The Letter To the Hebrews 10: 19-39 [NLTse]

¹⁹ And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter Heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. ²⁰ By His death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. ²¹ And since we have a great High Priest Who rules over God’s House, ²² let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting Him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.

²³ Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep His promise. ²⁴ Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. ²⁵ And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near.

²⁶ Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. ²⁷ There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume His enemies. ²⁸ For anyone who refused to obey the Law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. ²⁹ Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the Covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit Who brings God’s mercy to us. ³⁰ For we know the One Who said, “I will take revenge. I will pay them back.” He also said, “The Lord will judge His Own people.” ³¹ It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

 ³² Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering. ³³ Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things. ³⁴ You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever.

³⁵ So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! ³⁶ Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that He has promised. ³⁷ “For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay. ³⁸ And my righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.”

³⁹ But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved.

Good morning saints! Good morning sinners!

The apostle Paul introduces his letter To the Romans, “…to all of you in Rome who are loved by God and are called to be saints, His Own holy people.” (Romans 1:6) His first letter To the Corinthians, “…to God’s church in Corinth, to you who have been called by God to be saints, His Own holy people.” (1 Corinthians 1:2) And his second letter, “I am writing to God’s church in Corinth and to all of His saints, His holy people, throughout Greece.” (2 Corinthians 1:1) Ephesians begins, “…to God’s saints, His holy people in Ephesus, who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 1:1) Philippians, “…to all the saints, all of God’s holy people in Philippi who belong to Christ Jesus…” (Philippians 1:1) And Colossians, “…to the saints, God’s holy people in the city of Colosse, who are faithful brothers and sisters in Christ.” (Colossians 1:2)

In our society, when someone is greatly honored, there is always a reason. It’s because they have accomplished something magnificent or helped in some great endeavor. No one ever gives a high honor and while presenting it says, “This is for you, even though you have never done anything special. We’re giving it to you just because!”

And yet that’s what God has done for us in Christ in making us saints, His holy, set-apart ones.

According to the Roman Catholic Church a follower of Christ is declared a “saint” only after s/he has been recognized as having lived a pious life, defended the faith, and lived worthy of being called a “saint”, lighting the way ahead for others. After such evidence has been given, it then must be proven that since their death at least four miracles had occurred as the result of the faithful praying to him or her. Only if these conditions have been met is the person called a “saint”.

But that’s not what the Bible tells us. “To all of you in Rome who are… called to be saints;” “to you who have been called by God to be saints;” “to all of His saints throughout Greece;” “to God’s saints;” “to all the saints;” as followers and lovers of Jesus Christ, we are called to be saints, and we are saints!

Of course, we may think that because we have never told huge lies or stolen anything of great worth or ever killed anyone or had an affair that, well, no wonder God loves us: Compared with all those being gossiped about and making headlines, we’re doing pretty good!

But our Lord and Savior, the Son of God, sets us straight: “I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the Court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of Hell.” (Matthew 5:21-22) “I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:27-28) “I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! …You are to be perfect, even as your Father in Heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:43-44, 48)

And James makes it crystal clear: “…The person who keeps all of the Laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s Laws.” (2:10, italics added)

…

The truth is, you and I have fallen into favor. God has chosen us to be saints, His holy ones, because it pleased Him to favor us. And the reason for His favor rests in His grace, not in our amazing lives. Now you and I may truly be nice people, even well-loved, perhaps, recognized by many as godly people… But God’s standard is not what others think, nor even what we think of ourselves. The almighty God’s standard is perfection. His grace and His favor are undeserved, even by the best of us. We have done nothing to deserve His mercy.

…

That’s what we celebrate every All Saints Day. It’s what we celebrate every funeral. It’s what we celebrate every Lord’s Day Sunday (if we would), every time we gather for Worship. It’s why the Christian life is so joyful! (The world celebrates Christmas each December 25^th, but Christians celebrate with that kind of joy every day!) In the coming of Jesus Christ – in His birth in a stable, in His humble upbringing and ministry in an obscure little land, in His sacrificial death, in His resurrection from death! – we have been given a gift that truly keeps on giving. We have been given life. We have been given mercy. We have been forgiven our sins. We have been given right-standing with the perfect, holy One. We have been given sonship, recipients of an everlasting covenant of love.

We are so very aware that we are sinners. But we must let that awareness move us on to wonder that He has given us sainthood!

So let us leave our sins behind, not considering ourselves but keeping our eyes on Jesus. Let’s meditate on all the hostility He endured so that we won’t become weary and give up. In our troubles let’s recognize the Lord’s discipline and not give up when He corrects us, knowing He disciplines only those He loves, treating us as His Own children.

Saints!

Ascription of Praise

Now may the God of peace—Who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with His blood—may He equip us with all we need for doing His will. May He produce in us, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to Him. All glory to Him forever and ever! Amen?

(Hebrews 13:20-21)