5. ALL OUT — BUT NOT ALL IN

CHAPTER 5

 

 

ALL OUT — BUT NOT ALL IN

 

“Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling,

consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession,

Christ Jesus; Who was faithful to Him that

appointed Him, as also Moses was

faithful in all his house.”

(Hebrews 3:1-2)

 

 

AN indispensable rule in the correct interpretation of any passage of Scripture is to determine first to whom the passage is addressed. To apply what God has to say about believers to sinners will distort the entire meaning, and lead to confusion. Just one pertinent example will make clear what we mean. In Matthew 11:29 Jesus said:

 

“Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me;

for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye

shall find rest unto your souls.”

 

To apply this to the sinner for salvation will contradict the entire revelation of all other Scriptures which declare salvation as the free gift of God. The sinner is not saved by taking a yoke upon him. A yoke is the symbol of work, labor and toil. The sinner is not saved by working and carrying a yoke or bearing a cross. He is saved by faith in Christ. Paul tells us:

 

“But to him that worketh not, but believeth

. . . his faith is counted for righteousness.”

(Romans 4:5)

 

Taking the yoke of Matthew 11:29 is God’s invitation to saints. The invitation to sinners is in the previous verse:

 

“Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are

heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

(Matthew 11:28)

 

This is salvation for those who had been laboring and were heavy laden and struggling under their futile efforts to save themselves. These can find rest only by ceasing from their own labors, and just coming to Christ for salvation. But this is not the end, for something follows. To those who have come to Christ for salvation, He now says, “I want you to go further and go on to the ‘abundant life’ of victory in service.” You are saved by grace, but victory comes only by sacrifice. So now go on. Take the next step: “Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me.”

 

Now that you are saved, get busy and go to work, and you will find an additional rest and peace, over and above the “rest” of salvation. The “Come unto Me” of Matthew 11:28 is for sinners; the “Take My yoke upon you” is for saints who have already come to Christ for the “rest” of salvation. Failure to distinguish to whom the Scripture is addressed results in confusion, and as a result we have preachers urging people to work, give up things, sell all they have to give to the poor, as conditions of salvation, which is a denial of salvation by grace. Salvation for the sinner is by doing nothing but receiving the grace of God. And then works and progress must follow. How much of preaching is an unholy union of grace and works!

 

DON’T NEGLECT SALVATION

 

This rule must be applied in our study of Hebrews or we will be confused and find the Bible contradicting itself. We make no apology for repeating that the Book of Hebrews is addressed to believers, born-again, saved believers who had taken the first step of Matthew 11:28, but then had halted short of the life of victory and surrender of Matthew 11:29. They had remained babes who still needed milk. They were like their forefathers, out of Egypt forever, but never reaching the land of victory; instead they were dying in the wilderness. They had “neglected” their salvation (Hebrews 2:3); they had let their duties and responsibilities slip, and had “come short” of God’s best for their lives (Hebrews 4:1).

 

HOLY BRETHREN

 

To begin the study of Hebrews with the traditional preconceived idea that it was written to religious, unconverted professors who came short of salvation, is to be in a dense fog all the rest of the way, facing irreconcilable obstacles. These people addressed did not come short of salvation, but were in danger of coming short of a life of service and victory and rewards at the Judgment Seat of Christ. This is evident from the various ways in which they are addressed. And so Hebrews three opens as follows:

 

“Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers

of the heavenly calling . . .”

 

The opening word “wherefore” connects this verse with the preceding one. Because of what Jesus was and did and is, they are admonished to keep their eyes on Him, and Him alone, for victory. Notice they are called “holy brethren,” They were by no means sinlessly perfect in their walk, for then there would be no need or occasion to urge them to go on to perfection. They were “holy” in their standing in Christ through faith. Positionally they were holy, sanctified and separated unto God but in their walk they still came far short. But they were brethren just the same, and partakers of the heavenly calling. They were saved by the faith of Christ and are now urged to be faithful to Christ. The word translated “partakers” indicates the closest kind of relationship. It means to share, to be of the same substance. It is the same word translated “fellows” in Hebrews 1:9. Peter says we are “partakers of Christ’s sufferings” (1 Peter 4:13). Again he says we are “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4). Paul says that God “hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light” (Colossians 1:12). Or consider Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 10:17:

 

“For we being many are one bread and one body:

for we are all partakers of that one bread.”

 

When these Hebrews, therefore, are addressed as “holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling,” it indicates oneness with Christ, the most intimate and inseparable union as members of one body. What right have we then to say that the persons addressed in Hebrews were unconverted professors who had gone along with the Gospel, but fell short of being actually saved? We stress this point, for to make these Hebrews anything but born-again believers is to violate the simplest rules of grammar.

 

CONSIDER HIM

 

Furthermore, they are admonished to “consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus.” Jesus is not the sinner’s High Priest. Until the sinner has received Him as Saviour He cannot be anything else but his Judge — not his Intercessor. All that Christ could do for the sinner was done at Calvary, and until the sinner stops first at the Cross, He has no access to the Priest. Our Lord in heaven is powerless to do anything for the sinner until he comes first by the way of the Cross of Calvary. That is why Jesus in heaven does not pray for sinners today. His priestly work at the right hand of God is exclusively for saints. He did all He could do for sinners when He died for them, and until they come to Him as their substitute and Saviour, He cannot intercede or pray for them. He Himself said:

 

“I pray for them [believers]: I pray not

for the world, but for them which thou

hast given Me; for they are thine.”

