This passage suggests to us that loving, well-thought-out confrontation comprises an important aspect of Christian community. Such admonition must be well-timed, must be offered with the right motives (the author obviously wants them to change for their own spiritual well-being rather than for his reputation or benefit), and must be offered both with encouragement (he will quickly turn to mitigation in 6:9), and with specific suggestions for action.

It is worth the risk of being misunderstood and being the object of someone’s defensiveness in order to challenge them and be a possible catalyst for their growth and maturity. Keeping the “peace” by remaining silent means staying where you are, remaining stagnant, and eventually regressing, most likely.

Bill Hybels says, “When people submerge their true feelings in order to preserve harmony, they undermine the integrity of a relationship. They buy peace on the surface, but underneath there are hurt feelings, troubling questions, and hidden hostilities just waiting to erupt. It’s a costly price to pay for a cheap peace, and it inevitably leads to inauthentic relationships.”

The church must be a “dangerous” place of vulnerability, where love demands more than the guarding of personal ego and truth looms larger than peace. Yes, pain plays a part in this indispensable activity of authenticity. Yes, this pain can be remarkably productive.

Yesterday, I was listening to “The Power of Vulnerability,” a workshop by Brene Brown. I highly recommend it! In it, she was sharing one of her mantras when faced with a tough situation in which she knows she needs to tell someone “No.” Before giving her answer, she repeats to herself three times, “Discomfort or resentment?” 90 seconds of the discomfort of disappointing someone, or much longer lasting resentment over telling someone “Yes” to save face? You can end up angry at the person just because you couldn’t say no.

All groups of Christians need to progress in their faith, to mature, to be challenged. Without challenge, how are we sharpened and honed? Sticking our heads in the sand, if allowed to prevail, will lead to spiritual demise, turning a community of faith into a mere crowd held together by formalities. The term “disciple” is used 261 times in the NT and is used broadly to refer to all who belong to the church. That only certain “super believers” are to be disciples is just not supported by the writings of the NT. We’re either a full-on apprentice or else I guess just auditing the class. Just checking it out.

A friend of mine who reads these emails everyday is not afraid to challenge me on them, to ask questions, to disagree. I so appreciate him, for it really sharpens me and makes me better–makes me think. If he just kept quiet, what good would it do? We’re not here just to rub each other’s butts, wait, or is it pat each other on the back? Anyway, we’re also here to make each other better and to assist in our maturing in the faith. To push one another. Have you met people whose faith has not changed a single bit for decades? It’s just weird. We should be growing and maturing in every way–spiritually, emotionally, physically. If I’m stuck, I want to be challenged.

Here’s three guidelines for healthy confrontation we can glean from this passage:

1. The confrontation must be given with the right motive (i.e., to restore those confronted to spiritual health) and in a context of love and encouragement. The one offering rebuke must go through self-examination to see whether he or she is seeking to minister in the situation out of a broken heart and for the betterment of those being confronted. We must ask whether we seek to build up or tear down, that is, whether we want the other person(s) to walk away renewed or we are simply out to get emotional revenge for our own hurt feelings.
2. The confrontation must be well thought out and well timed. Off-the-cuff comments offered at an ill-timed moment can be more damaging than helpful. Therefore, we do well to write out our thoughts and pray through them, reflecting on them in light of Scripture. The author’s words in this passage were artistically crafted and, thus, the product of much thought. That he waits until this point of the letter–after laying such a rich theological groundwork–speaks volumes. In building his sermon, he waits patiently for the right moment to confront the listeners boldly with their problem.
3. Finally, the person offering rebuke should also offer specific suggestions for action when appropriate. Don’t you love it when someone just tells you how much you suck with no follow up as to how not to suck? When I was a personal trainer, I found it ineffective to tell a client, “Hey, you’ve gotten really fat since Christmas. See ya next week!” It was much better to offer something like, “You’re looking a little thick around the middle, why don’t you try eating a salad for lunch once in a while.” (For those of you who don’t know me, I’m not really serious.)

In the Name of Jesus,
Soli Deo Gloria

(This section is a major transition in the letter, and gives a great 50,000 foot view of what has been said thus far. The author is concluding his exhortation, and getting ready to go into the great exposition of Jesus’ high priesthood.)

