QT 7/21/2026 Heb 10:35-39, Giving up

Hebrews 10:35–39 (ESV) —

35 Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. 37 For,

“Yet a little while,

and the coming one will come and will not delay;

38 but my righteous one shall live by faith,

and if he shrinks back,

my soul has no pleasure in him.”

39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.

 

NOTE: The passage is written to believers, the same believers who in verses 24-25 have given up meeting together. They started out well but somewhere along the way, when difficulties and persecutions arose, they gave way and went backwards, potentially all the way to being an apostate.

 

I think the idea of good works is misunderstood by Christians today. You cannot in any way earn your salvation, it is by grace through faith. It is promised by God and sealed by the Holy Spirit (Eph 1:13). But, there is a reward in heaven for good works. Eternal life is already paid for by Jesus, so what is this reward? I don't know, but I would make two arguments.

 

1. Rewards are positions and opportunities to serve Jesus in the Millennial kingdom.
2. There is no other way to say "thank you for salvation" than by service to God on earth now. Our works can never say "thank you" loud enough, but our abandonment of service says "I don't care." We clearly don't value salvation. The reward is the ability to say "thank you."

 

Lastly, let me quote something Barclay said about perseverance.

 

“Perseverance is one of the great unromantic virtues. Most people can start well; almost everyone can be fine in spasms. Most people have their good days. Most men have their great moments. To everyone it is sometimes given to mount up with wings as eagles; in the moment of the great effort everyone can run and not be weary; but the greatest gift of all is to walk and not to faint.” (Barclay, 1963, pp. 143-44.)

 

I can relate. I can always give a spurt, but continuing day after day can be monotonous, tedious, and dull. Yet, I found a reward in the daily slog. In time, what was hard became joyful, peaceful, and restful.

 

PONDER:

1. Where am I in the battle? Have I given up like the Hebrews, if only, subtly?
2. Does a reward in heaven have any meaning to me?

 

PRAYER: Lord, this culture calls us to give up the good for the temporary. We are offered entertainment and comfort if we give up service and perseverance. Open our eyes to our real motives, help us to repent and return, the church is so weak. The enemy has blinded it.