KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE PRIZE
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12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
This verse summarizes the central message of the epistle’s challenging (and often misunderstood) section. Israel wanted to go back to Egypt; and, as a result, a whole generation failed to inherit what God had promised. They were safely delivered out of Egypt but never enjoyed the promised rest in Canaan.
We believers today can make the same mistake.
If you keep in mind that this section emphasizes making spiritual progress, you will steer safely through misinterpretations that could create problems. In this section, the writer deals with three topics related to spiritual progress.
INADEQUACIES OF SPIRITUAL IMMATURITY
The writer is about to begin his explanation of the heavenly priesthood of Christ, but he is not sure his readers are ready for what he has to teach. The problem is not that he is a dull teacher but that they are dull hearers! The word translated "dull" in 5:11 is translated "slothful" in 6:12 (Kjv). It refers to spiritual apathy and laziness that prevents spiritual development.
What, then, are the four marks of spiritual immaturity?
A. DULLNESS OF HEARING THE WORD
Hebrews 5:11–6:20 (KJV 1900)
11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
These believers started their “backward journey” by drifting from the Word (2:1-4), then doubting the Word. (3:7-4:13). As a result, they were now "dull of hearing; that is, unable to listen to the Word, receive it, and act on it. They did not have the attitude of the Thessalonians:
1 Thessalonians 2:13 (KJV 1900)
13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because,
when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us,
ye received it not as the word of men,
but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
One of the first symptoms of spiritual regression, or backsliding, is a dullness toward the Bible.
Sunday School class is dull; the preaching is dull; anything spiritual is boring. The problem is usually not with the Sunday School teacher or the pastor but with the believer himself.
B. INABILITY OF TEACHING
Hebrews 5:12 (KJV 1900)
12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
The ability to share spiritual truth with others is a mark of maturity.
Not all Christians have the gift of teaching, but all can share what they learn from the Word. One of the hardest lessons children must learn is the lesson of sharing. The recipients of this letter had been saved long enough to be able to share God's truth with others. But, instead of helping others to grow, these Hebrew Christians were in need of learning again the simple teachings of the Christian life. They were experiencing a second childhood!
C. INABILITY OF DIGESTING
and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
Milk is predigested food, and it is especially suited to babies. But only those who have teeth can enjoy meat. The writer 60 / Be Confident
defines the "milk" as "the first principles of the oracles of God" (5:12). The "meat" of the Word is the teaching about our Lord's ministry now in heaven as our High Priest. The writer wanted to give this "meat" to them, but they were not ready for it.
The "milk" of the Word refers to what Jesus Christ did on earth-His birth, life, teaching, death, burial, and resurrection. The "meat" of the Word refers to what Jesus Christ is now doing in heaven. We begin the Christian life based on His finished work on earth. We grow in the Christian life based on His unfinished work in heaven.
Of course, even the most mature adult never outgrows milk. We can still learn much from our Lord’s work on earth as believers. But we must not stop there!
We must make spiritual progress, and we can do this only if we learn about Christ's priestly ministry for us in heaven. (See Heb. 13:20-21 for a summary of what the Lord wants to do for His people now.)
D. INABILITY OF USING THE WORD SKILLFULLY
14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
As we grow in the Word, we learn to use it daily. We exercise our “spiritual senses” and develop spiritual discernment by applying the Word. It is a characteristic of little children that they lack discernment. A baby will put anything in its mouth. An immature believer will listen to any preacher on the radio or television and be unable to identify whether he is true to the Scriptures.
Just as our physical bodies have senses, without which we could not function, so our inner "spiritual man" has "spiritual senses." For example: "O taste and see that the Lord is good" (Ps. 34:8).
"But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear" (Matt. 13:16).
As we feed on the Word of God, and apply it in daily life, our inner "spiritual senses" get their exercise and become assertive and keen. Paul called this process exercising ourselves unto godliness (1 Tim. 4:7-8).
