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Monday 26 September 2016

Hebrews 6:13-15 - I will surely bless you

6:13
Remember that the writer has just been speaking if having full assurance of faith. He is now giving one of the reasons we can have this assurance, and this will lead the way into the discussion about Melchizedek. There has been a severe warning, and more warnings are to come in Hebrews, and people worry and debate about these because they think it means our salvation is unsure. But just take a moment to think. What is the writer doing? What is he trying to achieve? He is interested in us realising just how complete and how secure our salvation in Christ is. So if we think the a passage casts doubt on that we are misunderstanding it.
God made a promise to Abraham. In fact He made several promises, or at least reemphasised and enlarged on the original promise. When men make an oath they swear by someone greater than themselves to stress the validity of what they say. There is no one greater than God, so He swore by Himself. The validity of God’s promise is  that it comes from God. As an aside, remember that Jesus criticised men for swearing by something, instead our yes is to be yes, and our no is to be no. We are to be more like God! Not in that we are as great as Him, but that we are dependable. We were made in His image.

6:14,15

God’s promise to Abraham was that he would have many descendants. The readers would know the story of Abraham full well. Abraham could not have children, naturally speaking. Yet he did indeed have children, and did indeed become the father of many nations.  He received what was promised. Our faith is built upon the promise of God. Note that Abraham’s spiritual children (which includes you and me) are more important than his natural children (I do NOT mean natural children are not important!).

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