RESOURCES — SHORT ARTICLES

 

SHORT ARTICLES BY TOM ELSEROAD
	2021-03-05	What Does 'Jesus The Same Yesterday, Today, and Forever Mean'? (He.13:8)
		Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The book of Hebrews focuses on the superiority of Jesus over everything the Jews highly respected. The writer is encouraging his readers to conduct themselves in a way that recognizes the superiority of Jesus. As long as believers are fixing their eyes on Jesus, they can run without losing heart (He.12:3). Believers can be encouraged knowing He will never forsake them or leave them (He.13:5). These and other promises are only helpful if it is true that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. If God arbitrarily changes His character, then how can we have confidence that what He has said He will do? If we cannot rely on Him to do what He has said, then we cannot have confidence and we could not run the race with endurance (He.12:1-2). So, Hebrews 13:8 gives us the assurance that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Jesus was not some trendy preacher who rose in popularity and then faded into oblivion. Jesus had always existed as God (Jn.1:1; 8:58). He came in flesh as a man to pay the sin price owed to the Father on behalf of all humanity (Ph.2:5-8; 1Co.15:1-4). He is in heaven working and interceding until He returns to take us home (Jn.14:1-3; Ro.8:34). He has a consistent plan and has been faithfully executing that plan. He always keeps His word, and is trustworthy. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Now those passages where it appears 'God changed His mind' actually teaches that God always keeps what He has already committed to. These instances do not reflect a change of character, or changing promises already made. In Genesis 6:6-7, “the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth.” God was grieved at what mankind had become. God judged humanity through the Flood, but would not violate His promise of redemption. In Exodus 32:10, “let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them.” God tests Moses saying He would destroy Israel. Moses appealed to God to change His mind, which God did. It was a key lesson in the life of Moses, that God keeps His word. In Amos 7:2-6 Amos sees visions in which God was about to destroy Israel, but God 'changed His mind' when Amos interceded. This was a lesson for Amos that God keeps His word and would not allow Israel to be completely destroyed. The idea of God 'changing His mind' is a teaching tool, and He is always in agreement with what He has already committed to. Being the same yesterday and today and forever, Jesus Christ is unchanging and unchangeable. No sin, distress, or complication will cause Him to abandon us. Though human leaders have much to offer, we must keep our eyes on Jesus, our ultimate leader. Unlike any human leader, he will never change. Christ has been and will be the same forever. In a changing world we can trust our unchanging Lord. Pastor Tom Elseroad

 

An Evangelical Free Church of America

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