Paul has been very focused on the problems associated with walking away from the faith. Here he transitions to those still in the faith. Oft times we are discouraged in our faith walk, Paul included, and he wants us to know the power and the promise of our faith.
9 But, beloved, we are persuaded (convinced) better things of you (are more noble), and things that accompany salvation (the preservation from harm), though (also with) we thus speak.
- Philippians 3:14 “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
10 For God is not unrighteous to forget (will not neglect) your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered (serve as a teacher) to the saints (called out assembly of people), and do minister. (teach)
- Matthew 28:19-20 “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
- Hosea 4:6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.“
11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: (stay with the simplicity and completeness of God’s word)
12 That ye be not slothful (lazy, stupid), but followers (imitators) of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Later in Chapter 11 Paul presents a list of leaders, that God chose, and their ‘works’. These are the imitators, the ones submitted to, and actively following, the instructions of God. Additionally, this very topic is referred to again by Paul in Romans 15:4 “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” This is where we have to remind ourselves that THE ONLY Scripture Paul had in his possession … is what the church of today says is done away… The “Old” Testament.
- Revelation 12:17 “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”
- Revelation 14:12 “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”
13 For when God made promise (pledged) to Abraham, because he could swear (make an oath) by no greater, he sware by himself,
14 Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee (to prosper another person or thing with a word), and multiplying (giving increase) I will multiply thee. (Abraham had to wait 100 years for the fulfillment; this required an enormous faith!)
15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
- 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
- James 5:10-11 “Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.”
Taking a hard look into my own life I have to say that I have an amazing way of making my life more difficult than it needs to be. Likewise I can complain about a lot of nonsense as well. Yes the world is a mean and scary place. No matter the chaos, is it real endurance? I mean, am I really fighting the good fight? Are the things I think of as persecution really that?
- John 15:18 “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.”
The world, under the control of Satan and his minions, does not want anyone or anything that validates the authority of Yeshua. Having a following of people certainly qualifies. With that is the patterns and practices that denote adoration and submission. This IS the Torah. The Torah teaches us how to live in communion with God and in community with His people. And… Satan hates it! And… he is teaching the world, the people, the “CHURCH”… to hate it.
Here is the point; when we look and act like the Savior wants to look and act…. that is a life in submission to God…. we are goig to look and act differently than the world. This should bring an extraordinary amount of focus from the world. Getting ridiculed at work, by family and more disturbing, by the “church” for saying no to pork. Asked to leave Bible Study because I questioned a tradition they hold over the Scriptures. Are we willing to hold on to the truth of God?
16 For men verily (in fact) swear (make oath) by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. (once made the oath is the assurance of performance)
17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability (UNCHANGEABILITY) of his counsel (purpose), confirmed it by an oath:
- Numbers 23:19 “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?”
18 That by two immutable (unchangeable) things, in which it was impossible for God to lie (be false), we might have (obtain) a strong (urgent) consolation (comfort), who have fled for refuge (flee to safety) to lay hold (seize) upon the hope (expectation) set before us:
- Isaiah 64:4 “For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.”
- John 14:2-3 “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
19 Which hope (expectation) we have as an anchor (this word is a combination of 3 words: arm, hook, receptacle) of the soul, both sure (unfailing) and stedfast (firm), and which entereth into that within the veil; (the curtain that kept the common man from experiencing God’s presence)
20 Whither the forerunner (precursor) is for us entered (those of us coming into), even (that being) Jesus, made an high priest forever after the order of Melchisedec.
The meaning? we too will be made into a glorified being, one without an end, by the promise of God’s mercy and through the redemption in Yeshua Messiah.
- 1 Corinthians 15:52 “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
Berean Breadcrumbs 
Nice work Much appreciated
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