Striving Beyond Just Being Saved

Speaker: Archbishop Loren Thomas Hines

August 25, 2025

in Spritual Growth

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Hebrews 12: 18-19, 22-29
Luke 13: 22-30

11th Sunday of Ordinary Time 2025 Homily – Abp. Hines

As we read from Hebrews today, it is important to know what Christ is telling us. We need to know the voice of God. God, knowing us, sees our minds being focused on other things and that we don’t pay attention. In many parts of the world today, there are people going to church and there are even public declarations of the knowledge of God. But Christ should be the priority.

Today’s Gospel speaks of Jesus’ preparation of His assignment to save the world. When we were created, we were empowered to be like Him. One very major key of who God is, is Love. Because God is a God of Love, Forgiveness and Restoration, so should we walk in love, forgiveness and restoration. As Jesus was traveling on his way to Jerusalem, He was teaching the people. The first time He was together with His disciples was to tell them to teach about repentance, and then to teach about His kingdom. Isaiah 18:15

You boast, “We have entered into a covenant with death, with the realm of the dead we have made an agreement. When an overwhelming scourge sweeps by, it cannot touch us, for we have made a lie our refuge and falsehood our hiding place.” Jesus says, “Even if you die, you shall live.” Paul in one of his writings says, “you have this treasure in human flesh.” God did not create us to die. When Jesus said even if you die, you live, He was talking spiritually. Many times, we put our trust in what we see. We will not find peace in prosperity. We live in the midst of deception that we’ve got to have this and that in order to be prosperous. Hebrews 12:18 “For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind.”

God is on our side. But there is a need for a total change in our lives. From death to life- life in abundance. This is why there is the necessity of being born again. Of striving and not merely seeking. Some may be weak in their convictions. We know the things of God and yet we don’t strive. Our desires are cold. There should be a real striving on our part against evil.

Are we saved? Are we delivered from darkness? What is our response. He gave us the solution, true. But we must act upon what He has given us. “Are there only a few who will be saved?” Jesus’ reply was, “if you strive.” We need to go beyond just knowing. We need to strive. We may fail, we may fall, but when we strive our best to follow Him, we will make it. God is challenging us to strive and make our lives aligned to His. The door to His kingdom is grace and mercy. In church, there are carnal people who love to “worship.” But when they go out, they live like the devil. What God desires from us is that when we worship, it should come from the heart. What are we going to do with what God has given us? If the world system tells us to prepare, we follow. It tells us that we will not be successful if we do not get an education. And we strive for that. But are we striving to belong in His Kingdom?

God gave us the best. He even provides all the extras and bonuses. Shouldn’t we then, take care of what He has given us? What matters is our relationship with Christ. If we want to make things work, then we need to follow God’s ways. With God, all things are possible.