CHRISTIAN BELIEF
CHRISTIANITY OASIS HAS PROVIDED YOU WITH THIS CHRISTIAN BELIEF STUDY. MOST HAVE HEARD OF THE PHRASE CHRISTIAN BELIEF IN THE BIBLE ... BUT DO NOT KNOW EXACTLY WHAT CHRISTIAN BELIEF MEANS. DID YOU KNOW THAT CHRISTIAN BELIEF IS THE KEY INGREDIENT IN THE CHRISTIAN WALK? LET US SEEK AND FIND THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIAN BELIEF TOGETHER, SHALL WE?

THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS

CHAPTER 3

          Great to be back with you again with more Daily Bread to share! Now that Paul has shown the Hebrews how Jesus is above Angels, he moves on to showing them that Christ is to be more highly esteemed than Moses. The Hebrews had the ultimate respect for Moses, through whom God gave them the law, but Paul tries to get them to understand that respect for Jesus is even more deserved because through Jesus, God gave them Grace.

Therefore, holy brethren, members of the heavenly calling,

Think of Christ Jesus as the Apostle and High Priest of our profession,

who was faithful to God, who appointed Him,

as also Moses was faithful in all his house.

Hungry for a little Daily Bread Crumb? What is this “house” that Paul is talking about? Many times in the Bible, the word house is referring to a family including ancestors, descendants, and kindred.

For this man (Jesus) was counted worthy of more glory than Moses,

since as He who has built the house has more honor than the house.

For every house is built by some man;

but He that built all things is God.

And Moses truly was faithful in all his house,

as a servant, for a testimony of those traditions which were to be carried on;

But Christ as a Son over His own house;

whose house we belong,

if we strongly believe in the confidence

and the rejoicing of the hope (of salvation and everlasting life)

firmly until the end.

Remember at the beginning of the last chapter, Paul told the Hebrews, you shouldn’t forget the things you heard, or you may drift away from them. They may slip away from your memory. Now he urges them, Learn from your ancestors mistakes. He reminds them of a Psalm that David wrote, encouraging them to open their hearts and listen for God’s voice today. Recognize His ways today.

Hebrews 3:7

Today if you will hear His voice,

Did you HEAR what the Holy Spirit said ... You can HEAR His Voice TODAY ...

Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation,

in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

When your ancestors tested me, proved me,

and saw my works forty years.

For that reason, I was grieved (angry) with that generation, and said,

They do always err (go astray) in their heart;

and they have not known my ways.

So I swore in my wrath,

They shall not enter into my rest.

Psalms 95:7-11

What is His rest? Paul goes into explaining that in the next chapter, but let’s look at something else from this scripture. Can you feel the emotion in God’s words here? There are different kinds of grief, and this is the grief of a broken heart. It’s similar to the way He felt with people just before He sent the great flood. Disappointment, regret, sadness. Imagine being David getting this message from the Holy Spirit: I showed them my might and my power and my magnificence for forty years, and they still don’t even know me.

Therefore, listen closely, brethren,

lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief,

in turning away from the living God.

But encourage one another daily,

while it is called Today;

lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

For we have become partners of Christ,

if we hold the beginning of our confidence firmly until the end;

While it is said, Today if you will hear His voice,

harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

Keep the same kind of enthusiasm for your Faith that you had when it was new. Generally, when something is new to people, they’re excited about it, they’re passionate, they’re determined. But as time goes on, their interest begins to wane. Paul says, Don’t let that happen. Don’t fizzle out. Stay enthusiastic. Keep your confidence, your boldness, your spirit.

For some, when they had heard His voice, did provoke:

nevertheless not all rebelled that came out of Egypt by Moses.

But who was He grieved with for forty years?

Wasn’t it with them that had sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness?

And who did He swear to, that they should not enter into His rest,

wasn’t it to them that didn’t believe?

So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

          In the days of the Old Testament, those who wouldn’t listen to the Word that was delivered by Moses, were destroyed in the wilderness. They didn’t believe in the Promised Land, so they weren’t allowed to enter in. In today’s world, the days of the New Testament, the Word was delivered by Jesus Himself as Jesus is the Word of God John 1:1 and 1:14 ... The Promised Land is now everlasting life with Him. How do you get in? Belief in Him, belief in the promise of eternal life through salvation by His death! In our next study, we’ll open up Chapter 4 of Paul’s letter to the Hebrews and find out more about entering into God’s rest, right here at Daily Bread. Don’t miss it!