Tag: Hebrews 6

Let Us Go on to Maturity

On By TimIn Hebrews 05, SalvationLeave a comment

Concerning this we have much to say that is hard to explain, since you have become hard of hearing.

Hebrews 5:11

Concerning what?

Well, the context is toward Israelis. By reading, it is easy to discern that these Hebrews are a mixed group of believers and those who probably may not be. The concern is that if these were believers, they became hard of hearing. They regressed to the needy state of babes in Christ, which would entail being tossed around by all sorts of error. Just think of how a baby is so easily distracted. The apostle Paul explains the problem here.

He gave some to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, for the equipping of the saints, for the work of service, and for the building up of the body of Christ, until we all come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, into a complete man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so we may no longer be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the trickery of men, by craftiness with deceitful scheming.

Ephesians 4:11–14

This is the danger of backsliding… Becoming like babies in Jesus again, where it is easy to be led astray.

The concern was that they forgot about Jesus. They forgot that he is better than the rest provided by God in the Promised Land. Even better than the rest that Joshua gave… But alluded to a greater Rest. That in Jesus.

Because they had slipped so far backward, it was difficult to discern between the backslidden Christian and unbelievers. Hence, the encouragement to enter His rest.

There are some unspoken ideas intertwined in the cited text of Hebrews and the citation from Ephesians above. The idea taught is an encouragement to strive for maturity, where one can serve God. Even that requires faith.

The other idea comes from silence. Some have entered His rest, and there are those who have not. Nothing is spoken of about anyone who could leave His rest, let alone come back to what they have left. That is because it cannot happen.

This is the place where we find these Hebrews… Tossed about as babes by the latest distraction not knowing any better.

For though by now you should be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God and have come to need milk rather than solid food.

Hebrews 5:12

In other words, y’all already believed and should have moved on to maturity. But instead, y’all need parents to rescue you and reteach you the elementary principles, namely, what salvation is, so you can grow up.

Everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a baby.

Hebrews 5:13

These folks have not grown up to a place where they can be useful to God. This also comes from the current text in Hebrews and the citation from Ephesians above. How could they be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, used by God for the equipping of the saints, for the work of service, and for the building up of the body of Christ?

They cannot.

But solid food belongs to those who are mature, for those who through practice have powers of discernment that are trained to distinguish good from evil.

Hebrews 5:14

This admonition for them also applies today. It is my pastor’s word this year… Practice. We practice things until they become practice. That is, we do it from muscle memory, without needing to stop and first think about doing it. The question then is… Do what?

We need to be so familiar with Jesus Christ that we can easily discern what is not of Him. Therefore, being able to understand what is good and what is not. And to not be distracted from purpose.

Therefore, leaving the elementary principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. This we will do if God permits.

Hebrews 6:1–3

I am going to be frank. Grow up! Stop waffling between the practices of the law and what Jesus does. Clearly, He is better than any of it.

I know what pretexts some add here. This is a precursor to a warning about losing out or forfeiting salvation. Newsflash… It is not!

If one has walked away and lost what they had, there is no way to grow up. Stop trying to go back to the rudiments of repenting from your sins as if needing salvation again.

Should a Christian confess sins?

Yes! And to make restitution if possible. This idea is a tool to combat the fiery darts of the enemy. It is not to confess sins as if needing salvation again. Because you cannot do that. Knowing our sins are gone helps propel us to become useful to God.

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to be renewed once more to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and subject Him to public shame.

Hebrews 6:4–6

One just cannot lose salvation… For it is impossible. To reinforce that idea, the author continues.

For land that drinks in the rain that often falls upon it and bears a crop useful to those for whom it is cultivated receives a blessing from God. But land that bears thorns and thistles is rejected and near to being cursed. Its destiny is to be burned.

Hebrews 6:7–8

If one truly gets saved and moves forward in the blessings of God and maturity, fruit is produced. That is, one is useful too God just like good fertile soil is useful to a farmer, and others. Does that bring to mind the parable of the sower?

