Hebrews chapter 10

vs 32

Well, apparently the readers of this letter did. I don't think we can say that this happens to everyone who "receives the light".

vs 33

Public insult happens pretty often in Australia for Christians. It's fairly low level, but basically the more you ramp the Christianness, the more the public insult will happen.

vs 34

These two things do not happen. I cannot think, off the top of my head, of something Christians in Australia could do that would involve their imprisonment or the confiscation of their property for the sake of being Christians and acting in a Christian manner.

They do, however, happen in other countries still, so we can't be blind to them.

vs 35

The point is that these readers have been through these things, and through them their faith did not waver. Is it now, when they aren't happening, that they are using the time to reflect and wonder whether they really have made the right decision? I can't be sure, but it does seem like those other things are in the past tense.

vs 36

The idea of persevering through suffering is one thing. But persevering through quietness, through stagnancy, is quite another. It would seem that that could be what the author is warning against here - that it is in the quiet, stagnant times that we need to persevere the most.

vs 37

In two places in the OT (probably one copied from the other, if I recall) it's a great little verse to remind us that "will not delay" can simply add a few thousand more years.

vs 38

Here is just Habbakuk this time, and boy is it more of a kick in the teeth. God takes pleasure in the righteous who live by faith (very Romans), and not in those who shrink away from the righteous Christian life. Nasty. Powerful stuff.

vs 39

You almost expect an "if" there, but the author, even after all his warnings to this point, is convinced that his audience are in fact saved, and will continue to persevere. He's being more encouraging than disciplinary overall.