Hebrews by Conrad Hilario (2015)

Despite its unknown author and somewhat obscure background, the book of Hebrews opens with a bold and clear claim that God has spoken to humanity, first through the prophets and ultimately through Jesus Himself. God desires to reveal Himself to His creation, and Jesus is the exact representation of God's very nature. He is both fully God and fully human, and His incarnation demonstrates God's humility in a powerful example for Christians and non-Christians alike.

Jesus is superior to Moses because of His deity and position as God's son, and the author of Hebrews exhorts his audience to hold firmly to the grace that Jesus offers instead of Old Testament rituals. He also warns believers of the dangers of a hardened heart through the example of the Israelites' refusal to enter the Promised Land. It is never too late to return to God and experience His grace.

The author of Hebrews details the promise of God's rest, which is not a physical rest in this life or eternal rest in heaven but rather the act of trusting Christ to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. While the Israelites were promised God's rest in the Promised Land in the books of Exodus, Joshua, and Deuteronomy, New Testament Christians can experience God's rest in this life through actively placing their faith in the finished work of Christ.

Our relationship with God is not static, and Christians can fail to progress in their spiritual growth by refusing to listen to God and others' counsel in their lives. A growing Christian, on the other hand, is accustomed to the Word through study of the truths of the Bible and personal application of his or her knowledge. Growing Christians are also committed to understanding God's grace, as the author of Hebrews demonstrates by correcting his audience for returning to Old Testament rituals once again.

In the Old Testament, humans could only approach God through a high priest, a role that had to be fulfilled by a man descended from the tribe of Levi. God, however, prophesied through David that one day there would be a priest from the line of Melchizedek whose priesthood would be eternal, and Jesus is that high priest. Since Jesus is the perfect and eternal high priest whose priesthood replaced the old one, humans are no longer under the Old Testament law and can be rescued forever from their sin.

The author of Hebrews explores the nature of covenants throughout the Old and New Testaments. He explains that the covenant that Christians have with God is unconditional because of Jesus' sacrifice and that it is even better than the one established under Moses. The new covenant inaugurated by Jesus gives all people access to God through faith, is focused on the finished work of Christ, and creates a basis for internal change in believers. Furthermore, this new covenant through Jesus has rendered the old one obsolete, and Christians can now enjoy a permanent and unconditional relationship with God.

All religions feature rituals, but Christianity's rituals from the Old Testament differ from other religions in that their purpose is to pre-authenticate Jesus' mission. Besides being a shadow of what was to come with Christ, rituals also functioned as physical depictions of God's character for the Jews. The author of Hebrews details three specific aspects of these rituals to demonstrate Christ's complete fulfillment of them: the tabernacle, the role of high priest, and the innocent victim needed for the atoning sacrifice. Because of Jesus' fulfillment of the Old Testament system, we as Christians are freed from our moral guilt and no longer are obligated to follow the Mosaic Law.

Most people experience guilt at some point in their lives, and their experience leads them to a variety of responses: denying their wrongdoing, shifting the blame to others, or attempting to do more good deeds to outweigh the bad. Christians, however, can realize that Christ's once-for-all sacrifice has cleansed us from all of our sin and made us right in God's eyes. Jesus' death has made the Old Testament rituals obsolete, and to return to them is to deny the sufficiency of the cross.

Since Jesus has fulfilled the entire Old Testament Law and forgiven us completely through His own death on the cross, Christians have absolute confidence in approaching God and can experience eternal security as well. This open access to God should foster a love for others that includes thoughtful encouragement and making time to build close friendships, and this counter-cultural love is the basis for authentic Christian community.

The world presents faith as a form of wishful thinking based on emotions and human will. The biblical perspective on faith, however, is that it is an active choice to trust God based in facts and evidence. Science does not contradict biblical faith but instead affirms the creation account in Hebrews 11:3 and the need for a worldview that answers the bigger questions of life. Anyone can exercise biblical faith by starting a relationship with God or humbling themselves to trust in His plan.

The author of Hebrews presents three heroes of faith from the time before the Flood: Abel, Enoch, and Noah. Each of these three men demonstrated Biblical faith through their actions - Abel, through his sacrifice offered to God; Enoch, by walking with God for his whole life; and Noah by building an ark to save his family from the flood. It is clear through these historical accounts of Old Testament figures that God accepts only our faith for salvation and that trusting in God's promises is a sign of Biblical faith.

Abraham was an Old Testament figure who demonstrated biblical faith [Hebrews 11.1] throughout his whole life. He was called by God to leave his homeland to go to a distant country, he waited on God to fulfill His promise of a son, and he trusted in God enough to voluntarily sacrifice that same son to Him. Throughout all of these circumstances, Abraham clung to what was unseen, and his perseverance and trust in God influenced the course of human history as a result.

Joseph was a man whose life was characterized by both immense success and intense suffering. Despite the constantly changing circumstances of his life, he maintained his faith in God and adopted a godly perspective on his trials. Joseph's story serves as an example of how God can redeem even the worst circumstances to His glory and our benefit.

Moses was an Old Testament figure who demonstrated Biblical faith [Hebrews 11.1] throughout his whole life. Moses' parents valued God's approval rather than the approval of others, and Moses demonstrated the same faith by fearing God rather than Pharaoh during his time as leader of the Israelites. Moses also placed his trust in God when he led the Israelites through the Red Sea, an impossible situation to overcome if it were not for God's power.

God has given each Christian a unique role in His plan to reach those who do not know Him, and the author of Hebrews compares this plan to an individual endurance race that each person is running. While the race might be tiring and difficult, Christians are to resist the temptation to quit by fixing their eyes on Jesus, the forerunner who empathizes with Christians in their suffering. During this race, God disciplines Christians to refine their character and prove His love for them, and we can experience the benefits of God's discipline if we are willing to submit to it.

Christianity is centered on love, and this love is only possible through receiving the love that comes from a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This love is proactive and sacrificial, and healthy spiritual communities facilitate and encourage this type of love among members. However, this love does not stop with other Christians, but it should lead to loving those outside the church as well. Without a balance in these two arenas of love, churches will either be superficial or ingrown, and Christians must learn to accept God's love for themselves and then learn to love others.

God values marriage and sexuality immensely, and He desires for them to be honored by all. The Biblical view of sex and marriage, however, is incredibly different from the modern perspective in its definition, norms, and preparation for marriage and sex, and yet modern research demonstrates that the Biblical perspective is the only method that brings true fulfillment. Single Christians should seek to develop the skills necessary for a good marriage, and those that are married should work hard to maintain the health of their marriages as well.

The love of money is an addiction for most people in our culture, and unlike other addictions that are widely regarded as harmful, materialism is often celebrated and promoted instead. Christians, however, are not to follow the widespread cultural norms and perspective on money but should pursue an attitude of contentment. Contentment frees up Christians to enter into deep relationships, comes from a genuine sense of security in Christ, and results in true happiness and freedom.

As Christians, it is important to teach what the Bible teaches and emphasize what the Bible emphasizes, and churches that do not follow this principle often find themselves emphasizing esoteric ones instead. The central message of the Bible is the person and work of Jesus Christ, and a focus on Him will result in His grace strengthening our hearts.

Most American Christians view worship as a part of a church service with singing and praise. Genuine worship, however, involves allowing God to transform one's mind from the patterns of the world system and giving Him every part of one's life as well, and this form of worship is pleasing to God.