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Here we come to one of the most beautiful and inspiring passages in all of Holy Scripture–the “hall of faith.” As the many names are recounted–Moses, David, Samuel, and more–a beautiful picture unfolds.

A bunch of murderers, adulterers, bad parents, and alcoholics somehow managed to play key roles in God’s saving plan and be transformed in the process. Read More “What is saving faith anyways?”

I’ve been training for the Arizona Tough Mudder event. The Tough Mudder comes around once a year and completing it has been a fitness goal of mine ever since I decided to become more physically disciplined. Basically, it’s a half-marathon with obstacles like ice-swims, rope-climbs, barbed-wire-crawls, and electric shocks. Sounds fun, huh?

Well, I set a personal record distance record recently while training: 11 miles. It was no triumph though. I got home after that run and practically collapsed; I was useless for the rest of the day. Nausea and muscle cramps kept me miserable for hours.

This came as a bit of a surprise to me since I had just run 10 miles the week prior–and killed it. What happened?

Basically, I made a series of small, but critical mistakes.

• I decided to run in the hottest time of the day instead the early morning like I usually do. This resulted in mild dehydration.
• I took a new route that I hadn’t properly scoped out. It included long stretches of uphill terrain I wasn’t used to.
• I ran on the painfully hard pavement instead of my usual soft trail. My knee was basically yelling at me in protest by mile 4. After the run it hurt just to walk.
• I ran less than an hour after eating a meal (I usually wait two or three).
• I didn’t bring any electrolyte replacements or calories even though I knew I’d be running for well over 90 minutes.

Here’s the thing. I totally knew what I was getting into before my run, but I had underestimated the collective impact of these bad choices.

If all other factors had been ideal, any one of these things would have been an annoyance, but wouldn’t have knocked me out of commission.

I’m determined to get a life lesson out of this miserable experience, and here it is:

We often miss the cumulative negative effect of our many, small, unfortunate choices. Don’t do that.

Every time I make the small choice to be irritated at my spouse instead of being gracious, the likelyhood that bitterness could take root gets bigger. If I let my prayer time go today, my Bible memorization session slip tomorrow, and forget to go to church on Sunday, how can I expect to hear from God?

It’s the little things that count.

What would change for you if you began to address some of those recurring, seemingly-small bad decisions you catch yourself making?

The scope of Jesus’ work is epic.

Unlike the old sacrificial system, which required continued animal sacrifice and couldn’t in and of itself actually make anyone perfect, Christ’s sacrifice is once-for-all and truly effectual. In some way we are both perfected and being made perfect (sanctified) at the same time (cf. Heb. 10:14).

Hebrews 10:19-25 is both a comfort and an inspiration. We are encouraged that through Jesus’ sacrifice, our consciences are clean, and that the confession of hope that we hold is true. We can have full assurance of the faith (cf. Heb. 10:22). I personally draw much inspiration from the exhortation in Hebrews 10:23-25 to continue on in the community of faith.

Here’s where it gets sobering.

Moving through Hebrews 10:26-31 has to make you stop and think.

Those that go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth (that is, the Gospel of Jesus) have nothing but judgement waiting for them.

“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Heb. 10:31)

This is indeed a terrifying passage, especially when I consider those many moments that I have deliberately chosen to sin. This came up before in chapter 6. Can you really lose your salvation?

The ESV Study Bible states that the implication here is sinning without repentance–the mark of someone who never really believed.

Maybe this is what the author is getting at when he or she talks about those that have “outraged the Spirit of grace.” (Heb. 10:29) How could you outrage the spirit of grace, except by rejecting the grace offered?

I also find it interesting that even those who reject this belief have in some sense been sanctified (cf. Heb. 10:29). The sanctification in this verse could either refer to the those that have been “set apart” in the Christian community but have rejected God’s grace (not “true believers”), or perhaps to “true believers” that have fallen away (cf. Heb. 6). Although my traditional background is fairly Reformed (beginning Southern Baptist and ending up Anglican) I am not settled on this, nor do I feel like I have to be.

Do we have to have an answer?

