We live in a dangerous age. Not only are we dealing with a pandemic, a soft coup, rioters, looters, vassals for China, and a threatened “great global reset”, we are also living in an age of lukewarmness with the danger of being vomited out of Jesus’ mouth. In times of uncertainty, we see people searching for answers. No one likes living on the edge without a sense of normalcy, but what happens if people look to the church? What do they see? We, individually, have to cure our own lukewarmness. How do we do that? We have to possess faith, persuasion, or moral conviction. We have the remedy which the writer of Hebrews reminds us of. As we looked at the Prayer of Azarias last week, we can see that they faced a very challenging time, however Yahweh brought them through that predicament and they have been remembered ever since. Others have had similar experiences. As we explore the remedy we will see a translation abnormality that has caused confusion. Let’s remind ourselves of Jesus’ words.
Revelation 3:16 Thus, because lukewarm thou art, and neither hot nor cold, I am about thee to vomit out of the mouth of me….
https://studybible.info/Diaglott/Revelation%203
I don’t think any of us want to be vomited out of Jesus’ mouth.
The writer of Hebrews has a unique style, similar to the apostle Paul but far more eloquent. This epistle was carried by Paul as he traveled and it also mentions Timothy and that he was released from prison. The writer was a scholar of the Law and of Greek. Remember that Jesus was an Essene, and recognize that Paul (upon conversion in Damascus) was among those in the Damascus Community and went into the desert for 14 years. Paul was being instructed by the Essenes who were not only Greek scholars but Hebrew scholars as well. They were also well known scribes. Think about how Jesus angered the Pharisees by pointing out what they were doing was wrong. Schooling with the Essenes began when their students were sixteen years old and continued until they were twenty; and then if they wished to continue they schooled for another ten years. So Fourteen years in total if they chose to. This is why Jesus and John the Baptist were both thirty when they went into Jerusalem and turned the region upside down. This is also why Paul was able to bring the message of Jesus to the people who had walked with Jesus. The Letter to the Hebrews is extremely deep, and was an attempt to teach Jews who converted to Christianity. We will see that translators did not always give us a clean translation. They also put chapter and verse numbering in awkward places. But as we will see, it is truly due to the fact that the writer runs on and doesn’t change subjects often.
We will start in Hebrews 10. The writer has just explained that we have full freedom and confidence to enter into the holy of holies because our high priest, Jesus, shed his blood for us. Then we are warned not to trample Jesus underfoot or profane his blood thereby outraging the Hoy Spirit. We are then reminded of the struggle that we faced when we were first spiritually enlightened, being abused by unbelievers.
Hebrews 10:35 G3361 Do not G577 throw off G3767 then G3588 G3954 your confidence, G1473 G3748 which G2192 has G3405 [2payment G3173 1great].
“Not throw off therefore your outspokenness anything which have mega recompense.”
Do not stop being outspoken. Our outspokenness regarding Jesus has great payment. This is why the writer was reminding us of the time when we first came to know Jesus and how we were treated poorly, but that we should not let that deter us.
Hebrews 10:36 G5281 [4of endurance G1063 1For G2192 2you have G5532 3need], G2443 that G3588 [2the G2307 3will G3588 G2316 4of God G4160 1having done], G2865 you should receive G3588 the G1860 promise, saying,
“For have necessity cheerful endurance in order to make the will the Elohim to take care of the public denunciation…”
We all need cheerful endurance in doing the will of the Elohim.The public announcements we make with our outspokenness should continue for a little while.
Hebrews 10:37 G2089 For yet G1063 G3397 a little while G3745 G3745 G3588 the one G2064 coming G2240 shall come, G2532 and G3756 will not G5549 delay.
“…for even now a little while as much the coming arrive and not delay.”
