DYNAMIS!
A publication of St. George Orthodox Christian Cathedral
Wichita, KS
Hebrews 10:35-11:7 (12/31) Epistle for Thursday
of the Thirtieth Week After Pentecost
Therefore: Hebrews 10:35-11:7, especially vs. 6: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him,
for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” The
therefore with which today’s Epistle begins (Heb. 10:35) opens the
conclusion of a group of readings that we have been considering from the early
portions of Hebrews. We have
meditated on the ineffable, unrepeatable blood-sacrifice of the Lord Jesus on
the Cross for our salvation, including its intentional connection with His
Incarnation in the flesh.
Herein, the Apostle speaks of our response to God’s
actions. The Lord has extended
ineffable favor to mankind. What
follows? a
therefore. Have we
heard the messages of the
First, the Apostle prompts us to receive the great
reward rather than draw back (vss. 36,39). Surrendering confidence is an enemy
against which to guard. To counter
the weakness of our flesh and the covert diversions of the enemy, we need endurance
(vs. 36)! Militating against us are
desires for immediate gratification.
The devils love to play on these.
Without endurance for “'...a little while...'”
(vs. 37), we will inevitably “...draw back to perdition...” (vs. 39). But,
if we take God at His word, eternal oblivion will not be our lot. Listen to the Apostle: those who trust God
will endure. In other words, those who assume that God is absolutely faithful
way beyond every kind of faithfulness known in this life. They will not draw back. They will save their souls. Therefore, be wise. Trust God, the certain One in Whom you may place confidence. “'...He Who
is coming will come and will not tarry'” (vs. 37).
Then, the Apostle has us consider what it means to
“'...live by faith...'” (vs. 38). Since “...faith is the substance
of things hoped for...” (vs. 11:1) - being the essence of what we hope for - it is not available
by proof to the senses. If you can touch, taste, see, hear, smell what you hope for, then
you have certainty, but not faith. Apostolic faith does not depend on what
the senses report, although there is “...evidence of things not
seen” (vs. 1), not yet realized.
For example: if a trustworthy representative of a reliable Person tells
us that the Person we expect “'...is coming...and will not tarry'”
(vs. 37), we are willing to act as if that Person is coming, and so, we
wait.
We express faith all the time in this earthly life. We accept the fact that “...the
worlds were framed by the Word of God...” (vs. 3),
although we did not see creation happen. We accept that the world is orderly and
consistent; and so we infer, from things seen, the hand of God that, out of
nothing, made everything that is.
The Apostle’s assertion rings true: “...that the things
which are seen were not made of things which are visible” (vs. 3), but
were created by God out of nothing.
God brought everything into being by His Word. He spoke and it was so.
Trust the Word Whom God has given,
the Word Who creates all things and holds all things in being. How else did Abel offer an acceptable
sacrifice to God (vs. 4)? What do
we make of Enoch not dying, but simply being “...taken away so that he
did not see death...” (vs. 5)? He pleased God by faith (vs. 5). What God asks is not beyond our ability.
God is a Rewarder of
“...those who diligently seek Him” (vs. 6). Therefore, let us receive the
Apostles’ proclamation of God’s creation and the luminous coming in
the flesh of Christ. Consider the
Lord Jesus’ amazing and wondrous life, His Crucifixion and glorious
Resurrection. Then, in faith,
prepare, like Noah, for the greatest of all salvations (vs. 7).
Grant us to know Thy love for all and make us like unto
Thee, O Lord our God.
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