Go! And Do Not Turn Back - Hebrews 10:39 (NLT)
Introduction: The Call to Press On
We live in an age of constant distraction. People start diets but give up in a week. Gym memberships are abandoned after January. Careers are changed at the first sign of hardship. Sadly, this same spirit of giving up can seep into our spiritual lives.
But listen to the Word of God:
Hebrews 10:39 (NLT): “But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved.”
This is a rallying cry to perseverance. The writer to the Hebrews says: We are not those who shrink back. We do not quit. We do not abandon Christ. We press on in faith until the end, because salvation is ours in Him.
Today, let’s explore three truths from this verse:
The danger of turning back.
The call to live by faith.
The promise of salvation in Christ.
Point 1: The Danger of Turning Back
The context of Hebrews 10 is important. This letter was written to Jewish believers tempted to abandon Jesus and return to the old covenant system of sacrifices, priests, and temple rituals. Pressure from persecution and the pull of tradition made it tempting to turn back.
The phrase “turn away” in Greek is hypostole, meaning to shrink back, to withdraw, to retreat in fear. It’s not just hesitation—it’s abandoning the faith.
The writer warns that to turn away from Christ is to embrace apoleia—destruction, ruin, eternal loss.
Jesus warned of the same in Luke 9:62 (NLT): “But Jesus told him, ‘Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.’”
Turning back is dangerous because it reveals a divided heart. Lot’s wife looked back to Sodom and was destroyed (Genesis 19:26). The Israelites longed for Egypt instead of the Promised Land (Exodus 16:3). And in our day, many profess faith but later walk away because the cost seems too high.
Charles Stanley once said: “Discouragement is the tool the enemy uses most to defeat God’s people.” And I would add—discouragement often tempts us to turn back. But God calls us to press forward, not backward.
A marathon runner doesn’t quit at mile 20 just because their legs ache. They keep running, because the finish line is ahead. The Christian life is not a sprint—it’s a marathon. There are hills, cramps, and storms. But the crown of life awaits those who finish the race.
In our struggles—whether in work, relationships, or health—we must refuse to turn back from Christ. The world offers shortcuts, but they lead to destruction.
Point 2: The Call to Live by Faith
Hebrews 10:39 contrasts those who shrink back with “the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved.” Faith is not optional—it is essential.
The very next verse introduces Hebrews 11, the great “Hall of Faith.” Hebrews 11:1 (NLT) says:
“Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.”
The call is clear: faith is not blind optimism; it is confidence in God’s character and promises.
The Greek word pistis means belief, trust, reliance. Faith is not a one-time act—it is a daily posture of trusting God when we cannot see the outcome.
Romans 1:17 (NLT) says: “This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, ‘It is through faith that a righteous person has life.’”
John Piper wrote: “Faith is the experience of being satisfied with all that God is for us in Jesus.” Faith is not just believing in God’s existence—it is treasuring Jesus above all else.
In the 19th century, Charles Blondin walked across Niagara Falls on a tightrope. Crowds gasped as he carried a wheelbarrow across. He then asked, “Do you believe I can carry a man across?” The crowd shouted, “Yes!” But when he asked for a volunteer, no one stepped forward. That’s the difference between belief and faith. Faith steps into the wheelbarrow. Faith trusts Jesus to carry us across the chasm of sin and death.
Faith is not simply nodding in agreement that Jesus saves—it is entrusting your life into His hands. Daily. Completely.
Point 3: The Promise of Salvation in Christ
Hebrews 10:39 assures us: “We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved.”
The Greek word for “saved” is sozo, meaning to rescue, to deliver, to make whole. This is not just future salvation—it is present rescue from sin and eternal security in Christ.
1 Peter 1:8–9 (NLT) says: “You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.”
Tim Keller once said: “The gospel is not just the ABCs of the Christian life, it is the A to Z of the Christian life.” The gospel is not only how we begin, but how we endure, how we persevere, how we finish.
And what is the gospel? That Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, came into the world, lived a sinless life, died on the cross in our place, bore the punishment our sins deserved, was buried, and rose again on the third day. He ascended to heaven and will return in glory.
Romans 10:9 (NLT) declares: “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Our perseverance is not rooted in our strength but in the finished work of Christ. Salvation is His gift, secured by His blood.
The Gospel Presentation: Hold Fast to Christ
Friends, hear me clearly—turning back from Christ is turning away from salvation. Jesus alone is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).
He endured the cross so we would not face destruction. He bore our sins so that our souls would be saved. On the cross, He cried out, “It is finished.” The work of redemption is complete. Now the question is—will you turn back, or will you press on to life eternal?
Call to Action: Go! And Do Not Turn Back
So how do we respond?
Examine your heart. Are you drifting? Are you tempted to turn back?
Fix your eyes on Jesus. Don’t look back to the world, look forward to the cross.
Persevere in faith. Trust Christ daily, in trials and triumphs.
Max Lucado once said: “Faith is not the belief that God will do what you want. It is the belief that God will do what is right.” Trust His plan. Trust His timing. Trust His Son.
Invitation to Salvation:
If you are here today and you’ve never trusted Christ as Saviour and Lord, today is your day. Do not turn back. Come forward in faith. Repent of your sins. Place your trust in Jesus, who died for you, who rose again, and who offers you eternal life.
Acts 3:19 (NLT): “Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.”
Friend, don’t delay. Tomorrow is not promised. Today is the day of salvation.
Conclusion:
Hebrews 10:39 reminds us of who we are in Christ: “We are not like those who turn away to destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved.”
So go this week with faith. Go with perseverance. Go and do not turn back.
Benediction:
“Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. All glory to him who alone is God, our Saviour through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.” (Jude 24–25, NLT)
