Fruit!

Fruit!

Hebrews 10:23-24 KJV

[23] Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) [24] and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

The writer of the book of Hebrews is not part of the record of the book, but we can deduce the audience from the first chapter of the book, where it states that God in these last days has spoken to us by His Son, Jesus, and has made his angels to be ministering spirits sent to minister to those who are heirs of salvation. This tells me that the promises and commitments that are made by God in this book can only be claimed by those who have given their lives to Jesus, and have taken hold of eternal life. If I will lay claim to any good thing in the Bible, I have ro align with the terms and conditions of that thing. God is a miracle worker, not a magician, and He does not waste resources. If He has made clear what the requirement for His intervention is, He will not lower the standard for anyone. That is why advancements in technology, medicine or science have not been able to change what sin is. 

If it was sin under Adam, it remains sin under this current dispensation. The message in the verses above are for those whose lives have been surrendered to Jesus. The admonition is that I hold fast the profession of my faith. The reason for this admonition is connected to the reality of the times we live in. It is easier to blend in than stand out. It is easier to keep quiet than to challenge the iniquity of the times we live in. However, the bigger source of encouragement is the statement made in the verses above, that the One who promised is faithful. This is a commitment that can be relied upon. God is unchanging; He can be trusted to keep His promises, and there is no one who has truly experienced God that can say He cannot be trusted. If I know the value of who God is, what He can do, and what I stand to gain if I hold on to the end, I will not let go. Do you know this God? Does He also know you as His own? It is that personal knowledge and experience that drives the second verse above. 

When I know this God, I am able to impact lives. If I have experienced God's kind of love, I am able to also express that to other people. The verse above charges us to provoke one another unto love and good works. It seems to be that showing love should be a 'healthy competition', almost as if we should try and outdo one another in love. It does not lead to envy or hatred, or anything negative. It is being sensitive to the needs around us, being careful to let the love of God permeate all that we do, and being intentional about the motives behind what we do. The good works become the output of the inner presence of God in us. Just note again that it is the audience that drives the demand. If you do not belong, you will struggle. May the fruits of my life show total dependence and reliance on the One who loved me enough to die for me. May my life be visible and audible proof of a life that is owned by God. God's time of favour is here.