The Confirmation of our Faith

Note: Nagpatuloy ang manunulat sa kanyang exhortation sa mga mananampalatayang ito, at bumalik ang author sa isa sa mga primary subjects niya, ang warning against apostasy. Nakita na natin ito sa chapter 6:1-8.

• The great divide between true believers and hypocrites is true repentance, and forgiveness is assured for repentant believers because of the perfect once and for all sacrifice of Christ.
• The immediate context of this verse is connected to verse 25, “not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some”
• The author shows here that while there is a real warning directed to both hypocrites and true believers, if apostasy has a tangible expression—“forsaking the assembling”—then true faith likewise has tangible confirmations.

Message: Because of the mercy and grace of God through the perfect sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ, even the warnings against apostasy are a grace to true believers, and this is confirmed through good works.

The sure punishment for the Apostates

Note: Ang sinasabi ng author dito ay may tiyak na kapahamakan sa mga taong ito (v.27)

• Ang mga salitang ito ay nasa konteksto ng Lumang Tipan, kung paanong pinilayas sila Eba at Adan sa Garden of Eden, tiyak na naranasan din ng mga Israelites ang parusa ng Diyos. (v. 28)
• “‘But the person who does anything with a high hand, whether he is native or a sojourner, that one is blaspheming Yahweh; and that person shall be cut off from among his people.” (Numbers 15:30 LSB)
• Ang sinasabi dito ng author, kung gaanong katiyak ang mga physical and temporal curses in the Old Covenant, mas higit at tiyak ang parusa sa mga tatalikod sa pananampalataya.
• Pero makikita natin ang unique nature ng Mosaic Covenant — it goes back to the broken Adamic Covenant, it points to the covenant curses that Christ received on the cross, and here, it points to the sure punishment for the apostates. (v. 29)
• Apostates can participate externally in the ministry of the Word, in prayer, and in the sacraments.

[John Owen] – “as in the fire and brimstone that God rained from heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah; in the final rejection of the Jews, and the dreadful overthrow of the city and temple by fire; in the eternity of the torments of impenitent sinners. In all these things, and others that seem to have any thing of the same kind with them, we shall need nothing to give the most full satisfaction unto our souls, if “we know him who hath said, Vengeance is mine, I will repay.”

Point: There is a sure punishment for all hypocrites within the Church!

[Sin to Mortify] – Individually, kung may mga kasalanan tayong inialagaan o itinatago… ito ay laging magkakaroon ng panlabas ng manifestation.

[Gospel Cure] – Ang ginagawa ng disiplina, ito ang gamot sa lahat ng ating pagkukunwari… At mga Apostates ay maeexpose. Subalit sa mga totoong mananampalataya, ito ay pag-ibig sa kanila ng Ama.

Challenge: Cultivate the habit of confessing sin both privately and corporately, because what separates us from the hypocrites is repentance.

The sure holiness for the Believers

Note: Sa kabila ng napakabigat na warning ng author from verses 26-31, nagbigay ang author ng mga confirmation na totoo ang kanilang pananampalataya.

• Maaaring may mga nakulong dahil sa paglabag nila sa utos ng Roman Empire, maaaring maraming nawalan ng trabaho dahil sa pagiging mananampalataya nila ni Hesu-Cristo, pero ang sinasabi dito ng author ay nakiisa sila sa paghihirap ng iba.
• Sa kabila ng mga paghihirap na ito ay lumago at nag-excel pa sila sa good works.

Point: Because of the perfect sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ, there is a sure holiness that results in good works.

• For something to be considered “good works,” it must be visible, especially when the beneficiaries are other people.

[Sin to Mortify] – Tandaan natin na ang pagtalikod ay hindi lamang nangyayari sa indibidwal na mananampalataya, ito ay nangyayari rin sa isang Iglesya na walang pag-ibig sa isa’t-isa.

Gospel cure/ Challenge: Because our good works are the confirmation of our faith, let us cultivate them with love for our fellow believers.

[Mark Jones, Good works and Rewards] – “The reason Christians can do good works is because of who we are in Christ. God has changed the Christian’s nature, produced faith in us, and enabled us to express our love for God through obedience.”