We continue speaking out with cheerful endurance until Jesus comes again. We might think that nearly two thousand years is a long time, but from the view of eternity it is a very short time. We continue speaking with cheerful endurance until the end of the age. Whether we die or we are gathered up, we continue in outspokenness because he is not arriving late or delayed. Jesus will call from the clouds at the exact time that he wants to seize us.
Hebrews 10:38 G3588 But the G1161 G1342 just G1537 [2of G4102 3belief G2198 1shall live]; G2532 and G1437 if G5288 he keeps back, G3756 [2takes no pleasure G2106 G3588 G5590 1my soul] G1473 G1722 in G1473 him.
4102 LSJ Gloss:πίστις trust
Dodson:πίστις faith, belief, trust faith, belief, trust, confidence; fidelity, faithfulness.
Thayer:
1) conviction of the truth of anything, belief; in the NT of a conviction or belief respecting man's relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and holy fervour born of faith and joined with it
1a) relating to God
1a1) the conviction that God exists and is the creator and ruler of all things, the provider and bestower of eternal salvation through Christ
1b) relating to Christ
1b1) a strong and welcome conviction or belief that Jesus is the Messiah, through whom we obtain eternal salvation in the kingdom of God
1c) the religious beliefs of Christians
1d) belief with the predominate idea of trust (or confidence) whether in God or in Christ, springing from faith in the same
2) fidelity, faithfulness
2a) the character of one who can be relied on
πίστις
pistis pis'-tis From G3982; persuasion, that is, credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstractly constancy in such profession; by extension the system of religious (Gospel) truth itself KJV Usage: assurance, belief, believe, faith, fidelity.
“But the innocent live from out of persuasion, and if concealed, my breath life not well pleased in him.”
The innocent ones, the holy people, live via persuasion, the persuasion that Jesus is coming again. The persuasion that those who came before us in the faith did not die in vain. The writer says that if we stay concealed in our persuasion, our souls’, our breath life, is not well pleasing in him. Our lives are not well pleasing to the Lord if we stay silent about our persuasion, our faith. Faith is our moral conviction, or the thing that persuades us to live for Jesus Christ. Our conviction of Jesus as the complete sacrifice, that he died and rose up on the third day, our conviction that Jesus will call us up, and our conviction that Jesus will come back to earth, is to be spoken out to others with cheerful endurance. Then our soul will be well pleasing.
Hebrews 10:39 G1473 But we G1161 G3756 are not G1510.2.4 G5289 keeping back G1519 to G684 destruction, G235 but G4102 of belief G1519 for G4047 a procurement G5590 of life
“But we are not shrinking back into destruction otherwise persuasion into preservation breath life.”
The writer says that we are not shrinking back or backing up into destruction. Our persuasion, faith, moral conviction, brings the preservation of our soul.
Hebrews 11:1 G1510.2.3 [3is G1161 1And G4102 2belief G1679 5of hoping G5287 4 the reality] G4229 of things, G1650 the proof G3756 not G991 being seen.
5287 LSJ Gloss:ὑπόστασις that which settles at the bottom, sediment
Dodson:ὑπόστασις assurance, substance, reality (lit: an underlying), (a) confidence, assurance, (b) a giving substance (or reality) to, or a guaranteeing, (c) substance, reality.
Thayer:
1) a setting or placing under
1a) thing put under, substructure, foundation
2) that which has foundation, is firm
2a) that which has actual existence
2a1) a substance, real being
2b) the substantial quality, nature, of a person or thing
2c) the steadfastness of mind, firmness, courage, resolution
2c1) confidence, firm trust, assurance
ὑπόστασις
hupostasis hoop-os'-tas-is From a compound of G5259 and G2476; a setting under (support), that is, (figuratively) concretely essence, or abstractly assurance (objectively or subjectively) KJV Usage: confidence, confident, person, substance.
5259
ὑπό
hupo hoop-o' A primary preposition; under, that is, (with the genitive) of place (beneath), or with verbs (the agency or means, through); (with the accusative) of place (whither [underneath ] or where [below ]) or time (when [at ]) KJV Usage: among, by, from, in, of, under, with. In compounds it retains the same genitive applications, especially of inferior position or condition, and specifically covertly or moderately .
