by Rowland Gbamis<\/p>\n
“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need<\/em>” (Hebrews 4:16-NKJV).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The book of Hebrews addresses Christians who, after years of serving the Lord, began to drift from the truth and were in danger of hardening their hearts to unbelief and of reverting to their former ways. Facing persecution and considering abandoning their faith, they needed exhortation, teaching, and endurance. This is why Hebrews is one of my favorites, as it speaks directly to weary, discouraged believers tempted to give up. The author provides what they need by reminding them of Christ’s greatness, the benefits of His death and Priesthood, and the better covenant He established with better promises. He demonstrates Christ’s absolute superiority over Old Testament religion through the following:<\/p>\n
\n
- The better messenger: superiority of the Son (Hebrews 1:1-14; 2:1-18)<\/li>\n
- The better apostle: superiority to Moses (Hebrews 3:1-19)<\/li>\n
- The better priest: superiority in the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 4:14; 5:5-7)<\/li>\n
- The better covenant: superiority of the new covenant (Hebrews 8:1-13; 9:1-22)<\/li>\n
- The better sacrifice: superiority of Christ’s sacrifice (Hebrews 9:23-28; 10:1-18)<\/li>\n
- The better way: faith (Hebrews 10:19-39; 11:1-40; 12:1-29)<\/li>\n
- The better practice of faith (Hebrews 13:1-25)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
But what makes Hebrews particularly powerful for struggling Christians is not just its theological arguments, but the pastoral heart revealed in the repeated phrase “let us.” This simple expression reveals how a leader with the heart of Christ should walk with people who are struggling in their walk with Christ (cf. Galatians 6:1).<\/p>\n
The Significance of “Let Us” for the Struggling Believer<\/h2>\n
I need you to understand that when you are struggling in your faith, you are not alone. The “let us” admonitions provide exactly the needed assurance, and this the author did by placing himself right alongside his struggling readers. Notice, even after the author scolded their immaturity in Hebrews 5:12-14, he went on to say in Hebrews 6:1 that they must “leave the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, and go on to perfection…” The author then concludes by saying, “And this will we do, if God permit<\/em>” (Hebrews 6:3). This is the language of togetherness, not condemnation. The writer is saying something along these lines: “I am in this with you. We are running this race together. When you are tempted to quit, remember that I am fighting the same battles. When you feel weak, know that we all need God’s grace. When you wonder if you can make it, look around; we are all pressing forward together.”<\/p>\n
Three Reasons “Let Us” Brings Hope to Struggling Christians<\/h2>\n
“Let Us” Means You Are Not Fighting Alone<\/h3>\n
Every repeated “let us” in Hebrews serves as a reminder that Christian faith is a communal journey rather than a solitary endeavor. The author consistently calls believers to persevere together by demonstrating that endurance in the Christian life is strengthened through shared commitment. When you are struggling, remember the following:<\/p>\n
\n
- You do not have to fear alone- “let us fear<\/em>” together (Hebrews 4:1)<\/li>\n
- You do not have to labor alone- “let us labor<\/em>” together (Hebrews 4:11)<\/li>\n
- You do not have to hold fast alone- “let us hold fast<\/em>” together (Hebrews 4:14; 10:23)<\/li>\n
- You do not have to run alone- “let us run with patience<\/em>” together (Hebrews 12:1)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
It is worth noting that the “let us” imperative does not absolve individual Christians of their responsibility to work out their salvation with fear and trembling (cf. Philippians 2:12), but the writer includes himself in every exhortation because he knows the struggle is real for everyone. Even mature believers need encouragement. Even leaders need to be spurred. Even those who teach others must press on themselves. If the writer of Hebrews needed to say “let us,” then you should not feel ashamed for needing help.<\/p>\n
“Let Us” Means Your Weakness Does Not Disqualify You<\/h3>\n
The message is clear: Christ has already done everything necessary for our salvation. Now, together, we respond to what Christ has accomplished through his perfect priesthood and complete sacrifice. Therefore:<\/p>\n
\n
- “Let us draw near<\/em>” (Hebrews 10:22)-not because we are worthy, but because Christ has opened the way<\/li>\n
- “Let us come boldly to the throne of grace<\/em>” (Hebrews 4:16)-not because we’re strong, but because we need mercy and grace<\/li>\n
