Remaining Confident

While listening to a religious devotional program the other day, I heard two distinct phrases from the New Testament reading out of Hebrews 10:32-39. They are from verses 35 and 39 which state, “so, don’t throw away your confidence,” and “we do not belong to those who shrink back.”

The world is difficult, challenging and obviously bent to evil and selfishness. It is rather easy sometimes to become discouraged with the state of the Church, Believers, and even our own direction of life. The urge to quit, surrender or to just flat out stop trying so hard or refraining from putting forth so much effort has come to mind for consideration.

This is where the passage in Hebrews comes to encourage us to keep the faith and stay grounded in Jesus Christ. Nothing that this world could offer us is of any worth or value in comparison to our priceless faith in Jesus Christ and spending eternity with Him. Even hardship, difficulty, disappointments, loss, and any of life’s traumas do not contain any reasonable excuse to justify giving up.

The word “confidence” is the same word translated “boldness” back in Hebrews 10:19. We must continue to live boldly for Jesus no matter what the cost and remain steadfast in our faith.

It is saying that we should never toss aside our faith in a hasty retreat simply due to persecution, ridicule, mocking, or others resistance or rejections to our beliefs. We must continue to “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).

Just because “life isn’t fair” or misfortunes befall us is no excuse to stop going to church, associating with other believers, reading the Bible and maintaining our relationship with Jesus. We don’t “shrink back” (verse 39). That is, we don't just "walk off" on God or "take a break" from our faith. The phrase "shrink back" implies we are on the road to apostasy.

May we never become “spiritual cowards” by “returning to the world” and waving the white-flag of surrender. We never retreat. We must guard against staying quiet or blending into the world so that “nobody notices” or bothers us about being a Christian. There is a saying “If you were put on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? Or, would there be so little evidence that you are set free?”

We must never abandon our faith in times of difficulties, uncertainties or persecution. Let us remember that endurance shows the world that your faith is genuine and sincere. Our enduring faith rests in what Jesus has done not only in the past, but what He is doing now and will be doing well into the future.

The Bible, along with our own past experiences, contains more than enough credible evidence that we can live fully confident in God. So, remain confident...and don't "shrink back!" Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

Tetelestai!

Just before Jesus gives up His spirit on the cross, He utters a very powerful word. The word that He cries out is “ tetelestai” (tih-tellis-tie). When literally translated, this word means, “It is finished.” It can also refer to something completed or accomplished. The word occurs in John 19:28 and 19:30 and these are the only two places in all of the New Testament where it is found. In the John19:28 passage, it is translated, “After this, when Jesus knew that all things were now completed , in order that the scripture might be fulfilled, he said, ‘I thirst.’” Two verses later, he utters the word himself: “Then when he received the sour wine Jesus said, ‘ It is finished ,’ and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” Did you know that the word tetelestai was also written on business documents or receipts in New Testament times to show indicating that a bill had been paid in full? The Greek-English lexicon (by Moulton and Milligan) sa...

The 50-Days of Easter

Jesus rose from the dead. Period! He is alive. We are “easter people” and live daily as proof that He is risen from the dead. He did walk out of the grave. He conquered death. Jesus not only came back to life, but He stayed on earth to be seen by many witness. 1 Corinthians 15:5-8 , “ He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him.” After the resurrection, Jesus spent forty days on earth before He ascended back to His rightful place (1 Peter 3:22), and then there were ten more days after that before the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-47). Jesus accomplished many things in this time between His resurrection and return to Heaven. One of the most important was actually a command to us. We refer to this impor...

Not Rejected

I think we could spend hours, if not days, in just the sixth chapter of John’s Gospel. If there is one thing that is made clear in this writing is that God is passionately pursuing us and bidding us to have a relationship with Him that is restored by His Son, Jesus. There is one verse, in particular, that stands out to me. John 6:37 , “However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them.” Those that come to Jesus will never be rejected. If you come to Jesus, just as you are now, he will not turn you away. He gladly welcomes you to come to him. It is not God’s design or plan that we live separated from Him. He makes the way for that relationship to happen. He initiated the plan. He paid the price. He gives freely. He gives us free-will to choose or reject that offer of reconciliation through Jesus, His Son. God makes His intent clear: Ezekiel 33:11 , “As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the ...

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