Hebrews 13:5-9 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as you have: for he had said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.
‘Conversation’ [Greek: tropos] manner of life (Jude 1:7; Acts 1:11).
‘Covetousness’ Covetousness is forbidden (Ex. 20:17; Matt. 6:19-21; Rom. 13:9; Eph. 5:3; Heb. 13:5; 1Jn. 2:15-17). It must be removed from our lives entirely (Col. 3:2-6).
‘I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.’ This promise was first made to Jacob (Gen. 28:15; Deut. 34:6) and then repeated as a promise to Joshua (Jos. 1:5) and David blessed Solomon with these same words (1Chr. 28:20). When Solomon sinned, he forsaken God and the promise didn’t apply to him anymore as it is for anyone else.
‘The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.’ Quoted from Psalms 118:6. In Matthew 10:28 we are commanded not to fear men who cannot hurt the soul when they kill the body (Luke 12:4-12).
‘Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.’ He is immutable – unchanging – He cannot break His laws (Ps. 119:89). He cannot lie (Heb. 6:17-19). He cannot deny Himself (2Tim. 2:13). He cannot have respect of persons (Rom. 2:11; Jas. 2:9-10). He cannot save one soul apart from grace and faith in Christ (Rom. 3:26; John 3:16). He cannot be unrighteous (Rom. 9:14). He cannot bless men apart from faith (Heb. 11:6; Jas. 1:5-8). He cannot curse men when they meet His terms (1Jn. 1:9). He cannot do away with or change His eternal plan (Acts 15:18; Eph. 2:7; 3:11). This is to name but a few of the things in which God (thus Christ) is unchangeable. He does not adapt to suit us or change His ways to fit our way of thinking (Isa. 55:8-9). He is trustworthy in everything and worth following and serving! ‘Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines.’ We are warned not to heed to doctrines of devils (1Tim. 4:1). To urge departure from the faith is the first work of demons. This results in departure from holy living, and acceptance of doctrines that will damn the soul. Men who pretend inspiration and revelation and false teachers of all kinds are the agents of demons (2Cor. 11:14-15). Every religion that denies the reality of God; Christ; the Holy Spirit; the atonement; the death and the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ; sin; the rapture; judgments of God; sickness; satan; demons; hell; heaven; and the other fundamental doctrines of Scripture are as much of satan and demons as the Bible and Christianity are of God.
Living the Word 