Hebrews 6:10

Hebrews 6:10. For (and he has reason for this conviction) God is not unrighteous so as to forget your work and the love (‘labour of' [love] is without adequate support; it was probably taken from the parallel passage, 1 Thessalonians 1:3) which ye have showed towards his name, in that ye ministered to the saints and do (or still) minister. Their ‘work' was their whole Christian life of active obedience (so of ministers, 1 Corinthians 3:13; so of men generally, Romans 2:15; and of Christians, 1 Thessalonians 1:3). Their love shown to God's name is not the love with regard to or for the sake of His name, but the love towards it (see Romans 5:8, etc.). The object of their love was the name of God God Himself as revealed to us, ‘the God and Father of our Lord,' and the God and Father of all who believe; and this love they manifested by ministering, and continuing to minister, to those by whom that name was known and confessed and loved. Their work and love are clearly described in chap. Hebrews 10:32-34. The ministry was one of sympathy, and the help shown largely to those of their own nation. ‘Ministering to the saints' is generally used in Scripture of help given to the Jewish Christians in Palestine, not because this expression of Christian love was to be restricted to them, but because they had then most need. This active Christian life, this love towards God shown in generous help to His servants, gives the writer hope that they are really God's children, and that, therefore, God will not forget them. ‘He is just, and will not forget,' is the strong language he uses. Some commentators (Dr. J. Brown and others) regard ‘righteous' as equivalent to ‘faithful,' shrinking apparently from implying that the remembering of the grace we exercise is a matter of righteousness with Him, and quoting 2 Thessalonians 1:6 (‘God is not unfaithful') as the true explanation. That is no reason, however, for changing the meaning of the word; and the two words, faithful and righteous, are combined in a very similar passage (1 John 1:9). The whole case is well explained by Delitzsch. Not only is it true, when we believe and are holy, that God is bound by righteousness to fulfil what He has promised; not only is it true, when we repent and plead the mediation of His Son, that God is bound by what is due to Him, as well as by His mercy to forgive; but it is true also that God's righteousness prompts Him to help and graciously reward them that are righteous. Whenever our acts correspond to His holiness and love, His righteousness leads Him to honour and bless the holiness and love which he has Himself created. The state in us that answers exactly to the holy love of God is our holy love, the fruit of faith in the revelation of God's holy love in Christ. Faith, as the acceptance by our hearts of the free unmerited grace of God, is itself the beginning of a holy loving state; and though the holiness of the faith is neither the meritorious ground nor the measure of our forgiveness, for of itself it cancels no sin, and can give no legal title to eternal life, it is none the less the object of God's approval, and it ever works by love, which is its noblest fruit. Faith and love and holiness all come into judgment and approval now, as they will come into final judgment at last. As states of heart they are right and holy, and it is right in God to commend and honour them. Love towards God, and towards all that bear His name, holy love, is the divinest grace and likest God, and the Holy God would cease to be holy if He did not approve and bless it Yes! God is not unrighteous to forget our work and love! To forget them would be to violate His word and deny Himself (see 2 Timothy 2:13).