Sovereign Grace Chapel, located
at 135 Annabel Lane in Beaver, West Virginia, invites you to
listen to a gospel message concerning Jesus Christ our Lord. Good morning and welcome to this
early morning broadcast I have just one verse of scripture to
read as my text this morning and My text is found in Hebrews
chapter 10. And as I said just one verse
Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 23 and this listen to what the
words say Hebrews 10 verse 23 Let us hold fast the profession
of our faith without wavering, for he, that is speaking of God,
for he is faithful that promised. My message for this morning is,
you give it this title, Hold Fast the Profession of Faith. Some religious groups are keen
on getting professions of faith. You've probably heard that phrase.
They're really keen on this idea of getting a profession of faith.
Some denominations and their ecclesiastical hierarchy require
a certain percentage of professions of faith. And these percentages
of professions of faith must be recorded and then sent and
logged with a hierarchy. Some educate, or we might say
catechize their young ones by question and answer sessions,
and then after these are done, then a confirmation, and it's
often called their profession of faith. Some are indoctrinated
into holding fast to their profession of faith. You hear what I said?
Our passage says, let us hold fast the profession of our faith.
But as I pointed out, some are indoctrinated into holding fast
to their profession of faith. And let me explain that. What
I mean by that is this. They are, men and women, young boys
and girls for that matter, they are constantly They constantly
are to be recalling the act of maybe going forward in the church
service and maybe praying what's called the sinner's prayer. And
then they're told to cling to that profession, that profession
they made maybe years ago when they was a young child or when
they was a young adult and when they walked forward and they
prayed the sinner's prayer. They're told to cling to that
profession as proof of their salvation. None of these things
I just mentioned have any direct scriptural warrant. And as a
matter of fact, though some get their ideas about professions
of faith from this verse that I've just read as my text this
morning, that is not what the text says. Here again, look at
it again. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without
wavering. For he, there's a reason why
we're to do this, for he, for that is God, for the Lord, the
Lord God Almighty, for he is faithful that promised. Believers
here, that's in my text for this morning, Hebrews 10 verse 23,
believers are here admonished to hold fast the profession,
or we might say the confession, or the acknowledgement of their
faith without slant, or without variation, that's what that means,
without wavering. Let us hold fast the profession
of our faith without wavering. It is not a clinging to or a
reliance upon some past act, but it is a constant. unwavering
and consistent acknowledgement of the certainty of God's faithfulness
to his promise. Do you hear what I just said?
It's not clinging to or some reliance upon some past act,
some going forward, some being taught certain doctrines and
being confirmed in those doctrines. It has nothing to do with that.
It has nothing to do with coming forward in a church service and
praying some prayer and then clinging to that past act. What
it is, as I said, is a constant, unwavering, and consistent acknowledgement
of the certainty of God's faithfulness to his promise. And that's exactly
what it says. Let us hold fast the profession
of our faith. Not to that profession, but hold
fast that profession. Let us hold fast the profession
of our faith without wavering. Why? Why? I have this. Why? For he that is for God is
faithful, that promise. Now what I wanna do for this
morning's message, I wanna note just two thoughts from our text.
And I have a few things to say under the heading of each thought.
