Hebrews 6:9-12

Hebrews 6:9-12 Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case — things that accompany salvation. 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. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

1 John 4:20-21 We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.

1 John 5:1-5 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

Love and work accompany salvation. People who claim to know Jesus Christ yet do not become more loving, caring, and sensitive to the deceptions of sin, either do not know Jesus Christ or are very carnal Christians. Christianity should make all things new. Old things should pass away; new ways of acting, thinking, and talking should become part of our born-again lives IN CHRIST. The Holy Spirit always brings a new way to look at life and a new way to think. If we remain in our former lives of self and sin, we are not allowing the Holy Spirit to change us, to open a new life to us. Over the years, I have watched some people joyously accept Jesus Christ as Savior and then for various reasons, sink back into the despairing ways of their old lives. They return to the beggarly aspects of a sinful and fruitless life, forsaking the abundant life God has prepared for them. Rather than maturing so others can depend upon them, they wallow in immaturity with only a modicum of Christianity in their lives. But there is a better life, one of enduring faith regardless of the circumstances and conditions of life. This life of faith overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.

The author of Hebrews encourages readers to stand tall in an alien land by imitating those who through faith and patience inherit what God promised. We should not become lazy, going back to the familiar and living lives of defeat; instead, we should place our whole trust in Jesus Christ, knowing He will bring us victoriously through this life. He will make our lives fruitful as He changes us and as we fix our thoughts upon him while listening to the Holy Spirit within us. HIS LIFE IS REAL. He does guide his beloved. He truly comforts the comfortless. He actually adopts us into his family. But, if we faint, we lack faith. If we ignore the Holy Spirit's words, we will seek the old life, falling back into the same unprofitable mistakes that filled our lives with sin. Now, James says, I know your faith and love by your works. People with enduring faith reveal God's work by what they do and say. If the world identifies you as no different from them, then your faith is not evident; your words, actions, and activities should provide a contrast with the world. If you walk in the light, God is not unjust; he will not forget your work of helping others and loving him. Not only will the world see the difference in you, God sees and rewards you accordingly.

Christians often take comfort in the scripture: If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. Since we do not hate anyone, we assume this scripture misses us. But scripture teaches that anyone who places himself above his brother and does not prefer him over himself is not like Christ. Our love must be perfect. Anyone who does not love his brother (as he should), whom he has seen, cannot love God (as He should be loved), whom he has not seen. We cannot continue to treat people as we would not want to be treated, yet claim we are in the center of God's will as his faithful servants. We should view life from a Christian perspective. Jesus commanded us to love and serve others (our neighbors, family members, strangers, and enemies) as we want to be loved and served. If our flesh says, "Serve me, do as I say," we reflect the darkness of the self-world. Jesus says, "I must wash your feet; I MUST SERVE YOU." This should be our perspective for Christ-like living. Hebrew teaches us to embrace God fully and to love as He loves. God does not forget works of righteousness because those who perform such works act as his Son would act. He richly rewards his good and faithful servants for they bring light into a VERY DARK WORLD.