seriously

Week 49  Hebrews

I’ve never seriously thought about reorganizing the books of the bible according to Degree of Seriousness where I’d put the most serious books at the top…then all the way down to least serious. I guess they’re all pretty serious in their own way. For me Job would likely be #1. Hebrews wouldn’t be far behind.
I think the reason Hebrews is so serious is because it has a lot of serious warnings. The writer seems to be relentlessly concerned about the guy who starts out walking with the Lord but then turns his back on him. He says: if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received a full knowledge of the truth, there is no other sacrifice that will cover these sins. There will be nothing to look forward to but the terrible expectation of God’s judgment. That’s not the only ominous verse. I counted about a dozen others just like it. Dark grave severe sober warnings. With dire consequences.
I think that’s one of the reasons the writer gives quite a few prompts & goads: keep being faithful to the end. Keep pressing on to maturity. Keep on loving others as long as life lasts. Follow the example of people who have faith. Don’t waver…hold onto the faith you have. Remember that we’re not people who turn our backs on God.
The writer senses the tendency to slack-off. To give-up. To turn back. And he’s deadly serious about where that leads.

Note: quote from Hebrews 10:26-27 (NLT). Paraphrases from 3:14 6:1 6:11 6:12 10:23 10:39.