Mon, Nov 4th - 10:51AM

Fri, Nov 1st - 6:41PM

STUDIES IN HEBREWS

CHAPTER 13 VS 18-19

MORE PEOPLE WILL BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST AND GO TO HEAVEN THAN THOSE WHO WILL REJECT HIM AND GO INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE

Mat 7:13Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Mat 7:14Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Some interpret Mt 7:13-14 TO MEAN IN ERROR that Jesus teaches that most people will go into the lake of fire and not be saved. However, the scriptures make it clear that a false doctrine has been made out of these few verses.

Jesus was addressing unbelieving Jews of the flesh, who boasted of being righteous based merely on human genetics, along with those who claimed to be righteous on the basis of said faith with no evidence of love and obedience towards God. See  Mat 8.

It is blasphemous to willfully teach that Lord Jesus came to die on the cross, to leave most people lost and condemned to the lake of fire. The children of the devil sneak in amongst the saints in vain to pervert God’s word and turn the good news into toxic bad news that salvation is unachievable for most persons so most will die in the lake of fire: Luk 6:45.

 However, we know the eternal absolute truth is that salvation is the free gift of God to all that believe in His Son the only Saviour Jesus Christ: Salvation is forever un-earnable; un-buyable; un-repayable; un-returnable; un-changeable-irreversible.

The everlasting absolute truth, therefore, is that there will be too many people to count that will believe and enter into heaven. See and believe the truth of the inerrant absolute authority of scripture in the verses below, and many more than I can put here.

Mat 8:11And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.

Rev 7:9

After this I

beheld, and, lo, a GREAT MULTITUDE, WHICH NO MAN COULD NUMBER; of ALL nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

God commands us to test all teachings by scripture. It cannot be said often enough that scripture interprets/teaches scripture, proves, authenticates, and backs up scripture within the context of the whole of scripture from beginning to end without error AND WITHOUT ANY CONTRADICTIONS WHATSOEVER.

Those who unrepentantly reject the absolute truth and authority of the Bible are the enemies of God, wicked, evil, children of the devil, whom God will destroy along with the devil their father in the eternal lake of burning fire.

Brothers and sisters, family of God, love, peace, and blessings to you in the precious all-powerful name of Jesus Christ God the Son of God our Saviour, Great High Priest, Mediator, Head of the church, Lamb of God, Lion of Judah, Good Shepherd, Mighty God, Prince of peace, Everlasting Father, King of kings, Lord of lords, our First Love, the First Born of creation and from the dead to eternal life, Omnipotent Omniscient Omnipresent Potentate, Creator/Possessor of heaven and earth, Deliverer, Author of the New Covenant,  the sole Standard and Measure of all that is eternal life, love, truth, holiness and right standing in God our Father forever.

We know that God the Father has given every accolade, and praise that can be given in heaven and earth to Jesus His Son and has commanded the worship of His Son even as He the Father Himself is worshipped -showing the Son therefore is equal with God the Father who has both approved and accepted forever the atoning work of His Son: Mt 2:2; Jhn 5:23.

Dearly beloveds, we know that God has given us His Word our spiritual food that we should know, comprehend Him richly, deeply, and fully. Jesus paid with His life and rose from the dead that me you, us- all that believe in Him will have eternal life abundantly. Let us live His abundant life and enjoy the freedom that we have believed and received of Him: Jhn 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. (Gal 5:1; 2Co 3:17). See Gal 5:13.

We know, holy brethren, that God commands us all to take this gospel out to the world. Thanks be to God for the many brothers and sisters taking every opportunity to witness in this present evil world. We also know the monumental work of teaching scriptures to other believers is an on-going work for the whole body of Christ. There is no doctrine within the context of the whole of scripture that supports limiting the number of teachers in the body of Christ, because in the Old and New Covenants is found that God commanded all the people to teach, not just the guarding/guiding bodies of each Covenant. Of course, the church while not limiting teachers are commanded by God to employ all the gifts given to the church.

We know, amongst the multitude of mature overseers, that there are some new believers in the church and some for many years even in the pulpit who have never heard of the New Covenant. We must always be gracious with them, not be angry with them, knowing the righteous gladly receive the truth/correction of scripture, but the wicked never will.

