Partakers of Christ (Heb. 3:14-15)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 01-18-03

 

My Worship Time                                                                  Focus:  Partakers of Christ

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                Reference:  Hebrews 3:14-15

 

            1.  Message of the verse:  “For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, while it is said: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.’”  (NKJV)  For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ.  But never forget the warning:  ‘Today you must listen to his voice.  Don’t harden your hearts against him as Israel did when they rebelled.’”  (NLT)

            I believe that the writer is again talking about the rest that the people of Israel missed because they did not enter into the promised land, and if you look at that spiritually for believers in the NT you will see that we will miss the rest of walking closely with the Lord if we do not believe like those given as an example here.  The NLT shows this more clearly.  It must be noted again that the people that the writer is writing to were Jewish believers who were tempted to go back to Judaism, which is similar to those who died in the wilderness, and wanted to go back to Egypt, but God would not allow it.  Verse 15 is again a quote from Psalm 95: 7 & 8, (I believe verse 16, is from Psalm 95:8).  In this section the writer emphasizes the word rebellion (verses 15-16) while the first time he quoted this he was emphasizing the word “today.”  He presents the theme of obedience by using the opposite words to begin this theme.  The opposite of obedience is rebellion.

 

2. Spiritual meaning for my life today:  As a believer in Jesus Christ I need to learn about the warnings that the writer of this book is explaining so that I do not follow the bad examples that the infant nation of Israel followed by disobeying the Lord after the wonderful miracles that He did for them to get them out of bondage.  He did an even greater miracle to get me out of the bondage of sin, therefore I must live my life for the cause of Christ because of the great love that He has for me.

 

The Word of God brought needed teaching to me and was a wonderful learning experience.

 

 

 

Memory verse for the week:  Ehp 2:10 & Mark 12:30

 

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which He prepared in advance for us to do.

 

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.