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. – Hebrews 3:6
The book of Hebrews offers us some controversial and sobering ideas. I find many in Christian circles have no place for conditional statements made toward the Church. We want a life with no conditions. The battle cry of the some in the church today is FREEDOM.
I get it. Freedom is a great benefit of the gospel, but in the words of Inigo Montoya (Princess Bride reference) “I don’t think that word means what you think it means.” We want an unconditional gospel with unconditional love and unconditional acceptance by an undiscerning God.
But every once in awhile these sneaky little IFs find their way into the text. For the record, Jesus often puts conditions on things (like salvation for one,) so the writer to the Hebrews is in good company.
So, what’s going on?
…whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.
Compare with John 14
Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. –John 14:23
There are clearly some aspects of the love of God that are unconditional. But according to Jesus, some aspects of the love of God, or at least the manifestation of that love, depend on our interaction with His Word.
So too, the writer of Hebrews sees some conditions to becoming the dwelling place of God, to hosting His presence. ON-GOING conditions.
We must hold fast.
When we come to Christ we begin our treck to heaven. He places us in a vehicle bound for heaven, but the ride is anything but smooth sailing. His instructions to us include hang on tight.
Hold on to what?
First, our confidence.
That’s kind of a mind-bender, isn’t it?
Hold fast to your confidence.
Don’t be wishy-washy about your position in Christ or your position in Christ may be wishy-washy.
How?
I’m convinced confidence comes through two things. First, we must know that every Word of God is Truth. With that under our belt, we simply hold on to the promises God has spoken, and–voilá–confidence.
Peter sums it up like this:
seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. – 2 Peter 1:3-4
The second thing we need to hold on to is the boast of our hope. This is not a self-centered boast, but a boast in what God packaged in those same promises. I have hope because though I live in this place now, I have a promise of a better place.
Confidence and boast of hope. Two conditions for being the dwelling place of God.
What we’re looking at here is the foundation of the writer’s dissertation on faith. Later he will confirm…
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. – Hebrews 11:1
What are we holding on to? Confidence and hope – OH – that’s faith. It turns out the condition the writer lays out for us is faith.
Faith is our entryway into a relationship with God. Faith is the measure by which we face judgment. And finally, faith is that thing in us that pleases God.
Lord, teach us to walk in faith today and hold on to our faith for all our tomorrows.
Thanks for coming by
Hold on!
Ben