Have you ever felt like just quitting? Sometimes in a sport or game we played as a child, when it looked like we were losing, we might have been tempted to quit. Perhaps in college when a class was too difficult we wanted to withdraw and give up. There are more serious things that people are tempted to quit at as well, such as their job when it becomes unpleasant, or their marriage. People even give up on life. In our Scripture for today from the Book of Hebrews, we will read about some people who also were ready to quit.
The Book of Hebrews was written primarily to Christians from Jewish backgrounds, living in the land of Judea. These Christians faced a lot of animosity, hostility and persecution from other Jews who rejected Jesus as the Messiah. At this time in history, many Jewish Christians were cast out from their families. They were literally disowned by Jewish parents, divorced by spouses, and thrust out from their homes. Many lost their employment. Often the persecution got even worse. Life became very difficult for them.
When things become quite difficult, what do people often do? Frequently they give up, and this was what some of these Jewish believers were doing. The persecution was harsh, and their families and friends had turned against them. Many gave up their Christian faith and returned to the Jewish religion so that they might be taken back into their families, homes, and jobs.
The writer to the Hebrews in this Epistle gave those in the various churches in Judea who were considering doing this a warning not to return to Judaism. Throughout this Epistle, the writer was stressing how Jesus is superior to anything in Judaism. Now he was telling them to recall all that Jesus had brought them through, and the nearness of their coming reward. The writer stressed how displeased God would be if they did abandon their faith because of any persecution.
As we all know, hostility and persecution because of our faith is just as prevalent today as it was back in the first century, and it is not limited to those from a Jewish background. Many people today, from all different ethnic and faith backgrounds, experience varying degrees of animosity from family and friends when they accept Jesus. If it gets a little strong, some may feel like giving up. They do not want the scorn of their parents, spouse, or other family. They feel hurt when friends turn away from them. Though in most western nations loss of employment wouldn’t likely happen, it does in some countries where Christians are a minority. Like those in the first century, some may feel like giving up and abandoning their faith.
As this was happening to those from Jewish backgrounds in increasing numbers, the writer of Hebrews tried to bring encouragement to them to persevere in their faith and conduct when facing the persecution and pressure they were going through. He told them, and those today who may feel the same temptation, to not abandon their faith in times of persecution, but to show by their endurance that their faith was real. If they truly had accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior, they need to stand strong and not turn away in apostasy.
Apostasy is abandoning or renouncing one’s faith and beliefs, recanting what one had originally pledged a belief in. The opposite of apostasy is faith. Faith pleases God. If one turns away from their faith, or draws back, one must wonder if their faith was genuine to begin with.
The warning in our Scripture is that when we go through persecution and distressing times we not become tempted to give up and abandon our faith. We are told that this is no time to turn back, for we are closer than ever to our eternal reward. Hold strong to your faith in Jesus, for God is faithful to His promises.
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