(remember, these are unedited/draft show notes, not a transcript — listening is always better…and if you listen AND follow along below, you’ll see why)
Focus Question:
How, then, shall we live?
Intro:
The irony of today’s reading is that what we’ll hear in Job is Job asking, “How can a mere mortal be right before God?” And Eliphaz’s reply, in so many words, is “Repent.”
NEW TESTAMENT SEGMENT:
And as we get to our NT segment, Hebrews 10 is a turning point in the book. Like many letters in the form you’ll hear called an “epistle,” the first part of the letter is doctrinal — stuff about the right and wrong things to believe — and the second part is the stuff that says, “Ok, how then shall we live? What should we do about it?”
You’ll remember that yesterday we hit the pinnacle of the argument that Jesus is the ultimate, permanent high priest, he’s done away with the old sacrificial and legal system because that was only ever intended to be an image of what is to come. Today you’ll hear more heavy, chewy stuff, some of which’ll even make you scratch your head if you let your mind wander. I’ll put a bow on it at the end to make sure the main point comes through.
Passage: Hebrews 10
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 39
Words: ~889
How then should we live? Remember, the writer’s writing to a Jewish audience who gets every little nuance of all the OT references, and his encouragement is toward endurance — endurance in the face of being misunderstood at least, and often in the face of torture or worse. But he says “let us” a bunch of times in the middle:
21 and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. 23 Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, 25 not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching. Heb 10:21–25, CSB, emphases mine
OLD TESTAMENT SEGMENT:
Now as we turn to the OT, remember that thousands of years ago the ANE culture was very much under what theologians call the “retribution principle.” An eye for an eye. The conclusion that’s too easy to draw (which is overly simple — simplistic) is “you’re sick, therefore God doesn’t like you” (and the opposite of which is “you’ve got a good life and some coin, God must love you).
Passage: Job 9-11
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 77
Words: ~1267
THE BOTTOM LINE:
How then should we live? Well, under the New Covenant things are different. Upon a true profession of faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior, confessing our sins as it says in 1 Jn 1:9, “he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 Jn 1:9, CSB).
But unlike the OT sacrificial system, that’s done. One final sacrifice by Jesus is both Judge and judged means we don’t lose that. There are still consequences for sin and benefits for confession, but that’s not got-salvation-lose-salvation-got-salvation-lose-salvation, it’s more like “we’re married, I’m sorry” and the relational healing and restoration that happens as a result.
How, then, shall we live?
Draw near with a true heart in full assurance, don’t waver in remembering that He is faithful and sovereignly capable, and as a result let’s stir each other up to love and good works by not neglecting getting together.
Love you! Amen? Amen!
ForTheHope is a daily audio Bible + apologetics podcast and blog. We’ve got a passion for just keepin’ it real, having conversations like normal people, and living out the love of Jesus better every single day.
Roger Courville, CSP is a globally-recognized expert in digitally-extended communication and connection, an award-winning speaker, award-winning author, and a passionately bad guitarist. Follow him on Twitter -- @RogerCourville and @JoinForTheHope – or his blog: www.forthehope.org.
Sources and resources:
(1) John H. Sailhamer, The NIV Compact Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1994), Kindle loc. 3412.
(2) David S. Dockery, ed., Holman Bible Handbook (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 1992), 314.
(3) Sailhamer, The NIV Compact Bible Commentary, Kindle loc. 3412.