Just two things from our text. First of all, What I want us
to look at this morning, the first thing is this, that which
we are to hold fast, you see it? That which we are to hold
fast. I did not say that which we're
to hold fast to, I said that which we are to hold fast. That
means to seize or to possess, to lay hold, let us hold fast
the profession of our faith. And in consideration of this,
I have three things I want us to look at. Let me turn to Genesis
chapter 15. And it's an astounding thing
here that God said to Abram, before he even changed his name
to Abraham, something that God said to Abram, And I want to
read that in light of this. Remember that two thoughts here
from this fact of let us hold fast the profession of our faith
without wavering. For he, that is for God is faithful,
that promise. We're gonna look at that to which
we're to hold fast, that is to seize or to possess. And the
first thing is this, under this heading. We're to hold fast to
what? Faith. Faith itself. Hold fast to this
confidence, but it's confidence not in some act we've done, not
in the act of faith. There is an initial, we might
say, response of faith, an initial action of faith to the preaching
of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, but we're told here to
hold fast to the profession of our faith. And here's what we're
to hold fast to. God himself. Now here's the words
that God said to Abram. Listen, it's Genesis 15 verse
one. After these things, the word
of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision saying, fear not Abram. Now look at this. I am thy shield. Do you see that? I am thy shield. Not I'll give you a shield. Though
I'm certain that that is true in some respects, but that's
not what the Lord told Abram. He said, I am. He said, God said,
I am. Abram, I am your shield. I am
thy exceeding, do you see it? I am thy exceeding great reward,
do you see? So again, I say that that which
we're to hold fast, that is to seize, possess constantly, without
wavering, is confidence in God himself. Listen to the 18th Psalm. Here's another amazing, amazing
passage, and it's Psalm number 18, the 18th Psalm. And just
to, Just the first couple verses. And listen to what David, the
Psalmist David wrote here in Psalm 18. I will love thee. Not just what you've done for
me, though that's certainly true, but I will love thee. I'll not
just love what God did, I'll love him. Do you see it? I will
love thee, O Lord, my strength. He's not crying out, he's not
praying, he's not declaring simply that God gave him strength, though
God had given him strength. He'd given him strength to believe,
strength to repent, strength to walk in God's way, but he
says, I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock. Do you see it? The Lord is my
rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my strength in whom I
will trust, my buckler and the horn of my salvation and my high
tower. Do you see it? Here's what we're
to hold fast to. As believers, we're not being
encouraged here in this passage to hold fast to our profession,
but to hold fast our profession. And that is God is our rock.
God is our salvation. God is our strength. God is our
reward. But here's a second thought under
this. The second thought is this. We're to hold fast to this. We're
to not hold fast to it, but hold it fast. to seize it and to possess
it, where this faith or confidence is in God's promise. Do you see
it? In God's promise, because again,
what it says is, let us hold fast the profession of our faith
without wavering, for he is faithful. God is faithful and promised.
Listen to what our brother, the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans
chapter four. And this is Paul speaking of
Abraham again, Abraham, and he wrote these words concerning
Abraham, and we read them in Romans 4, and let me begin in
verse 19. And being not weak in faith,
that is, Abraham was not weak in faith. Well, what does that
mean? Isn't that important, being not
weak in faith? Yes, it's important. Being not
weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when
he was about a hundred years old, neither yet the deadness
of Sarah's womb." So, sum it up quickly, neither one of them
could bear children. Neither Abraham, he couldn't
sire a child, and Sarah couldn't conceive a child. But look, Look,
he considered not, he considered not, neither the deadness of
Sarah's womb. He staggered not at the promise
of God through unbelief. But here it is, here's strong
faith. But was strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being
fully persuaded that what God had promised, He, that is God,
was able to perform. Do you see it? That's what we
hold fast to, the fact that God's able to do what God promised
He'd do. God did not come down here and merely offer some things
through Jesus Christ. He promised some things through
Jesus Christ, and he accomplished those things through Jesus Christ,
and he is now delving these things out by free, sovereign mercy
and grace through and by Jesus Christ. Let's go on. concerning
Abraham, that is, he staggered not, he was at the promise of
God, but was strong in faith, being fully persuaded that what
God had promised, God was able to perform. And therefore it,
that is, this holding fast, this believing God, believing God's
ability, not his ability, he had none. Not Sarah's ability,
she had none. Therefore, it was imputed to
him for righteousness. Now, it was not written for his
sake alone that it was imputed to him, but for us also, to whom
it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our
Lord from the dead, who was delivered for, or that is on account of
our offenses, and was raised again for, or account of our
justification. Do you see that? Isn't that glorious?
Think of it. Let us hold fast, not to the
profession of faith, but let us hold fast the profession of
our faith without wavering, for he, for God is faithful, that
promised. And here's the third thought
under this, that to which we're to hold fast to. Remember, we're
to hold fast to our faith, our confidence in God himself. And
we're to hold fast to the faith or confidence in God's promises. But here's the third thing about
this. We are to hold fast and we're to do so without vacillation,
without wobbling back and forth, without going to and fro, without
doubting one moment and just saying, well, I don't know if
this is really it or not. This is it. If God promised it,
listen to me now. If God promised it, and he promised
it in this word, we read it in this word, God will do it. He's
not relying upon us to do it. He's not asking us to do it.
He's not offering for us to do it. He promised it. He'll do
it. That's what faith is. That's
what holding fast, the profession of our faith is, is being fully
persuaded that what God's promised, God's able to perform. And remember,
we're to do this without vacillation, without wavering. That's what
that word, waver, it means to go to and fro, back and forth
from one opinion to another opinion. No, we just believe God. Listen to how the Apostle Paul
put it in Colossians chapter one is where I want to read.