2476
ἵστημι
histēmi his'-tay-mee A prolonged form of a primary word στάω staō (of the same meaning, and used for it in certain tenses); to stand (transitively or intransitively), used in various applications (literally or figuratively) KJV Usage: abide, appoint, bring, continue, covenant, establish, hold up, lay, present, set (up), stanch, stand (by, forth, still, up).
“But persuasion is understanding expectation, deeds proof not seen.”
Faith or pistis is not a “substance” or an “assurance”. Those things are not solid. How many times have we been assured that things will be fine when they are not? Substance sounds like something mysterious, something we don’t know how to attain. This leaves us with a problem in how to attain faith. Is it like a smiling nurse who doesn’t want to give us the bad news? Or is it a thing that we have to search for but we may not know it if we have found it? The unusual translation has caused us problems. It is hupostasis, “under standing”. It is hupo meaning “under”, and histēmi meaning “to stand”. Understanding is “comprehension, grasping, mastery, or perception”. Therefore faith is understanding.
To break down these words, persuasion (noun) is pistis, meaning “faith or moral conviction”. An example of faith is that we all believe air is safe to breathe, and that the ground is firm to stand on. It is something that is concrete in our perception. We were born with this reality and we don’t question it. It is something that we are persuaded in. We don’t wear weighted space suits and breathe oxygen from a tank all day long. Understanding (noun) is hupostasis meaning “perceiving reality”, it is the foundation that one stands on. We comprehend that air is safe to breathe and that the ground is safe to walk on. We believe it, we grasp it. We are not afraid to get out of bed and put our feet on the ground. We are not afraid to inhale. We don’t spend undue time thinking about it, we simply do it. Expectation (verb) elpizō means “to hope for, look for, or expecting”. We expect that when we breathe, the oxygen will be safe for us. We expect that when we stand up, the earth will not cave in underneath us. We expect that the sun will rise whether we see it or not. We expect that storms will come whether we are in them or we watch them from far off. Expectation is a supposition or a calculation that something will happen. We know it will happen, but we do not always know when.
Persuasion is a thing, understanding is a thing, and expectation is an action.
We could say that our moral conviction is the understanding of what we expect will happen, the proof of deeds not yet seen. The two verbs in both statements are “expecting” and “seen”. We are taking action in expectation of what is not seen. Faith is understanding expectation. We are expecting to see the proof of deeds not yet seen. Our moral conviction is a perceived reality for us. We have calculated that the proofs of the workings of Yahweh, in the people who have come before us, are indeed truth. We calculate that if Yahweh can work in those people and they trusted Him, then Yahweh can work in us and we can trust Him.
This is what we are to be outspoken about. This is what we need cheerful endurance for. We are well pleasing when we don’t hold back, but instead tell others about Jesus the Messiah, our complete sacrifice. Our persuasion is that Jesus died and rose up on the third day. Our understanding is that Jesus died and rose up on the third day. Our expectation is that just as Jesus rose up, Jesus will call for us from the clouds. The harpazo hasn’t happened yet, we haven’t seen it. But the reality is that Jesus was crucified and that people saw Him after he died. Just as Jesus was seen by thousands of people, Jesus will call from the clouds, and later He will return back to earth.
Hebrews 11:2 G1722 [2in G3778 3this G1063 1For G3140 6were borne witness to G3588 4the G4245 5elders].
“For in this the elders bear witness.”
The elders bear witness, they told others about a Messiah who would come and be crucified. They saw the miracles Yahweh ordered. They saw the power of trusting Yahweh. They told others, just as we are to tell others about the miracles that we have experienced.
