And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward, but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end. (Hebrews 03:05-06, NKJV).
We have seen that the writer of Hebrews does not in any way discount Moses' part in redemptive history, but he emphasizes repeatedly that Christ is greater in every way. In fact, there is no real comparison.
Moses is servant in the household of God (the community of believers from Adam onward, but especially in reference to Israel). Christ is Son over His own house (all believers, including the church), and is the builder of that house, the rightful King of Israel and of the whole world.
The purpose of Moses' ministry was as a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward, essentially the fact of our helpless and hopeless condition under the curse of the Law without Christ, revealed throughout the New Testament.
Christ came to make us part of His house through adoption as Sons, making us everlasting heirs of righteousness by faith. This is in vivid contrast to being doomed to death under the Law.
The Law can never save. It can only condemn. Moses was the vehicle through whom God gave the Law. Christ is the sole means of escape from that condemnation under the Law by His own perfect compliance with it, and His voluntary sacrifice of Himself for us; an immeasurably greater service. In reality, it is the difference between eternal death and eternal life.
For the recipients of this ancient letter (and for all who have been privileged to receive it through the centuries since first being written), to chose other than Christ is the same as choosing death. It does not matter what motivates that choice, be it pride, or tradition, or cultural bias, or love of sin and darkness. What matters ultimately is the result - eternal damnation.
Each unsaved human being lives life on the very brink of Hell from the age of accountability until physical death impels them over the threshold into agonizing torment forever. This is an increasingly unpopular doctrine, but popularity has nothing to do with anything once you have breathed your last in unbelief. Whether you like it or not, Hell is the destiny of all who have chosen to reject the free gift of salvation.
No amount of self-propelled goodness will help. No amount of sincerity will mitigate the tragic and unending punishment.
The pardon from this unthinkable outcome is clearly available and freely given without strings attached if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.
This means never letting go of Christ and the hope He gave His divine life to provide. This means never slipping back into the old ways and old beliefs, whatever they may be. This means that we abide as branches in the vine, which is Christ, knowing full well that there will be militant temptation to let go. This means understanding what the end will be, life everlasting.
Our faith is guaranteed to be tested. Life on earth does that routinely, sometimes severely, but we must purpose ahead of time to remember that our confidence is not based on our ability, but on His ability to keep us.
He promises to do that very thing; to complete that good work He has begun in us; to deliver us blameless before the Father on that Day of Judgment; to wash us clean of all unrighteousness so that we can stand before our Holy Creator without spot or blemish.
What does it matter if you gain the world before the end of your life, but lose your soul?
What does it matter how well-liked you may be, or how successful, or how friendly you are with the world, if by refusing the truth, it all vanishes at death and is replaced by unimaginable despair?
To chose to follow other than Christ, perhaps your self, or some philosophy, or some institutionalized religious tradition, is to chose your own horrible fate.
Following Christ and holding onto Him is the only sane and rational course of action.
Anything else - ANYTHING else - is to sign your own death warrant with no hope of reprieve or clemency.
