Matters of Responsibility

 

“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. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”                                                                                                 -- Hebrews 10:22-25

 

What great privileges of grace we enjoy in Christ! The triune God has covenanted to save us! The Son of God has redeemed us by his own precious blood! We are forgiven of all sin, sanctified by the grace of God, and given permanent access to and acceptance with the holy Lord God in Christ. Being made the recipients of such grace by the power and grace of God the Holy Spirit, by whose saving operations we now believe, we are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ. With such great privileges come great responsibilities. Here the Spirit of God shows us some of our responsibilities as God’s people in this world. They are responsibilities relating to ourselves, to our God, and to one another.

           

Draw Near

 

Let us draw near to God (v. 22). Let us ever come to our God in prayer and praise with honest, open and sincere hearts. He will receive us, for our hearts have been sprinkled with the blood of Christ and our bodies have been washed or purified by his Spirit through the Word and by the power of his grace.

 

            A true heart, wrote old John Trapp, is “a heart truly and entirely given up to God, delighting to do his will, desirous rather that God’s will be done than our own, that he may be glorified though we be not gratified, acknowledging the kingdom, power, and glory to be his alone.”

 

If our hearts are true, if we truly trust Christ alone for the whole of our everlasting acceptance with God, we can and shall come to him with “the full assurance of faith,” being confident of acceptance with him because of Christ’s finished work.

 

This assurance is altogether a matter of faith in Christ. It is based entirely upon the work of redemption accomplished outside our experience. Yet, it arises from the experience of grace in our souls. It is the result of having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience. We enjoy this blessed assurance by having the witness of the blood of Christ in our hearts (1 John 5:7-14), having our bodies washed with pure water, that is to say, being born again by the Spirit of God.

 

Hold Fast

 

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering: (for he is faithful that promised)” (v. 23). It is our responsibility to continue steadfast in the faith of the gospel, because God is faithful. We must allow nothing to turn us aside from Christ (Phil. 3:4-14). Whatever the trial, the fear, the doubt, or the trouble, let us believe God. “Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it” (1 Thess. 5:24).

 

Consider One Another

 

As we make our pilgrimage through this world of woe, let us ever consider one another (v.24). Let us ever consider and be considerate of one another, both as frail, fickle, sinful men and women, and as brothers and sisters in Christ, companions in the grace of God, companions in tribulation, and companions in this hostile world. If we make it our business in life to love one another and care for one another, we will have less time to complain of being neglected. If we will each consider one another, that will help to kindle and rekindle love and grace in others.

 

Public Worship

 

Let us never forsake the assembly of God’s saints in the worship of our God (v. 25). This, too, is a matter of urgent, pressing responsibility. It is the blessed duty and great privilege of believers to meet together for worship, praise and fellowship. We ought never take this for granted.

 

Our great God has appointed it, approves of it, is glorified in it, and deserves to be worshipped. We need to be edified, instructed, refreshed, and comforted. Others need to be convinced, converted and brought to a knowledge of Christ. – There are yet some sheep who must be called. This is the place where our Lord has promised to meet with his people (Matt. 18:20; Ps. 122:1-9; 133:1-3).

 

            The assembly of God’s saints for public worship, the gathering of God’s people to hear his Word, seek his face, and sing his praise is prominently set before us in the New Testament as a matter of great privilege and great responsibility. When God’s saints come together in the name of Christ, that assembly is “the house of God” (1 Tim. 3:15). It is “the temple of God” (1 Cor. 3:16). It is a “habitation of God through the Spirit” (Eph. 2:23). This is the place, the only place, where the Lord God promises to meet with, speak to, and instruct his people. Nothing is more important for the spiritual health and well-being of our souls than the assembly of the saints for worship.

December 16, 2001

 

Will we ever learn that the plain statements of Holy Scripture alone must be the basis of our faith and practice, not the tortuous deductions of depraved minds, not the self-promoting creeds of denominationalism, and not traditions of the “church fathers.” It is the revealed will of God in Holy Scripture that is and must be, our solitary rule in all things. All our doctrine, all our ordinances of divine worship, and all our judgment in all spiritual matters must arise from “thus saith the Lord.” We dare not add or take away anything from the Book.