be able to live "Assuredly" with any consistency.
The writer then contends that, if it were actually possible -- which it is not -- for a person to receive Christ by faith and then reject Him later, then it would be necessary for them to recognize their lostness again, and then have Christ crucified again so they could be saved again. Or, said another way, a person who has repented and has been saved can no more be conceived and born physically a second time if he's already been born the second time.
Just as being born physically a second time -- as Nicodemus queried to Jesus in John 3:1-18) -- is impossible, being spiritually saved again after having been saved the first time. You can't drive a nail that has already been driven. You can't eat a hamburger that has already been eaten.
Neither can an already saved person be saved again.
The entire issue is NOT about salvation! It is about living with an absolute assurance that you have been saved.
A number of years ago, an old cowboy friend of mine (he was 92 at the time) came with tears in his eyes after a service in which I had preached from I John 5:13 --
"These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life."
He said that he believed in God, he believed in Jesus, and he had put his trust in Jesus -- BUT, he wasn't sure if He had eternal life and would go to heaven when he died. When I showed him the previous two verses, his lack of assurance was eradicated --
"And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life." (I John 5:11-12).
One of the most devious things Satan ever does to the Christian is to steal his assurance -- his assurance that God loves him, that Christ saved him, and that he is doubtless destined for heaven. You see, Satan tempts the unbeliever to disbelieve and deny that Christ is Who He claims to be and has done what He did to provide salvation and eternal life. For the believer, though, it is to tempt him to doubt that it really happened, or that when it happened it didn't stick.
Satan does that by getting us to constantly look back at ourselves and our many failures. He wants us to look at our human performance and the idea that we have to be "good" -- or even "perfect" -- in order for God to save us and in order for us to make it to heaven. Paul warned us of this trap, reminding us that . . .
"He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, . . ." (Titus 3:1)
Paul unequivocally declared, . . .
"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." (Eph 2:8-9).
I don't know of anything that makes a Christian more tentative and misled in his walk than a lack of assurance. It's like trying to walk on an invisible glass very narrow bridge across a deep chasm filled with fire and gnarling dragons trying to devour you. This, my friend, is NOT -- ABSOLUTELY NOT -- what Jesus has in mind for us. He wants us to KNOW -- to know that you know that you know! He wants you to live with absolute assurance -- to walk assuredly, most assuredly.
The Apostle John explained the reason for his Gospel. He said, . . .
"but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name."
Then in his shorter epistles, he wrote, as I mentioned earlier, . . .
"These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life." (I John 5:13).
We should get the point by how ---- Jesus Christ yearns for us that we live with an unshakeable assurance in Him -- that He is Who He claimed to be, that He does what He promised to do, that He keeps who He promised to keep, that we are who He says we are, and that He keeps us secure. May you and I remain of the same conviction that Paul had when he wrote, . . .
". . . I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day." (II Tim 1:12)
Be one of those, "I know that I know that I know" people. Don't abandon your confidence simply because things get tough, doubts arise, fears dismay, and the pathway seems unclear.
"Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. For yet in a very little while, He Who is coming will come, and will not delay." (Heb 10:35-37)
That being the case, then you are free -- absolutely free to . . .
LIVE FRUITFULLY: -- Fruit is the Evidence of Life: (7-10)
"For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it & brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; 8. but if it yields thorns & thistles, it is worthless & close to being cursed, & it ends up being burned. 9. But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, & things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way. 10. For God is not unjust so as to forget your work & the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered & in still ministering to the saints."
In the day in which we live, people all around us are watching us to see if our walk matches our talk. It is imperative that our lives are fruitful. Fruitfulness is the fundamental evidence that the plant is what it is labeled to be, and that it will produce what it claims it will produce. The "by their fruits you will know them" declaration is absolutely true. Jesus illustrated this in his parable of the sower, the soil, and the seed. It's one of my favorite parables.
The story presupposes several things -- the preparation and condition of the soil, the quality of the seed, and the efforts of the sower. So, I suppose you can summarize it something like this. If you are going to be a fruitful Christian, you must start with . . .
1. Plowing the soil. Plowing must precede planting. The prophet Hosea used an analogy to describe Israel. At one time it had been "a luxuriant vine", but had become dormant and fallow. What caused it to become dormant and fruitless? He explained it like this: . . .
