The Holiest of All By Andrew Murray

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tboltest ot BIl 213
day. And so our writer urges
diligence
his readers to show the same
they had formerly manifested, unto the fulness of the
hope to the very end.
We have here the same three words we had in the second
warning. There we read, Let us give diligence to enter into
that rest
(iv. 1 1).
to the end (iii. 6).
If we hold fast the glorying of our hope firm
If we hold fast the beginning of our con
fidence firm to the end." The great marks of Christian perse
verance are here once again joined together. Hope looks
forward and lives in the promises ; it glories beforehand in the
certainty of their fulfilment. Bright hopefulness
is one of the
elements of a healthy Christian life one of the surest preserva
tives against backsliding. This hopefulness must be cultivated ;
diligence must be given unto the fulness of hope a hope that
embraces all the fulness of God s promises, and that fills all
the heart. And all this to the end, with a patience and perse
verance that knows no weariness, that waits God s time, and
seeks in patience till the fulfilment has come.
That ye be not slothful. This is what had done so much
harm they had been slothful in hearing (v. n). This is the
danger that still threatens. But be imitators of them who
through faith and longsuffering inherit the promises. The
writer had spoken in warning of the example of the fathers in
the wilderness ;
he here encourages them by reminding them of
those who through faith and longsuffering had inherited the
promises. Longsuffering is the perseverance of faith. Faith
grasps at once all that God promises, but is in danger of relax
ing its hold. Longsuffering comes to tell how faith needs daily
to be renewed, and strengthens the soul, even when the promise
tarries, still to hold fast firm unto the end. This is one of the
great practical lessons of our Epistle, and one the young believer