Hebrews 11:3 G4102 By belief G3539 we comprehend G2675 [3to be fashioned G3588 1the G165 2eons] G4487 by the word G2316 of God, G1519 so that G3588 G3361 not of G1537 G5316 things appearing G3588 [2the things G991 3seen G1096 1take place].
“Persuasion comprehends the ages downward-completed rhēma the Elohim, into not from out appear, birthed to see.”
The writer now goes into the obvious. Our persuasion comprehends that the eons were completed from above, downward, by the word of the Elohim. The rhēma came from above, down to the earth. The things that we see now were not in existence until His word birthed them. The satan would like people to believe that the universe came into being from out of nothing, and that nothing made something. Instead, the rhēma of the Elohim made something from nothing. The satan would like people to believe that humans were an accident when single cells randomly combined. Rather, humans were a creation of the rhēma of the Elohim. There was a purpose and an intent in the creation of the universe and in the creation of humans. This is why we cannot comprehend our own true meaning in life unless we search out the Creator of all life. Our faith understands that the rhēma of the Elohim made everything we see from nothing.
Hebrews 11: 4 In faith more sacrifice Abel than Cain offered to the God, through which he was attested to be righteous, testifying on the gifts of him of the God; and through her [it] having died yet speaks.
Able gave a sacrifice without holding back, the first and the best of the lambs and goats that he had. Cain assumed that the Elohim didn’t really need to eat food, so he offered fruits and vegetables that were not the best.
Hebrews 11:5 In faith Enoch was translated, of the not to see death; and not he was found, because translated him the God; before for the translation of him he had obtained testimony to have well pleased the God.
https://studybible.info/Diaglott/Hebrews%2011
And as we know, Enoch and Elijah were the two who were translated and still have their bodies. They will come back to earth as two witnesses and will be murdered, and yet everyone will see them rise up.
Hebrews 11:6 G5565 But apart from G1161 G4102 belief G102 it is impossible G2100 to well-please; G4100 [6to believe G1063 1for G1163 2it is necessary G3588 3for the one G4334 4coming forward G3588 G2316 5to God] G3754 that G1510.2.3 he is; G2532 and G3588 to the ones G1567 seeking after G1473 him G3406 [2a paymaster G1096 1he becomes].
“But apart from persuasion unable/incapable please, for it is necessary the draw near to the Elohim to have faith that is, and the seek Him out, becomes rewarder.”
Without our persuasion we cannot please the Elohim. We have to be persuaded that He exists. When we are persuaded that He exists, then we search Him out and are rewarded.
Hebrews 11:7 In faith being divinely Noah concerning the not yet things being seen, having been piously afraid built an ark for a preservation of the house of himself; through which he condemned the world, and of the according to faith righteousness became an heir.
What a project! Built because of faith/persuasion, which is the understanding of an expected flood.
Hebrews 11:8 In faith being called Abraham was obedient to go forth into the place, which he was about to receive for an inheritances, and he went forth, not knowing where he was going. 9 In faith he sojourned in the land of the promise as a stranger, in tents having dwelt, with Isaac and Jacob of the joint-heirs of the promise of the same; 10 was waiting for that the foundations having city, of which a designer and architect the God; 11 In faith also herself Sarah power for a laying down of seed received, even beyond a proper time of life, since faithful she regarded the one promising. 12 Therefore even from one were born, and these things having been dead, like the stars of the heaven for the multitude, and like the sand that by the shore of the sea the innumerable, 13 In faith died these all, not having received the promises, but far distant them having seen and having saluted, and having confessed, that strangers and sojourners they are on the earth. 14 Those for such things saying make known that a country they seek. 15 And if indeed that they remembered from which they came forth, they would have had a season to have returned; 16 now but a better they long after, this is, heavenly. Therefore not is ashamed of them the God, a God to be called of them; he prepared for for them a city. 17 In faith offered up Abraham the Isaac being tried, and the only-begotten was offering up he the promise having received, 18 to whom it was said: That in Isaac shall be called to thee a seed; 19 inferring, that even out of dead ones to raise up is able the God; whence him also in a similitude he recovered. 20 In faith concerning things being to come blessed Isaac the Jacob and the Esau. 21 In faith Jacob dying each of the sons of Joseph blessed; and bowed down on the top of the staff of himself. 22 In faith Joseph ending concerning the going out of the sons of Israel reminded, and concerning the bones of himself gave charge.