And I'll begin in verse 19 for somewhat of a context here. Colossians
1 verse 19, for it pleased the father that in him that is in
Christ should all fullness dwell. Now look, and having made peace. through the blood of his cross.
Now, do I believe he did that? Not that he made it possible
for there to be, no, he made peace. And having made peace
through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things
to himself, by him I say, whether they be things in earth or things
in heaven. And you that were sometime alienated
and enemies in your mind by wicked works, do you see that? Do you
know of that? Has God ever made that a reality
to you in your life, huh? And you that were sometime alienated
and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled. Look, look how he did it. He
didn't reconcile you when you made a profession of faith. he did I did not reconcile you
when you went through the catechism and you had the the you had the
Questions asked you and you you studied it and all this and you
and you answered the questions then you can then you were confirmed
me No, no, look what it says when did he reconcile us and
yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through
death to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable
in his sight, but here's this without wavering. Here's this
without vacillation. Here's this without going back
and forth from one opinion to the other opinion. If you continue
in the faith, do you see it? There's that without wavering.
If you continue in the faith, Now, before I read even further,
think about this. First of all, you must be in
the faith before you can ever continue in the faith. And God's
the one that's gotta give you faith. God's the one by his sovereign
power, the very resurrection power of Jesus Christ, according
to the Apostle Paul. In Ephesians chapter one, the
last part of that chapter, if we believe, those who do believe,
they believe by the power of God. And look, if you continue
in the faith, grounded and settled, you see, without wavering. without
vacillation, without back and forth. Well, I don't know about
these things. Did God say those that Christ
reconciled, he reconciled in the body of his flesh through
death to present you holy and unblameable and unapprovable
in sight? Do you believe that? Then don't worry about what other
men say about it. Don't worry about trying to get all of their
answers or their objections or their questions. Do you believe
God? If you do, look, if you continue
in the faith, grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the
hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached
to every creature which is under heaven, whereof I, Paul, am made
a minister. Do you see that? Oh, how glorious
is this. Let us hold fast the profession
of our faith without wavering. If you're listening to me this
morning and you believe God, know this. Know this, this is
not just some overbearing command on you, that you must believe
and then continue to believe. This is the encouragement of
God Almighty, the one who said, I promised it, I'll do it. I
brought you to believe, I'll keep you believing, and you'll
believe all the way to the end without waiver. You'll continue
in the faith, grounded and settled. But here's my second point for
this morning. Remember, first of all, here's
the two thoughts. The first one is that which we're
to hold fast to. We're to hold fast to God himself. And we're to hold fast to the
confidence in God's promises. And we are to do so without vacillation,
that is, without wavering. But here's the second thing.
We profess. We have, we have, we profess. We have an ongoing profession,
or confession, or acknowledgement. I'm gonna give you some things
that we acknowledge. And I'm gonna turn to Romans chapter
10. And here's some things that God's
people confess in the beginning. And they do so without wavering.
They continue to confess. And they continue to confess.
And they hold fast that profession. Not to that profession, but they
hold fast that profession. And here it is what we hold fast
to. We confess this, that Jesus Christ is Lord. Listen to Romans
10. The Apostle Paul again in verse nine is where I'll begin.
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth, what? The Lord Jesus. You see that? the Lord Jesus,
that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and
shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from
the dead, thou shalt be saved. Do you confess, acknowledge it,
that is, possess it, lay hold of it, he's Lord, he's king,
he's sovereign over all. For with the heart, Paul goes
on, for with the heart men believeth unto righteousness. And with
the mouth confession is made into salvation for the scripture
saith whosoever believeth on him In what way not just some
facts not just giving mental assent to some doctors, but they
confess they believe on him as what lord? Lord for the scripture
saith whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed For
there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek, for the
same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever
shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Do you see that? We constantly
confess this. And this is, of course, what
Paul goes on to say. He wrote to the Philippians.
Let me get turned to that one and listen to what Paul told
the Philippians. And we hear that in Philippians chapter two.
And for the sake of the time I have left on this broadcast,
I'll begin in Philippians 2 verse 8. And being found in fashion
as a man, he humbled himself. This again is speaking of Christ.
