SPIRITUAL STEADFASTNESS - 3

DANGERS OF NOT BEING STEADFAST - APOSTASY

God used the inspired writer of this epistle to the Hebrew to reveal the Person, position and perfection of Jesus Christ. Christ has already been revealed as the powerful Son of God, declared to be God's full Revelation to mankind, as the appointed heir of all things, the Creator of the World, the Brightness of God's glory, the express Image of God's person who is much better than the prophets. From our text, Christians are called to maturity and perfection before exposing them to deeper revelation. Truth is precious. 

We must be willing to leave the baby stage of Christian experiences if we desire deeper things from God. We must grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord. The Scripture makes it clear that there is danger and possibility of Christians backsliding, degenerating into apostasy and loosing their souls. The Hebrew Christians had suffered persecution and some of them were in danger of turning back from Christ. They needed encouragement to endure to the end.

1. PRESSING ON TO GLORIOUS PERFECTION

The Hebrew Christians had earlier been rebuked for being perpetual babes and their slow progress towards maturity. The writer desired that they would grow up to maturity. We are not to remain in the elementary stages of being saved but to move on to perfection and usefulness in God's service. Now, he challenged them: "let us go unto perfection". Just as parents want their children to grow, God also wants us to grow in knowledge, holiness, faith, character, endurance and usefulness.

The phrase "let us go into perfection" means to cease to remain in the state of babes and never rest until you are mature and capable of being a teacher and exercising all senses of righteousness. God called Abraham to perfection. He has made provision for every believer's perfection in Christ through His word.

Believers are expected to have knowledge of repentance from dead works; faith towards God, baptism, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. These fundamental doctrines are still part of the whole counsels of God that would make us grow up to perfection. Many believers remain in the baby stage for many years. They preach and believe salvation but neglect consecration, sanctification, sacrificial love, separation from the world and all its entanglements. Our will must be yielded and surrendered to God such that we are willing to do only what God permits by His word and Spirit if we are to grow. Our lives must be surrendered to God for necessary correction.

2. DESCRIPTION AND DAMNATION OF APOSTATES

Verses 4-8 of our text presents an important truth that many believers fail to understand. Some bible teachers misinterpret it so as to convince themselves and others to keep their false hope of  of sinning, backsliding, rebellion and mere church-going. These scriptures speak clearly of the impossibility of the restoration and salvation of apostates. The danger of apostasy, that is falling away from and rejecting the faith, is frightening.

Apostates are backsliders who fall away from the faith and become rebellious and blasphemous against God and Christ. The apostates were once enlightened; tasted of the heavenly gift; made partakers of the Holy Ghost; tasted the good word of God and the power of the world to come. The Scripture says after they had known the Lord, they later backslide to the point of denying Christ. Although it is rare, apostates do not take a single leap into apostasy but many steps that eventually lead to that state.

First, backsliding and repeated backsliding. 

Second, deliberate rejection of God's word and mercy.

Third, love for deceit and false doctrine. 

Fourth, denial of Christ and His atoning sacrifice.  

Fifth, preaching of error and doctrine of demons.

In their apostasy, they close the door of eternal life against themselves and seal their doom. Rejection, cursing and burning are words used to describe the doom and damnation of apostates. Backsliders and apostates are warned and reminded that. Those who fall away from the faith will finally go away into everlasting punishment if they fail to repent.

3. DECISION TO FOLLOW CHRIST TO THE END

There is no doubt that the people being addressed in this epistle were Christians. They were addressed as "beloved" so they would not be drowned in the fear of backsliding and falling away. Now the inspired writer shows that he believed that they were saved and that they would inherit the blessings that accompany salvation. He spoke about labor of love, assurance of hope and faith. 

These three qualities make us know that they were saved. Believers need both warning and encouragement. Warning alone may close our eyes to the reality of God's grace and power to keep us till the end. It may drive us to relying on our own insufficient strength. On the other hand, encouragement alone may lead us to taking God and His promises for granted, to the point that we think we are doing God a favor by remaining in the faith. The faithful leader must maintain a balance between warning and encouragement. There is no question about the faithfulness of God.

