Last week we looked at key passages in the book of Hebrews…chapter 10 verses 19-25…which started the third major division of the letter.
Wanting his readers to embrace everything he has said up to this point… wanting them to embrace all that Christ has accomplished for them…in these verses is the exhortation that the nine previous chapters have been building up to.
Showing how Jesus fulfilled all that had been symbolized of Him in the Old Covenant…encouraging them to continue to have confidence that God will do what He says He will do…to emphasize that importance he starts off verse 35 with ‘therefore’ …referring back to what had previously been stated.
Now he states the fundamental message of the book of Hebrews in [v 35 and 36]
35 Therefore—reflecting back on all I have said—do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.
Contained in these two verses are two guarantees of what awaits Christians…a ‘great reward’ and ‘you may receive what is promised’ …both are blessings that accompany not throwing away your confidence and of having endurance.
Let me share with you the significance of this…in the Greek the wording ‘you may receive’ is in the subjunctive mood…what you receive and why you receive it is the result of having endurance…it’s a promise…it is the definite outcome that will happen as a result of doing something…it’s conditional… when you have confidence and endurance you’ll receive what God promised.
Notice the wording… do not throw away your confidence…it’s a negative command…it’s something only you can do…no one or nothing can take it from you if you trust in God…confidence in God and in Jesus as His Son can only be lost by our personal neglect…only you can throw it away.
It’s important to remember to whom this book was written…to those who were under persecution and were doubting that they made the right decision in becoming a Christian…some even thinking about returning to Judaism…hence the importance of having endurance.
Everything in this letter is meant to strengthen those early Christians by encouraging them to ‘hold fast’ to the unshakable confidence that Jesus is the fulfillment of what was prophesied in the Old Testament.
Do not throw away your confidence in your belief that Jesus did come down from Heaven…He did take on a human body…He did live a sinless life…He did die on the cross for sinners…and He is the ultimate source of our salvation.
For Christians, our confidence in God is our access to God…those who come to God must believe that He is [Heb. 11:6] …is a simple statement, yet it is the most basic thought to unlocking a relationship with God.
We cannot come to God in an acceptable manner if we doubt His existence…it is the very starting point of our spiritual journey…it is our confident hope in God that allows us the right to approach His throne.
We should be like the early Christians and ‘hold fast’ to the truth of the Gospel …something we have previously talked about extensively [3:6/4:14/10:23].
What does it mean to throw away your confidence? I made mention of it last week:
The four most common reasons people lose their faith…their confidence is: 1) hardships… 2) moral collapse… 3) life’s pressures… 4) false teachings. https://www.oakleys.org.uk/sermons/hebrews_10_23
Those reasons might be the final result but it most often starts out on a much smaller scale…few people just up and quit on Christianity…it is usually a gradual process that occurs over time.
Sometimes it can be the little things that weaken our confidence…when we yield to temptations…by the little compromises we make in life…by things you do and don’t do…then little by little our confidence withers and shrivels to where it’s not what it was.
Holding fast includes being faithful in every circumstance of life so that God is honored through our testimony…in how you live…in how you are dying, to your will and your desire in seeking to do His will in your life.
As Christians we have a vertical confidence in God…that God loves us…that He has adopted us…that we are His children…having confidence that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ.
As Christians we are commanded to hold fast to the assurance you had when you first came to Jesus and trusted Him as your Savior.
But at times it is difficult to find the motivation to persevere when dealing with life’s problems…with just life in general…that’s why the author gives us this simple statement ‘you need endurance’ [36].
How are you going to persevere…talked about it last week…the importance of —not giving up meeting together—having a time where we’re all collectively gathered together so we can exhort and encourage each other to press on.
Something I’ve said before…the Bible was not written for unbelievers…the book of Hebrews is for those who are maturing in their Christian faith…that is why he extensively makes reference to Israel’s past failures…so the church…so we personally…can avoid their mistakes.
And at the same time providing us with spiritual truths to help us in our spiritual growth and Christian fellowship so we can persevere.
Last week we looked at five things in Hebrews 10:19-25 that promote Christian fellowship…that help us to persevere…that strengthens our confidence:
1. Drawing near to God
2. Holding fast to the confession of our hope
3. Considering how to spur one another on
4. Not giving up meeting together
5. Encouraging one another daily
Because there is a danger…the danger of abandoning our mission in life to pursue something else…how tempting it can be to rely on our own abilities and resources…not pressing on to maturity…developing an attitude of indifference …of drifting from our faith…of doubting God’s promises…of throwing away our trust in God which leads to spiritual negligence.