The story of the patriarchs is one of their faith/persuasion being the understanding of the expectation of their heirs being as many as the grains of sand and the stars above. They didn’t see it, but they expected it would happen.
Hebrews 11:23 In faith Moses being born was hidden three months by the parents of himself, because they saw beautiful the babe; and not they did fear the mandate of the king. 24 In faith Moses great having become refused to be called a son of a daughter of Pharaoh, 25 rather choosing to suffer evil with the people of the God, than for a season to have of sin enjoyment; 26 greater wealth having regarded of the Egypt treasures the reproach of the Anointed; he looked away for towards the reward. 27 In faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; the for unseen one as seeing he was strong. 28 In faith he has made the passover and the pouring on of the blood, so that not the one destroying the first-borns, might touch of them. 29 In faith they passed through the red sea as through a dry place; which a trial attempting the Egyptians, were swallowed up.
The ten miracles in the story of the Exodus is a wonderful encouragement for us. Their faith/persuasion was in the understanding that they were expecting to go back into the promised land.
Hebrews 11:30 In faith the walls of Jericho fell, having been encompassed for seven days. 31 In faith Rahab the harlot not was destroyed with those unbelieving, having received the spies with peace. 32 And what further may I say? Will fail for me relating the time concerning Gideon, Barak also and Samson, and Jepthah, David also and Samuel, and the prophets; 33 who by means of faith subdued kingdoms, performed righteousness, obtained promises, closed up, mouths of lions, 34 quenched power of fire, escaped mouths of sword, were made strong from weakness, became mighty ones in war, camps overturned of foreigners; 35 received women from a resurrection the dead ones of themselves; others but were beaten to death, not having accepted the redemption, so that a better resurrection they might obtain. 36 Others but of mockings and of scourges a trial received, further but of bonds and of imprisonment; 37 they were stoned, they were sawn a sunder, they were tempted, by slaughter of sword they died; they went about in sheepskins, in goat skins, being in want, being afflicted, being ill-treated, 38 (of whom not was worthy the world,) in deserts wandering and in mountains, and in caves and in the holes of the earth. 39 And these all having been attested by means of the faith, not did obtain the promise, 40 the God concerning us a better thing having foreseen, so that not apart from us they might be made perfect.
https://studybible.info/Diaglott/Hebrews%2011
Hebrews 11:40 G3588 G2316 [3of God G4012 4for G1473 5us G2908 2something better G5100 G4265 1having foreseen], G2443 that G3361 [2not G5565 4separate from G1473 5us G5048 1they should 3be perfected].
4265
προβλέπω
problepō prob-lep'-o From G4253 and G991; to look out beforehand, that is, furnish in advance KJV Usage: provide.
4253
πρό
pro pro A primary preposition; “fore”, that is, in front of, prior (figuratively superior) to . In compounds it retains the same significations KJV Usage: above, ago, before, or ever. In compounds it retains the same significations.
991
βλέπω
blepō blep'-o A primary verb; to look at (literally or figuratively) KJV Usage: behold, beware, lie, look (on, to), perceive, regard, see, sight, take heed.
“The Elohim through them their foresight more excellent, in order that not apart from us, made perfect.”
The people who have gone before us, before Christ came, had far better foresight, they foresaw the future better than we do. Problepō comes from pro meaning “fore, in front of, or prior” and blepō, meaning “look at”. They had foresight. They could see ahead. They had foresight and foreknowledge of the coming Messiah.
