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First, verses 26-31 give harsh warnings to believers who are thinking of returning to Judaism. Hebrews10:26 says,「If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left,」What did the author mean by receiving the knowledge of the truth? 1 Timothy 2: 4-6 says,「(God) wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.」(1 Timothy 2:4-6 NIV)
From this verse, we can say that the knowledge of the truth is, the knowledge that God wants all to be saved, and for that reason Christ became a mediator and pays for the Atonement. In fact, it is impossible for someone with the knowledge of the truth to sin even more.
Hebrews 10:29 says,「How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?」The Spirit of Grace guides us to faith in Christ. We also confirm at the communion that the blood of Jesus shed on cross is a sign of the new covenant. Considering this, returning to Judaism means denying the work of salvation on the cross that Jesus did. It is also a denial of the work of the Holy Spirit.
Christians are those who have the knowledge of the truth. Christians also live under the guidance of the Spirit. They are those who forgive others just as they were forgiven. Moreover, we serve God in awe, as verse 30 says, “The Lord will judge his people.” Let us remember these again.
Hebrews 10:35 says, 「So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.」As it says in verse 32, They were the ones who endured a great conflict full of suffering. They are those who have endured hardships and have continued to help believers who live in hardships, with the joy of believing in Christ and salvation. The author is speaking to these believers not to give up on their conviction. It is the conviction of salvation, the conviction of faith that Christ will come back again and give us eternal life. I believe that the eternal life is given to me so I live with the hope of heaven. I believe that this is a big reward waiting for us.
Verse 36 says,「You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.」God’s will includes the decision of faith in Jesus. And “what he has promised” include the eternal life. It says that we need to persevere to receive what he has promised. As we think of the word, “perseverance”, let us refer to Romans 5: 3-4. It says,「Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.」(Romans 5:3-4 NIV) Perseverance produces character, and this is God’s plan. God never gives us Christians a purposeless trial. Let us have this perspective of learning many things even from trials and to produce character through these challenges.
Hebrews 10:38 says, “But my righteous one will live by faith.“ This verse is a quote from Habakkuk 2: 4. God sees those who live in faith as righteous. Even in the middle of trials and difficulties, let us hold on to the word of God, have faith in heaven, and not to lose sight of our goals. We must not forget that every believer has lived a life of perseverance.
