Study no. 7 Moving On Hebrews 6
Heb 2:1 ¶ We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.
Heb 2:3 How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him.
This chapter starts with 'Therefore … ' Or – “Because you should not remain babies (and eventually let everything slip away,) you need to grow up. Lets move on to maturity.”
Moving from the elementary things. Here is a list:
Lets talk about the foundation. 1Co 3:11 ¶ For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Ac 4:12 "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
Without a doubt Jesus is the foundation. The writer is not saying that we should move away from talking about the foundation. He says we need to move away from trying to relay it.
Where genuine salvation occurs it often is accompanied by feeling and emotion. The amount of joy that a person has at the time of salvation is dependent on something.
Jesus said this:
Lu 7:47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven— for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."
Perhaps you remember the occasion; Jesus was a dinner guest at a Pharisees house. We don't know who the other guests were that filled the room, it may have been the 12 disciples. It would seem that many were standing around outside waiting for supper to be over so that they could get close to Jesus and see another miracle. A woman of the street (or of the night) walked right in and stopped behind Jesus1 and began to anoint Him with perfume and tears.
When the host thinks some very critical thoughts about what he is witnessing, Jesus reads his thoughts and tells him a parable about a creditor who forgave two of his debtors, one who owed much and the other little. He asks the host, who do you think was most appreciative?
The parable is aimed at the host and his lack of love or respect or even common courtesy.
The woman who had been forgiven much … showed much love, and we might add, emotion.
When a child gets saved, (assuming they are old enough to understand) they show a child's emotion. When a sin-laden adult truly experiences forgiveness he expresses another kind of emotion.
We can never redo that day. If we came as a prodigal returning to the father … we dare not wander away just so that we can come back and experience once more the joyous welcome.
Re-laying (or attempting to relay) the foundation just to have that experience, the writer is saying, is not right. He will go on to explain that it does not work that way.
Next let's look at 'the doctrine of baptisms'. This is a similar scenario. While many commentators like to refer us to various 'washings' that the Jewish religion included and imply that is what these Hebrew Christians may have re-involved themselves into, I think that is stretching something to make it fit. These are believers who have come to Christ during a time of persecution … that would have carried with it quite package of emotions. They came to Christ before the completion of the New Testament, a time when certain spiritual gifts were much more active than they are today. We remember the occasion of the Baptism of the spirit on the day of Pentecost. It is likely that, as immature believers there was the common tendency (that exists even today), to 'play with the gift' rather than use it. The writer is pointing out the immaturity of that, just as Paul pointed out the same thing to the Corinthians in 1Cor 12 – 14.
He says we need to move on to maturity.
A similar thing was happening in their focus on the laying on of hands. This may refer to laying hands on someone to heal them, but more likely they were trying to emulate what the apostles may have done from time to time. A certain times this meant the transferring of a very real spiritual gift to a person. We remember Peter's shock when he was approached by an individual offering him (Peter) money … trying to buy the ability to lay hands on people and have something miraculous happen.2
Two other things which the Apostle says must be 'moved away from' which these Hebrew believers are staying hung up on are the resurrection and judgment.
The resurrection is foundational to the Christian faith. It is the first thing our hope is built on. It is wonderful to reflect on. But it is the first thing. To stay in the place of rethinking and re-discussing the resurrection to great lengths may be to reduce it to a philosophical argument. It is something, that once it is established, we must not let it stop us from proceeding to 'the whole counsel of God'3
The reference to the judgment ties in with the resurrection. I am not completely certain what is was that the Hebrews were doing wrong in relation to their understanding of the judgment. Perhaps in the constant theorizing about the resurrection they also argued and focused on what the judgment day would be like.
At any rate, we now come to the place where the writer, Paul, says “Let's go on to perfection”. Properly translated … Let's go on to completion.
These Hebrew Christians were dabbling in the basics, at best. They were letting things slip. Paul has underscored how dangerous this is. He showed us that when he used the analogy of the Israelites in the 'desert' experience.
What he is saying … You are going to slip too far. Then it will be too late. It will all be over.
That is exactly where he takes us in the next verses.
Heb 6:4 For it is impossible for those who
I am repeating something I have emphasized earlier … two things Salvation is not:
What the writer is concerned with here is that the Hebrew believers … don't become Hebrew unbelievers. That would amount to a spiritual death. And, lest these Hebrews think, 'O well … I can always believe all over again', Paul says, No. You can't. Jesus died on the cross to save you. It took his whole and complete death to save you. For you to be saved a second time, He would need to come and die again, and that is not going to happen.