"Israel is a luxuriant vine; He produces fruit for himself. The more his fruit, The more altars he made; The richer his land, The better he made the sacred pillars. Their heart is faithless; Now they must bear their guilt. The LORD will break down their altars And destroy their sacred pillars. Surely now they will say, 'We have no king, For we do not revere the LORD. As for the king, what can he do for us?' They speak mere words, With worthless oaths they make covenants; And judgment sprouts like poisonous weeds in the furrows of the field." (Hos 10:1-4).
The situation was pretty pathetic. God's people who had been blessed beyond description had become self-absorbed. Because of HIS blessings, they had become self-sufficient, self-gratifying, self-worshiping, self-advancing, and self-centered. Maybe this is what Paul was talking about when he indicated that, "the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil" (I Tim 6:12).
Hosea's solution -- the only solution that would work -- would be that the once-fruitful soil that had gone "fallow", needed to be plowed up. He wrote, . . .
"Sow with a view to righteousness, Reap in accordance with kindness; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the LORD Until He comes to rain righteousness on you." (Hos 10:12).
Once the plowing is complete and the soil has been prepared, then comes the . . .
2. Planting. Two things are essential at this point -- picking the right kind of seed, and then planting it properly. The level of production at harvest time depends entirely on the condition of the soil, the quality of the seed, and the faithfulness of the farmer. Ultimately, the seed must be planted. Think about this -- seed that isn't planted isn't seed at all; it's merely grain.
You see, the very act of Planting necessitates the process of dying. Jesus said, "except a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone." I wrote about this not too long ago.
But, there's another process involved. It is also a part of dealing with the soil and what it might contain. The soil must be plowed before the seed is sown, but after the planting, there must be a faithful and watchful . . .
3. Tilling. Living requires tilling. We often call it "cultivating". When I was a mere eight years old, my uncle taught me how to "cultivate" with -- what else, but a "cultivator". No matter how laborious the plowing had been, how back breaking the planting had been, and how meticulous the cultivating had been, weeds were almost inevitable.
If you want to truly live a fruitful life, -- and going back to the parable of the sower -- you must make certain you discard the stones, keep away the birds, and destroy the weeds and thorns. It's a natural part of spiritual fruitfulness. And, there's so much to say about the weeds, birds, and stones, that I'll have to save that discussion for another more opportune time.
4. Pruning. This is something we don't like -- being pruned -- having things cut away that we may cherish. Nonetheless, fruitfulness requires pruning. Three things must be constantly eradicated from our lives as believers -- the disease and dry rot of carnality and sin, the residue of past fruitfulness and victories, and the "sucker shoots" of diversion and distraction.
Tilling takes care of those external things that interfere with our growth, but it is the pruning that deals with the inner things that destroy our character and our testimony. You dare not allow sin to go unchecked, you must not let past success generate arrogance or satisfaction, and you must never be drawn aside by so-called opportunities to increase the "numbers", be it nickels or noses.
Constant pruning is a part of fruitful Christian living. Rather than resist it, we must embrace it.
For your further study of the area of fruitfulness, take time to study Hosea 10:1-13, John 15:1-17, and Matthew 13:3-43 more thoroughly. You'll be glad you did -- and your life will be far more fruitful. And, hopefully, it will lead you to . . .
LIVE DILIGENTLY: – Diligence creates confident assurance: (11-15)
11. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, 12. so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. 13. For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, 14. saying, "I WILL SURELY BLESS YOU AND I WILL SURELY MULTIPLY YOU." 15. And so, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise. 16. For men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute."
This idea of diligence quickly caught my attention, mainly because I'm not sure we actually fully understand the idea of diligence. So, I did a little digging to understand the real implications of the word itself. I found that diligence in the Greek is “spoudē” and means an “Immediate speedy earnestness”.
I realized that in being truly diligent, we immediately destroy laziness, slothfulness, carelessness, and a host of other "ness's". How do you spend your time? How much of it do you use recreationally as opposed to productively? How much of your time and energy produce "leaves" but little "fruit"? How much of your money do you spend on things entirely unrelated to kingdom values?
These are tough questions -- but necessary ones. If we will answer them honestly and stop justifying them or excusing our abuses away, they will tell us several things: don’t waste time, stop “dilly-dallying around”. Stop procrastinating! Do what you know to do, and do it immediately.
There's a companion word in this text -- "Sluggish". That verse also tells us, don’t be sluggish. It's the Greek word “nōthros” -- a rather troublesome word meaning, “being lazy, dull, slothful, stupid” in your faith, conduct, character, or actions.
