Effie Darlene Barba

Hebrews 3: ⁶ But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end…..¹² Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God….¹⁸ And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?

¹⁹ So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. Hebrews 4: 4 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. ² For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it…7 To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Within these verses, as is true of much of the book of Hebrews, there are many warnings. We are His IF  we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.  That word if is a very big word.  Does the writer mean that we could lose our salvation?  That cannot be the case as this same writer confirms in Hebrews 6: "⁴ For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,⁵ And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,

⁶ If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame."  In this verse, he is saying that if we could be lost again, there would be no hope of salvation–for Christ died once for all of our sins. Then what are the warnings he keeps sounding so loudly?  He has gone on to explain this with great examples and explanations as one reads through all of chapter 3 and 4.  He uses the examples from those walking in the wilderness (remember the book of Hebrews was written for the Jewish converts within the early Christian Church).  He goes on to sound his warning to all those who may have heard the word spoken, may have emotionally been excited and have thought this might be a "good idea" to join the followers of Christ; but never truly came to that moment in which they knew and believed that Christ was God made flesh who paid the penalty of their sins.  If they never came to accept Christ as their savior and merely acknowledged Him as a good man or prophet.  I, daresay, there are many within our churches who do not know Christ as their savior and merely are present members because they believe it makes them a better human by attending and joining a church.  For many who hear and even follow, there is no mixture with faith.  It is that faith that holds us confident and rejoicing of the hope of grace today and that future grace which will hold us firm until the end.  So as the writer of Hebrews so adequately said, "Today, if you hear His voice calling you, do not harden your hearts"  Today is the day of salvation, we do not know if tomorrow comes.  We do not know when that soft whispering voice calling us will silence from our hearts being so hardened we cannot hear.  Do you know Christ? Do you seek Christ?  Do you treasure Him above all earthly treasure?  Do you believe that He is the creator of the universe and that He is the rewarder of all who believe?   As He stands at the door of your heart, will you let Him in?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HUBTxA6FDM

Can you say that this song is true for you?

Hebrews 2 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

² For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;

³ How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

⁴ God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?…

⁹ But we see Jesus… crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

¹⁰ For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

Because Christ, "1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:" Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip."  Can we ignore such a great salvation?  God spoke through many means throughout the old testament pointing the way to a Savior.  That Savior came to provide the only atonement that might once and for all conquer sin and death for all who would accept Christ’s atonement for their sin and by faith join Christ as His brother (purchased and adopted by His shed blood)  to share in His Glory.  He who was crowned with glory, honor, and righteousness came to this earth to suffer, endure temptation (though without sin) and die that as our chief High Priest and captain–there is no pain or suffering that we might face which he has not faced.  You might want to say that since He never sinned, He never suffered guilt; but He carried our guilt on the cross when God the Father turned His back upon Him because God could not look upon our sin laid upon Him.  You might want to say that Christ did not suffer during the temptations since He was God and incapable of sinning.  Not true.  Temptation and the torment of it continues until we give in and then the turmoil of the temptation goes away for a moment.  Christ, in His humanity felt the turmoil of temptation with no relief of the turmoil as He did not give in.  He who owns all things, created all things, filled with brightness of Glory; laid it all aside so that He might suffer and die so that we (so undeserving) might have an empathetic high priest who understands our every turmoil and so that we might be loosed from the chains of sin and death forever.  How could we ever escape if we neglect so great a salvation?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URQrgeyeUD4

Hebrews 1: 1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

² Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

³ Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:

God had in the old testament used prophets to speak to the people.  He had spoken directly to these prophets and also had directed spoken to some of the leaders.  But now and within the new testament He has spoken through the life of Christ-His Son.  Christ who is Himself God within the Triune Head of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  This same Christ who formed the earth and when spoken to by the Father was reminded of His deity "⁸ But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

⁹ Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

¹⁰ And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:" 

