Who Is In God's Covenant?

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Hebrew Believers Were Called Holy Brothers

Heb 3:1 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus,

Heb 3:12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;

To Be Called Holy Is The Same As Being Called A Saint.

The word holy or saint means different or separate.

We see the same idea in 1 Corinthians 7 where Paul says, “the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the [believing] wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the [believing] husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy” (1 Cor 7:14).

Because of the parent’s faith, the children are saints even though they do not yet believe. They are saints because God has separated them into the covenant.

Not Everyone In God’s Covenant Is Saved

We see this in 1 Corinthians 10. 1 Corinthians 10:1–6

For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

Now these things took place as examples for us…

Paul is implying that some (or most) professing Chrisitians might not be born again yet. “Now these things took place as examples for us.” Everyone that came with Moses out of Egypt was in God’s covenant as God’s special treasure. But most of them were not true believers. Therefore, everyone that says they believe should be permitted to be baptized and take Communion just like Israel did (provided they are living a moral life).

The Hebrew Brothers Were In Danger Of Turning Back

Hebrews 10:35–36

Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. (ESV)

         They were in danger of deliberately turning back because they had not yet entered rest in Christ. That means they were not yet born again even though they were called holy.

True believers never turn back. God preserves His chosen ones to the end. Only he who endures to the end shall be saved. Those who turn back were never really of us even though…

They Had Been Enlightened

Hebrews 10:32–34

But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. (ESV)

They Were In Danger Of Fiery Judgment

Hebrews 10:39

But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls. (ESV)

Hebrews 10:26–27

For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. (ESV)

The Holy Brothers Were Not Yet Resting In Christ

         The rest in Christ is the new birth. The apostle uses the example of Israel deliberately refusing to conquer the land that God had promised. So God swore in His wrath, “They shall not enter My rest” (Heb 3:11).

Therefore, Let Us Fear

Heb 4:1 Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it.

Heb 4:9  There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.

         Here again we see that the people of God, Christians, baptized church members who take communion and have been enlightened, are still not resting in Christ… still not born again.

Let’s not presume we are saved. Let us fear lest we seem to have come short of it.

“Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble” (2Peter 1:10)