Perseverance and promise

Today's reading Hebrews 10:26-36

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Today’s blog

“You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” (Hebrews 10:36)

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What is the right response to all that Jesus has done for us? First and foremost, it’s to keep going. That’s put clearly and simply in this verse: “You need to persevere”. The same Greek word has already occurred in this passage – the readers had “stood their ground” in their early days of following Jesus (32) – and the conclusion to the whole section is “let us run the race with perseverance” (12:1).

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This emphasis is very relevant for those first readers who were wavering in their Christian commitment. But the same point is frequently made throughout the New Testament (e.g. Rom.5:3-4; 15:4-5; Col.1:11; 2 Th.1:4; 2 Tim.2:12; Jas.5:10-11). It goes back to Jesus: “The one who stands firm (perseveres/endures) to the end will be saved” (Mt.10:22; 24:13). Taking up the cross is challenging and costly, just as it was for Jesus himself (12:2-3). So, as the parable of the sower teaches, some who start well fall away but others who “hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop” (Lk.8:15).

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If it’s costly to follow Jesus, why bother? The answer is because of his promise of salvation and eternal reward. When their property was confiscated, those first readers stood firm because they knew that they had “better and lasting possessions” (34). The way of the cross is hard but it leads to life (Mk.8:34-35). “Blessed are those who persevere under trial because... they will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him” (Jas.1:12).

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(To dig a bit deeper into Hebrews 10:26-36 click here for some commentary notes.)