But if someone takes a good look at the perfect law that gives freedom, if they keep looking at it and don’t forget what they’ve heard but do it, then that person will be blessed in what they do.
My dear brothers and sisters, remain strong in the faith. Don’t let anything move you. Always give yourselves completely to the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord, your work isn’t for nothing.
Take a good look at yourselves to see if you really are believers. Test yourselves. Don’t you realize that Christ Jesus is in you? Unless, of course, you fail the test!
Think about how kind God is! But also think about how strict he is! He was strict with those who stopped following him, but he has been kind to you. So you must continue to live in his kindness. If you don’t, you too will be cut off.
The Spirit you received doesn’t make you slaves who live in fear again. Instead, the Spirit you received has made you God’s genuine child by adoption. And the Spirit leads us to call out to God, “Abba, Father.”
That question came up because some false believers had slipped in among us to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus. They wanted to make us slaves again.
Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die as believers in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, and they’ll be rewarded for what they’ve done.”
But God has helped me right up until this very moment. So I’m standing here and speaking about him to everyone, whether they’re kings or just ordinary people. I’ve been saying nothing different from what the prophets and Moses said would happen.
Make sure that no one misses out on God’s grace and that no bitter plant grows up, because if it does, it will cause trouble and make many people impure.
But you must keep your faith steady and firm and not move away from the hope that the good news is offering you. This is the good news that you heard. It has been preached to every creature under heaven and I, Paul, am its servant.