Salvation/Eternal Life is not a thing we receive; it is a relationship with God that we enter and walk in.
Jesus repeatedly declared this truth about His eternal life.
- John 17:2-3 …to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. (3) “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
I was recently reading Hebrews 3-10, which strongly advocates the superiority and fulfillment of Jesus over all the Old Testament order. The letter was written to Jewish believers who were under increasing pressure (Heb. 10:32–34). As Nero rose in power, Christians became increasingly vulnerable within the Roman world. After the Great Fire of Rome in A.D. 64, Nero blamed Christians and unleashed persecution. Judaism, however, was legally tolerated. Christianity was increasingly being opposed.
The temptation upon Jewish Christians was obvious.
- Return to synagogue life.
- Blend back into Judaism.
- Regain legal protection.
- Find social safety.
But Hebrews thunders, YOU CANNOT GO BACK TO THE SHADOWS ONCE THE SON OF GOD HAS COME!!!
- Hebrews 3:1-6 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession; (2) He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was in all His house. (3) For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house….(6) but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house—whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.
Christ is the faithful Son over God’s house. And we are a part of His house, if we hold fast our confidence and hope to the end (Heb. 3:6). This is not merely a theological argument. It is a relational one!
THE ISSUE IS NOT SIMPLY DOCTRINE. IT IS DEVOTION!!!
Paul strongly advocates this to the Philippians.
- Philippians 3:8 (NLT) Everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ.
Paul did not say knowing theology about Christ. He said, knowing Christ. Knowing Jesus is our most important priority!!! Jesus Himself called us “friends” (John 15:13-15), and just like in any friendship, to become close friends, the number one priority is walking together.
Our ongoing walk with Father, Holy Spirit, and Jesus must be central. Our closeness to Jesus is essential to eternal life. Jesus Himself said in John, “This is eternal life, that they may know You (Father), the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (John 17:3). John later revealed so clearly, “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son” (1 John 5:11).
Seeking and walking close to Jesus each day is not drudgery but life. It results in our lives coming into proper order. The question we must regularly ask is, are we seeking God with all our hearts each day? Just like in any friendship, we are as close as we choose to be, which entails action. We may have friends on this earth that we find it difficult to grow close to because of something on their end, but Jesus wants us close to Him all the time. He is never limited by time or priority in relating to us.
The great danger facing the Hebrews was not merely persecution. It was drifting. And the safeguard against drifting was not centered around religious structure; it is sustained through a living relationship with Jesus.
Friendship with Jesus Is Central, Not Optional.
And unlike human relationships, Jesus is never distracted. Never too busy. Never emotionally unavailable. The only barrier to intimacy is us.
Three Essentials to Cultivate Our Daily Walk with Jesus?
Consider Him Daily.
Hebrews begins with the command, “Consider Jesus.” Set your mind deliberately upon Him. Pray to Him, study His word not just for information, but for revelation as you relate to Him. Attention is essential to affection.
Set apart and guard daily private space to pray.
Jesus tells us to “go into your inner room (hidden space) and pray to your Father” Matthew 6:6-18.
Walk With Him Throughout the Day.
Friendship is not confined to scheduled appointments. Paul said we are to “never be finished praying” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). We speak with Him all the time. In the classic Christian book “The Practice of the Presence of God,” the author speaks of “breath prayers,” which are brief utterances towards God that we can do all the time. It is speaking to Him amid daily life. It can be short prayers of continual gratitude and petition in ordinary moments and challenges. Invite Him into your work, your driving, and your conversations. Awareness of His presence deepens intimacy.
As we continue in our relationship with Jesus, we will regularly experience a “Daily Divine Reordering” of the things that compete with it. Unlike the Christians addressed in Hebrews, our greatest threat to God’s life isn’t Nero; it is NEGLECT of our relationship with God. Let us “consider Jesus, walk with Jesus, and hold fast to Him” because “everything else is worthless compared to knowing Jesus our Lord.”