Mar. 02, 2025

“LIVE BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT”

“PRACTICING OUR FAITH”

HEBREW 13:1-7

“Are you giving sufficient time and attention to these practical principles for every day life with others?

*Enjoying Spiritual Fellowship:

The first three verses of chapter 13 set the tone with the challenge “to love.”

1.  Our Relationship With Other Believers- Hebrews 13:1

Hebrews 13:1 “Let brotherly love continue.”

verse 1, “Let brotherly love continue.” “Brotherly love”-in the Greek comes from the word “philadelphia” which is a compound word from two Greek words, the first “philos”-referring to a disposition that is kindly disposed, devoted. The other word is “adelphos”-meaning brother. Together we get the idea of close, intimate love between family members.

For Christians, the common bond of union is Jesus Christ. We are to love God and love others:

Mark 12:30-31 “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’  This is the first commandment. 31And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

2.   Our Relationship With Strangers- Hebrews 13:2

Hebrews 13:2 “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.”

“Strangers”- those on the outside, foreigners, people not like us.

“entertain angels,” vs.2. This word “angels” comes from the Greek word “angelos”-which refers to human “messengers.”

3.   Our Relationship With Prisoners- Hebrews 13:3

Hebrews 13:3 “Remember the prisoners as if chained with them those who are mistreated since you yourselves are in the body also.”

In verse two we are told to open our homes to strangers. Now we are told to open our hearts and hands, to actually go to those on the margins of society who would otherwise be forgotten:

Matthew 25:34-40

We are to sympathize with their circumstances and, where we can, alleviate their alienation by offering them our love.

4.   Our Relationship With Our Spouse- Hebrews 13:4 

Hebrews 13:4 “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.”

He places “honorable” at the start of the sentence in a position of emphasis. Christian marriage should be honored.

5.  Our Relationship With Material Things- Hebrews 13:5-6 

Hebrews 13:5-6 “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6So we may boldly say “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

The Bible addresses money and material things in many places. Over and over, the same theme emerges in the discussion; “contentment.”

Philippians 4:11-12 “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.”

1 Timothy 6:7-8 “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.”

1 Timothy 6:10 “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

vs.5-6. these verses are quotes from:

Joshua 1:5 “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.”

Psalm 118:6 “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

Philippians 4:19 “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

Money and material possessions are unworthy of our faith, our hope, and our love.

Proverbs 18:10-11 “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe. 11The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, And like a high wall in his own esteem.”

Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

When we have God, we have all we need. The material things of life can decay or be stolen, but God will never leave us or forsake us. 

6.   Our Relationship With Leaders- Hebrews 13:7

Hebrews 13:7 “Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.”

Christ Himself, by the power of the Holy Spirit, ordained leadership in His body to nurture its growth toward maturity.

Ephesians 4:11-13 “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”

To ignore or rebel against this leadership would be to neglect an essential means God has provided for our spiritual nourishment.

Finding contentment in our position within the body of Christ takes humility.