What is the meaning of Hebrews 3:14? We have come to share in Christ The writer says believers “have come”––a present reality. Through faith we are already joined to the Son: • “God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful” (1 Colossians 1:9). • “The Gentiles are fellow heirs… and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 3:6). • Peter speaks of becoming “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4). Sharing in Christ means: – Union with Him in His death and resurrection (Romans 6:4–5). – Access to His resources, love, and power (John 15:4–5). – A secure inheritance as “heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17). if we hold firmly The privilege just described is inseparable from perseverance. Scripture consistently ties genuine faith to steadfastness: • “We are His house if we hold firmly to our confidence” (Hebrews 3:6). • “By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you” (1 Colossians 15:2). • Jesus said, “If you abide in My word, you are truly My disciples” (John 8:31). Holding firmly is not a human achievement that earns salvation; it is the evidence that saving faith is real, the grip of a heart kept by God’s power (1 Peter 1:5). Practical ways to “hold firmly”: – Daily intake of Scripture. – Fellowship with believers (Hebrews 10:24–25). – Immediate confession of sin (1 John 1:9). – Remembering past deliverances (Psalm 77:11). to the end Perseverance has a finish line. The “end” may be the Lord’s return or our last breath, but either way Scripture calls us to endurance: • “The one who perseveres to the end will be saved” (Matthew 24:13). • “To the one who overcomes and continues in My work until the end, I will give authority over the nations” (Revelation 2:26). • Paul could say, “I have fought the good fight… I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). Endurance is fueled by: – Fixing our eyes on Jesus, “the pioneer and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). – Encouraging one another daily so that none is “hardened by sin’s deceitfulness” (Hebrews 3:13). the assurance we had at first True believers began with a vibrant confidence in Christ. The exhortation is to cling to that original certainty: • “You have forsaken the love you had at first… repent and do the works you did at first” (Revelation 2:4–5). • “Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to walk in Him” (Colossians 2:6). • “We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that your hope may be fully assured” (Hebrews 6:11). Assurance thrives when we: – Revisit the gospel often, preaching it to our own hearts. – Recall answered prayers and transformations God has already worked. – Celebrate the Lord’s Supper, a tangible reminder of covenant grace (1 Colossians 11:26). summary Hebrews 3:14 links present participation in Christ with ongoing perseverance. We already share in Him, yet that reality is verified as we keep clasping the gospel with the same confidence that first brought us to salvation. The call is clear: stay planted in Christ, press on until the finish, and keep your initial assurance burning bright—proof that you truly belong to Him. |
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