… 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?
I hold true to the fact that as we abide and remain in Him, He will remain in us and we will bear much fruit. I imagine Gods word, the sword of the spirit. Commonly viewed as an offensive weapon and very much so for spiritual warfare. I like to look at it as a sword that I plunge deep into the ground, and to which I’m tied off to so not to fall off a cliff. I can stumble but I won’t fall because my hope is held out “IN” the gospel that Paul speaks of. This is only possible through the daily renewing of my mind as He calls us.
Great word Jeff
Brent,
Great to hear from you!! I love your use of the Sword as an anchor, pinning us firmly to the Gospel. God bless and keep you! I hope we hear from you again soon!
Great comment
Good devotion brother and I really like Brent’s reply. If we have wandered from Jesus then we have wandered from the gospel. If our lives do not line up with the truth of His word, then we have wandered from the gospel.
Hebrews 12: 1 – 2: Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.
Philippians 3: 7 – 14: But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in a Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 3; 14 – 17: But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the servant of God a may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Thank you, Rich!
Well said! I kinda like the idea of the “great cloud of witnesses” keeping an eye on me. If I start to wander there is always a reminder that points me back to Jesus. 🙂
Great devotion and meditations!
How do we know when we have wandered from the Gospel?
John 14:16, And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever;
John 16:13, Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come.
Romans 8:9, But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.
The Holy Spirit will never leave a believer, however, it is possible for our sin to “quench the Holy Spirit” or “grieve the Holy Spirit”. Sin always has consequences in our relationship with God. While our relationship with God is secure in Christ, unconfessed sin in our lives can hinder our fellowship with God and effectively quench the Holy Spirit’s working in our lives. So, while the Holy Spirit will never leave us, the benefits and joy of His presence can in fact depart from us.
1 Thessalonians 5:19, Ephesians 4:30
Thank you, Ron!
Very comforting words and excellent advice!
I am adding a link to your last two verses here.
Great devotion and great comments thus far!
I would add that living a life immersed in the Gospel of Christ yields evidence of His Spirit in our lives.
Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
If we find our reaction to life and those around us is counter to these, it may be time to ask if we are wandering from the Gospel of Christ.
All of the Fruit of the Spirit are indicative of a healthy heart.
Matthew 7:17-18 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.
In staying in step with the Gospel of Christ, and our eyes on Him, we will see the evidence of a healthy heart. When we wander from it, we invite turmoil within us, despite what is going on around us.
Matthew 6:22-23 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
Thank you, Chris!
Excellent point!
I am reminded of piloting a boat. If we keep our eyes on the place we are going, the boat stays pointed that direction. If our eyes wander, so does the boat!