Blessed Assurance

And having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:21-22 

The book of Hebrews instructs us to live by faith in God alone. The originator of our Christianity is Abraham, the father of faith. Because Abraham believed God, it was counted unto him as righteousness (Romans 4:3). His faith made him “right” before God. As a result of this righteousness, God protected his family as they grew into a nation, the Israelites. Moses was raised up as their first official leader to establish their worship, culture and Laws of the land. God spoke to Moses as he wrote down God's ways for the people, including the Ten Commandments. These rules were given to instruct the Israelites in how to live. These rules were enforced to protect them from walking away from God and to protect them from destroying themselves (through transmission of diseases) and each other. These ways were not given to replace "faith."

However, by the time Jesus came to earth, the rules were valued more than faith, mercy and kindness. The rules became more important than the people. For God so loved the world that He sent His Son, Jesus, to restore what was lost. Because of the love of God, our High Priest died on the cross and rose from the dead to allow us to live by faith, not by works.

Faith is not established by obeying the rules or the Laws of the land. Galatians2:16 says, "a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus." Jesus did not abolish the law; He fulfilled it so that we can be accredited as righteous (“right” before God) through faith in Him alone. Christianity started through Abraham's acts of faith, and through our High Priest, we overcome the world through our faith. Jesus alone is the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). Today, let us draw near to the Lord with a true heart in full assurance of faith, knowing that we have a High Priest who understands our sufferings, forgives us of our sins and cleanses our conscience. 

~Daily Disciples Devotional~