13:7
We learn from this that leaders are people who speak and teach the word of God, and also live the word of God. That is what it means to be a leader. Living life God's way has positive fruit in our lives and others will see it. Leaders should also be people whose faith is worth imitating.
13:8
This verse acts as a sort if link into the next instruction. Good leaders imitate Jesus Christ. And Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. He does not change. In current debates about sexual morality there is often talk about the church needing to keep up with society. Such talk is absolute nonsense. The world is living in rebellion against God, so why on earth should the church seek to imitate the world? We are to imitate Christ.
13:9
False teachings have always been around, they were around from the earliest days of the church. We are to make sure that we are not deceived by them, for they will lead us away from Christ. It seems that one of the false teachings that was around concerned eating certain foods. Remember issues surrounding this arose are addressed in Romans and Corinthians, with mentions in others of Paul's letters. Our hearts are strengthened by grace, by God's undeserved favour. Eating the "special" foods did nothing for the people at the time of Hebrews. Today, with false teachers it is often helpful to ask if following their false teaching has actually helped them. By their fruit shall we know them, as Jesus said.
We learn from this that leaders are people who speak and teach the word of God, and also live the word of God. That is what it means to be a leader. Living life God's way has positive fruit in our lives and others will see it. Leaders should also be people whose faith is worth imitating.
13:8
This verse acts as a sort if link into the next instruction. Good leaders imitate Jesus Christ. And Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. He does not change. In current debates about sexual morality there is often talk about the church needing to keep up with society. Such talk is absolute nonsense. The world is living in rebellion against God, so why on earth should the church seek to imitate the world? We are to imitate Christ.
13:9
False teachings have always been around, they were around from the earliest days of the church. We are to make sure that we are not deceived by them, for they will lead us away from Christ. It seems that one of the false teachings that was around concerned eating certain foods. Remember issues surrounding this arose are addressed in Romans and Corinthians, with mentions in others of Paul's letters. Our hearts are strengthened by grace, by God's undeserved favour. Eating the "special" foods did nothing for the people at the time of Hebrews. Today, with false teachers it is often helpful to ask if following their false teaching has actually helped them. By their fruit shall we know them, as Jesus said.
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