The question is how much faith do we have in God?

SPIRITUAL STEADFASTNESS - 2

To achieve spiritual steadfastness, the first and most important principle is the principle of endurance. Let us look at the framework.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV)

What does this passage ask us to do? Two things – and the first is the most important because it is what powers the second!

First – Simplify

We must lay aside every weight and sin.

Sin must be dealt with, that is, eliminated – clear and easily acceptable. We cannot play around with sin, it must be gone. Note however that this can be achieved by the sole help of the Holy Spirit in us, and not by our self efforts. We know that He will take away our imperfections as we place our faith in him.

Also – every weight that keeps us from moving strongly ahead must be dealt with. Distractions must go. Anything that produces a conflict with following Jesus and leading a kingdom life must be abandoned.

Our lives are to have no encumbrances or complications.

We must evaluate every weight by Jesus’ standard not ours. Think about Mary and Martha. When Jesus and his disciples visited. Martha was busy preparing the table and the food – important by our standards. Mary was sitting at the feet of Jesus – important by Jesus’ standards!

When it comes to steadfastness, there are no priorities. We are to have just one priority – run with endurance the race that is set before us. If we have multiple priorities we have not laid aside every weight. Our entire life must be devoted to running the race.

Second – Endure

We must run the race, never stop, never let up. Endurance is easier when you simplify.

Following Jesus all the way means, doing kingdom work he’s called you to. It means embracing Jesus as our example.

He is the founder of our faith. Every day, we must look to his life, his example, his teaching, his death and resurrection and his ongoing ministry through the Holy Spirit.

Jesus is the perfecter of our faith. There was no shortcoming in him and we need to look to no one else. He is the complete picture of what a life of faith is.

He endured shame – death on the cross. It was a criminal’s death, without dignity, public and painful.

Jesus endured these trials with joy because he was focused on the reason for the cross and the glory after the cross.

How do we simplify and endure?

There are five things that you must do in order to simplify and endure. Understand these five things are not one and done – they are part of a continual lifestyle of the kingdom. You must know that the kingdom of God is not cheap. In other words, you must continually engage in these five things.

Repent

Repentance simply means a change of mindset. This means you completely give up everything that keeps us from living a life of spiritual steadfastness. It starts with distractions – complete and total repentance means you will no longer put kingdom activities secondary. You must repent of attitudes and the busyness and distractions that weigh you down.

Inventory

Take some time, pray, and discover everything you are doing that is unnecessary and hurting your spiritual progress.  Ask this question: What am I doing that is not in line with my faith in Christ? More questions you can ask at this point: Why am I doing this? Why do I watch this? Why does this seem important?

Eliminate

If you aren’t willing to eliminate, you haven’t really repented. Yeou must get rid of activities that detract, attitudes that hurt, obligations that encumber and possessions that demand. Remember all these things can and will hurt your steadfastness.

This is hard but you can do it – especially as you make it part of a lifestyle that includes all five steps.

Fortify

Do the things that strengthen you spiritually. Start with these three:

1. Pray: Every prayer you make strengthens your relationship with God. Worship as you pray. Ask for insight and be sure to pray for others.
2. Spend time in the word: Really read your Bible. Study it and hide its words in your heart – memorize scripture.
3. Fellowship: Spend quality time with other followers of Jesus. There is great mutual encouragement and accountability with you do this.

Reproduce

Simply help others through this process. By bringing someone along, we stay committed to the process ourselves.

If you want steadfastness you must endure! By continually working these five things your steadfastness will grow and your spiritual health will vastly improve.

In the final part, we shall discuss the final principle aside endurance.

Amen. 

