… and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel.
Summary: There are many ways to understand words, but the more words we have, the better we can understand the meaning. God’s Word, the Bible, contains hundreds of thousands of words. The picture they paint is very clear.
To put this passage into context, Paul is saying, “… if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel.”
As we explored what it means to be “established and firm,” we realized that being “established” doesn’t mean being “rigid.” The mustard tree, for example, sways with the wind. Jesus points out that when it grows big enough, “birds perched in its branches” (Luke 13:19).
This reminds me of the story about Jesus eating at Levi’s house with “tax collectors and sinners” (Luke 13:27-32). When the Pharisees complain about Jesus’ choice of friends, he replies, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (ibid).
The law of God is “established and firm,” too! Nobody can change God’s law. The Bible tells us that the enemy of God will “try to change the set times and the laws” (Daniel 7:25), but he will not succeed. The law is inflexible. Like the stones used to build the first Temple, there is no forgiveness without blood (Hebrews 9:22).
But the Gospel of our Lord Jesus is a gospel of love. The hope Paul refers to is established in the blood of Jesus. The promise of God is firm. Instead of a stone wall of law, the Gospel is a warm embrace in loving arms.
We can run from those arms, but Paul warns us not to. It is important to put our roots deep into the Gospel, and once established we do not move from that place of safety.
Satan, of course, continues to whisper in our ears, trying to tempt us to put ourselves before God. Like the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11), Satan continually places temptations in front of each of us. Each temptation draws us a baby step away from the source of Life. We can say, “It’s not that far,” and imagine we are still safe, but God knows, and Paul warns us: “[Do] not move from the hope held out in the gospel.”
Application: Spend time in the Word of God every day.
Food for Thought: How do we know when we have wandered from the Gospel?
Please click ‘’Continue Reading” for comments.