Instead of worrying about whether or not I can lose my salvation or if someone else is or isn’t a true believer, I’d rather concentrate on heeding this warning. No matter what, it’s not good to not be a follower of Jesus! No matter what, maybe I should have some cause for worry if I’m not following him and repenting of my sin.

I may not be able to tell if someone else is a true believer (and indeed, it’s probably not my place to judge) but I can discern the fruit of the Spirit.

Maybe that’s where our focus should be. Bearing good fruit for the Kingdom.

How important is it to conclusively know the answer to the question of whether or not we can “lose” our salvation?

Having a spiritual mentor is an effective and important way to grow spiritually. One-on-one coaching relationships provide effective accountability, custom-tailored teaching, and safe places to discuss the most difficult issues.

I don’t know where I would be without the many men and women that have been spiritual mentors to me over the years. My dad has the been the most important of these for me, but I have also had teachers, pastors, supervisors, and peers invest in my life in these ways. Not all of these were organic relationships; I had to make an effort to find and develop them! You’ll have to be intentional about this if you really want to find a spiritual mentor.
Here is a 5 step plan to help you find your own spiritual mentor.

1) Pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit

I cannot overstate the importance of this first step. A spiritual mentor will speak into your life, giving direction and advice on some of the most important decisions and issues you will ever face. You want to make sure you are choosing the right person. Pray for wisdom and discernment in this! Pay attention to what God the Holy Spirit may be telling you through other trusted friends and pastors about who could be a good fit.

2) Define what you need

Do you need or want a sort of “all of life” mentor that can coach you through many different situations? Do you need a spiritual mentor to help with a specific challenge or situation? Do you need a long-term relationship or guidance for a few weeks or months? Write these things down and try to be as precise as possible about what you are looking for in a mentor.

3) Make a list of possible candidates

Put pen to paper as you prayerfully consider who you know that could fill the role of spiritual mentor in your life. Ask your trusted friends for ideas. Consider older men and women in your local church, family members that walk with the Lord, perhaps even some of your trusted friends that have had valuable life experience you could glean from.

4) Intentionally develop your existing relationship

You don’t necessarily have to formalize the mentoring relationship right away…or at all. Once you have identified a person that might a be a great spiritual mentor for you, simply make an effort to get to know them more. Invite them for coffee. Take an interest in their life. You might find that as the relationship develops you are comfortable asking and have opportunity to ask the sort of questions you need answers to. I’ve found that most people are happy to give advice if you just ask!

5) Consider formalizing the mentoring relationship

Formalizing the mentoring relationship is simply articulating goals and setting up boundaries. This is a good way for both parties know exactly what needs to be accomplished and how. Doing this can be as simple as saying to your potential mentor:

“Hey, I’ve really appreciated our conversations about spiritual things lately, and I could use your help. Would you be up for lunch a few times this month so we could talk more in-depth about [insert your specific issue]. I’d really like to gain some clarity on this and could use your prayers as well.”

What’s been your greatest challenge for finding a spiritual mentor?

Misunderstandings abound out there when it comes to how you should train up others in the faith. Discipleship is weak in the institutional church precisely because we buy into false assumptions regarding what discipleship is and how it should be accomplished.

Here are 5 common myths about discipleship, debunked. Read More “5 common myths about discipleship debunked”

Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. (Hebrews 9:22 ESV)

Hebrews chapter nine examines the sacrificial system of the Old Covenant. These ancient rites dealt with external actions, not the internal conscience (cf Heb. 9:10).

Sacrifice and blood were the essential ingredients.

The priest and people repeated these ceremonies day in and day out, year after year.

The New Covenant also involves blood, but instead of the blood of animals, it is the blood of Christ. Because of his special status, his self-sacrifice on the cross is able to be a once-for-all sacrifice (cf Heb. 9:12). This does much more than purify our bodies, it purifies our minds (cf. Heb. 9:14). Read More “Why the blood of Jesus is enough for me, you, and God”

Say a stranger buys you a lottery ticket in the gas station line as a random gift on an otherwise mundane day. You get back to your car and put the ticket on your dash. Might as well, you think.