SPIRITUAL STEADFASTNESS - 1

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord." 1 Cor.15:58

Steadfastness is an essential principle in the kingdom of God. There can be no success nor prosperity in your spiritual life when this principle is wanting. The Psalmist said, "My heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord." This is true steadfastness, when your heart is fixed on the things pertaining to the kingdom. It is cleaving to God, let the storms rage as they may. It is resting and abiding in Jesus though the trials of life may be the severest possible. It is a firm, fixed, settled decision to abide in doctrines of the Bible. It is to rest confidingly upon the teaching and promises of the Holy Scriptures. Just as a man lies confidently down to rest upon his bed, so a believer, in his steadfastness, rests confidingly, rests without fear, upon the never-changing Word of God.

Now, we must understand that through Jesus Christ, we are made partakers of the divine nature. We received the imprint of divine character in our spirit. Among the different principles in the character of God is found steadfastness. When God delivered Daniel from the lions, Darius the king said, "I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and steadfast forever." Dan.6:26. If God is steadfast and we have his DNA as a believer, then we ought to manifest this attribute as true sons and daughters.

Just as the believer's fortitude is noble, manly, and pleasing to God, so a lack of steadfastness is ignoble, unmanly, and highly displeasing to God.

Some (it may be many) are led by their feelings. We, as the children of God, are to be led by the Spirit of God; but not all fully understand what is meant by "being led by the Spirit." I would rather be led by a sense of duty than by my feelings. You must understand that in order to be led by the Spirit we need always to have a strong inward impression or almost audible voice speaking to us. The Spirit of God has illuminated the Word and enlightened our mind as believers to know what is our Kingdom duty; hence when you go forward and discharge your duties faithfully, you are truly being led by the Spirit. You know it to be your duty to help the poor, to support the weak, to comfort the sorrowful, to witness for Jesus, to study the Scriptures, to pray, and diligently to follow every good work for kingdom advancement. You may sometimes feel a strong impression to pray, but you do not need to have this feeling always in order to be duty -bound to pray. It is your duty to pray, to give of your means, etc., oftentimes just as much when you do not feel impressed to do so as when you have strong inward impressions. You do not need to wait for such impressions before you act, for a knowledge of your duty makes you responsible.

A man can have no true steadfastness who is influenced by his emotions or impressions. The man who is steadfast, unmovable in the Word, goes forward to a discharge of his known duties, no matter what his feelings may be. Whatever may be his impressions to do a certain thing, if it is not consistent with the Word and the Spirit and his knowledge of right, he persistently refuses to obey.

How the true principle of steadfastness abides in the will of God and the doctrines of Christ is demonstrated in the teachings of Barnabas to the church at Antioch. There was some contention in the church over circumcision, and heavy persecutions from without, and many were being moved from the true faith. Barnabas exhorted that with purpose of heart they cleave to the Lord. Steadfastness is a firm, fixed purpose of the heart to cleave unto God, to attend strictly and promptly to every Kingdom duty. It is a decided, unchangeable, unshaken purpose of the heart to obey implicitly the teachings of the Christ, regardless of the feelings.

You will find that, if you attend to every Kingdom duty, you will often have to go contrary to your feelings. How often the enemy of your soul will, if he can, cast indifferent feelings over you concerning prayer. That is the time to show your fortitude and steadfastness. It is weakness and laziness to neglect prayer simply because we do not feel inclined to pray. To yield to indifferent feelings is to encourage them, and they will grow stronger and stronger, so that we shall feel less and less inclined to pray. The more we pray, the more prayerful we feel; likewise, the less we pray, the less prayerful we feel. When we have yielded to indifferent feelings for sometime and have sadly neglected prayer, we have a hard struggle to get through to the glorious light and victory and sweetness. But you must get out where the blessings fall; you must get where you have sweet tastes of love and the satisfying blessings of the presence of God. You must be courageous, manly, and decided. The way to enjoy serving God and doing our full Kingdom duty is always to do our duty and especially at those times when doing it seems to be the least enjoyable.

Next, we shall consider the framework or structure for STEADFASTNESS. What you and I need to know and follow to achieve this spiritual attribute.

Amen.