Hebrews 13:9
Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings…which have not benefited those devoted to them.
Immediately after reminding us that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever,” the author of Hebrews moves to a warning against strange teachings. The only way we will remain grounded in the truth of Christ is if we are convinced that Christ and His teaching are unchanging. Because Jesus never changes, we need never stop holding on to Him, for He is a steadfast rock upon whom we can stand in all the storms of life. We do not need to find something different from or in addition to the truth of Christ. The truth of Christ gives us everything we need to live faithful lives in this present evil era. Our verses today can apply to any teaching at odds with what we find in the biblical Christ. Apparently, some people in the author’s audience believed that they could find spiritual fortification in what they ate and drank. The specifics of this false teaching is uncertain. While some theologians suggested the people believed that only certain foods were holy and acceptable to Christians, others suggested this is warning about the old covenant sacrifices. The author is definitely warning against apostasy for the original audience if they go back to the old covenant sacrifices and food regulations. The basic point for us is the same. Salvation and the spiritual strength that attends it do not come through anything but the Grace of God in Christ Jesus our Lord through the in-dwelling Holy Spirit. Following rules and regulations will not redeem us. Looking for hope in other saviors will do us no good. Only Jesus, to whom nothing can be added, is our salvation. We can be made right with God only through receiving and resting in Christ alone, placing our faith only in Him. We are tempted to believe that we will be acceptable to God if we follow a particular plan for spiritual growth in addition to trusting in Jesus. Whether it is extra rules for diet, prayer, engagement with popular culture, or anything else, we can so quickly get distracted from the grace that is available in Christ alone. Let us cling to Christ this day and not add to the requirements for salvation. All we need to do is trust in Jesus alone.
Source: S C Ball April 30, 2024
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