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REFLECTION

The theme for our reflection is “Receiving the ultimate promise through faith” The ultimate promise is God’s assurance of salvation to those who walk in faith. We shall reflect on the fact that faith is both necessary for our walk with God on earth and our attainment of God’s ultimate promise of salvation.

Beloved in the Lord, the writer of Hebrews in Hebrews 12:23-35, underscored the importance of faith in the historical events of Israel to his Jewish audience. He also highlighted the significance of faith in the lives of the men and women used by God to fulfil His covenant promise to the Israelites by emphasising the miraculous and redemptive acts of God in both the national life of Israel and individuals who put their trust in Him. For instance, the author of Hebrews mentioned the result of faith in the lives of some individuals when he wrote, “And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again.” (Hebrews 11:32-35) Again, the writer of Hebrews recounted the power of faith in sustaining the Apostles and other believers in the Early Church in enduring suffering and persecution, thus, “There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.” (Hebrews 11:35-38)

The author of Hebrews’ main point is that both believers in the Old Covenant and those in the New Covenant had one thing in common: faith in God. Christians of all generations would come to share in this faith because it is the only way to receive the ultimate promise of salvation through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It is for this reason that the writer of Hebrews wrote, “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, 40 since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.” (Hebrews 11:39-40) In other words, in our imperfect bodies, we yearn for a perfect and a better body, which can only be attained through faith in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. This is the ultimate reward or promise that all believers of every generation yearn for. Faith is indispensable in our spiritual journey to attain the ultimate promise of God, therefore. Jesus admonished us when He said to Thomas in John 20:27, 29, “Stop doubting and believe…blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Dear friend, just as blood gives life to the body, faith gives life to our Spirit through Christ. Without faith in God, we are hopeless. If faith is not important, then let us make merry and sleep, for there is nothing at stake, nor is there an eternal life. However, we wake up every morning to fellowship and worship, we pray without ceasing, constantly study God’s Word and yearn to do His will because of our faith in Him. It is our humble prayer that our faith will sustain our hope in this world and consequently usher us into the ultimate promise of Salvation and eternal life.

Again, Paul points us to this ultimate promise of salvation through faith when he wrote in Philippians 3:20-21 that  “…our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. ” As we eagerly await our Saviour Jesus Christ, let us learn how the believers of the Old Testament exercised their faith by totally relying on God for their victory and redemption. Again, as we eagerly await our Saviour Jesus Christ, let us learn how the Apostles and early Christians endured suffering and persecution through faith. Let us always remember and be guided by Paul’s admonishment to the Ephesians when he wrote, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8) Dear friend, Our faith in God must never dwindle or be lost because it is inseparable from our salvation or the ultimate promise of God. Let us not succumb to anxiety, fear and doubts but be greatly emboldened in faith in the face of challenges and persecution. ‘For in Him (God) we live and move and have our being.’ (Acts 17:28)

In summary, we have discovered that beyond our walk with God on earth, faith is necessary in receiving God’s ultimate promise of salvation. Shalom.

PRAYER

May the Holy Spirit strengthen us to follow the examples of our forebears so that through faith we shall all receive the ultimate promise of salvation through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.