Our Faith Preserves Our Soul Series

I. EXORDIUM:

Will you leave JESUS when there are tough times?

II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:

Believers

III. OBJECTIVES:

To show that only our faith can preserve our soul, stopping or quitting will not do us any good.

IV. TEXT:

Hebrews 10:39 (Amplified Bible)

10:39 But our way is not that of those who draw back to eternal misery (perdition) and are utterly destroyed, but we are of those who believe [who cleave to and trust in and rely on God through Jesus Christ, the Messiah] and by faith preserve the soul.

V. THESIS:

Praise, worship and thank You very much LORD JESUS, for the very faith You've given to me preserves my soul.

VI. TITLE:

Our faith preserves our soul

Subtitle: Study on the Book of Hebrews

VII. EXPLICATION:

A. Date of writing: Before AD. 70

B. Style of writing: Best Greek style

C. Authorship: Not specific, but generally attributed to Apostle Paul. Can be also ascribed to Barnabas, Luke, Apollos

D. Audience: Hebrew Christians

E. Theme: Christ is superior to the prophets; Christ is superior to angels - J. Vernon McGee's Thru The Bible

F. Purpose: The chief doctrinal purpose of the writer was to show the transcendent glory of the Christian dispensation, as compared with that of the Old Testament.Thompson Chain - Bible Book Outlines

There are two types of people in this world: (1) those who turned their backs from their faith, (2) those who keep on believing preserving their soul.

VIII. MAIN BODY:

A. We are not those who turned our backs

"But our way is not that of those who draw back to eternal misery (perdition) and are utterly destroyed,"

1. Examples of those who left:

a. Example of King Saul:

1 Samuel 15:11 (Amplified Bible)

15:11 I regret making Saul king, for he has turned back from following Me and has not performed My commands. And Samuel was grieved and angry [with Saul], and he cried to the Lord all night.

Luke 11:26 (Amplified Bible)

11:26 And it goes and brings other spirits, seven [of them], more evil than itself, and they enter in, settle down, and dwell there; and the last state of that person is worse than the first.

Jude 1:12-13 (Amplified Bible)

1:12 These are hidden reefs (elements of danger) in your love feasts, where they boldly feast sumptuously [carousing together in your midst], without scruples providing for themselves [alone]. They are clouds without water, swept along by the winds; trees, without fruit at the late autumn gathering time—twice (doubly) dead, [lifeless and] plucked up by the roots;

1:13 Wild waves of the sea, flinging up the foam of their own shame and disgrace; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of eternal darkness has been reserved forever.

2. Examples of those who stayed:

a. Example of Simon Peter:

Mark 10:28 (Amplified Bible)

10:28 Peter started to say to Him, Behold, we have yielded up and abandoned everything [once and for all and joined You as Your disciples, siding with Your party] and accompanied You [walking the same road that You walk].

Be like Peter who can't turn his back from the LORD, his reason is:

Only JESUS has the WORDS of Life.

John 6:68 (Amplified Bible)

6:68 Simon Peter answered, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words (the message) of eternal life.

b. Example of Paul:

Philippians 3:8 (Amplified Bible)

3:8 Yes, furthermore, I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege (the overwhelming preciousness, the surpassing worth, and supreme advantage) of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord and of progressively becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him [of perceiving and recognizing and understanding Him more fully and clearly]. For His sake I have lost everything and consider it all to be mere rubbish (refuse, dregs), in order that I may win (gain) Christ (the Anointed One),

Draw back or "hupostole" in Greek meaning: the timidity of one stealthily retreating. You have retreated in secret, no one knows about it, only the LORD. Yes, you may act holy in front of the brethrens, you still sing, praise and even dance but no one knows you left the LORD silently in your heart, stealthily, it's deceiving and yet the LORD knows about this. Return to the LORD.

B. We are those who believe and preserves the soul

"but we are of those who believe [who cleave to and trust in and rely on God through Jesus Christ, the Messiah] and by faith preserve the soul."

Believe or "pistis", same word used for our faith. GOD can't force you to stay if you don't want, that's why that's the tragic end of all 'once saved, always saved' doctrine, it's abusive, the issue is not our salvation any more, the issue is we have left the faith. Yes, no one can snatch us from GOD's hand but if we are the ones who left GOD's hand, GOD won't force Himself on us. He is a Gentleman. GOD can't take you to heaven if you have left the faith, that's why the LORD JESUS asked this question on His return, "will He find faith on the earth?"