I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Hebrews 10-11.

    The writer reiterates a point that he made in yesterday’s passage, we can boldly enter into God’s presence. This means that we can boldly call on God’s power. In the Gospels Jesus said that His followers would do the same sort of miracles which He had performed, and more. The writer of this letter is explaining how that works. We can stand before God and ask Him to exercise His power because Jesus has, once and for all, covered our sins with His blood. The writer wrote about how we are saved by grace through faith. However, that grace does not mean that we can deliberately go on sinning. I do not believe the writer is referring to the sins we commit because we are weak humans who fail to resist temptation. Rather I believe the writer is referring to those who deliberately choose not to resist temptation. This is not about the person who, without thinking, leaves an open bottle of alcohol where a recovering alcoholic comes upon it and gives in to drink. No, this refers to the person who knowingly tempts an alcoholic with alcohol.

    The author has written earlier in this letter, in agreement with what Paul wrote, that we are saved by God’s grace through our faith. We do not receive salvation as a reward for our good behavior. It is freely given to us by God because of His grace. Having written that the author now tells us that our faith should compel us to act. He lists how the people from the Old Testament who are held up as examples for us to follow were inspired by their faith to act. By faith, Abel brought…by faith Noah built…By faith, Abraham went… All of these people had faith, but that faith did not leave them sitting there waiting for God to take them home. Because of that faith they did something. When we experience the faith the writer is talking about, we will also take the action to which God is calling us.