By Pamela Rose Williams
“Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.” ~ Hebrews 10:35-36
In this passage from Hebrews we see the writer encouraging the Hebrews with the things to come. It is the conclusion to his explanation of how the old covenant of offering is replaced with the offering made by Jesus and how now we may all come to “the holiest by the blood of Jesus” (vs. 19). He compares “the veil” that used to hide the most holy place in the Tabernacle with the flesh of Jesus who is our High Priest. We can be confident that what God promised He would do He will do. The writer encourages the body of Christ to meet regularly so that we can provoke one another to love and good works.
The writer is also well aware of the suffering and persecution that many believers endure. Though this epistle was written to a group of people (the Hebrews) it sometimes appears that the writer shares a personal experience with each and everyone reading. Some say that Paul wrote this book in the Bible and it is within this chapter that I can believe him to be the writer. He talks of how these Hebrews to which he writes had compassion on him while he was in bonds and gave to him of all that they had — with joy — knowing that heaven holds so much more.
And then he wraps it all up in an encouraging little package before going into the great hall of faith in chapter 11. Look what he says:
Hebrews 10:37-39 ( KJV ) 37For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. 38Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 39But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
Believe what? He is talking about that Promise (as we saw in today’s verses at the top). That Promise is the Holy Spirit. Paul wrote about that Promise much … I like this reference which explains the Promise:
Ephesians 1:9-14 ( KJV ) 9Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
SEALED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT OF PROMISE. The Promise that He who purchased us will come back to redeem us. He left the Holy Spirit as the Promise of His return! How long does that Promise last? Well look back — he that trusts Christ AFTER that ye heard the word of truth (the gospel of your salvation) is SEALED. Think of it this way: when you seal an envelope it is closed up and the contents within the envelope cannot fall out and be lost. The same is true of salvation. When you believe that Jesus died in your place to pay your sin debt, you are SEALED with the holy Spirit of promise. That means that you can have confidence — you believe to the saving of the soul.
Saved from what? Saved from certain death and given eternal life (Romans 6:23).
For how long are you saved? Unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30)!
That’s right, once you have salvation (eternal life) you cannot lose it! You can have confidence in the Promise. It is Who Jesus left with us (The Comforter) when He went home to be with His Father (John 14:16).
I pray that you are confident and comforted in the promise that we do not draw back unto perdition (eternal punishment and damnation). Instead, we that believe are heaven bound because a promise is a promise!
Here are some other articles that talk about the promises of God:
- Blessed Hope
- Promises Promises
- The Author and Finisher
