Three Crucial Commitments
By David Faust
The book of Hebrews contains 13 chapters, and the word better appears 13 times in the most literal translations of the book. Christ is better than the angels. He’s greater than Old Testament heroes like Moses and Joshua. He offers more satisfying rest, better promises, and greater empathy. He brings a new and better covenant. When we are discouraged and feel like giving up, the book of Hebrews urges us to take the better way and persevere.
To be fair, there are times when it’s OK to quit. Dr. Henry Cloud’s book Necessary Endings explains that we shouldn’t feel guilty for setting boundaries or leaving a job that’s not the right fit. But Hebrews 10 confronts us with three crucial commitments we should never give up. The author highlights these points by repeating the phrase “let us.”
Don’t Give Up on God
Hebrews 10:22 says, “Let us draw near to God.” Moses drew near to God on Mount Sinai, but the rest of the people were told not to approach the mountain or even to touch it, on penalty of death (see Exodus 19:12). The message then wasn’t “draw near to God.” It was “keep your distance.”
On Mount Calvary, though, God opened his arms and invited us into his presence. “We have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus” (Hebrews 10:19). Why push God away when he has gone to such great lengths to pull you close?
Don’t Give Up Hope
The phrase “let us” appears again in Hebrews 10:23, which says, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope that we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” In stormy times, hope is “an anchor for the soul, firm and secure” (Hebrews 6:19). Our hope is grounded in the rock-solid words of Jesus, who promised that if we believe in him, we will live even though we die (John 11:25). Our hope is further guaranteed by Jesus’ resurrection, for God’s power at work in us “is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead” (Ephesians 1:19-20).
The older I get, the more I think about and talk about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. I can barely contain my excitement about the greatest comeback in the history of the world! Simon Peter never lost his enthusiasm about it. He wrote, “In his great mercy [God] has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3).
Don’t Give Up on the Church
The phrase “let us” appears again in Hebrews 10:24, which says, “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” The word translated “spur” literally meant to “needle” or “provoke.” Like cowboys who spur their horses to go faster, Christians should motivate each other to love and serve well.
Are you growing weary in well-doing? Have your spurs worn down and lost their edge? Have you been around long enough to recognize the church’s many flaws and shortcomings? The body of Christ is comprised of imperfect people who serve a perfect Lord. Can you see past the blemishes on Jesus’ bride and glimpse the glory of what she can be and will be?
“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them” (Hebrews 6:10). Don’t give up!
Personal Challenge: In your walk with the Lord, where are you right now on a scale of 1 (“exhausted and empty”) to 10 (“full of faith and zeal”)? Ask God to refresh your faith, rekindle your spiritual fervor, and help you persevere.
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