Each one of us needs endurance to fulfill our mission in life…because it has eternal significance.
God has a will concerning you…He has chosen something special for each one of us…but it is up to us to carry it out…to know what that is…to pursue it at all costs…to ‘hold’ fast’ to that ideal…to not become weary in well-doing or abandon the work that God has assigned you to do.
Twice the author makes mention of what the final outcome will be when we hold true with confidence and maintain our endurance…it’s the promise of a great reward…what is that?…I believe it’s referring to three distinct assurances.
In Scripture it mentions rewards…crowns…and promises…all of which are given to Christians based on how we have conducted ourselves during our stay while on earth, [Matthew 6:19-21] which includes fulfilling the purpose God has predestined for every person who is a Christian.
Something I’m sure you all know but to reiterate…what you do on earth has nothing to do with your entry intoheaven…BUT…what you do on earth has everything to do with your rewardsonce you get there.
In fact, Jesus exhorted His believers to “store up treasures in heaven,” not treasures on earth….Paul speaks of the harvest we will reap if we do not give up doing good [Galatians 6:9].
Here’s where the eternal significance comes in…at the Judgment Seat of Christ there will be a marked difference between Christians:
…some Christians will be called “least in the Kingdom of Heaven,” and some will be called “great” [Matthew 5:19]. It’s important to know that this verse is referring to our rewards in the kingdom…there is a difference:
…Between the Christian who lived his life clearly for the glory of God and the one who didn’t;
…Between the Christian who was a nominal Christian whose “faith” didn’t go beyond being identified with a church and the one who is identified as the church;
…Between the Christian who was saved on his deathbed after living a life of self-pride, self-righteousness, self-love, and self-sufficiency versus the one who for his entire life worked to fulfill God’s purpose.
All those will be in heaven…all will be eligible for eternal life…all will be happy in Heaven…but not all will experience Heaven in the same way in regard to the receiving of crowns…rewards…and promises.
With respect to the giving of crowns…there are five different crowns mentioned in the New Testament…each of these crowns is given as a distinct reward for those who faithfully fulfilled specific commitments in their lives.
CROWN 1 – CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS— LOVED THE LORD’S APPEARING – 2 Tim 4:8
CROWN 2 – VICTOR’S CROWN— DISCIPLINED BODIES / SELF-CONTROL – 1 Cor 9:25
CROWN 3 – CROWN OF LIFE— ENDURED PATIENTLY THRU TRIALS – James 1:12, Rev 2:10
CROWN 4 – CROWN OF GLORY— GIVEN TO GODLY LEADERS – 1 Pet 5:2-4
CROWN 5 – CROWN OF REJOICING— SOUL WINNERS CROWN – 1 Thess. 2:19, Dan 12:3
With respect to rewards…there are about forty separate references to rewards: Matthew 5:5, 12, 19; 6:4, 6, 18, 20; 10:41–42; 16:27; 18:4; 19:21,
28, 30; 23:12; 25:21, 23; Mark 9:41; Luke 6:35; 12:8, 33; 19:17, 19; 22:30;
Revelation 2:7, 10–11, 26–27; 3:4–5, 11–12, 18, 21; 19:7–8; 20:4, 6; 22:5, 12.
Too many to mention…but are given to Christians for faithful service.
With respect to promises…these are given to Christians who are overcomers… who’s an overcomer?… [1 John 5:4-5] defines an overcomer…a title for all believers who overcome the world.
SO…in a sense all believers are overcomers in that they have become children of God…BUT…the book of Revelation describes seven promises for Christians who are overcomers in a specific way.
So, do the overcomer promises in Revelation apply to all believers because John says anyone who is a believer in Christ is an overcomer?…NO they don’t.
All believers are overcomers regarding conflicts and trials that come to each individual believer in a variety of different ways…in that respect…we’re all overcomers…BUT…no two Christian lives are the same in terms of their struggles…and it seems that God tailors His rewards accordingly.
In Revelation the overcomer concept is restrictive…specific promises are in keeping with specific problems.…the promises in Revelation are special rewards to believers who overcome specific conflicts in their Christian life…to some is the promise:
1. to eat from the tree of life Revelation 2:7.
2. to not be hurt by the second death.” Revelation 2:11.
