Better things...

"But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way."--Hebrews 6:9.  The Hebrew writer describing that while many will fall away, better things will come if these Christians stay true to what they have been taught.  We find in Hebrews 6:10-20 that if they imitate faithful men like Abraham, they too will inherit the promise.  The Hebrew writer is convinced they too will inherit better things.

Better things.  The Hebrew writer says here that even though he is coming down on them, their situation is not hopeless.  There are better things.

Better things.  Me being a minister I have had my share of situations where I have had to come down on younger Christians for one reason or another.  Most recently, having served as a counselor for six middle schoolers at a camp I went to, I experienced this again.  There were times when me and/or my co-counselor Andrew had to come down on the boys we had in our cabin.  Something I realized was that much of what we dealt with was a product of their age and where they are in life but like the Christians the Hebrew writer is speaking to, the situation was not hopeless.  I personally think there are better things in store for these boys.

Better things.  The point I am trying to make is that we all know that immaturity, spiritual or otherwise is a product of a person's age.  The Hebrew writer is frustrated that these Christians have not grown up but he also seems to realize that their desire to go back to the old way is a product of their spiritual immaturity and that they need to be taught.  There is better things in store for these Christians and the situation is not hopeless.

Better things.  In my last blog called "Grow Up!" we looked into the fact that much of the reason we are losing our youth hand over fist is because of the lack of teaching that is occurring in the Lord's church today.  If the people the Hebrew writer is speaking to fail to grow up, they too run the risk of falling away altogether but again the Hebrew writer is convinced of better things.

Better things.  So what does this mean to us? Here is what happens in the church today.  Older Christians get frustrated that our youth are acting so immaturely and childish and do nothing but complain.  Furthermore, they think the situation is hopeless.  Coming from someone who is right in between the two generations I have to say I strongly disagree with this attitude. There are better things.

Better things.  The Hebrew writer encourages these Christians to continue in their work because they have done so well in the past according to Hebrews 6:10.  God will not forget their work. There are better things.

Better things.  So my encouragement is this.  To us older Christians, we need to take time to encourage the younger Christians, no matter what age, to continue on to be diligent.  While they are still children in the faith, we need to take time to spur them on so that they too can get to heaven and not fall away from the faith.  We can do this by getting our youth and the younger Christians altogether more actively involved in church life and in various ministries.  I would go so far as to say take some time to train the young men to lead a devotional time or even preach a sermon as best as they know how. That's right, if we don't teach our youth while they are still young in the faith and in age. we run a greater risk of losing them when they grow older.  Like the Hebrew writer, when it comes to those who are immature in the faith, I am convinced of better things.

DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! PRAY ABOUT IT! LOVE Y'ALL! GOD BLESS!