Lighthouse scribes

This last chapter, just like most of the letters to the churches, shows the writer admonishing the church on matters of practical Christian living. They serve as instructions to us too on how to live with other Christians and in the world at large.

I’ll point out a number of them taken from my study.

Love as siblings.

Actually, almost all translations that I read indicate that the writer was encouraging an existing practice. What drew my attention, though, was the word love and how this was different from the selfless form of love (agape) which we are all commanded to live by. Using the Steps Bible, I realised that the Greek word translated as love (filadelfia) actually speaks of familial love as exemplified in families. It’s seen in the friendship and kindness that we experience with our blood siblings (assuming we’ve grown in healthy homes). Today, this is an instruction to us to develop true fellowships and relationships with other Christians and in our church communities. Our meetings shouldn’t just be about marking attendance or listening to a great sermon but about genuine relationships built with the aim of strengthening one another. We can worship God and listen to great sermons from anywhere (thank God for the internet), but the growth of the Church is vertical (with God) and horizontal (with one another).

Be hospitable to strangers (too).

Although we live in a dangerous world, we have the Holy Spirit to help us discern and God, who’s always protecting us. We should never be so humanly guarded that we neglect the instructions from God.

Remember those in prison and those being mistreated.

This speaks to Christian prisoners because the verse tells us to put ourselves in their shoes. We are told to remember Christians who are punished or persecuted because of their faith. We can pray for them, visit them, support their families, and openly stand with them. There are many ways to support persecuted Christians, whether or not we know them, and the most basic and just as powerful is to pray for them.

Value marriage.

Treat marriage as precious as God treats it by being faithful and loyal to your spouse.

Be content and free of the love of money.

Remember that no matter the situation, God will not fail, and He will not abandon you. I’ve realised that many of us don’t even know that we have a ‘love of money.’ I pray that as this year closes, our eyes will open and our hearts will decipher what is true.

Follow the example of their faith.

Whether we are Christian leaders or we are Christians with leaders, we are to imitate the faith/conviction of our leaders that produces a reliance on God. So many people are busy imitating how their leaders dress, speak, or work, and this is why many churches have exalted their leaders to a form of demi-god. A crucial lesson from Hebrews 12 was to focus on Jesus as our example. The lives of the people of faith (Ch. 11) are not to make us copy their outcomes but to imitate how they were fully devoted to God and were able to live a different life. When we follow outcomes, we will be too blind to see errors. When we follow principles, we are able to judge the outcomes by the principles, and then we will stay on the right path.

Be wary of strange and new teachings.

One Lagos pastor said last week, ‘Don’t conform to God; conform to Jesus Christ’. I hate clickbait, so I didn’t have to read other tweets to see the nonsense he was saying. But I read the rest, and it was still nonsense. Somewhere, his church and followers are saying, ‘rhema,’ ‘deep.’ There are interesting teachings on portals, mysteries, and mantles, and people have forsaken the gospel to practice mysticism. I beg you as a sibling in Christ. Be wary of any teaching that is not in the Bible or that you have to twist scriptures to fit their explanation. If those who worshipped under the old system had no right to eat of the altar of Christ (v10 – v13), then those who forsake the grace of God to make new rules and systems to reach God are no different. May the Holy Spirit help us all.

Worship God. Be good. Be kind.

The only sacrifices we are obligated to offer are a sacrifice of praise to God and a sacrifice of generosity to the needy among us (the Christian community, first). The generosity spoken of here is a sacrifice. Read verses 15 to 16 again. Financial planning is good, but obeying biblical instructions is better. Don’t let selfish teachings on giving that are purposed towards personal/ministry enrichment deter you from obeying scriptures. When we choose to obey God, always, we will soon find that even our financial planning yields better results.

Obey your spiritual leaders.

Remember that we are doing this in line with v7. The outcomes of their lives must be measurable by the life of faith they’ve lived, following the principles of the word of God. Our leaders must be showing us how to follow God, and when this is the case, we are instructed to obey them. When I read or hear of abuse in the Church, again I know that the root cause is a knowledge problem. Christianity is not a cult, and we are not admonished to obey or submit to leaders blindly.

Finally…

God is the one who gives peace—He’s the source of serenity and well-being. We have no need to fear the enormity of the task ahead or the unknowns in the year 2025 because God equips and He strengthens. If we daily submit our lives to Him and truly let Him be Lord, He will accomplish in and through us what is pleasing to Him. I know you might have completed your retreat and come out with a word for 2025, and I’d like to encourage you to seek God’s word and will every day. Don’t let the word you have be your focus; it is not your object of worship. Let Christ be your focus. Those who seek Him find Him, and if we seek Him daily, we will find life and live a prosperous year.

In 2025, may we know God more and love Him more so that we may know Him more. Amen.

Love,

Osi