The ability to discern good and evil is vital to Christian maturity. The nation of Israel in Moses' day lacked this discernment and failed to claim their promised inheritance. The readers of this letter were in danger of making the same mistake. It is impossible to stand still in the Christian life: we either go forward and claim God's blessing, or we go backward and wander about aimlessly.
A preacher once said, "Most Christians are 'betweeners." "
"What do you mean by that?" I asked.
"They are between Egypt and Canaan out of the place of danger but not yet into the place of rest and rich inheritance," he replied. “The blood between Good Friday and Easter Sunday saves them but they are not yet enjoying the newness of resurrection life."
Are you a “between”?
2. THE POWER OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH
No one can escape coming into the world as a baby because that is the only way to get here! But it is tragic when a baby fails to mature. No matter how much parents and grandparents love to hold and cuddle a baby, it is their great desire that the baby grow up and enjoy a full life as a mature adult. God has the same desire for His children. That is why He calls to us, "let us Go on to perfection!"
1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
A. GROWING IS GOD’S PLAN FOR YOU
If we are going to progress, we must leave the childhood things behind and go forward in spiritual growth. Verse 1 reads, "Therefore, having left once and for all the elementary lessons [the ABCs] of the teaching of Christ. . ." When I was in kindergarten, the teacher taught us our ABCs. (We didn't have television to teach us in those days.) You learn your ABCs to read words, sentences, books, and anything in literature. But you do not keep learning the basics. You use the basics to go on to better things.
The phrase "let us go on" should be translated "let us be carried forward." God enables us to progress as we yield to Him, receive His Word, and act on it. A baby does not "grow himself." He grows as he eats, sleeps, exercises, and permits his body to function. As ordained by God, nature carries the baby along day after day, and gradually he matures into an adult. It is usual for Christians to grow; it is abnormal for them to have arrested growth.
The writer lists six foundational truths of the Christian life, all of which are also foundational to the Jewish faith. After all, our Christian faith is based on the Jewish faith and fulfills it.
"Salvation is of the Jews" (John 4:22). If the readers of this epistle returned to Judaism to escape persecution, they would only be abandoning the perfect for the imperfect, the mature for the immature.
The first two items (repentance and faith) are Godward and mark the initiation of the spiritual life. To repent means to change one's mind. It is not simply a "bad feeling about sin," because that could be regret or remorse. It is changing one's mind about sin to the point of turning from it. Once a sinner has repented (which is a gift from God, Acts 5:31 and 11:18), he can exercise faith in God. Repentance and faith go together (Acts 20:21).
The next two items (baptisms and laying on of hands) concern a person's relationship to the local assembly of believers. In the New Testament, a person who repented and trusted Christ was baptized and became a part of a local church (Acts 9.41.47).
The word "baptisms" in Hebrews 6:2 is plural and can be translated "washings" (9:10).
While water itself can never cleanse sin (1 Peter 3:21),
baptism is a symbol of spiritual cleansing ('Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on His name"-Acts 22:16,
16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
as well as our identification with Christ in death, burial, and resurrection (Rom. 6:1-4).
The "laying on of hands" (Heb. 6:2) symbolized the sharing of some blessing (Luke 24:50; Acts 19:6) or the setting apart of person for ministry (1 Tim. 4:14).
The last two items, the resurrection of the dead (Acts 24:14-15) and the final judgment (Acts 17:30-31), have to do with the future. Both orthodox Jews and Christians believe in these doctrines. The Old Testament teaches a general resurrection but does not clarify the doctrine. The New Testament teaches a resurrection of the saved and the lost John 5:24-29; Rev. 20:4-6, 12-15).
The lesson of the paragraph (Heb. 6:1-3) is clear:
"You have laid the foundation. You know your ABCs.
Now, move forward! Let God carry you along to maturity!”
