In the letter to the Hebrews in the New Testament, the church has for many centuries concluded this letter was written by the apostle Paul...yet in this letter Paul does not identify himself as the author in the opening remarks as he had done in all his other letters...and the Greek style of writing in this letter to the Hebrews does not have that Pauline style, so indeed we may not be sure as to who actually wrote this letter. Along with this thought, we are not sure if this letter was directed to the Christian believers in Jerusalem or perhaps to the believers in Rome.
Yet what is convincing is the fact that whoever wrote this letter was a Christian believer who had a deep awareness of his Christian faith...and that this letter was passed to others prior to the destruction of the Temple around 70 A.D.
For the sake of argument...I will say this letter is a Pauline epistle and in this letter are some valuable insights for the Christian lifestyle.
Often times in this day we are hearing of the "end of time", not only in religious circles but in the business and political world as well. It seems everyone is on edge as we watch the instability of the stock market, the fall of oil prices, and the general global economy throughout the world. We hear of good reports only to be followed by poor reports...and often times on the very same subject. For example, we hear of the needs for jobs diminishing, and yet we hear others say it's not true, most of the current job hirings are only part-time.
As for Christians, we are eagerly awaiting the return of Christ to set up His Kingdom, as all believers have done...since the first century. We hear today of "signs of the times" and how so many things are happening before us that point to the 2nd Coming of Christ Jesus.
Yet, there is a reality that needs to be understood as to the reason for His 2nd Coming.
First, as Christians, our focus is to remain...at the acceptance of the Cross, for this is what changes the heart of men. Saint Paul wrote in the first of his 2 letters to the Corinthians, in chapter 1, verse 23:
" We preach Christ, the True Messiah, and Christ crucified. Jewish people regard this message as if it were some type of scandal, an offensive stumbling block whose real motive in the Christian message is to snare and entrap you...and the Greeks?...They consider this message absurd, unphilosophical, a statement that makes no sense."
Paul went on in his letter to define the message of a Christian believer in this fashion... regardless of the day we might find ourselves living in: it is not in miracles or a particular set of natural events that causes the heart of men to change, nor is it in eloquent words alone that causes a person to search out the meaning to life, rather it is the acceptance of the work Christ Jesus did at the Cross, and we are to receive His work by faith, and are willing not just to die, but to change our daily behaviors by being attentive and doing what the Sacred Scriptures have instructed us to do.
Later in Hebrews, the writer makes this statement in chapter 13:8:
" Jesus Christ is always the same...He simply never changes. He has been, He is, and He will be...totally Himself. He remains that way...yesterday, today, and forever".
Our message is the same as well...Jesus died on the Cross...totally and completely...because of me...and my sin against the God of the universe.
For myself, the key to Christ 2nd coming is found in Hebrews 9:27-28. It reads:
" There comes an appointed time...when all people die once, after that to face a certain judgment. Even Christ Jesus Himself offered His life...through Death, yet His death enables all of us to be free from the power of sin...because He overcame Death...and is alive! Now, as we approach judgment after our own deaths, we are no longer in fear of this judgment.
For when Christ returns for a 2nd time...He is not coming to deal with the burden of sin or to take away any more sin in our lives...He has already done that.
Rather, His 2nd Coming is to bring the much awaited Salvation to all who have patiently waited in faith and are now eagerly looking forward to His arrival."
The key then remains: Whether we are living in the Last Days, or when we die...that is certainly to be our Last Day...are we patiently yet eagerly..awaiting His Arrival?
Yet what is convincing is the fact that whoever wrote this letter was a Christian believer who had a deep awareness of his Christian faith...and that this letter was passed to others prior to the destruction of the Temple around 70 A.D.
For the sake of argument...I will say this letter is a Pauline epistle and in this letter are some valuable insights for the Christian lifestyle.
Often times in this day we are hearing of the "end of time", not only in religious circles but in the business and political world as well. It seems everyone is on edge as we watch the instability of the stock market, the fall of oil prices, and the general global economy throughout the world. We hear of good reports only to be followed by poor reports...and often times on the very same subject. For example, we hear of the needs for jobs diminishing, and yet we hear others say it's not true, most of the current job hirings are only part-time.
As for Christians, we are eagerly awaiting the return of Christ to set up His Kingdom, as all believers have done...since the first century. We hear today of "signs of the times" and how so many things are happening before us that point to the 2nd Coming of Christ Jesus.
Yet, there is a reality that needs to be understood as to the reason for His 2nd Coming.
First, as Christians, our focus is to remain...at the acceptance of the Cross, for this is what changes the heart of men. Saint Paul wrote in the first of his 2 letters to the Corinthians, in chapter 1, verse 23:
" We preach Christ, the True Messiah, and Christ crucified. Jewish people regard this message as if it were some type of scandal, an offensive stumbling block whose real motive in the Christian message is to snare and entrap you...and the Greeks?...They consider this message absurd, unphilosophical, a statement that makes no sense."
Paul went on in his letter to define the message of a Christian believer in this fashion... regardless of the day we might find ourselves living in: it is not in miracles or a particular set of natural events that causes the heart of men to change, nor is it in eloquent words alone that causes a person to search out the meaning to life, rather it is the acceptance of the work Christ Jesus did at the Cross, and we are to receive His work by faith, and are willing not just to die, but to change our daily behaviors by being attentive and doing what the Sacred Scriptures have instructed us to do.
Later in Hebrews, the writer makes this statement in chapter 13:8:
" Jesus Christ is always the same...He simply never changes. He has been, He is, and He will be...totally Himself. He remains that way...yesterday, today, and forever".
Our message is the same as well...Jesus died on the Cross...totally and completely...because of me...and my sin against the God of the universe.
For myself, the key to Christ 2nd coming is found in Hebrews 9:27-28. It reads:
" There comes an appointed time...when all people die once, after that to face a certain judgment. Even Christ Jesus Himself offered His life...through Death, yet His death enables all of us to be free from the power of sin...because He overcame Death...and is alive! Now, as we approach judgment after our own deaths, we are no longer in fear of this judgment.
For when Christ returns for a 2nd time...He is not coming to deal with the burden of sin or to take away any more sin in our lives...He has already done that.
Rather, His 2nd Coming is to bring the much awaited Salvation to all who have patiently waited in faith and are now eagerly looking forward to His arrival."
The key then remains: Whether we are living in the Last Days, or when we die...that is certainly to be our Last Day...are we patiently yet eagerly..awaiting His Arrival?
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