A Call To Persevere
A CALL TO PERSEVERE
HEBREWS 10:32-39
The writer reminds his readers that in the past they have persevered through suffering; they are now not to turn back but stand firm and keep going forward in faith.
This passage provides a glimpse of the kind of trouble into which the early Christians constantly fell and is all the more revealing in that it is incidental. The author is not setting out to give details of the troubles that Christians might be expected to face. He is appealing to his friends to remain loyal in their faithfulness to Jesus Christ. In the process he reminds them of what they have already endured for Christ and suggests that they should not let all this be in vain. Being a Christian in those days meant no minor pain, but “a hard struggle with sufferings” (10:32). It meant public abuse and being linked with others similarly mistreated (10:33). It meant confiscation of property (10:34). There are Christians in modern times, as there have been in every age, who have such hardships to endure. Those of us whose sufferings are comparatively minor should have a real sense of gratitude to the One who has protected us from the worst. And when we do suffer, as we will in some way, we should regard this as being in the true apostolic succession.
But the author does not dwell on the sufferings of his friends. He recalls them but does not stress them. His emphasis is rather on their being faithful in their service of God. “Do not throw away your confidence,” he says (10:35). The implication is that confidence will normally remain. It is a willful thing to discard it.
Since God has done such a wonderful thing in us when he brought us salvation, we have every reason for being confident. And we will remain so unless we give way to evil. For our confidence is not in anything we do, but in what God has done and will do. This does not mean that life is always easy for us as Christians. We must not expect that God will smooth out all our difficulties. That is not the path God’s servants must tread. But if we cannot expect a smooth path, we can expect help to overcome the difficult places. So the author appeals to persevere. He recognizes that there are those who shrink back (10:38). But he does not think that his readers are included in their number. He links them with himself in the fine affirmation of 10:39.
Thought Can you imagine 10:34 being said of you?