How Simple Belief Rescues Our Souls (Hebrews Bible Study: Week 3)

I can’t believe it’s already Tuesday again! Happy Hebrews Summer Bible Study, my friends.

 

Grab some coffee (or the beverage of your choice), and come sit outside with me and as all of us study the scriptures together.

 

If you’re new, you’re welcome to hop right in where we are now! You don’t have to have done the first two weeks if you haven’t done them yet, but of course it’ll only help and give you a chance to get a feel for what we’re doing here.

Here’s how it works: I’ve written a study guide for each chapter of Hebrews, and a new one is being posted right here on my blog, every Tuesday for the whole summer. What you’re going to do is read that week’s chapter of Hebrews that I’ll link to, and follow along with the study guide, which has generally three points, one main takeaway, and discussion questions. You’re welcome to just think about the questions, or write them in a journal, or put your answers (open-response, of course; there’s no right or wrong) in the comment section below.

 

Last week, we pulled out four main points from Hebrews Chapter 2.

 

*Salvation is our choice. Let’s choose Jesus.

*Jesus is the One we put our trust in.

*We are Children of God, and therefore, Jesus’ siblings.

*Jesus knows everything we face – literally, everything – and therefore is our perfect High Priest. In other words, our mediator to God.

 

And our weekly takeaway?

 

Jesus is everything we need – He’s our perfect Savior.

 

Ready to begin on chapter 3? I’m excited!

Previous Posts in This Bible Study:

 

// Welcome to The Hebrews Bible Study!

 

// Who is Jesus to You? (Hebrews Bible Study: Week 2)

Let’s Get Started!

 

 

Still with me? Awesome. We’ll start by reading chapter 3 of Hebrews. Clicking this link works if you’d like to read it online, but a tangible Bible is just as awesome.

 

Did you read it? Great. Let’s continue with the main points from this chapter.

Number One:

 

We are to fix our thoughts on Jesus, for He is the One that purifies us in His Priesthood. (Hebrews 3:1-6)

 

Jesus is “our” High Priest – it is He who is the middleman between us and God, and it is He who builds us.

 

The reason I put the word ‘our’ in quotation marks is because this book is written to the Jews, and we’re not Jews. However, when we consider ourselves to be God’s People because we believe in Jesus, we can consider Jesus our High Priest and Lamb Sacrifice because He died for all. It’s of course a little more complicated than that in the distinction between Jew and Gentile, but that brief division will have to do for now.

 

Instead of getting caught up in how great we are, let us fix our minds on how great He is.

Number Two:

 

Besides our sin, it is unbelief that keeps us from salvation. Let us not fall into the trap of believing we’re not good enough to accept God’s grace. (Hebrews 3:12-13)

 

It’s easy, of course, to stay in our sin, to stay skeptical, to stay bitter.

 

But it’s never worth it.

 

Instead of teaching people that their lack of sin is what can bring them to salvation, we need to let them know that belief – above all else – is what brings us salvation. There is a time and place for fighting sin in our lives. But victory over our sinful nature can never happen unless we trust in Jesus to forgive and cleanse us, as only He can.

 

Sin deceives us and tells us that we’re either “all-set” and can save ourselves, or that we’re “too far gone” from God and that we shouldn’t even consider God’s grace as a viable option.

 

Friends, those are both lies. And if you’re hearing either one, turn, and run in the opposite direction; run to Jesus.

 

No amount of self-holiness will make you right with God,  no amount of self-denial, self-trust, no try-hard mentality that tells you to get up and go live a clean life.

 

Friend, the only thing that can wash the sin away from your soul is Jesus Himself, and He will turn away NO ONE who comes to Him.

 

Unbelief isn’t cool, alright? Belief is, because Jesus loves us so much that He died for us.

Number Three:

 

When we disbelieve God (by rejecting Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection for us), we will never enter God’s rest. (Hebrews 3:19)

 

Without the contentment and joy we find in accepting salvation, we will never find true happiness and rest in our lives.

 

No amount of hobbies, jobs, relationships, material possessions or any kind of accomplishments can fill the hole in our hearts that we can only find in believing God.

 

In believing that He sent His Son to die and rise again for us that we might have a relationship with Him.

 

Our hearts were made to crave Him; an intimate connection with our Creator Himself. This is why no relationship of any other kind can fill our desperate need for love – the love our hearts long for is a Divine love that we seek to find in mere humans. Human love can only ever be a reflection of the splendorous love of God.

 

And if we want true rest for our world-wearied souls, we must believe.

 

Next week, I have some mind-blowing truths to share on this very subject with all of you, but that’s gonna have to wait for now. I’m so excited to talk about it!

Recap:

 

*Let us fix our eyes on Jesus. He is who makes us blameless.

*While sin keeps us from God, it is belief in Jesus that saves us. Not our good deeds or sinlessness. Our simple trust in Him to purify us.

*In order to enter God’s rest for our souls, we must allow Him to fill that hole in our hearts. How? By believing.

 

In short? It is belief in Jesus that rescues our souls.

Questions of the Week:

 

1. How can fixing our eyes on Jesus change our perspective of ourselves?

 

2. Have you noticed the tendency of Christian leaders to emphasize the need to fight sin in our own strength, without getting to the root of our victory – Jesus’ blood that cleanses us?

 

3. In what ways have you sought to find contentment, and how does that compare to the contentment only found in Jesus?

 

 

 

 

Week 3 is officially done! It energizes me to much to talk about my faith in a Bible-blatant way, and gives me so much joy to share these truths I’m learning with all of you. So thank you for letting me share my heart and mind!

In Case You Missed It…

 

// How to Effectively Deal With Burnout

 

// Who is Jesus to You? (Hebrews Bible Study: Week 2)

 

// Crushes + True Love: Twenty-Seven Things I Wish I Knew When I Was Twelve