“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23)1
The writer of Hebrews was encouraging the listeners – those Jewish people who were abandoning the Old Covenant system – not to waver in declaring their faith in Jesus as the final sacrifice. For us today, we can take this as encouragement to stand firm in our faith in the pure unmixed grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. We hold fast and earnestly contend for the faith!2
The word “confession” is from the Greek word “homologeo” which means, “to say the same thing with.”3 Who are we to agree with? Jesus Himself! What is the confession of our hope, our confident expectation of good? We declare nothing lies between us and God! The veil of condemnation has been torn. The barrier of unworthiness had been removed.
“For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord,THE VEIL IS TAKEN AWAY. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” (2 Corinthians 3:14-17)
Now we can agree with Jesus that His prayers have been answered. The night He was betrayed, Jesus prayed for us:
“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word [that’s us!]; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.” (John 17:20-23)
What is our Father’s response? “Come visit with Me. Talk to Me. Draw near to Me. All that I have is Yours. Come share in your inheritance. Come and receive!” Name a promise, for He who promised is forever faithful!
(from pages 319-320 of Unveiling Jesus)
Want more from Tricia Gunn? Check out excerpts from the Unveiling Jesus 20-part series!
Unveiling Jesus, by Tricia Gunn, is a verse by verse study of the pure gospel of grace. It’s an amazing journey of love, identity, and freedom in Christ.
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1All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New King James Version. Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
2Jude 3
3G3670 (homologeō), Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, website: http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/Lexicon/Lexicon.cfm?strongs=G3670&t=KJV, accessed 5-19-14