Again, we don’t have to hunt for the ignorant, because they reveal it by their behaviors and what comes out of their mouths consistently showing their ignorance and error. 

We know for one example when we see a brother or sister dressed in sack cloth with ashes on their faces yelling angrily in the streets that the whole nation is sinful, under God’s curse and will be destroyed, we know that brother or sister although they are sincere, are wholly ignorant of God’s new finalized program of Salvation through faith in Christ, not the Law of Moses. 

We understand that God doesn’t get angry at us for being ignorant because none of us have to stay that way. God commands the scriptures to be imparted to all believers initially through being taught. The scriptures are not automatically known. With patience over time, we come to know and understand the Word of God. 

Raise your hand, brothers and sisters if any of you thank our God for the angels of the church- those overseers that faithfully/patiently and lovingly gave you the milk of the Word and over time weaned you off of it to build you up in the meat of the Word, to be established and share/live the whole counsel of God in the gospel in the world, and in the body without cherry picking any of it. I raised both of my hands a few times.

We know dearly beloveds that when we read/study the word of God that they are not just words on pages, this is our spiritual food because we are spiritual beings although we have natural physical bodies. We sit in the presence of God our Father with Lord Jesus the Bread of heaven who feeds us His word with the Holy Ghost our Teacher, by the will of God our Father guiding and opening up our understanding about Jesus in God, searching our minds, hearts, spirits to minister, comfort, give knowledge, admonishment, strength and understanding to us. No man nor woman can ever claim that their understanding of scripture comes from mere men. 

Whenever we are taught/share/teach/preach the gospel, it is God alone that opens up the Word and reveals Himself to us through His Word and Wisdom: Mar 4:14; Jhn 6:45; 1Co 1:30; 1Th 4:9; 1Co 3:19;  Eph 1:17;  Jas 1:5; 2Pe 1:21. 

Brothers and sisters, we return to the study finding Paul requesting prayer for himself and those with him: Heb 13:18 - Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.

Heb 13:19 - But I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.

Saints (G40 hagios), we realize that Paul’s conscience is absolutely clear. He boldly, confidently asserts the same confidence in those with him. God didn’t twist Paul’s arm or those with him to force them to serve God honestly. They obeyed gladly, willingly/patiently out of love and trust in God. 

God gives us a clear before Christ and after Christ record of Paul’s life and ministry which reflects the new man, who faithfully took heed to his ministry as a faithful apostle and follower of Lord Jesus Christ, although before his conversion he had been a terrible merciless persecutor of believers and a ravaging enemy of the gospel, it is the new man that boldly declares : 2Co 7:2Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man. 

In Paul’s farewell address to his brethren, he also boldly declares: Act20:25 And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. Act 20:26 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. Act 20:27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. 

Paul understood that much had been given to him and others. Therefore, they had the determination to give God a good return on the unspeakable riches of God given them through the gift of- His only Son Jesus Christ. Heb 13:19But I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner. 

Paul frankly expresses his great longing for his brethren. He yearns to be reunited with them and urges them to make it their utmost priority that God would return him to their fellowship quickly without delay. He is confident of his right to seek their intercessory prayer for himself and those with him. 

Paul strips himself naked in a spiritual sense before his brethren, certain, confident of his right to petition them to make intercessory prayer on behalf, of himself and those with him whose conduct and ministry was faithful and honest in word and deed to Christ, His people, and all men. We know that Paul is not bragging on himself or those with him, for he never fails to humbly thank God who strengthened him both to will and to do his work faithfully to the end: Phl 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Brothers and sisters, do we dare do as Paul has done in assessing the integrity/quality of his ministry as well as to mutually evaluate the ministries of those with him openly to the brethren? 

Holy people, at the end of the day,  we know that God commands us out of love and trust in Him to monitor, examine, scrutinize our own ministry and mutually the ministries of those among us, this is not to criticize, but to encourage and aid one another in being consistently faithful, and honest to the glory of God out of love and trust in Him, to receive a Good report in His sight, and before all men, and this we will most certainly do by the power and grace of God.

Love and truth forever, serola