Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever
Hebrews 13:8-10 CSB
8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 9 Don’t be led astray by various kinds of strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be established by grace and not by food regulations, since those who observe them have not benefited. 10 We have an altar from which those who worship at the tabernacle do not have a right to eat.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. This is the foundation of everything. Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior. He is God Almighty. To say that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever show us that He is Almighty God and He is the foundation on which we can build all things. Though things around us are shaken, He will never be shaken. Though things change at a rapid pace in our world today, Jesus will never change. His love for us is not dependent on our performance or behavior. Our salvation is not based on our work or how much we can accomplish. Everything we have as followers and believers in Jesus Christ is dependent solely on who Jesus is and what He is done. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
There may be times when we face hard and difficult things that we feel like throwing in the towel. But we must hold fast to the hope we have in Jesus Christ. He is unchanging and He is the sure and unmovable foundation on which we can build our lives. We may even consider abandoning Jesus because the journey has gotten too hard and the challenges before us are overwhelming, but when we truly understand who Jesus is, we will never even consider abandoning Christ. Without Him we are nothing. But in Him we have everything. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is unchanging and so is the word of God. Every promise is sure.
Don’t be led astray by various kinds of strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be established by grace and not by food regulations, since those who observe them have not benefited. The word strange here is the Greek word xenos and it means strange, foreign; stranger, foreigner, host. As an adjective, describes something as unfamiliar or foreign; when used as a noun, refers to an unfamiliar person, especially a foreigner.[1] The strange teaching the writer of Hebrews speaks of are things outside of sound biblical doctrine. What we believe matters. What we build our lives upon matters. This shows us the importance of knowing and understanding the word of God. The greatest way to recognize a counterfeit and something that is false is to rightly understand what is true.
He says don’t be led astray. The word astray means take away; remove; carry away. to remove from a certain place, environment, or mental or emotional state; also involves transport into a new location or state.[2] The purpose of false or strange teaching is the lead us away from a right understanding of God which will lead us from deep intimacy with God. What we believe will impact the health of our relationship with God. If we build our lives on wrong and strange teaching, it will lead to issues in our relationship with God. It will open the door for the enemy to have access in our mind and heart and to build strongholds that will hinder God’s work in our lives. But if we build our lives on sound doctrine, it will bring true health to our relationship with God and will help us not only rightly understand who God is, but rightly understand who we are in Christ.
Our hearts need to be established by grace and not food regulations. Food regulations point back to the ceremonial law that these Jewish Christians were considering abandoning Jesus for. But if we abandon Christ and return to the law, we end up with nothing. For Jesus didn’t come to destroy the law, but to fulfill it. The law has been fulfilled in Christ and that is why today under the new covenant every benefit found in Christ is available to those who embrace Him as Lord and Savior.
The word establish can also mean firm or secure. Our hearts at times can vacillate and cause us to feel a variety of emotions. But in Jesus Christ they are established because He is unchanging. His finished work at Calvary is complete. Our sins are washed away by His precious blood. If we desire a life that is unshaken by trial, challenges, and suffering we must build our lives upon Jesus Christ. He must be the priority, and His word must immerse our minds and our hearts.
We have an altar from which those who worship at the tabernacle do not have a right to eat. Those who worship at the tabernacle are the priest under the Old Covenant. If all they have is the law, they are not able to draw near to God because Jesus Christ is the door. He is the way, the truth, and the life. He is above all. The altar under the new covenant is established by the blood of Jesus Christ. The old is gone and the new has come.
The word altar here is the Greek word thusiastēriŏn and it means a place of sacrifice, i.e. an altar.[3] The altar under the new covenant is Calvary. For anyone to be able to draw near to Almighty God they must come through Jesus Christ. For God so loved the world He sent His only begotten Son. When the gospel goes forth humanity has a choice. We can either receive Jesus, confess our sin and make Him Lord, or we can reject the precious salvation that has been purchased. But those who would reject Jesus Christ and try to earn their own righteousness through the law will be left with nothing. For without Jesus Christ, we are separated from God and without hope.
Prayer
Jesus thank you for coming. Thank you for saving us. Thank you for the New Covenant we have through your death, suffering, shed blood, and resurrection. Thank you for fulfilling the law. That in you we are declared righteous through faith by your shed blood. Father thank you for calling me and opening my eyes to the truth. Thank you for saving me. Thank you for everything we have by your grace and your mercy. In the mighty name of Jesus, Amen.
[1] Matthew Minard, “Gentiles,” ed. Douglas Mangum et al., Lexham Theological Wordbook, Lexham Bible Reference Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014).
[2] Rick Brannan, ed., Lexham Research Lexicon of the Greek New Testament, Lexham Research Lexicons (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2020).
[3] James Strong, A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009), 37.
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