On to Maturity, Part 11

Music Welcome to Delight in Grace, the teaching ministry of Rich Powell, pastor of Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. Genuine faith does not remain alone and hidden.

It produces evidence of itself the more it matures. Today, Pastor Rich looks at how a mature faith in Christ will manifest itself both out front and behind the scenes. Rich speaks from today's text, Hebrews 6, 9 through 12. You are listening to the second part of a message titled, On to Maturity, Part 3.

It was first preached on July 22, 2012. Follow the example of those who follow Christ, those who trust and obey through life's frustrating characteristics. Because we know and we have observed and we feel firsthand that life is full of frustrating characteristics. Because we live in a fallen creation. So there is death, there is disappointment, there is despair among many.

And we are surrounded by that. And adversity happens to us as well. Those who follow and trust and obey God through those circumstances are the ones who might be experiencing those frustrating circumstances. But they're not judging the goodness of God based on their circumstances. In the midst of their circumstances, they follow God, they trust Him and they follow Him. Follow them.

This is what He says. This is how we exercise diligence to full assurance of hope. They trust God's character and His word and they obey His plan even when everything around them seems to be very frustrating and falling apart. So they are people of quiet, confident character.

Here's a point that I believe He is making. Discipleship is an inherent attribute of the Christian walk of faith. Discipleship is an inherent attribute of the Christian walk of faith, which is why He uses the term imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Discipleship, meaning followers of Christ walking together God-ward.

We need the human example. We were designed to walk together God-ward in fellowship and communion with each other. We are not islands. We are not Christian islands exercising our own Christian experience and walk all by ourselves. We are called to discipleship and therein we gain and we pursue diligence to full assurance of hope. The diligence to full assurance of hope is what qualifies you to be followed.

Why do I say that? Turn back with me once again to chapter five. Now look at verse 12.

Consider this challenge. If you are a Christian here this morning, consider the writer of Hebrews writing to you. He says, for though by this time you ought to be teachers, there is an assumed growing up there. There is an assumed maturity there. So two things then become true of the one who is a committed follower of Jesus Christ. One, you are learning and you are in pursuit of that assurance of hope and you are learning.

But secondly, you are being learned from. Now if you are new in Christ, the first one is definitely true of you. But if you are new in Christ, then you can look forward to the understanding that the assumption, the implication here is that you will grow to the point where someone will be able to learn from you. Because that is the manifestation of a genuine growing faith. Two things are true for the maturing believer that he learns and that he is being learned from. Both of these in a positive God-ward direction. These are the manifestations of a genuine faith, one who has come to faith in Christ. Not trusting something else, but you have rested your faith in Jesus Christ and in him alone. There is then a third manifestation that I think we see in verse 12 at the very end of verse 12. The first one is out front. It's the outworking, the labor of love, the outworking of God's character and purpose.

The second one is behind the scenes. It's what's going on on the inside that you are in pursuit of God and you do so by imitating those who are faithfully following God and trusting him. Discipleship is an inherent attribute of the Christian walk of faith.

The third manifestation then is down the road. Down the road, the new experiences that you have in the walk of faith as you are walking with Christ and you are making progress. And you are able to recognize and determine mile markers, success markers in your faith because you are growing in your faith.

And what happens as you grow in your faith? You will do what it says at the very end of verse 12, inherit the promises. Imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. But what are the promises? We talk much about the promises of God. The scriptures are chock full of the promises of God is what God has spoken. First Peter, chapter one, verse four, we have been begotten again to an inheritance, incorruptible, undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you. But are the promises only something that is to come later?

I don't think so. We can inherit the promises and we inherit them in this walk of life as we are walking with God. For the one who has completely trusted Christ, the benefits are out of this world.

Let me say that again, because there is a key phrase in there. We like to talk about the benefits, but for the one who has completely trusted Christ, the benefits are out of this world. If you're just associated with Christ, you're not experiencing his benefits.

For the one who has entrusted himself completely to Christ, the benefits are out of this world. We quote a verse often in First Corinthians chapter two, I has not seen, and this is from the from the book of Isaiah, I has not seen, nor has ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love him. Is that just talking about heaven?

No, it's not. Heaven is included in that because the next verse says, but the Holy Spirit has revealed them to us. So inheriting the promises means this, the things which God has prepared for those who love him become tangible reality for the one who follows Christ with abandon. Let me say that again, the things which God has prepared for those who love him become tangible reality for the one who follows Christ with abandon. I know, I see, I realize, I experience the promises of God, the overwhelming goodness of God, even in the context of a dark fallen frustrated creation. God is good and that I know very well. And we will be able to say with a psalmist, oh, taste and see that the Lord is good, regardless of what's happening around me. Peter also helps us in second Peter, chapter one, verses three and four, he says, as his divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature.

Isn't that awesome? That is a direct reference to the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, a key element of the new covenant. Partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

The problem that you and I were born with self preeminence that I think I am the center of my reality. That is the root of all corruption in the world, and we through Christ and the promises of God are able to escape that. This is what the author means. And as I am teaching today that the things which God has prepared for those who love him become tangible reality for the one who follows Christ with abandon. And he presents a couple of examples as we will see as we move on later on in the book of Hebrews. He begins with Abraham. Abraham was called by God. God spoke to Abraham and he says, get up and go. He says, give me your son. What did Abraham do? He says, yeah, I believe you, but I'm not going anywhere.

Is that what he did? That's not what he did, because that wouldn't be faith, would it? To say, yeah, I believe you and then not go anywhere is not faith.

This is what he is challenging his readers here in Hebrews. You might say you're associated with Christ. You might say you believe in his name, but if you're not getting up and moving and following him, you don't have faith.

And you cannot call yourself reconciled to God. Abraham believed God and because he believed God, he acted upon that, therein is faith. And because of that genuine faith, he realized the God who keeps promises and does things beyond our wildest expectations. He realized the promises of God because he entrusted himself wholly to the God who called him.

There is also Caleb and Joshua. Remember, this portion of Hebrews is built upon the illustration of the nation of Israel, ready to cross over into the promised land that God had promised to his people. God says, you are my people. This is the land I'm giving you. I will take you into the land. I will take you in. I will give you this land. And they send 12 spies in. Caleb and Joshua come back and say, it is a beautiful land. Let's go in and follow God. Let's take it as he has promised. The other 10 said what? We can't do it.

We can't do it. They completely forgot the promises of God. Therefore, the whole of Israel had to spend 40 years wandering in the wilderness. But Caleb and Joshua, because they trusted God, they were able to go into the land and rest in the land. The promises of God became tangible reality for them because they entrusted themselves wholly to God.

You see, therein is the example. And this is what the author of Hebrews is teaching us today. Through faith and patience, inherit the promises.

Okay, so what? How do we apply this today? First of all, be sure that you are wheat and not tare. Just because you are sitting in this room this morning by virtue of that fact does not make you wheat. Have you entrusted yourself to Jesus Christ?

Be sure you are wheat and not tare. Be sure that you have actually committed yourself in faith to Jesus Christ and you're not just merely associated with Him. We're so glad you've joined us for Delight in Grace, the teaching ministry of Rich Powell, Pastor of Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. You can hear this message and others anytime by visiting our website, www.delightingrace.com. You can also check out Pastor Rich's book, 7 Words That Can Change Your Life, where he unpacks from God's Word the very purpose for which you were designed. 7 Words That Can Change Your Life is available wherever books are sold. As always, tune in to Delight in Grace weekdays at 10 a.m.