He humbled himself and became obedient unto death, but not
just any death. even the death of the cross. Do you see that? Wherefore God
also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is
above every name. Now listen to it, that at the
name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, of
things in earth, and things under the earth, And what are they
gonna bow to? What are they bowing to? Look,
and that every tongue should confess, that is to profess or
to acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the
Father. So that's what our ongoing profession
is. Our ongoing confession is that
Christ is Lord. He's Lord. But even our Lord
Jesus Christ expressed this as paramount. Listen to what our
Lord himself said. It's recorded by our brother
Matthew, the believer, Matthew. It's recorded by Matthew in Matthew
chapter 10, and just two verses here. Listen to what our Lord
said. This is the master himself. This is what he said about him
and his lordship, about who he is and what he would accomplish.
Here's what he said. Matthew 10 verse 32, whosoever
therefore shall confess me You see it? Confess me. Not make
a profession of faith, but confess me. You see it? Whosoever therefore
shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before
my Father which is in heaven. What a glory. But look, but. Whosoever shall deny me before
men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. Do you see that? So, as we read
in our text, let us hold fast the profession of our faith,
not hold fast to it, It's not holding fast to something we
did. It's not holding fast to the
profession itself, but hold fast the profession that Christ is
Lord, that God promised reconciliation through him and he accomplished
it. We hold that without wavering. We don't have this vacillation
of moving back and forth. We know what God said. did come
true when Christ died on that tree. So we confess Christ as
Lord. Our Lord himself said that this
must be so. You'll confess me before men. If you do, he'll confess you
before the Father in heaven. If you deny him before men, he
will deny you before the Father in heaven. But here's a third
thought under this second heading. We have this profession of faith.
We confess that he's Lord. Our Lord himself emphasized that
we must confess him. But also, here's this profession,
that we are not entwined with, or in, or are a true part of
this world. That's what God's people confess.
Listen to what Hebrews chapter 11, the same book we're in for
my text verse. In Hebrews chapter 11, listen
to what the writer says here, beginning in verse 13. These
all, all of these people he mentioned, and he mentions it by faith.
He keeps saying by faith, or through faith, or by faith, or
through faith. Look at it sometime, Hebrew chapter
11, verse 13 though. These all died in faith, not
having received the promises, but having seen them afar off. God had promised them they knew
it'd come to pass. Even if they hadn't seen it yet
come to pass, They knew it would. Why? Because God promised. These
all died. They did so without wavering.
They did so without vacillation. They continued in the faith,
grounded and settled. Do you see it? Why? These all
died in the faith, not having received the promises, but having
seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced
them, and confessed that they were what? There it is. Strangers
and pilgrims on the earth, for they that say such things declare
plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful
of that country from once they came out, they might have had
opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better
country that is an heavenly, wherefore God is not ashamed
to be called their God, hath prepared for them a city. Do you see that? Remember, we
are told, we are encouraged, we are exhorted here. Let us
hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering. without wavering. And we could
even read it, let us hold fast the profession of faith. The
hour, if you have your Bible, if you're reading, you'll notice
it's in italics. The translators of the KJV were
honest enough to put that in there. That's not there. It's
our faith in that God gave it to us, but it's his intrinsically. It's a gift from God. Let us
hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering. And here
it is. For he is faithful, that promise.
Oh God, this will be my prayer for me. It'll be my prayer for
you. Oh God, impress upon us. God,
impress upon us and impress within us the essentiality of believing
you. See, holding fast to him. He's
our shield, remember. He's our high tower. He's our
strength. He's our salvation. He don't
just give us salvation. He is our salvation. You see
it? Let us hold fast the profession
of our faith without wavering. Why? Because he's faithful, they
promise. So God, impress upon us, impress within us this essentiality
of believing you, this essential thing of resting in you, this,
listen to me now, this essential thing, oh God, impress upon me,
impress upon my hearers, that they would enjoy you as you are. Not as we wish him to be, no.
Our prayer is to be this, to enjoy him as he is. Oh God, sweetly
force us, and that's right, that's what I said. He doesn't do it
while we're unwilling, but bless God he makes us willing in the
day of his power, Psalm 110. Oh God, sweetly force us to hold
fast and not waver concerning your faithfulness to your promises. You see, that's what it's all
about. It's not holding fast to that profession. That's nothing.
That doesn't count. That's not it. Let us hold fast
the profession of our faith without wavering. Why? For faithful is
he that promised.