Having Confidence in Christ (Hebrews 3:14)
“We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first” (Hebrews 3:14)
In Christ we are built on a firm foundation. This foundation built the heavens, the earth and everything we see around us. He is the sole expression of God’s glory and holds the eternal position as Savior seated in the heavenly realm at the right hand of God the Father. As believers, we too have come to partake in Christ and all that He has for us if we hold firm until the end, the confidence we had at first.
Paul said in Colossians, “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him” (Colossians 2:6). The only way to receive Christ is by faith. Faith placed in what He did to restore and redeem you. Faith is the action of our convictions. When we heard the gospel message, our hearts responded in faith toward this message of grace. The book of Romans demonstrates this key principal, “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved” (Romans 10:8-9). What you are confessing is your faith in Jesus, this is a demonstration of the belief of your heart. Salvation is a combination of God’s grace and your faith placed in that gift of grace. Ephesians makes this very clear, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Since we received Christ by faith, we are to continue in the Him in the very same way. We start with faith and we will finish in faith. We are called to share in Christ holding confidently to the exact same faith that saved us. As believers, our life is a faith journey. Our faith grows and changes but the foundation remains the same and everything is built upon it. Christ is that foundation. We have come to partake in Christ, to share in everything that He has for us; but to do this we must hold in faith to the very end. Why because faith is the key that unlocks everything God has for us. This is why Hebrews says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and the he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). To receive you must believe and believing takes faith.
What an amazing truth to know in this life all we need to do is focus on Jesus. If we look toward him and continue in Him the exact same way we started we will be successful. We will be rooted and established on a foundation that is firm, unshakeable and able to present us before God pure and holy. The writer of Hebrews reminds us time and time again to focus our thoughts and attention on Jesus. Even the book of Hebrews wraps up with this reminder, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:1-3).
Tomorrow we will look at Hebrews 3:15-19; Unbelief Shut Them Out of the Promise Land