In other words, diligence is like a verb, the “action word” of faith. The bottom line, is there's absolutely no room in the life of the Christian for "Mañana moments". Not only are we not to worry about tomorrow, but we are not to put things off until tomorrow. Be immediate to obey. To fail to obey is to disobey.
Living diligently rather than delay is what produces confidence and expectation for now, anticipation for the future, and your final destination in heaven. The sooner you act, the sooner the result. That being the case, you are able each day of your life . . .
LIVE CONFIDENTLY: -- Know you know you know: (17-19)
"17. In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, 18. so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. 19. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, . . ."
Three words in this passage appear five times -- hope (3 times), sure (one time), and steadfast (one time). They speak strongly to us about certainty, confidence, and endurance -- all which are critical to living with joy as we journey toward home. The first is . . .
1. Hope: -- This is the Greek word, “el-pece'”, which is defined as “joyous confident anticipation; convinced certainty; and unwavering assurance”. It's that "I know that I know that I know" about which I wrote a few minutes ago. But it is not just ordinary Hope, but it is a hope that is . . .
2. Sure: -- I love that word, “asphalēs”, because it means your hope is. “firm, secure, convinced, reliable, definite, undeniable, unchangeable”. Look at each of those words -- your hope is firm -- it is secure -- your hope is totally convinced -- it is reliable -- no question about it because it is definite -- and it is undeniable -- and cannot be changed. THAT is what it means to be "Sure" in your confident expectation and anticipation. But, still further, your hope is . . .
3. Steadfast: -- “bebaios”. It will stand the test of challenge, of attack, and of time, because it is, “strong, stable, immovable, secure, guaranteed, unalterable, fully trustworthy”.
Are you getting the idea, my friend? To you see how totally different this kind of hope is from mere tentative wishful thinking that is plagued by doubts, uncertainty, and a lack of understanding.
We're talking about a totally different breed of hope here. It is the capacity to live confidently -- even in the face of adversity, opposition, and doubts. It's the stubborn and immovable "unpersuadableness" to be moved away from God's promises. Such hope says, “I know what I know, I know why I know, and I know that I know that I know that I know! And nothing will convince me otherwise!” It is to grab the fact and hang on to it without wavering and with “the tenacity of a bulldog”.
This mind set is to be so persuaded that one has no hesitation whatsoever to immediately “enter within the veil” into the intimate presence of God. Just imagine -- being so confident in your expectation that there is not even the slightest faltering in coming before God with any and all petitions, prayers, and praises.
There is a final statement the writer made that clinches it all. He wrote,
"20. . . . where Jesus has entered as a fore-runner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek."
And that entirely settles the issue when it comes to that principle of hope -- confident expectation. Under Judaic law, nobody -- absolutely nobody -- entered behind the veil into the Holy of Holies for any reason -- ever. But, when Jesus was crucified, that veil in the temple was ripped in half. It was not ripped from bottom to top as if some human had done it, but it was ripped from top to bottom as if God had grabbed it from heaven and ripped it apart to reveal the innermost workings behind it.
From that day forward, you and I can enter behind the veil because Jesus, our Great High Priest, ripped the veil and paved the way for all of us to be like Melchizedek had been, having unrestricted access into God's presence. Living such a life – faithfully, assuredly, fruitfully, diligently, confidently -- is because Jesus preceded us as our Great High Priest preparing us access.
If anything was to ever create a confident expectation that was both "sure and steadfast", that would be it.
FINALLY:
So, here we have laid out before us the pathway. God has promised us strength for our todays, and incredible hope for our tomorrows. So, live faithfully (6:1-2); live assuredly (6:3-6); live fruitfully (6:7-10); live diligently (6:11-15); and live confidently (6:16-20). Heed David's admonition --
"Be strong and let your heart take courage, All you who hope in the LORD." – (Ps 27:14; 31:24)
Take to heart Paul's urging --
". . . thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord." (I Cor 15:57-58).
Enjoy the journey! Home is beyond words.
In His Bond, By His Grace, and for His Kingdom,
Bob Tolliver -- Romans 1:11
"Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness,
examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so." -- Dr. Luke (Acts 17:11)
"A fire kept burning on the hearthstone of my heart, and I took up the burden of the day with fresh courage and hope." -- Charles F. McKoy
Life Unlimited Ministries
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Copyright March, 2022
"If Jesus had preached the same message that many ministers preach today, He would never have been crucified." -- Leonard Ravenhill
"The time will come when instead of shepherds feeding the sheep, the Church will have clowns entertaining the goats." -- Charles H. Spurgeon
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