Remaining faithful
Even though we are speaking this way, dearly loved friends, in your case we are confident of things that are better and that pertain to salvation. For God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you demonstrated for his name by serving the saints—and by continuing to serve them. Now we desire each of you to demonstrate the same diligence for the full assurance of your hope until the end, so that you won’t become lazy but will be imitators of those who inherit the promises through faith and perseverance. Hebrews 6:9-12
Do you serve behind the scenes in a ministry or a business? Do you feel used and unappreciated? You work faithfully and diligently, yet the glory goes to another. Your efforts make someone else successful. How easy to feel resentful! Assistant directors, associate and assistant, secretaries, administrators, "internal personnel," take heart! Our God who rewards in secret will never overlook our commitment. The author of Hebrews gave severe warning in vv. 1–8. Then it was followed by the writer’s assertion of confidence in his readers’ faithfulness to Christ. He assured them that God remembered what they had done in serving their fellow Christians and would continue to bless them for it. He further encouraged them to disallow any tendency toward spiritual laziness or inactivity and to continue to persevere diligently in the assurance of their hope. Instead of becoming resentful because your work is unnoticed, be reminded “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you demonstrated for his name by serving the saints—and by continuing to serve them.” Your works were the normal fruit which God expect from believers. We would expect that God would look with favor upon the evidence of transformed lives which Christians put out. We are not saved by doing good works. “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Yet, authentic living faith produces visible fruit. As the Lord Jesus Christ said in the Parable of the Sower; “But the one sown on the good ground—this is one who hears and understands the word, who does produce fruit and yields” (Matthew 13:23). If we have undergone an inner change through Christ that affects us outwardly in our character, producing a lifestyle that causes us to care for others, we can have the greatest confidence about our faith. On the other hand, if there is no subjective inner experience of peace, if our professed character changes are more like plastic flowers and our lifestyle is focused inward upon ourselves, we had better take careful stock of our faith if we really have experienced the salvation that God provides.
Blessings,
Noel De Guzman
www.my-wbc.com
