“But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated.”

By former days the writer means the time when they became followers of Christ. They had expressed their faith by confessing Him before the world and repenting of their former way of life. They gave themselves to Jesus and were buried with Him in baptism. Their old man was crucified with Him, and their sins were washed away, and they rose to a new life.

Now, the writer is afraid they will reject that new life under a new covenant sealed with the perfect blood of Jesus and return to the old life under Moses. He’s reminding them of what they have been through to get to where they are in Jesus and suggesting how terrible it would be to lose all they had gained in their struggle.

Task for Today: Good time to look behind and remember where we were in relationship to salvation before we were buried into Christ. A good time to remember what Jesus did for us and what is in store for us if we remain faithful. A good time to challenge ourselves to be faithful the entire day. One day at a time, we move closer to the promised land.