It should, because it is the same principle. As is this…

The ones who take in all of the blessings of God but never produce a crop are useless to God. So useless, they should be destroyed in unfruitfulness. No, the being burned here is not a metaphor for Hell or perdition. It is to bring a contrast to demonstrate the vast goodness of His mercy, for He abundantly pardons

For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.

Isaiah 55:8–9

This is about the character of God and His relationship to humanity. As said before, He abundantly pardons… Even the very backslidden. He wants usefulness!

For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there but water the earth and make it bring forth and bud that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

Isaiah 55:10–11

Since His ways are unfathomable, here is the character of God. His Word goes forth and waters the Earth. That’s Jesus. His death ensured that humans could flourish on earth without the penalty of sins. And they did, proving His Word. Jesus is that Word, and in His death, satisfying the wages for sin, all humans prospered, giving time for repentance. By His resurrection, it shall prosper, bringing eternal life. That is why He sent His Word… To save souls. When anyone believes, apprehending His promises, His sure Word does prosper… In them!

There’s a purpose to that.

For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

Isaiah 55:12–13

People are not destined to bring forth thorns. It does not mean they cannot, but people are not destined to do that, so why would believers?

Furthermore, they shall not be cut off. In the Tanakh, the idea of being cut off was to suffer the penalty of sins. Do you think that people could lose salvation, or are they even destined for something like that?

Neither does the author. He knew God and His promises. He is so sure that these had not lost their salvation, nor were they shunned or ready to be destroyed by God. Look…

But though we speak in this manner, we are persuaded of better things for you, things that accompany salvation, for God is not unjust so as to forget your work and labor of love that you have shown for His name, in that you have ministered to the saints and continue ministering.

Hebrews 6:9–10

This is a stern warning, yes. But not against losing salvation, but of being fruitless. And none of these were. There were things they did before they backslid that will not be forgotten by God.

Listen! If you’ve backslidden so far that you are not sure if you’re saved or not… If you’ve labored for God after a confession of faith in the past, God is not unjust… Meaning you would lose out on that.

We desire that every one of you show the same diligence for the full assurance of hope to the end, so that you may not be lazy, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Hebrews 6:11–12

Get up! Get back in the race! Stop being lazy and then backsliding into infancy. Don’t settle for struggling with whether you are really a believer. Settle it. Move on. You have examples, imitate them.

For men indeed swear by a greater authority than themselves, and for them an oath of confirmation ends all dispute. So God, wanting to show more abundantly the immutability of His counsel to the heirs of promise, confirmed it by an oath. So that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.

Hebrews 6:16–18

Hold fast. Don’t slip back, God won’t let you. Even the babes in Jesus Christ have the same promise made by God, and worked by Jesus. He has entered rest for us. This is not ever dependent on anyone’s personal performance. Those things change by whim and by circumstance. God does not.

We have this hope as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, which enters the Inner Place behind the veil. This is where Jesus has entered for us as a forerunner, since He has become the everlasting High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.

Hebrews 6:19–20

Jesus is Best in Every Way

On By TimIn Daily Walk, Eternal Security, Hebrews 06Leave a comment

This is what is being taught in the book of Hebrews. It teaches of the superiority of the new covenant in Jesus. It relies on a familiarity with the Torah and the commands set forth there.

Therefore, leaving the elementary principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. This we will do if God permits.

Hebrews 6:1–3 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

In other words…

Therefore, since Jesus is better let’s be moving forward and not forsaking those Old Testament things that were the foreshadows of Jesus. These are called here the elementary principles of the doctrine of Christ. Let us go on that is keep going–pressing forward – on to maturity. That is, let us be carried to salvation.

Don’t lay again a foundation for yourselves of those foreshadows, the ordinances that pointed forward to Jesus. These were commands of repentance given in the Old Testament laws to be pure and righteous.

Let’s not just put our faith toward God the Father but in Jesus. The Father is revealed in the Son.

Let’s not wander back to the instruction about washings. This is not baptism but the ceremonial washings prescribed in the law.

