Meditation on Hebrews 13:1-6

Let brotherly love continue.
 
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. 

Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.
 
Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. 

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” Hebrews 13:1-6

It is typical for New Testament epistles to close with various moral exhortations. In this text the Epistle to the Hebrews touches on five areas, all clustered around the matter of our affections:

• Love for others in the fellowship
• Love for others outside the fellowship
• Love for those in the fellowship who are suffering
• Sexual love in marriage
• Love of money

Someone once observed that if we can get our affections properly aligned, we need not worry about our behavior. That probably over-simplifies, but it’s true that if I love God with all my heart and love my neighbor as I love myself, I can go out and do as I please, because I will always want to honor God and care for my neighbor. This also means that when I am inclined to defy God, it is because my love for Him wanes; and when I want to do ill to my neighbor, it is because my love for my neighbor wanes.

The last exhortation deals with contentment, which is also about my affections: contentment isn’t having what I love but loving what I have.

O Lord, order my affections aright, and so bring honor to Your Name and good to my neighbor!


Persevere,
Paul Pyle
Pastor of Discipleship