A Better Example
Hebrews 13:1-25
Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” [Heb 13:5]
“Let your conduct be without covetousness,” a truly better example!
We have spent several weeks looking at the importance of living by faith. The Old Testament saints lived by faith [ref. Heb 11], and we, too, New Testament saints live by faith. “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” [Heb 11:1]. And “without faith it is impossible to please God.” In this life we must learn to live by faith. The reality of our relationship with God is not by sight but faith. God is holy; He cannot be seen by the physical eye. He can only be seen by faith through the Spirit. It is, however, seeing Him by faith that makes us a better example.
“Faith is the sense for the unseen. It has ever to do with the future and the unseen. It lives in God’s word and thoughts; it sees what the world cannot see; it sees all, the future too, in the light of God.” [Andrew Murray] The result of faith is a great witness; it is being a great example.
In this world of sin and death; trial and tribulation; wickedness and immorality; there remains the hope of God who is loving, gracious, merciful, righteous, just, and holy. This is the One to Whom we look and see, by faith; “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.” [Heb 12:2] Faith positions us in the Holy of Holies. It causes us to see the living God in the heavenly sanctuary. It allows us to see the unseen God. And it is there that we rise above. It is there that we ascend above the darkness and depravity of this world. It is there that we come into His very presence; behind the veil, where Jesus dwells. It is there that we become a better example and witness.
As we conclude our study of Hebrews, let’s remember these key themes: (1) Spiritual maturity [ref. Heb 5:12-14], and (2) Entering the Holy of Holies [ref. Heb 10:19-22]. In this life of faith we are called to grow up spiritually. And to do this we must enter the Holiest of All. Jesus has made the way by His better blood and better sacrifice. He did the work of justification and does the work of sanctification. Our part is to believe and enter in by faith. And the great derivative of this is seeing the very face of Jesus. How good is that! He can be seen, in the truest way [by faith], behind the veil, right there in the inner chambers of the heavenly sanctuary.