(John 17:9)

 

He prays for His own that they may be sanctified and become fruitful. Because of His faithfulness to us, we are admonished to be faithful in our Christian service and walk. The faithfulness of Christ should be our motive for our faithfulness to Him,

 

“Who was faithful to Him that appointed Him,

as also Moses was faithful in all his house.”

(Hebrews 3:2)

 

An illustration is now introduced, and Moses is taken as an example. Moses is said to have been faithful in all his house. It is not said that he was perfect, that he never made a mistake, that he was sinless, but he was faithful. This faithfulness was as a “servant” of God. He was faithful,

 

“. . . for a testimony of those things

which were to be spoken after.”

(Hebrews 3:5)

 

While Christ is compared to Moses, this comparison is designed to show the superiority of the faithfulness of Christ over that of Moses. It is pinpointed by the use of two little words. Christ was faithful “as a Son over His own house [the house of God]” (Hebrews 3:6). “Moses was faithful in all his house,” as a servant. These Hebrew Christians revered and honored Moses, and were sorely tempted to put themselves back under the law of Moses, and therefore are reminded of the infinite superiority of Christ over Moses and of grace over the law. Moses, far from being perfect, was faithful in his testimony concerning the revelation of God. What he was told to write he faithfully performed. What he said could be depended upon by all in his house. So too (but in a much greater sense) we can trust the Word of Christ and rest securely upon His promises, for the same message which Moses wrote was fulfilled in the coming of the greater one than Moses.

 

The ｅxpression at the close of verse six has given trouble for many, in view of our salvation by grace.

 

“But Christ as a Son over His own house;

whose house are we, if we hold fast the

confidence and the rejoicing of the

hope firm unto the end.”

(Hebrews 3:6)

 

On the surface it seems that this verse indicates that the believer can ultimately be lost, for being the house of God is made dependent upon holding fast. However, this passage is not dealing with salvation, but with assurance, confidence and rejoicing in hope. The danger was not that these believers could lose their salvation, but they could lose their assurance, their confidence, their joy, and finally the reward for faithfulness. It is not “if we hold fast our salvation,” but if we “hold fast our confidence.” And this is in perfect harmony with the central theme of the epistle. These Hebrew Christians were hated and despised, looked upon as the refuse and offscouring of society, and were gravely tempted to go back to the easier path of compromise. If they surrendered their separated position and cut the corners and toned down their testimony, it might save them persecution and criticism. But in doing so they would lose their confidence, hope and assurance. They would put a stop to their growth in grace and like the Galatians slip back into legalism and remain in spiritual infancy. Instead of fainting under the testings and trials resulting from our faithfulness, we need to heed the words of Peter:

 

“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial

which is to try you, as though some strange thing

happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye

are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when

His glory shall be revealed, ye may

be glad also with exceeding joy.”

(1 Peter 4:12-13)

 

Look ahead to the glory and up to Jesus, and you will not go down in defeat. Christ’s faithfulness in saving us cost Him His life, and our faithfulness to Him also means paying the price. Remember, therefore, our salvation depends upon His faithfulness, but our rewards are dependent upon our faithfulness in holding fast our confidence, and rejoicing in hope firm unto the end. only an out-an-out Christian can have the full assurance and joy of salvation. There is no greater joy than to know one is in the will of the Lord, doing what pleases Him, and serving in the place where He wants one. It may not be an easy place, it may cost a great deal, but in the midst of it all is a deep, undisturbed peace in knowing, “I am where God wants me, and doing what He wishes me to do.”

 

HAVE YOU LOST SOMETHING ?

 

Have you lost that joy which once you knew? Have the temptations of life overcome you, and do you sometimes wonder if your salvation is real? Are you discouraged because of the little progress you are able to see in your life? Then let me give you the remedy, if sometimes you feel the price of faithfulness is too great.

 

1. First look back to Calvary and consider once again at what an awful cost you were redeemed. Look back at your life before you received Christ, when you were condemned, lost and on the way to an eternal hell. See what it cost Him to redeem you.

 

2. Now look up and see this same Jesus at the right hand of God, interceding for you, and offering you forgiveness for your neglect and failure, and assuring you that there is all-sufficient grace for every trial and test and temptation.

 

3. Look ahead and behold the same Jesus, waiting for the crowning day when He will return to reward His servants on the basis of faithfulness. Get your eyes off things and men and self, and

 

“. . . consider Him that endured such contradiction of

sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied

and faint in your minds.”

(Hebrews 12:3)

 

It is all a matter of perspective. It depends on whether you consider only the present, or have your eyes on the future. If only we can translate our present suffering and sacrifice for Christ into terms of eternity’s reward, we will be ashamed that we ever murmured or complained. If only we interpret the trials of the way in the light of the glory at the end of the road, all our troubles will melt away and with Paul we can say:

 

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this

present time are not worthy to be

compared with the glory which

shall be revealed in us.”

(Romans 8:18)

 

Oft times the day seems long,

Our trials hard to bear;

We’re tempted to complain,

To murmur and despair;

 

But Christ will soon appear,

To catch His Bride away,

All tears forever over,

In God’s eternal day.

 

It will be worth it all,

When we see Jesus;

Life’s trials will seem so small,

When we see Christ;

 

One glimpse of His dear face,

All sorrow will erase,

So gladly run the race,

Till we see Christ.

 

“Cast not away therefore your confidence,

which hath great recompence of reward.

For ye have need of patience, that, after

ye have done the will of God, ye might

receive the promise [reward]. For yet

a little while, and He that shall

come will come, and

will not tarry.”

(Hebrews 10:35-37)