They had persuasion that they, along with us who came after Christ, would be made perfect together. They looked forward to the day of the Messiah. They understood and expected the Messiah. We look back to the crucifixion of the Messiah. We need to train ourselves to think forward. We should be looking to the day that we are all made perfect; those who believed on the Messiah before he came and those who believe on the Messiah after he came. Remember that the dead in Christ will rise up first and the living are caught up with them. That is when we all will be made perfect. We are to look back to them, the ancients. We are to look at their example. We are to consider why they went through those hard times. For what? They had the foresight. Their foresight was looking ahead to the harpazo, knowing that there would be a generation that would come after the Messiah came, that would live through hard times too. Remember them. Remember their lives. This is how we cure our lukewarmness.
The context continues, and this writer does not leave a good place for chapter changes. The idea is that consequently, due to the foresight of the past elders, we are surrounded by their witness.
Hebrews 12:1 G5105 Accordingly G2532 also, G1473 we G5118 [2so great G2192 1having G4029 5encompassing G1473 6us G3509 3a cloud G3144 4of witnesses], G3591 [3swelling G659 1having put aside G3956 2every] G2532 and G3588 G2139 accessible G266 sin, G1223 through G5281 endurance G5143 let us run G3588 the G4295 [2being situated before G1473 3us G73 1struggle],
“Consequently and we have mega multitude witnesses surrounding us. Renounce all burdens and the easily encircling sin; through steadfastness, run the contest set before us.”
The biographies written in scripture about the former people who were persuaded and understood what was to come, who knew that they had to wait for our generation before being perfected, they are our witness. They surround us. Because they withstood many hardships, we should renounce our burdens and sins and run this race. Remember that we are in a competition, the devil sports with us, we continue to compete until we die. How do we do this? We look to the author of our faith.
Hebrews 12:2 G872 looking G1519 to G3588 [2the G3588 6of the G4102 7belief G747 3head G2532 4and G5051 5perfection G* 1Jesus], G3739 who, G473 instead of G3588 the G4295 [2being situated before G1473 3him G5479 1joy], G5278 endured G4716 the cross, G152 [2 the shame G2706 1disdaining], G1722 [2at G1188 3 the right G5037 1and] G3588 of the G2362 throne G3588 G2316 of God G2523 has sat.
“Consider attentively upon Jesus the originator and finisher the persuasion, who because of the joy set before him, persevered the stake, think downward upon shame, in both the right hand, the seat the Elohim make to sit down.”
Jesus persevered on the cross, the stake in the ground. His thoughts of shame were downward from heaven. In other words, even though he disesteemed the shame or had a low opinion of the shame, he did it anyway and now both stands on the right side and sits in a seat next to the Elohim. Therefore consider attentively upon Jesus the originator and finisher of our persuasion.
Let’s put this all together. We are trying to cure our own lukewarmness, otherwise Jesus will vomit us out of his mouth. The writer says that when we tell others about our persuasion/faith then we gain rewards. Therefore we can have cheerful endurance until He comes. The innocent live out of persuasion and our souls are well pleasing to Him. Our persuasion is the understanding of expectations. We are expecting the deeds that we have not yet seen come to pass. Our persuasion is that the Elohim created everything by His rhēma. We know that without persuasion we cannot please the Elohim. He rewards us for seeking Him out. The witnesses who came before us had better foresight and they understood that they are waiting for our generation’s completion before we are all made perfect. We have a great multitude of witnesses surrounding us. We can throw off sins and complete the race. We should meditate on Jesus, the originator and finisher of our persuasion. He persevered crucifixion for the foresight of the joy of both standing on the right side and sitting on the right side of the Elohim.
