Strengthened By The Unchanging Jesus

This week's text contains perhaps the most famous verse in Hebrews: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” This Sunday, it will be our privilege to better understand this verse in its context. Instead of being carried away by strange teachings, the Hebrews (and we) need to hold fast to the unchanging truth they have received about the immutable Christ.

Some were trying to lure them back to the old familiar ways of Judaism, in which religion was outward. As we have already learned in Hebrews, earthly priests, sanctuaries, and sacrifices cannot bring us to God. We must rely upon the once and for all sacrifice of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary.

Professing Christians today are also tempted to go back to earthly priests and sacrifices. How can we safeguard ourselves and those we love from the allurement of earthly outward religion? Our author warns that those who rely upon earthly altars have no right to participate in the perfect sacrificial work of Jesus on the heavenly altar.

Those of us who continue to follow Him may suffer the same reproach as our Lord experienced both from the world and from the religious establishment. In the end, however, it will be worth it.