Paul's letter to the Hebrew Christians contains some key words and phrases that give us an insight into the book's powerful message. This article examines two of these keys -- Better and Let Us.
"Having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they." {Hebrews 1:4} This shows our Lord's superiority to the angels in heaven.
"But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner." {Hebrew 6:9} God expects better things of His children. He expects us to remain faithful, to work and labor in love. His son shed His blood to provide the remedy for our sins. Without it, we would still be lost (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8). Ought we not to be better people who do better things.
"Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better." {Hebrews 7:7} When Abraham returned from the slaughter of kings, he gave a tenth to Melchizedek, the king of Salem, who then blessed Abraham. The one who blessed (Melchizedek) was greater than he who received the blessing (Abraham). This is true because, like Christ, Melchizedek's priesthood was unending. This was also so in the case of Isaac and Jacob (Genesis 27:27-29). And it was true when Christ blessed His apostles before He ascended to the Father (Luke 24:50,51).
"For the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God." {Hebrews 7:19} The Law of Moses did not provide for men the measure of hope they receive in Christ. Jesus brought a divine, everlasting remedy that enables man to draw near to God.
"By so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant." {Hebrews 7:22} The covenant of Christ is far better than the Old Covenant given by God, through Moses, to the nation of Israel. Christ's covenant is universal, not for just one nation.
"But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises." {Hebrews 8:6} Our mediator is Christ Jesus, "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time." {1 Timothy 2:5,6} His covenant has much better promises -- forgiveness, redemption, and freedom from sin's spiritual bondage. "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more. In that He says, 'A new covenant', He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away." {Hebrews 8:12,13}
"Therefore it was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these." {Hebrews 9:23} Christ's sacrificed blood was better than animal blood because it needed to be offered only ONCE!
"For you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven." {Hebrews 10:34} The Hebrew brethren understood the value of what they had in Christ Jesus and knew it would endure longer than the earthly possessions they sacrificed.
"But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them." {Hebrews 11:16} Heaven is the greatest reward that God has promised to those who love and serve Him. Nothing I could possibly hope to have here could compare with an eternal home in heaven. Life's blessings, which are fleeting and temporal, do not compare to heaven's delights.
"Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection." {Hebrews 11:35} The resurrection under consideration here is the resurrection of the just on the final day. That resurrection will be better than would have been the deliverance offered to the men and women (of Hebrews 11) had they been willing to renounce their allegiance to Christ Jesus.
"God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us." {Hebrews 11:40} This probably refers to the better promise, the better mediator, better covenant, and better reward that await the faithful. Only through Christ's life and death can we, or those faithful mentioned in Hebrews 11, receive the promise.
The book of Hebrews offers many exhortations to encourage us to do certain things. Each begins with the words, Let Us:
"Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it." {Hebrews 4:1} The Hebrew writer is warning his readers not to fall through unbelief, as did God's people who were disobedient to the Law given through Moses.
"Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience." {Hebrews 4:11} They who wish to enter the rest prepared by God for those who love Him must be committed to Him and must practice self-discipline.
"Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession." {Hebrews 4:14} Could it be that we could lose our confession of faith? This verse demonstrates the importance of continuing, throughout our lives, to be faithful to God's word. What does this do to the doctrine of eternal security? If one must hold on to something, it goes without saying that it could be taken from him!
"Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." {Hebrews 4:16} If we are obedient to God's commands, in times of need we can approach the throne of His mercy with trust and confidence.
"Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God." {Hebrews 6:1} God's child must continue to grow and mature. Status quo is unacceptable. The danger of allowing apathy to take over is ever present. Christians cannot remain spiritual babes and please God.
"Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water." {Hebrews 10:22} By obeying God's plan of salvation and having our sins washed away (Acts 22:16), we can have full assurance of faith in God and His promises.
"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." {Hebrews 10:23} Again, we must question the notion that "once saved is always saved." Is it a Bible doctrine? We must not waiver from our hold on hope! What could cause hope to begin to dim? What about becoming unfaithful and going back into the world? "For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning." {2 Peter 2:20} Hope must be held tightly!
"And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works." {Hebrews 10:24} This passage speaks of the Christian's duty to provoke his brethren to do good works for the Lord. In the next verse, we are told how this is accomplished -- "not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together." (Hebrews 10:25) By not attending the assembly, we fail to "stir up" our brethren to be better, more committed Christians. They know we could, and should, be meeting with the saints but have chosen to be elsewhere. Sadly, the lack of attendance on the part of many brethren encourages less commitment in others and allows apathy to take hold. If we aspire to be in heaven with the saints throughout eternity, what explanation can we give God for not wanting to be with them three hours a week here on earth?
"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." {Hebrews 12:1} Sin's weight drags down the soul as it journeys along life's path. Endurance runners wear weights on their ankles as they go about training for long races. Wearing the weights increases the strength in their ankles and legs. Then, when they run the big race, they remove the weights, and running is much easier. Too often, Christians do not remove their weights. They continue to carry their sins with them as they run life's race for Christ. And it's a long race. We never know when it will end. If we don't deal with our sins quickly, they impede our ability to run with patience the race that is set before us. If you're having difficulty living your life for Christ, maybe you need to take off some "spiritual weight."
"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire." {Hebrews 12:28,29} The one who lacks a healthy respect for Him and His word cannot faithfully serve the God of heaven. God's grace places us in a position where we can know proper godly fear. But grace alone cannot save us. We must apply its teaching in our lives. "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age." {Titus 2:11,12}
"Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name." {Hebrews 13:15} Under the Old Law system, the priests offered sacrifices on behalf of the people. Under the law of Christ, each Christian is a priest. "You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." {1 Peter 2:5} We must offer up the kinds of gifts that bring glory and honor to God's high and Holy name. Many religious people believe that God will honor and accept anything we do as long as we have good and sincere hearts. Such is wishful thinking. God left a pattern, blueprint, and model of what brings Him glory and honor. Only by offering the gifts authorized in His word can we ensure their acceptability.
All of these exhortations in the book of Hebrews were written to encourage those Christians to continue in the faith of Jesus Christ. They were under intense persecution, and these words helped them to know that the things they endured for the cause of Christ were not endured in vain. This is still true for us today. We continue to exhort one another to faithfulness in Christ that we may all obtain the reward. We, too, must avoid the mistakes made by those who lived in the past.