Today's passage from the Chronological Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Leviticus 5-7
32 Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. 33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. 34 You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.
These verses are a deterrent to the apostasy we wrote of yesterday. The first deterrent is to remember. Remember when they first heard the gospel and considered it, when they were even willing to be insulted and persecuted along with the true believers, when they sympathized with those in prison.
Most people interpret these verses to be encouraging Christians to remain strong in the faith, but MacArthur interprets them to be encouraging those on the verge of apostasy not to reject Jesus, but rather to remember when the Spirit was drawing them to Jesus. I think MacArthur's interpretation is correct - based on what we've been learning in our study of Hebrews so far.
1 comment:
I would agree with you (and MacArthur) although I would also say that if the verses encourage a Christian to remain strong in their faith, then good.
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