Verses 7-8. Here we have short parable that is almost vibrating its warning. Land that was once useful can even end up being cursed. Don't let that happen to you.
But now Paul takes a turn in his approach. So much of what we have read so far is based on solemn warning. What we read now is encouragement. Look at 9-12.
God has 'created us unto good works'7 (King James Version). That is what Paul means … things that accompany salvation. Actually these 'works' can be taken as evidence of real salvation. He is not doubting their salvation, but he is concerned that they have slipped so far.
Tender words are offered in verse 10, 'God will not forget your labor of love' which you have shown toward His name, in that have ministered to … whom?
Mt 10:42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward."
Mr 9:41 ¶ I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.
Often we think that ministry must be in the community but very often we misread scripture. There is a saying that charity begins at home. It's just a saying, but there is a lot of scripture to back it up. I guess the idea is that outsiders will see the love and care happening within the body and will be 'drawn to the light'8.
Verse 13 - 20
The writer makes reference to Gods promise to Abraham. Through faith and patience (end of verse 12) and patiently enduring (verse 15), he obtained the promise. Here the message is … are you slipping back … possibly because God is quiet? He hasn't been evident in your life? Don't give up because the joy is gone and nothing seems to be happening. God will come through.
We are 'running to Him' for refuge and hope. (v18)
God does not lie. It's impossible for God to lie. His promises are an anchor! This 'anchor' is based on the Presence behind the veil. v19 (More about this later.)
Jesus is our 'forerunner', he is there on the other side. He is the standing up for us as our high priest – forever … after the order of Melchizedek.
Don't let things slip totally away … you can never get it back!
1This was not Mary Magdalene nor Mary, Lazarus' sister. Although both of these anointed Jesus with a perfume or wiped His feet with their hair, the places and times were totally different.
2Ac 8:20 But Peter said to him, "Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money!
3Ac 20:27 "For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.
4Eph 1:18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
51Pe 2:2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,(3) if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
6Col 1:12 ¶ giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.Heb 3:1 ¶ Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus,Heb 3:14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end.
7Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
8John 13:35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
Heb 2:3 How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him.
This chapter starts with 'Therefore … ' Or – “Because you should not remain babies (and eventually let everything slip away,) you need to grow up. Lets move on to maturity.”
Moving from the elementary things. Here is a list:
- Relaying the foundation of repentance and faith.
- Teaching concerning baptisms
- Laying on of hands
- The resurrection
- The judgment
Lets talk about the foundation. 1Co 3:11 ¶ For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Ac 4:12 "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
Without a doubt Jesus is the foundation. The writer is not saying that we should move away from talking about the foundation. He says we need to move away from trying to relay it.
Where genuine salvation occurs it often is accompanied by feeling and emotion. The amount of joy that a person has at the time of salvation is dependent on something.
Jesus said this:
Lu 7:47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven— for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."
Perhaps you remember the occasion; Jesus was a dinner guest at a Pharisees house. We don't know who the other guests were that filled the room, it may have been the 12 disciples. It would seem that many were standing around outside waiting for supper to be over so that they could get close to Jesus and see another miracle. A woman of the street (or of the night) walked right in and stopped behind Jesus1 and began to anoint Him with perfume and tears.
When the host thinks some very critical thoughts about what he is witnessing, Jesus reads his thoughts and tells him a parable about a creditor who forgave two of his debtors, one who owed much and the other little. He asks the host, who do you think was most appreciative?
The parable is aimed at the host and his lack of love or respect or even common courtesy.
The woman who had been forgiven much … showed much love, and we might add, emotion.
When a child gets saved, (assuming they are old enough to understand) they show a child's emotion. When a sin-laden adult truly experiences forgiveness he expresses another kind of emotion.
We can never redo that day. If we came as a prodigal returning to the father … we dare not wander away just so that we can come back and experience once more the joyous welcome.
Re-laying (or attempting to relay) the foundation just to have that experience, the writer is saying, is not right. He will go on to explain that it does not work that way.
Next let's look at 'the doctrine of baptisms'. This is a similar scenario. While many commentators like to refer us to various 'washings' that the Jewish religion included and imply that is what these Hebrew Christians may have re-involved themselves into, I think that is stretching something to make it fit. These are believers who have come to Christ during a time of persecution … that would have carried with it quite package of emotions. They came to Christ before the completion of the New Testament, a time when certain spiritual gifts were much more active than they are today. We remember the occasion of the Baptism of the spirit on the day of Pentecost. It is likely that, as immature believers there was the common tendency (that exists even today), to 'play with the gift' rather than use it. The writer is pointing out the immaturity of that, just as Paul pointed out the same thing to the Corinthians in 1Cor 12 – 14.
