The book of Hebrews is packed full of tough but necessary lessons and reminders all Christians need to absorb. This Warning Signs series is dedicated to Christians who currently have a relationship with Christ, and walks us through some essential warnings we must heed in this relationship.
Imagine yourself an orphan. You do not know your parents, but you know you have them and you long to know them. You walk through life trying to brush it off fearing that if you seek them they will reject you, you won’t actually find them, or maybe knowing life will be different if you find them. Still, you long for them, knowing deep down they exist, but fearing what will happen if you seek them you keep going through life feeling incomplete.
We are all born with this same natural, hard-wired desire to seek and know our Creator. We long for Him, but so often we fear what will happen if we look for answers. We often acknowledge it as seeking “the meaning of life”, “my purpose”, “my calling” or even “filling the void” without realizing what we are really seeking is God; the only one who can make us whole. We were made for a relationship with Him and nothing in the world is preventing us from seeking God out and spending time with Him, except maybe our own fear of the unknowns that may come from finding the truth.
‘For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. ‘
Romans 1:20
God’s fingerprints are everywhere. He is the righteous Creator of all things, and we are connected with all of His creations through our relationship with Him. In His righteousness, the attribute of God by which He does what is right and in accordance with His law and character, He can do no wrong. He is good all the time, knows all, and is an eternal, balanced and perfect judge.
He also gives us ample opportunities through His divine guidance in our lives as well as through His Son, the image of Himself, to know Him, and to satisfy that desire we are hard-wired with to fill the void that can only be filled by a relationship with Him.
‘Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. ‘
Hebrews 1:1-4
‘The Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works. ‘
Psalm 145:17
Not only is God righteous, but to see the Son is to see the Father. God created all things through Jesus, the Controller, and Sustainer of everything. Christ is superior to all things, heir of all things, the brightness and glory of God, and is God. Accepting the Son and His Holy sacrifice for our sakes is how we enter into a relationship with the Father.
‘He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ‘
John 1:1-3
‘For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. ‘
Colossians 1:16-20
Before God sent the image of Himself to us He would speak to specific people at different times and in a variety of ways. Now, we get to have a direct line of communication with God through Jesus. In knowing Jesus we also know God, and in accepting Jesus we also enter into a relationship with God and receive His Spirit.
We begin to learn and grow in relationship with all 3 Persons of the united Godhead; God the Son, God the Father, God the Spirit. We learn how to hear Him and through relational growth, we begin to see Him showing up and working in our lives and the world around us.
‘For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.’
2 Corinthians 5:21
‘My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” ‘
John 10:27-30
Through accepting Christ we are made right with God and He fills the void we feel before choosing to seek and know Him. With this we have credited His righteousness and called to live in a manner worthy of Christ’s Holy sacrifice, striving to live as Christ, bear the fruit of His Spirit, and seek God every single day.
We are made whole in this newfound relationship and begin to learn the purpose for our existence, the meaning of life, which can only be found within this relationship. We can never really be worthy of this sacrifice, but we are called to try our best, living every day fully intent on living by God’s law and steering clear of lawlessness and sin.
‘Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one. Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. ‘
Galatians 3:19-26
‘The Lord upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. ‘
Psalm 145:14
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Matthew 5:6
Living with the wholehearted intent to do what is right according to God’s law places Christ rightly as the superior Lord over our lives, which as ironic as it sounds, is where true freedom, contentment, and comfort are found. Acknowledging Him as number one in all things is to accept His superiority and control, as well as His role as Sustainer and Provider. With this acknowledgment should come trust in His righteousness, knowing however He guides and provides we can trust Him to protect and sustain us through all of life’s struggles. We can count on Him to keep His promises, have faith that He is bigger than anything and everything ever created and that He is working all things out for good even when it doesn’t seem good.
‘And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. ‘
Romans 8:28
‘Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. ‘
Hebrews 13:8
‘“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” ‘
Isaiah 12:2
Christ is superior to all things because He is our righteous Creator, Sustainer, Controller, Provider and Judge. To see Christ is to see God Himself and to truly enter into that relationship is to prioritize His law in our lives out of faith, trust, and love for Him and all He has done and will ever do for us. We are given a natural longing to seek and know Him, and when we choose not to we, therefore, reject Him.
We are all called to come to Him, enter into the blessing of a relationship with our Creator, and place Him in His rightful place as righteous ruler of our lives. Through this, we will find rest for our souls and be made whole with His love. Come to the life-giving waters and drink. Refresh your spirit and be made whole in Him who died to save you and rose again as our Holy and righteous Lord.
‘Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ‘
1 Thessalonians 5:23
‘ The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. ‘
Psalm 19:7-9
‘For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. ‘
Romans 1:18-21