This also tells us that our persuasion has a beginning and an ending. The beginning was Jesus, the ending is being made perfect. The beginning for the ancient witnesses is the expectation of the Messiah while the ending of their persuasion is being made perfect as well when we are called up. When we are all made perfect or whole, when we are called into heaven, we will not think about the former faith, meaning we will not wonder if Jesus came to earth, born in a manger, and walked the earth doing miracles and healing everyone. We will simply know it like we know air. We will not wonder about Jesus’ crucifixion or wonder about his going into hell and setting the captives free. We will know it all just like we know the ground is solid. There will be affirmation and full knowledge. But for now we have faith/persuasion, which is the understanding of expectation.
Going back to Hebrews chapter three we see that we are to encourage ourselves.
Hebrews 3:13 G235 But G3870 encourage G1438 yourselves G2596 according to G1538 each G2250 day, G891 as long as G3739 of which G3588 G4594 [2today G2564 1it is called], G2443 that G3361 you should not G4645 be hardened, G5100 any G1537 of G1473 you, G5100 any G539 by the deception G3588 G266 of sin.
“However comfort yourselves downwards every day until which call now in order that not harden anyone out from among you, anyone deceitfulness the sin.”
We comfort ourselves everyday with knowledge that comes down from heaven to us. We should not let sin enter into our hearts and harden us.
Hebrews 3:14 G3353 [3partakers G1063 G1063 1For G1096 2we have become] G3588 of the G5547 Christ, G1437.1 if indeed G3588 the G746 beginning G3588 of the G5287 support G3360 [3until G5056 4 the end G949 2firm G2722 1we should hold],
“For become participants for the Christ if indeed begin the understanding hold fast firmly as far as fulfillment…”
We are participants, joint heirs with Christ, if we understand (hupostasis) and if we hold on to the end of either our lives or until the catching away. Stand firm to the fulfillment of the age.
Hebrews 3:15 G1722 as in G3588 the G3004 saying, G4594 Today G1437 if G3588 G5456 [2his voice G1473 G191 1you should hearken to], G3361 you should not G4645 harden G3588 G2588 your hearts G1473 G5613 as G1722 in G3588 the G3894 embittering.
“…in saying today if haply comprehend by hearing His sound, not make stubborn your heart like as in the provocation.
We need to hear His voice, we need to comprehend and understand hupostasis, until the fulfillment of the age. Again, whether we die or rise up and away, we stand strong until the completion. And we should not become like the generation of the exodus, because they hardened their hearts and provoked the Elohim. Now it is up to us to have persuasion and understanding, and expectation for holy Zion.
Hebrews 12:22 but you have approached Zion a mountain; and to a city of God living, Jerusalem heavenly; and to myriads, of messengers an entire assembly; 23 and to a congregation of first-borns, having been enrolled in heavens; and to a judge God of all; and to spirits of just ones having been perfected; 24 and of a covenant new to a mediator, Jesus; and of blood of sprinkling, a better thing speaking than the Abel.
https://studybible.info/Diaglott/Hebrews%2012
The church of the first born enrolled in heaven. If you believe that Jesus died and rose up the third day then you are enrolled in heaven. You are part of a heavenly congregation in the assembly of all the sons of God. This is the place of the spirits of the innocent ones who have been perfected. The innocents live out of persuasion. Remember, the writer told us that they were waiting for us so that they can be perfected. Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant, the one who is the originator and finisher of our faith/persuasion.
Hebrews is our cure for lukewarmness. We encourage ourselves with these words and we listen to His voice. We speak out about Christ to others and we gain rewards. We cheerfully endure to the end of the age, whether by death or by the seizing of the saints. The innocent ones live by persuasion. Then our soul is well pleasing to the Elohim. Our persuasion is the understanding of what we are expecting, the things which we have not yet seen. We cannot please the Elohim without persuasion. The ancient witnesses had foresight and knew that they were waiting for the completion of our generation for them to be made perfect with us. Their stories should inspire us and give us greater persuasion. We can complete the race. We can actively consider Jesus Christ, the originator and finisher of our persuasion. He persevered the crucifixion because he had the foresight of the joy of his place beside the Father.