We have a very compassionate and understanding high priest. Due to Christ’s divinity He has made relationship with God possible. Due to Christ’s humanity He can literally sympathize with our weaknesses. He does not judge us as if we had no difficulties whatsoever, but compassionately knows what we go through.

Frequently, I praise our daughter Gabriela for how well she does in her school work. The reason for this is because of the great difficulty she must overcome due to her eczema. Though we have confidence that she can overcome it and excel at her work, that is not our demand. We take into account the obstacle to concentration she faces, and let her know we see it, and are so proud of her.

Do we have a proper view of the God who Jesus revealed to us? Is He not full of compassion, mercy, understanding, and grace? Instead of a solemn reckoning when I meet Jesus, I envision it more of Him smiling and telling a story like, “Man, one of my customers in the carpentry business was such a pain in the tukas! Every single thing I made was never good enough for that guy. I had to pray a lot every time I interacted with him. I understand your frustrations. I had many myself.”

And because we have such a wonderful, loving high priest, we can approach God with bold frankness. The verb in verse 16 is present tense meaning it is an ongoing approach of God. Let us constantly draw near to Him. May we not forget the context from the old covenant. Before Jesus, the only person allowed into God’s presence was the high priest, who entered the Most Holy Place in the tabernacle once a year on the Day of Atonement. He offered a sacrifice on that day to win forgiveness for all the people, yet they were still locked out of God’s magnificent presence. But under Jesus’ high priesthood, we find ourselves in a vastly different situation. We may enter the very presence of God on a continual basis, and do so with great confidence because of the door Jesus opened for us. There, we find grace to help us when we most need it.

We have full access to God. We have actual help from Him who overcame the world, who went through all afflictions while not giving in to sin. But it is only help to us if we so choose to confidently approach Him who first drew near to us.

“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”
Jeremiah 33:3

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
Jeremiah 29:13

In the Name of Jesus,
Soli Deo Gloria

Two requirements for entering God’s rest are belief and obedience. As intimidating as those two words may be for some, they’re really just entering and resting. Pretty simple actually.

And with these two, we must of course turn away from our conviction that we know better how to run our life.

In the OT, all the Israelites had to do was enter the Promised Land and rest. But they just could not seem to trust God and take Him at His word. If things didn’t look right to them, they took matters into their own hands. They had to keep striving. And it cost them. Dearly.

We’re most satisfied, content, and at rest, when we give ourselves away, first, in abandonment to God, then, in loving service to others. For in trying to please ourselves, there is no end, no satiation.

Obedience is a good thing. It is the way to rest, and the way Jesus said to remain in His love. You might say belief is entering, obedience is resting.

An active, beautiful rest. Total trust no matter how things may look to us.

I am doing something in your day that you wouldn’t believe even if you were told.
Habakkuk 1:5

I’m trying to get my girls to obey me by putting their shoes in their shoe drawer every nite. Not because I’m trying to be some tyrannical enforcer, but rather to teach them and show them the satisfaction and rest that comes from putting things in their proper place. Would they rather go on a shoe scavenger hunt every morning, stressfully racing against the clock to get to school on time? Or would they rather know where their shoes are and be ready early, having some extra time to play?

Everything in its proper place, most importantly our relationship with God, brings shalom.

Once, Mother Teresa was approached by a brother in the order who complained that the rules of his superior were getting in the way of his ministry to lepers. He lamented, “My vocation is to work for lepers.” To this Mother Teresa replied gently, “Brother, your vocation is not to work for lepers, your vocation is to belong to Jesus.” This is the essence of real Christianity. All else relates to and flows from this relationship.

In the Name of Jesus,
Soli Deo Gloria

Moses was certainly a righteous dude. He was revered in Judaism like no other. He talked face to face with God. I mean you can just sense his greatness from that penetrating stare in the above photograph unearthed by archaeologists in 1956. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.)

These persecuted Christians (addressed in the Letter to the Hebrews) were tempted to go back to the old ways of Moses and Law because it was what they formerly knew. And it was safer. At this time in the Roman empire, nationalistic religions, like Judaism, were actually tolerated. They posed no real threat, and were allowed side by side with the religions of the empire. Christianity was much more dangerous, and threatening to the powers that be.

Our author here tells them that Moses was just the warm-up act. Pointing to Someone far greater, as well as the inauguration of a “system” far superior to the old. We could even think of the Hebrew Scriptures (the Old Testament) as mere warm-up that points to the One through whom God would rescue all of humanity!