You scratch the little shiny circles with the last dime you have in your pocket. You start to get excited as the numbers are revealed.

Turns out, you won.

Every time you look down at that ticket, you smile to yourself. Even if you haven’t cashed it in yet, you are a winner and things are going to be very different for you shortly. Sure, you may be technically in debt right now, but that’s about to all go away. Yeah your car doesn’t work, but that won’t be a problem much longer. You’re behind on rent, but soon you’ll be buying a new house.

What fortune! You didn’t even buy the ticket.

I think meditating on the Resurrection of Jesus is a lot like looking at that winning lottery ticket.

Your body may be broken, but you’re going to get a new one. You might be homeless but there’s a mansion waiting. You’re tired now but rest and refreshment is around the corner. Loneliness might be killing you but there’s a wedding feast coming up and you’re invited. You stumble through doing the right thing, but you’re getting stronger, even now.

Sin still tends to gnaw at you, but you know it can’t defeat you.

You were empty but now you’re filled with the Spirit.

You can hardly believe it.

You had nothing–nothing–but now you’re rich beyond your wildest imagination.

You’ve been forgiven, ransomed, redeemed. You’ve seen mercy.

You have God.

And you didn’t even buy the ticket.

Chapter 8 of Hebrews elaborates on this new covenant innaugaurated with Christ. Now, God’s law can be written our minds and hearts, and we can “Know the Lord” and experience the mercy of God in a new way (Heb. 8:11).

The new covenant of Christ accomplishes something the old covenant of Moses never could, and its effectiveness doesn’t depend on our actions. Israel proved that humans under their own power cannot “continue in the covenant” (Heb. 8:9).

This new covenant in which forgiveness reigns and our souls are transformed is enacted completely on the basis of Christ’s faithfulness and the promises of God the Father.

Is it any wonder that we are spiritually formed by this new freedom and intimacy with the Creator of the universe? How can we not be changed when Jesus, through whom the world was created, is praying for us constantly (cf. Heb. 1:2)?

Just knowing this truth causes a change in my mind and spirit.

Chapter seven of Hebrews gives what few details we know about a mysterious priest named Melchizedek — that his name carried a meaning regarding righteousness, and that his office was one of peace.

Because the records of his birth and death are not found in Scripture, and because his priesthood is not tied to any biological lineage, it seems that he was a priest solely at God’s discretion. In some way Melchizedek foreshadowed Jesus.

Jesus, a priest after the order of Mechizedek

Jesus is “after” (“like”) the order of Melchizedek because he is righteous. His office as Prince of Peace also grants him special status. Like Melchizedek, Jesus is not installed as ultimate high priest because of his lineage, but rather because of who he is and the divine will of God.

It’s at this moment that Jesus as the catalyst for spiritual formation comes into focus. Because we have this perfect high priest, we are able to draw near to God through him, and he makes intercession for us…changing us in the process.

A perfect and eternal sacrifice

For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. (Hebrews 7:26-27, ESV)

Ultimately, God’s plan couldn’t be accomplished by the Levitical priesthood. Their sacrifices were temporary, and as fragile human beings they could not go on forever. Jesus, however, can offer himself one time, for all eternity.

His perfection ensures us that we don’t needn’t continually offer sacrifices to appease God or obtain forgiveness.

Jesus–the perfect priest–did this for us, once and for all. We are at peace with the God of universe and ourselves.

Hallelujah!

Photo Credit: UnlockingTheBible via Compfight cc
The very first “real Bible” I remember having as young child was the Good News Bible. It’s a easy-to-read paraphrase with line drawings. I loved it, and still read from the GNB on occassion for nostalgia’s sake. After that I “graduated” to the New International Version (NIV), but as I learned more about Bible translation philosophy, I became enamored with more “accurate” word-for-word translations. For a big chunk of high school I studied out of the New American Standard Version (NASB), while keeping the New King James Version (NKJV) on hand for general reading. In college I began using the English Standard Version (ESV) and have pretty much settled on that one as my primary reading and memorizing translation. Read More “3 vital questions to ask yourself when picking a Bible translation for memorization”