He says we need to move on to maturity.
A similar thing was happening in their focus on the laying on of hands. This may refer to laying hands on someone to heal them, but more likely they were trying to emulate what the apostles may have done from time to time. A certain times this meant the transferring of a very real spiritual gift to a person. We remember Peter's shock when he was approached by an individual offering him (Peter) money … trying to buy the ability to lay hands on people and have something miraculous happen.2
Two other things which the Apostle says must be 'moved away from' which these Hebrew believers are staying hung up on are the resurrection and judgment.
The resurrection is foundational to the Christian faith. It is the first thing our hope is built on. It is wonderful to reflect on. But it is the first thing. To stay in the place of rethinking and re-discussing the resurrection to great lengths may be to reduce it to a philosophical argument. It is something, that once it is established, we must not let it stop us from proceeding to 'the whole counsel of God'3
The reference to the judgment ties in with the resurrection. I am not completely certain what is was that the Hebrews were doing wrong in relation to their understanding of the judgment. Perhaps in the constant theorizing about the resurrection they also argued and focused on what the judgment day would be like.
At any rate, we now come to the place where the writer, Paul, says “Let's go on to perfection”. Properly translated … Let's go on to completion.
These Hebrew Christians were dabbling in the basics, at best. They were letting things slip. Paul has underscored how dangerous this is. He showed us that when he used the analogy of the Israelites in the 'desert' experience.
What he is saying … You are going to slip too far. Then it will be too late. It will all be over.
That is exactly where he takes us in the next verses.
Heb 6:4 For it is impossible for those who
- were once enlightened4, and
- have tasted5 the heavenly gift, and
- have become partakers6 of the Holy Spirit,
- have tasted the good word of God and
- (tasted of) the powers of the age to come,
if they fall away, ….
to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put [Him] to an open shame.
I am repeating something I have emphasized earlier … two things Salvation is not:
- It is not based on works. That is, salvation in not based on having these Hebrew Christians maintain a hard work-for-God regimen. It is not based on what you learn, what you do, what bad things you don't do.
- It is not based on the so-called doctrine of divine election, where God picked out ahead of time (before the creation of the world) some people to be saved and all the rest to go to hell.
What the writer is concerned with here is that the Hebrew believers … don't become Hebrew unbelievers. That would amount to a spiritual death. And, lest these Hebrews think, 'O well … I can always believe all over again', Paul says, No. You can't. Jesus died on the cross to save you. It took his whole and complete death to save you. For you to be saved a second time, He would need to come and die again, and that is not going to happen.
Verses 7-8. Here we have short parable that is almost vibrating its warning. Land that was once useful can even end up being cursed. Don't let that happen to you.
But now Paul takes a turn in his approach. So much of what we have read so far is based on solemn warning. What we read now is encouragement. Look at 9-12.
God has 'created us unto good works'7 (King James Version). That is what Paul means … things that accompany salvation. Actually these 'works' can be taken as evidence of real salvation. He is not doubting their salvation, but he is concerned that they have slipped so far.
Tender words are offered in verse 10, 'God will not forget your labor of love' which you have shown toward His name, in that have ministered to … whom?
Mt 10:42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward."
Mr 9:41 ¶ I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.
Often we think that ministry must be in the community but very often we misread scripture. There is a saying that charity begins at home. It's just a saying, but there is a lot of scripture to back it up. I guess the idea is that outsiders will see the love and care happening within the body and will be 'drawn to the light'8.
Verse 13 - 20
The writer makes reference to Gods promise to Abraham. Through faith and patience (end of verse 12) and patiently enduring (verse 15), he obtained the promise. Here the message is … are you slipping back … possibly because God is quiet? He hasn't been evident in your life? Don't give up because the joy is gone and nothing seems to be happening. God will come through.
We are 'running to Him' for refuge and hope. (v18)
God does not lie. It's impossible for God to lie. His promises are an anchor! This 'anchor' is based on the Presence behind the veil. v19 (More about this later.)
Jesus is our 'forerunner', he is there on the other side. He is the standing up for us as our high priest – forever … after the order of Melchizedek.
Don't let things slip totally away … you can never get it back!
1This was not Mary Magdalene nor Mary, Lazarus' sister. Although both of these anointed Jesus with a perfume or wiped His feet with their hair, the places and times were totally different.
2Ac 8:20 But Peter said to him, "Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money!
3Ac 20:27 "For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.
4Eph 1:18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
51Pe 2:2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,(3) if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
6Col 1:12 ¶ giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.Heb 3:1 ¶ Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus,Heb 3:14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end.
7Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
8John 13:35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."