The gospel that promises salvation to all who obey its urgent call also marks out the pathway that will lead us from where we are already to the place of salvation for which we yet strive and have not yet attained. This is the function of the gospel's warnings and admonitions. Warnings function as signs that caution us against the multitude of dangers that lie on every hand; they warn us lest we take pathways that lead to eternal death and destruction. Admonitions serve as signs that point us to the right path--the path that leads to eternal life, the Holy City--as they exhort us to press forward in order that we may enter into God's kingdom and inherit the life that has been promised (Hebrews 6:12). These admonitions and warnings serve not to cause us to doubt our justified standing before God in Christ Jesus but rather they elicit faithful obedience to Jesus Christ who speaks from heaven; this faithful obedience is the necessary means by which we may have confident assurance that we shall truly persevere to the end and be saved.Friday, July 18, 2008
The Function of the Warnings and Admonitions in Hebrews
The gospel that promises salvation to all who obey its urgent call also marks out the pathway that will lead us from where we are already to the place of salvation for which we yet strive and have not yet attained. This is the function of the gospel's warnings and admonitions. Warnings function as signs that caution us against the multitude of dangers that lie on every hand; they warn us lest we take pathways that lead to eternal death and destruction. Admonitions serve as signs that point us to the right path--the path that leads to eternal life, the Holy City--as they exhort us to press forward in order that we may enter into God's kingdom and inherit the life that has been promised (Hebrews 6:12). These admonitions and warnings serve not to cause us to doubt our justified standing before God in Christ Jesus but rather they elicit faithful obedience to Jesus Christ who speaks from heaven; this faithful obedience is the necessary means by which we may have confident assurance that we shall truly persevere to the end and be saved.
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2 comments:
On that last line, is faithful obedience the only means by which we can have confident assurance, or is it part of the 'three-legged' stool mentioned in your book? Not sure if I am misreading it. Thanks again for your post, I always enjoy reading your blog.
Scott,
Oops! I misplaced the modifier only. I'm sorry for the confusion. Faithful obedience is still in my view one leg of the "three-legged" stool.
I recast the statement as this faithful obedience is the necessary means by which we may have confident assurance that we shall truly persevere to the end and be saved.
Thanks for the clarifying question.
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