The author of Hebrews has written of how Jesus is the fulfillment of Old Testament types and prophecies. The author has warned us multiple times to persevere in trusting Christ for our salvation. Now, in chapter 13 the book of Hebrews moves on to some points of application for the Christian life. Firstly, in verses 1 to 8 the author covers how we are to live as members of the Christian community.
We can group these encouragements around three commands: to show love for each other, to love doing good, and to love imitating our leaders. Firstly, we are to show love for each other. In verse 1, the author exhorts us to “Let brotherly love continue.” He suggests two ways in which we can share “brotherly love” with each other.
One way we can show brotherly love is by offering hospitality to each other, and to strangers: “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” (v.2). In the author’s day, hospitality was an important social custom because inns could be dangerous places (cf. Genesis 18:1-15, 19:1-3). In our day of social isolation, opening our homes to each other and to strangers is one way in which we can encourage each other and open a door to the gospel.
A second way we can show brotherly love is to actively care for those imprisoned “as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body” (v.3). While likely referring to Christians imprisoned for their faith, we can show the same love today by caring not only for those imprisoned, but also Christians undergoing difficult trials of life. We can also pray and care for the persecuted Church in other parts of the world.
Secondly, we are to love doing good. Two examples are given of holy living: faithfulness in marriage, and contentment. In verse 4, the author tells us to hold marriage in honour, and not defile the marriage bed, because God will judge those who do not. We live in a society whose ethics and morals are much like those of the author’s day. Just as maintaining sexual purity before and during marriage was important then, so too it is today. We must all honour marriage in our lives before we marry, and in our marriages. We must not follow the worldly way.
A second way to love doing good is to show contentment. This is described in verse 5 as avoiding a “love of money” and to “be content with what you have”. Everything we have is a gift from God, and showing contentment is a way of honouring God, because he knows what we truly need and “will never leave you nor forsake you” (v.5; Josh 1:5). Likewise, avoiding a love of money means we avoid making an idol of self-sufficiency, and instead view money as an opportunity to do Kingdom good, knowing that God is our helper (v.6; Ps. 118:6).
Thirdly, we are to love imitating our leaders. The author exhorts us to remember “your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith” (v.7). The God-appointed leaders of the Church – the Elders (teaching and ruling) and the Deacons are those to whom we should look as examples of living. Like us all, they sin and fall short of perfection, but they are called to live lives of maturity and example to us (see 1 Tim. 3). We are not called to follow their personality, but consider the way they live and imitate their faith in God accordingly. Just as our leaders should strive to follow God and mature in faith so too we should look to these men as examples and do likewise.
In reading these commands we could be tempted to dismiss these words as out of date or not speaking to us today. After all, we live in a rich and vibrant society where we have so much wealth and enjoy so much pleasure. Why deny our heart’s desire for contentment and holiness? Why care for others, and why on earth would we imitate men who have failings just like us? The answer comes in verse 8, where the author states that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
Because Jesus is unchanging, the commands and the promises of God are unchanging. Living a life of Christian community where we love each other, love good, and love imitating our leaders is just as valid for us today, because the redemption we have received from God through Jesus is the same for us today as it was in the author’s day. When we do these things, we are demonstrating our faith in Jesus, and our trust that God will draw us to his side.
We join the saints of old (v.6, Ps 118:6) in saying “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” As we start a New Year together, instead of picking a few resolutions to abandon, let’s adopt loving community together as a pattern for our lives.
Ash
Come worship with us this Sunday at 10:30am. We worship together at Kelburn Normal School hall, 16 Kowhai Rd, Kelburn. We hope to see you there!
