The Letter to the Hebrews cycles back and forth between recalling God’s great saving acts and warning us not to break faith (all is lost for those who don't practice persevering trust in Christ—note “if” in 3:14).
In light of the glorious saving initiative of the Lord, and in keeping with his firm warnings not to jump ship, Hebrews has an array of instructions to true believers indicated by “we must” and “let us.” Such as:
- Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it (2:1, ESV).
- Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it (4:1).
- Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession (4:14).
- Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need (4:16).
- Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,… (6:1).
- Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith,… (10:19-22).
- Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful (10:23).
- 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,… (12:1).
- Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,… (12:28).
- Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured (13:13).
- Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God,… (13:15).
Notice the prominence of “since” and “therefore” and “then” along with these commands. Such connecting words are vitally important! Christian, do what you’re told to do out of glad dependence on, and humble gratitude for, what God has done first! Put your faith to work (real faith yearns for this), BUT remember to do so with a constant awareness that our acceptance by God as well as any shred of right action to express our faith are always rooted in the grace of his prior saving, sanctifying initiative.
There's a universe of difference between the biblical commands (based as they are on the "therefore" of God's saving intervention) and any other kind of ethic: apart from God's grace, the demands of religion degenerate into a lifeless moralism.
We receive all God’s gifts in empty hands—let them be hands of thankful faith. And let the joy of this grace catapult us into glad obedience!
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