Let’s not continue the laying on of hands. This is not laying hands on brothers and sisters in prayer. It is pointing to the symbolic imputation of sins that was done by the priest and the one offering a sacrifice for sins.

Let’s clearly understand the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. Not being entangled in Pharisee and/or Sadducee teachings.

Jesus is best. He is the only Way to heaven. The only real Salvation.

Is this You?

On By TimIn Eternal Security, Fruitfulness, Hebrews 06, SalvationLeave a comment

For land that drinks in the rain that often falls upon it and bears a crop useful to those for whom it is cultivated receives a blessing from God. But land that bears thorns and thistles is rejected and near to being cursed. Its destiny is to be burned.

Hebrews 6:7-8 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

This is a parable. The land that drinks in the rain is those who readily hear the Word of God and welcome it. Such may even serve in church, soup kitchens or volunteer for other worthy causes. You see, we can receive God’s Word and we can serve others. We can spend a lot of our time volunteering and helping others. The parable offers a caveat.

The crop is the service you do. In order for it to be blessed, it must be done with the proper motivation.

The rain and fruit must be useful for Whom it is cultivated. That is, it must be useful for God. In other words, think of it like this:

For the heart that receives the Word of God readily, and serves because their faith solely for salvation is in Jesus, and they do it for Him… Those receive the Holy Spirit and eternal life.

In other words, there is no other way to know the Father than through Jesus. You cannot know the Father by doing any of the Old Testament commandments. You cannot be doing it by going to confessional or adhering to the dictates of some organization like the Watchtower or Latter-Day Saints. The only way to know the Father is through Jesus.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him.”

John 14:6-7 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Those that don’t have the former, a heart cultivated by Jesus to receive the truth of His Word and bear fruit for Him… Are rejected and near being cursed. If that is you, as you read this, there is still hope for you.

Acknowledge that Jesus is God.

Believe (the Bible says in your heart) that He is God, that He lived on earth as recorded, He died to forgive your sins and He rose again and lives today.

Confess it aloud with your mouth!

It is Impossible

On By TimIn Eternal Security, Hebrews 06, Holy Spirit, SalvationLeave a comment

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to be renewed once more to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and subject Him to public shame.

Hebrews 6:4–6 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Do not be deceived, there are those who will tell you that this verse says that a Christian can lose his salvation. It doesn’t say that.

In fact, it says the opposite. A person that once believed cannot fall away. Look at the construction of the sentence.

“those who were once enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come”

There is a list of qualifications given; once enlightened, tastes the heavenly gift, shared the Holy Spirit. That last bit is most important. Those who’ve been given the Holy Spirit clearly understand. He doesn’t just go away. Nor does He leave us. Therefore we cannot leave Him.

If one were to fall away, it is impossible to restore them to fellowship. One cannot again crucify Jesus to themselves, that was done once for all. It cannot be done again.

By trying to do something again, one cannot be restored to fellowship. This is speaking specifically to those who were returning to the working of the law, and sacrifices for sin. The writer is saying there is no other sacrifice available for sin. His is in the greater context leading to this statement.

We are being encouraged of a greater Way, One we can wholly rely upon to maintain fellowship.

That is why the Bible calls the Holy Spirit the seal of guarantee of one’s salvation (Ephesians 1:13.) None of us can order Jesus to do something, nor can we order God to do something, therefore we cannot order the Holy Spirit to leave. We cannot break His power that keeps us. Fellowship can’t be restored to a believer, because it really cannot be lost.

What of those who do leave the faith, calling themselves ex-Christians?

That has also been anticipated by God. He even gave us a way to measure the passing of time by them. Those who claim to have been a part of us, having left… Demonstrate they never were really a part of us.

Little children, it is the last hour. As you have heard that the antichrist will come, even now there are many antichrists. By this we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us, for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have remained with us. But they went out, revealing that none of them were of us.

1 John 2:18–19 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

He even calls those who leave… antichrists.

Whoa!