Moses, we see, was definitely someone to be looked up to, but only because of his faithfulness to God. Not for himself. You do not praise a piece of art more than the artist. The artist designed and made the piece of art.

Sticking with our example of warm-up acts, let’s just say that…I was the warm-up act for, ohhhhh, Jon McLaughlin. Sure, a few people may be entertained by my performance, but they will be far from satisfied. Then comes Mr. McLaughlin, and people are ecstatic to hear someone who can really play his instrument and sing, not only on key, but beautifully! No one in their right mind is gonna be like, “Bring Rob back out!” after seeing Jonny Mc”L”. After experiencing him, they’ll just want more of him. Don’t we all…

My job was to get the crowd ready and point to Jon. If I am admired at all, it should be for that reason. I fulfilled my role and did a great job of being replaced by Jon, who is the real talent.

Moses represents the Law (Torah) and the old covenant between God and His people. Jesus replaced Torah.

We revert back to the old inferior covenant when we make Christianity about things we have to do as opposed to Someone we need to love.

In the Name of Jesus,
Soli Deo Gloria

We currently live in this “in-between” sort of age. With the introduction of Logos incarnated (God dwelling among us in human form) into the universe, the kingdom of God was inaugurated here on earth. It has been infiltrating humanity, and spreading ever since the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Yet it obviously has not been fully realized, or consumated. There is still evil, pain, death, and war. We live in a tension, if you will. If the kingdom of God came to us in Jesus, why is there still all this crap going on? Well this letter called Hebrews, among other places in Scripture, tells us that we are in this time between Christ’s two advents. And until the second advent, there will still be suffering. At the same time, there will be much joy and healing due to the inaugurated kingdom spreading among us. Statistically, most of the healing organizations in the world giving relief to suffering are Christian, or started by followers of Jesus.

This also gives us an interesting insight. We have a distorted view many times of what life should be like, of what the Christian life should be like. Who says what life should be like? Who has that kind of authority? For much of history, persecution has been the normal Christian experience. God has not always answered affirmatively the prayers of the afflicted. If that were the case, no Christian would ever die, get sick, be abused, stub their toe…

So maybe we’re asking the wrong question. Perhaps it’s not a matter of “Is God answering prayers?” but rather “How should we respond when we do not see everything submitted to Him?”

The answer lies in our perception of reality, and of the nature of our Christian faith. Our worldview. Here’s what Larry Crabb says concerning Western Christianity: “we have become committed to relieving the pain behind our problems rather than using our pain to wrestle more passionately with the character and purposes of God. Feeling better has become more important than finding God. And worse, we assume that people who find God always feel better.” Focusing on our situations, problems, and pains as primary, rather than the purposes of God, moves us away from important aspects of following Christ. We must follow Christ in the way of suffering. God’s people have always been persecuted as counter to the power systems of the world. This is just how it is at times. And this has always been how Christianity has grown. Where is it growing most today? Not in America where we have it so easy. It is in Africa and China, and other places where there is oppression.

We know this is still happening today in other countries. People are being imprisoned, beaten, murdered by beheading for their faith in Jesus. This is happening now. Christianity is not necessarily Pollyanna right now all the time.

“The problem of evil for the Christian lies not in God’s abilities, nor even in our perception of His will and timing, but in our perception of Jesus.”*

We need to make sure we are following the reality of Jesus and the Christian faith and not something we have made up or have swallowed hook, line, and sinker from someone else. From someone who says it’s suppose to be easy and happy all the time.

Scripture tells us that God is bringing about all things in the end for His purpose, and that He works everything out ultimately for our good. He does not tempt us or inflict evil upon us, but will redeem and restore everything. This is the great comforting. It is up to us to trust Him for this even in the midst of pain and suffering.

When my friend of 22 years, Jeff, died of Leukemia in 2010 barely at 40 years old, it sucked. It reeeeeally sucked. He left behind his wife and three children. But it did not prove that there is no God. It did not definitively show that God does not answer prayer. We are just not seeing all things consummately subjected to Him yet. What we do see, if we so choose, is Jesus in the midst of our sufferings. We can grow though any circumstance into someone closer to Christ Himself, if we look to Him for comfort instead of focusing on our circumstance.

*George Guthrie

In the Name of Jesus,
Soli Deo Gloria