Your Soul's Sure And Steadfast Anchor

In my last post we heard that there are those who may have fallen from the faith and cannot be returned to it. Nevertheless we pray for them. Now turn this around. What if you are fearful that this may happen to you by some weakness of your sinful heart or some temptation of the devil? What confidence can you have that you too will not lose your faith? Can you have any confidence in God's blessings? Listen.

Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things--things that belong to salvation. For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. - Hebrews 6:9-12 ESV

If you are reading these words of Holy Scripture, if you're heart rejoices in the promises that are yours in Jesus and if you are even concerned that you might lose your faith, then please, my brother or sister, take heart. " Better things, things that belong to your salvation, await you."

For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. - Hebrews 6:10 ESV 

He knows you. He knows your heart. He knows what moves you to love your friend. He knows why you went out of your way to send your friend a check to cover expenses when he was forced to spend all that he had for medicines for his sick and dying child. He knows how you spent long hours visiting and encouraging a fellow member of your Christian fellowship, encouraging her as she mourned the death of her husband. He knows and remembers that commitment you have to your Bible class for teens in your neighborhood. He knows your heart and sees the faith that you have for Him, faith that expresses itself in love.

And just as He promised to bless Abraham, so He promises to bless you. Abraham was willing to obey the LORD, even when He was commanded to sacrifice his only son, Isaac (Gen. 22:1-18). Then the LORD knew that Abraham believed and trusted Him—and, as before, He renewed His promise to bless Abraham (Gen. 17:1-8).

And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven and said, "By myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice." - Gen 22:15-18 ESV 

As Hebrews says, "since God had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, 'Surely I will bless you and multiply you'" (Hebrews 6:13-14). And it is very important that you understand what that means for you so that even in times when you struggle with doubts and darkness you do not completely despair of God's love for you, sinner though you are. What strengthens us in those moments is the unchangeable nature and person of God and the fact that He cannot lie. In other words,

1. God's purpose for you is that you receive forgiveness because of Jesus' sacrifice for you on the cross of Calvary. In Jesus He said, "Surely I will bless and multiply you. I WILL, I WILL!" 
2. And he has guaranteed this with an oath, swearing by Himself, just as He did to Abraham. 

So we return to what He said to us earlier in this letter about Jesus, the Son of God.

Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. - Hebrews 4:14-15 ESV

We have a high priest, we surely do. His name is Jesus, the Son of God. He understands, relates and sympathizes with your weakness, your confusion, your fear. Again, as we said before, He knows. He too was tempted, just as you are. Yet He did not sin, but offered His sinful life for you.

Jesus is then your soul's "sure and steadfast anchor" in the midst of the storms assailing you. He is your one certain hope. He has "passed through the heavens" into the very presence of God, the presence represented in the old tabernacle and later in the temple by the Most Holy Place (Exod. 26:33-34; 40:18-38; Hebrews 9:1-28).

So do not fear. He will preserve your faith. Your hope of heaven and eternal life is certain. We'll learn more of this later.