Today’s passage: Hebrews 13:7-16
Helpful thoughts:
- The main verbs of command in verse 7: Remember, consider, imitate.
- Right thinking results in right actions. Repentance is a change in thinking which results in a change in actions.
- Verse 8 reminds us of Christ’s deity through His immutability. God the Son will never change. What He has said will always be true. Therefore, He will never turn from His promises.
- The sacrificial animals used for the sin offering on the Day of Atonement were not to be eaten but were taken outside the camp.
- Christ went outside of the city gate to be our sin offering, and through our faith in His finished work of atonement, we have partaken of His sacrifice. The Lord’s Supper pictures this.
Questions to consider:
- Why does the immutability of Christ give us confidence in the truth of God’s Word when we hear various teachings? (Tie verses 8 and 9 together) How do God’s attributes bring us comfort and confidence beyond just head knowledge?
- With a right understanding of the context of verses 11-13, what does verse 10 mean? Now that Christ has come, what is true of those who believe we must still serve and sacrifice through the tabernacle and Old Covenant system? Are they partaking of Christ? Are they saved? What then should the teaching of modern day Jews be classified as according to verse 9?
- How does a Christian “offer sacrifices” to God today? (Verse 16) What does not neglecting to do good imply? Is this simply a command to not do sinful things? Or is it something more proactive?