Introduction
Last week, we have discussed that backsliding is not a good idea. Instead, we are to move on forward towards maturity. Stepping to the higher level of lessons, learning the lessons and then applying what we have learned.
Today, instead of backsliding, we will be talking on things that we are to give ourselves. Things that accompany salvation. Not that it gives salvation, but salvation accompanied by these things. Instead of thinking how to avoid backsliding, we will have a positive thinking on doing these things.
Working And Laboring Of Love
Working and laboring “with” love is different from working and laboring “of” love. The latter has the higher value as if we can never work and labor without that love in comparison to the first statement. The passage gave a strong emphasis that we are to work and labor with love as its driving force.
Indeed, love can do miracles, and in every good work, it is the basis of God's promise in the passage. The passage tells us that God sees it and that He is not unjust not to reward it. And how much more by taking the context of the passage that it talks about working for the “saints” and continously do so. God rewards it because it is as good as we are doing it in the name of our Lord.
As we can see here, God is teaching us how to give much favor to our fellow brethrens as much as possible. This is one of the things that we have to learn as Christians. Sometimes, even Christians do not even think on how they can help each other. And the passage tells us that we are to learn it for our own benefit.
One of the main strengths that other religious groups have is their unity and helping with each other. And sometimes, Christians does not possess this Biblical quality of brotherhood. Some of the examples where we can have an insight of this matter is starting a business.
For example, God gave us an opportunity to start a business. It is only rightful that we will be giving priority to employ our brethrens to have the job where he is qualified. This will not only help him but it is also as good as we are helping the Church, the body of Christ.
Diligence to The Full Assurance of Hope
The second thing that we need to learn is to be deligent for the assurance of what we are hoping, not turning to the left or to the right. To be deligent is to be careful, to be watchful in whatever we do.
The passage does not mean that the assurance of the hope is fading. Rather, the passage teaches us to be more watchful in everything we do that we may experience that hope in its fullness. Giving us peaceful and joyful life.
Last week, we talked about backsliding. I never saw someone who turns his back from the Lord after experiencing all the goodness of God and accepted Him (at least in the eyes of the witnesses), that he was able to attain the fullness of that hope. All of them perished miserably. Once you see a person who after experiencing the goodness of God turned his back on Him, just try to look at him if he does possess the authentic smile that you can see among the Christians.
Some claim it to be a kind of mental conditioning. But just try it, see if he still possess that authentic smile in comparison to the smile and the glow in his face when he is still abiding the Lord's way. Brothers, we have to hold on and be deligent of God's grace.
Imitating The Faithful
We all know that we have to imitate Christ. The context however, is that by helping each other, teaching one another about the heavenly things, we will all reach maturity and not fade away. This is why we have to do what other saints have done, epecially those who through faith and patience inherited the promise.
Note the two words, “faith” and “patience”. We can see a clear picture here that having faith and patience is inheriting what was promised. We have to be faithful in whatever situation we are in. We have to continue having faith in God even when others do not, even when others will not, and even if others cannot.
Along side faith is what we call patience. We have to understand that sometimes the working of the Lord is not automatic. Sometimes it takes time before we are able to receive the answer to his promises. Just like Abraham as he was promised to be the father of a great nation. It took him several years to wait for his son to be conceived. But with patience, he continued to have faith in God.
It took more than 40 years before the Israelites was able to claim the land of Canaan. The long awaited promise land was about to be given to the Israelites just right before they went out of Egypt. But because of their unfaithfulness and impatience, it led them to rebellion against God who gave them the promise. As a result none but two men among those who went out of Egypt was able to enter the promised land.
The passage is therefore telling us that just like those who have received that promised, we need to remain faithful and patient.
Conclusion
Our work should be out of love and such must be accompanied by due diligence and it is imitating the faithful.
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