PERFECTION

PERDITION

OR

Now this covetousness under the form of pleonexia (`the wish to have more') is condemned as `idolatry' (Eph.

5:5; Col. 3: 5). The corrective for `the wish to have more' and for `covetousness' and `the love of money' is the

conscious presence of the Lord:

`Be content with such things as ye have: for He hath 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' (Heb. 13:5,6).

At the risk of wearying the reader with the truth that `Philippians is parallel with Hebrews', we draw attention

once more to the teaching of Philippians 4:

`Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand (near) ... I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, to

be content ... Ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction' (Phil. 4:5,11,14).

Covetousness and contentment cannot thrive together. Philippians 2:13,14 makes the inworking of God parallel

with Hebrews 13:21, and absence of murmuring parallel with the contentment of verse 5.

Murmuring, fornication and idolatry are brought together in 1 Corinthians 10:7-10, which, together with

tempting the Lord in the wilderness, is similar teaching to chapters 3 and 4 of Hebrews and also to the theme of the

book. Further, 1 Corinthians 9:24; 10:1-14; Philippians 3, and Hebrews as a whole, all dealing with running for a

prize, being perfected, becoming a `castaway' or disqualified by drawing back to `perdition' or `destruction', and the

citizenship, the heavenly city, and inter-related themes, are a stronger witness to the peculiar teaching and purpose

of these epistles than any criticism can overthrow.

There are three passages of the Old Testament in which appears the promise quoted in Hebrews 13:5: `I will

never leave thee, nor forsake thee'. The first is Deuteronomy 31:6; the second, Joshua 1:5; the third 1 Chronicles

28:20. In the first Moses is addressing the children of Israel, saying:

`The LORD thy God, He will go over before thee, and He will destroy these nations from before thee, and thou shalt

possess them; and Joshua, he shall go over before thee, as the LORD hath said ... Be strong and of a good

courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, He it is that doth go with thee; He will not fail

thee, nor forsake thee' (Deut. 31:3-6).

We give the structure of the section so that what has been seen, and what is yet to be studied, may be kept in

their right relationship:

A 12:25 to 13:4. a Things that remain.

b Acceptable service (euarestos).

c Forget not hospitality

(epilanthanomai).

B 13:5-8.  d Conversation (tropos, manner of life).

e Remember them that have the rule over you.

f  Established with grace, not meats.

C 13:9-13.

g His own blood.

h Bearing His reproach.

a No remaining city.

c Forget not to have fellowship

(epilanthanomai).

b Acceptable sacrifice (euaresteo).

e Obey them that have the rule over you.

d Live honestly (anastrepho).

g Through the blood of the aionian

f  Perfect you.

h Doing that which is well pleasing

(euarestos).