3. given hidden manna to eat…a new name… Revelation 2:17.
4. given power over the nations Revelation 2:26-28.
5. clothed in white garments, and have their name confessed before God and His angels.” Revelation 3:5.
6. be made a pillar in the temple of God Revelation 3:12.
7. granted to sit with Jesus on His throne Revelation 3:21
https://activechristianity.org/7-extraordinary-promises-for-those-who-overcome
Here’s the KEY to all these rewards… “to the one who has an ear let him hear …a common saying in the Bible…but as with some things in the Bible there is a deeper meaning other than what it appears to mean.
There’s a difference between having ears and having “ears to hear” …Jesus described the different types of hears in the Parable of the Sower…those who have “ears to hear” heard the Word and it opened their minds to understanding …they accepted it and it transformed them…by making a difference in their lives.
Others hear the Word, yet they do not allow it to affect their decision regarding accepting Christ as their Savior…they have ears to hear…BUT…they lack the spiritual ears to hear…so they reject it.
John 5:24 – “he that hears My word…having ears to hear…and believes on Him that sent Me, has everlasting life…” that’s being an overcomer…that is God’s desire for every person who has ever lived.
So, for believers, judgment will involve crowns…rewards…and promises… (or the lack thereof) …based on how we live after being saved…that is the promise of a great reward.
Notice the wording in verse [36] …when you have done the will of God…it’s referring to something in the past…but also to the present and to the future.
WITH RESPECT TO THE PAST…when you have done the will of God… the writer is recognizing their position that might be expressed as:
“We have done the will of God as far as it has been made known to us—i.e. that Jesus is the Christ…they had accepted Him…they had received His Holy Spirit …they had renounced their faith in Judaism—if there is anything more for us to do let us know, and we will do it.”
Now, the question for us…have we gone as far as these people? …they were standing on the fact that they had done what they knew was God’s will…which was: faith in Christ…confession of Christ…can we say the same thing of ourselves today?
WITH RESPECT TO THE PRESENT…the second coming of Jesus seemed the only effective way of deliverance…we see it today…but on a far weaker scale… and in more of a selfish way…if Jesus would only come back I wouldn’t have to go to work…pay my bills…I’d be rid of this back ache.
WITH RESPECT TO THE FUTURE. Somewhat like the present…waiting involves the spirit of patiently waiting…we don’t know how long we may have to wait…maybe our entire lives …we have to wait for others, as others have had to wait on us.
How selfish it is to pray for Jesus’ return when there are countless numbers of people still being witnessed to…that is why verse 37, an Old Testament quote, is applicable to us today:
For yet a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay.
In [John 16:16] Jesus Himself makes a similar statement regarding His return:
A little while, and you will no longer see me; and again, a little while and you see me;”.
God is thinking of all individuals and all generations yet to come.
Two statements in the Bible…“the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled” [Luke 21:24] … and “when the fullness of the Gentiles has come in” [Rom. 11:25]
That means there is that ONE person out there somewhere…might not even be born yet…who will be the final Gentile to be saved before the rapture occurs …until then we are told to patiently wait.
Here’s the importance in that…and why it’s selfish to want Jesus to return…and why the phrase ‘Lord Jesus, come quickly’ is a little self-centered.
There’s a gospel song: ‘Wait a Little Longer Sweet Jesus’.
‘But wait a little longer please Jesus there are so many wandering out in sin
Just a little longer please Jesus a few more days to get our loved ones in’
It’s asking the Lord to wait a little longer before He comes back because loved ones aren’t yet saved…there are countless numbers of people receiving Jesus as the Savior everyday.
For Jesus to return before the ‘fullness of the Gentiles has come’…would deny them the opportunity to receive Jesus as Savior and sentence them to the horrors of the tribulation.
Israel waited in Egyptian bondage for 400 years…but freedom came at last. Israel wandered in a desert for 40 years but settlement in Canaan came at last.
Many generations in the Old Testament saints lived and died with nothing more than prophecies to comfort them while they waited…but Jesus did come at last …and so He will come again.
We have already received the promise of eternal life…BUT the possession of the promised inheritance has not yet been attained…there are times when the promise of rewards seems long delayed…we need to patiently wait…the second coming was and is a thing to be waited for…it is worth the wait.
Probably some of the most encouraging words in the entire New Testament:
do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. so that when you have done the will of God you (will) receive what is promised.