Christ displayed in His life upon this earth, in His Suffering on this earth, and in His death upon the cross to pay the penalty for man’s sin –He displayed the brightness of God’s Glory and the image of His person.  He was perfect Righteousness who pay the penalty for man’s sin so that whosoever will accept the Gift of Salvation might be saved.  Salvation, so simple; yet, for many so unreachable.  Christ finished the work and sat down on the right hand of God the Father.  Mankind so often remains so caught up in his own self-pride that he cannot accept the fact of his utter unworthiness before perfect righteousness and perfect Glory of God; so, he continues to try to prove to God his own worthiness rather than accept the gift. I have no righteousness but that which is imparted to me by the Son.  The more I know of Christ and His Glory the more unworthy I realize that I am; yet, in that same moment the overflowing love that He has given to me becomes my guide through life.  He has become my greatest treasure and my greatest love.  That fact draws me to seek Him and savor Him more as He continues to complete the work within me of transforming me into His image.  Do you know Him?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFlKG2HUeUc&feature=related

I Timothy 1: 1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;

² Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.

³ As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,

⁴ Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.

⁵ Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

⁶ From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;

⁷ Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.

⁸ But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;

⁹ Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

¹⁰ For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

¹¹ According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.

¹² And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;

¹³ Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

¹⁴ And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁵ This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

There are at least 4 messages found within these verses; but my focus will lie on verse 11.  This does however require an introduction so that you might understand the true depth of this verse. In this letter, Paul has written to Timothy a younger minister.  He had left Timothy behind in Ephesus because there were so many people teaching a false doctrine.  There were many trying to separate into sects according to "which was their teacher" and by thus giving glory to the teacher rather than to Christ.  This was a heresy in the eyes of Paul.  He also was concerned about those who were teaching "legalism" as a part of salvation and of them he said they had no understanding of what they were saying nor where they found any foundation for that teaching.  He knows that the law is important only in it’s ability to show the sinner that he is a sinner; but, was not a part of the "Gospel" provided to those for whom Christ had imparted His righteousness because of faith.  Ok, now stop for a moment and savor the words of  verse 11.  Look at how Paul refers to the gospel which was committed unto him to protect, to teach, to spread and to never compromise in it’s truth where ever he went and at whatever cost to himself.  It is that same Gospel which I seek, savor and love.  It is the glorious Gospel-pouring forth the Glory of God in the Face of Christ’s Glory.  None could ever be so deserving of Glory as the spotless lamb who would pay the penalty for sinful man.  Salvation is seeing God’s Glory and seeking Him as the greatest treasure of our lives. But there is more note that it is the glorious gospel of the blessed (Happy, Joyous) God.  The word translated blessed here is the same word which means Happy, Joyous God.  It is this Joy that Christ hath promised when he said in Matthew 25:21 to whomever had used the talents given them to gain more for His kingdom, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord."  What sacrifice is too much, what counterfeit joy too alluring, or what earthly treasure so important to prevent you from spreading the Glorious Gospel of the Joyous God with what talents you have been given and in the place where God has placed you?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LToxyUVhPhQ

Isaiah 43 But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

² When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

³ For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour:

This scripture was particularly written to the Israelite by the prophet Isaiah as he wrote down the words God had for them.  Yet, this scripture was to foretell also of the coming of the Savior who was to be God Himself.  Christ, the only Holy One of Israel was to come to be the Savior who would pay the penalty for our sins so that we might be given the chance to be restored into that relationship with Him that was fractured by sin.  Now instead of God’s just wrath against the sinner (all of us) for those who would accept His atonement we are now to share in His Righteousness and become adopted into His family to share in His Joy, His Glory and His Peace.   He is our creator.  He formed us.  He redeemed us.  He called us and for all who accept Him, we are His. If God was willing to sacrifice Himself to perform everything needed to provide our atonement and if our Creator would love us so much as to do everything needed to be able to share with us His own Glory; then what should we have to fear?  If the omnipotent, omniscient God who created heaven and earth is on your side; what are you afraid of? 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vMYP4uJAqY&feature=related