Goodmorning and welcome in everyone. Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture from the book of Hebrews.
Hebrews 10:36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
A promise is a declaration that something will, or will not be done. We are given the promise of eternal life through Holy Scriptures, but in order to obtain that promise we must turn from sin and do the will of God.
How many of you have been hired by an employer and been promised $15 an hour for your labor? After putting in a 40 hour week, you reap that promise by getting your paycheck. If you never show up for work, if you never do the things that are required, do you think that the employer is going to give you a paycheck at the end of the week? To obtain the promise, it required something done on your part. Scripture teaches us that we are saved by the grace of God, but we also play a part in our salvation by cooperating with God’s grace. Doing God’s will is a requirement to obtain eternal life. This is why the Apostle preached that faith without works is dead. Without works of obedience towards Christ, without the attempt to please Him and depart from sin, people will come up short.
James 2:17-26 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Abraham with so obedient to God that He brought his own son to the altar. Moses was so obedient to God that he turned away from everything in Egypt. The Apostle Paul was so obedient to God that he turned away from his former life, as a high up religious leader in Judaism, to preach the gospel of Christ. We have been given the promise of eternal life, but those who are not going to walk according to God’s will are going to find themselves coming short of it.
Hebrews 4:1-2 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. 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.
This verse clearly teaches that there is a requirement on your part to obtain the promise of eternal life. It requires faithful obedience to the will of God. Obedience is the evidence of our faith. There are numerous people who are hired to do a job, but they are so lazy that they don’t want to do anything that is required of them to get a paycheck. Some people who profess to be Christian are the same way. They want to enter eternal life someday, yet at the same time completely refuse to do what is required on their part to obtain it. This isn’t faith at all. James refers to it as a dead faith. Genuine faith results in repentance and obedience to God.
Matthew 21:28-32 But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.
How many of you have asked your dad to use the truck on the weekend? He promises to let you use it, but you need to get all of your weekly chores done first. Obviously if you don’t get your chores done, you will miss out on obtaining the promise that he gave you. You needed to do something that was required on your part, but you chose not to do it. We are given great hope through God’s grace. We are giving the promise of eternal life, but in order to obtain it, we must use God’s forgiveness as a springboard, to launch us into a brand new life of obedience to God. We are supposed to become new creatures in Christ, but if that person never appears, and never chooses to convert and lovingly obey Christ, people will come short of heaven. Some people live their lives as though they have already obtained heaven, but the truth is, we are not in paradise yet. The place where we currently reside is called Earth. We haven’t even gone to judgement day yet. We haven’t yet heard the words, well done thou good and faithful servant. Some people pridefully commend themselves, but in order to obtain eternal life, one must be commended by Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 10:12, 18 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.
Paradise is reward for the faithfully obedient. If people are going to be willfully disobedient by rejecting biblical truth, they will earn the reward for disobedience, eternal punishment. Heaven is a pure sinless place, and this is why we need to prepare now, by shunning the sinful deeds of the carnal nature.
Isaiah 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
We are giving promise, but to obtain it, we must convert and do the will of God. This proves your love towards God and His Son. It doesn’t matter if someone claims to be a follower of Jesus, it ultimately comes down to obeying His purpose. Rebellion never pleases God, and it certainly isn’t love for Him.
Beloved,…beware, lest any of you end up at the judgement and find yourself…..
….Coming up Short
Let’s think about these things for right now, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody. ❤️
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Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 