I know I have said it before, but I will say it again: There is so much in Hebrews that I feel like I have placed my study time on slow motion. I do apologize if we are moving through Hebrews too slowly for you, but I know God is speaking and moving as we go through this book. So, here we go.
Hebrews 3:1-4 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, (2) who was Faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house. (3) For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house. (4) For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God.
Jesus Christ is the High Priest. He was faithful to His Father that appointed Him as High Priest, Sacrifical Lamb, and King above all Kings. He is worthy of glory more than anyone else. The builder is worthy of more honor and glory than the building. God has created or built all things. Including Man and Woman...and all of creation.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
He are His workmanship. Workmanship = a design produced by an artist. Workmanship is also unique to each artist. For example, many can recognize a familiar sound in a piece of music and know the composer or recognize stroke patterns in a painting and know Picasso painted the piece. Works such as these can be forged by someone that is talented, but it is never quite as good as the original. The reproduction piece can be identified as something that is not by the master artist. There is no doubt that human beings are a design produced by a master artist and no one can or has been able to reproduce His original work. The intricacies with which our bodies operate are still not all 100% understood by medical science. There is no other thing in creation that is like us. We were made in His image. As His creations, His workmanship, is He not worth our glory and honor more than we ourselves? Hebrews 3:3 says He is. The builder is worth more honor than the building.
Hebrews 3:6 but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.
1 Corinthians 3:16-17 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? (17) If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
We are the very dwelling place of the Spirit of God. He built us. He dwells within us. We are called to holy conduct (1 Peter 1:13-16). Our conduct should be above reproach (Philippians 1:27-28). Hebrews 3 talks about being faithful and the repercussions for the Children of Israel that were not faithful in the wilderness (Hebrews 3:7-11). But fast forward a couple of verses to vv. 18 & 19.
Hebrews 3:18-19 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? (19) So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
Obedience is a requirement for staying faithful to the One who is building us. We are not a complete work in Him until the coming of Christ and we are transformed like Him, but He who started a good work in us will be faithful to complete it (Philippians 1:6). There are some who know God, have known God, but do not glorify or worship Him as God. We also saw this in the wilderness with the Children of Israel when they strayed and built the golden calf idol for worship while Moses was on the mountain with the Lord. Because God has created all things, the very things He has created show attributes of His character.
Romans 1:20-23 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, (21) because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. (22) Professing to be wise, they became fools, (23) and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
Have we as humans not done exactly what Paul is describing here? Have we not reduced God to an image we have generated in our minds to an imperfect and corruptible figure head? We have brought Him to our level. We see it all over the world today people that have changed the glory of God and mock His incorruptible seed. We can be guilty of not keeping our conduct holy and above reproach. Romans 1:21 above says that those that did not glorify or be thankful to Him became futile in their thoughts. Futile can also mean here idolatrous or selfish in their own thoughts. Their "foolish" hearts means unintelligent or even wicked. We can carry in our hearts things that we have built up as an idol. Idols can take the shape of many things. But an idol is simply anything we place higher regard upon than our Creator. Our flesh is so weak, isn't it? It wants what it wants and that is why Paul said he crucifies his flesh daily. But the beauty of our builder is He also inhabits the building He created.
Take the analogy of a home that I have used before. When we own our homes we live in them. We take care of them. We make repairs as they arise so the house can stay in good, livable, presentable condition. We might have to call in specialists that have training in areas we do not, such as plumbers, electricians, etc. that can assist us with something that is outside our scope of knowledge. If we can manage the upkeep on our physical homes and keep the lawn mowed, the paint fresh, the carpet cleaned, the walls intact, then why can we commit our bodies (the very building the Holy Spirit of God our Creator inhabits) to the One who called us out to be separate? He called us to Holy Conduct. That does not mean we are or can be perfect. It means we remain faithful to His word, we take heed to His commandments, and we do our best to be identified as His disciples through our conduct. We grow the fruit of the Spirit in our lives so that people that see us can identify us as the very image of Christ. We cannot do it alone and we cannot do it on our own. Our specialist lives in us.
Psalms 73:26-28 My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (27) For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish; You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry. (28) But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, That I may declare all Your works.
We are to declare His works, with thankfulness giving our Builder all the glory and honor He is due. We do not want to be like the Children of Israel in the Wilderness that were sent on a journey so that an entire generation could die off.
1 Corinthians 10:11-13 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. (12) Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. (13) No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
Our God is faithful regardless of what we do, say, or harbor in our hearts. He is a faithful God and a loving Father who never changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His faithfulness to us is worthy of our honor and faithfulness to Him in return. He is worthy and deserving of no less from us.
2 Timothy 2:11-13 This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. (12) If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. (13) If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.