- “Let us offer the sacrifice of praise<\/em>” (Hebrews 13:15)-not because we have earned it, but because of what Christ has done<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Your struggle does not mean you have failed. It means you are human and in need of what every struggling Christian needs: God’s grace and strength. This grace and strength are what the “let us” imperatives extend to the weak, the weary, and the wavering, including all of us.<\/p>\n
“Let Us” Means There Is a Path Forward<\/h3>\n
Each “let us” offers more than camaraderie-it offers direction. The writer does not merely say, “I understand your struggle.” He says, “Let us move forward together.” Therefore, when you do not know what to do next, consider these Spirit-given admonitions:<\/p>\n
\n
- Struggling with fear? “Let us fear<\/em>” the right thing-missing God’s rest (Hebrews 4:1)<\/li>\n
- Growing lazy in your faith? “Let us labor to enter that rest<\/em>” (Hebrews 4:11)<\/li>\n
- Tempted to compromise? “Let us hold fast our profession<\/em>” (Hebrews 4:14)<\/li>\n
- In need of help? “Let us come boldly to the throne of grace<\/em>” (Hebrews 4:16)<\/li>\n
- Stuck in spiritual immaturity? “Let us go on unto perfection<\/em>” (Hebrews 6:1)<\/li>\n
- Feeling distant from God? “Let us draw near with a true heart<\/em>” (Hebrews 10:22)<\/li>\n
- Isolated and alone? “Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works<\/em>” (Hebrews 10:24)<\/li>\n
- Weighed down by sin? “Let us lay aside every weight<\/em>” (Hebrews 12:1)<\/li>\n
- Facing opposition? “Let us go forth unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach<\/em>” (Hebrews 13:13)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Whatever your situation might be at the moment, you do not need to feel you have to figure it all out by yourself. We are a community of God’s people; let us journey together, strengthening one another as we move forward.<\/p>\n
Some Final Thoughts<\/h2>\n
If you are reading this and struggling, perhaps you are tired, discouraged, or wondering whether you can keep going-the “let us” admonitions in Hebrews are written specifically for you. They remind us that:<\/p>\n
\n
- You are not alone in your struggle (Hebrews 10:24)<\/li>\n
- You are not disqualified by your weakness (Hebrews 6:9-12)<\/li>\n
- You have a clear path forward, and others are walking it with you<\/li>\n
- Christ has already secured your salvation; now, we together respond in faithful obedience to his word because we do not want to take God’s grace for granted (cf. Romans 6:1-2; Hebrews 10:35-39).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
As we examine these “let us” passages, may you find not just instruction, but encouragement. May you hear not just commands, but encouragement and togetherness. May you discover not just what you should do, but the grace to do it together with your brothers and sisters in Christ.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Rowland Gbamis “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16-NKJV). The book of Hebrews addresses Christians who, after years of serving the Lord, began to drift from the truth and were in danger of hardening their…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[1064],"class_list":["post-96461","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-hebrews"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":31874,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/do-you-support-conscientious-objection\/","url_meta":{"origin":96461,"position":0},"title":"Do you support conscientious objection?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 19, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Do you or your church support selective conscientious objection and conscientious objection? 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Hamilton Text: Job 19:23-27 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Each week the paper publishes its list of top selling books \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Sometimes the books are biographies, fictional stories, or fiction placed in historical settings. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0They hope that others will also purchase the books, if for no other reason than curiosity. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0C.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Many author\u2019s\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":6988,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/are-there-passages-that-refer-to-the-lords-supper\/","url_meta":{"origin":96461,"position":5},"title":"Are there passages that refer to THE Lord’s Supper?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 2, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: We have been studying the Lord's supper issues and one of our main concerns is about a second offering in which only a few partake, for the reasons you listed in your article (not doing it together). 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