B. GROWTH AND SALVATION ARE DIFFERENT
4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
These verses, along with the exhortation in 10:26-39, have given people cause for worry and concern, mainly because these verses have been misunderstood and misapplied. According to them, such a person would be lost forever. I have several problems with this interpretation. To begin with, the Greek word apostasy is not used in this passage. The verb for "fall away" (6:6) is parapipto, which literally means "to fall alongside." Second, we always interpret the obscure by the obvious. There are many verses in Scripture that assure the true believer that he can never be lost.
In fact, one of the greatest arguments for security is the last section of this chapter! (6:13-20) See also John 5:24; 10:26-30; Romans 8:28-39.
Those who teach that we can lose our salvation also teach that such a person can be restored. But this passage (Heb. 6:4-6) teaches just the opposite! If you omit the intervening clauses, the statement reads:
"For it is impossible . . . to renew them again to repentance." In other words, if this refers to apostasy, once a saved person turns his back on Christ, he cannot be restored to salvation. He is lost forever.
Others claim that the people addressed were not true believers. They had cooperated with the Holy Spirit up to a point, but were not actually born again.
Well, let's examine the description of these people and see if they possessed true salvation.
They were "enlightened" (6:4). The "Once" means "enlightened once and for all. " The way this same verb is used in Hebrews 10:32 indicates an experience of true salvation. See 2 Corinthians 4:4-6.
They "tasted of the heavenly gift" (Heb. 6:4b), and "tasted the good Word of God, and the powers of the world age] to come" (6:5). To claim that these people "tasted but did not eat" is to base interpretation on one meaning of an English word. God permitted His Son to "taste death for every man" (2.9). Surely Jesus Christ did not simply sample death on the cross!
"Taste" carries the idea of "experience."
• These Hebrew believers had experienced the gift of salvation, the Word of God, and the power of God. Doesn't this describe authentic salvation?
They "were made partakers of the Holy Spirit" (6:4c). To suggest that they only went along with the Holy Spirit to a certain extent, is to ignore the simple meaning of the verb. It means "to become sharers.
These same people were not only "sharers of the Hoy Spirit," but also "sharers of the heavenly calling" (3:1) and "sharers of Christ" (3:14).
In view of these facts, I have concluded that the people addressed were true believers, not mere professors. Furthermore, how could unsaved people ever disgrace Jesus Christ and put Him to open shame?
Then what is the writer trying to say to us? It is probable that he is describing a hypothetical case to prove his point that a true believer cannot lose his salvation. His statement in verse 9 seems to support this interpretation: "Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case"
(NIV). His argument runs like this:
"Let's suppose that you do not go on to maturity.
Does this mean that you will go back to condemnation, Does this mean that our salvation?
Impossible! If you could lose your salvation, it would be impossible to get it back again; and this would disgrace Jesus Christ. He would have to be crucified again for you, and this could never happen."
In verse 4, the writer changed the pronouns from "we" and "us" to "those." This change also suggests that he had a hypothetical case in mind.
However, there is another possible interpretation that does not require a hypothetical case. You should note that the words "crucify" and "put" in verse 6 are, in the Greek, present participles: "while they are crucifying. . . and while they are putting Him to an open shame."
The writer did not say that these people could never be brought to repentance. He said that they could not be brought to repentance while they were treating Jesus Christ in such a shameful way. Once they stop disgracing Jesus Christ in this way, they can be brought to repentance and renew their fellowship with God.
please keep in mind that the writer's purpose was not to frighten the readers but to assure them. If he had wanted to frighten them, he would have named whatever sin (or sins) would have caused them to disgrace Jesus Christ; but he did not do so. In fact, he avoided the word apostasy and used instead "to fall by the wayside" (see Gal. 6:1 for a similar word. Christians can "sin unto death" (1 John 5:16-17;
1 Cor. 11:30-32). This is God's chastening, a theme the writer of Hebrews will take up in chapter 12.
C. GROWTH PRODUCES FRUIT
7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
This illustration of a field reminds us of our Lord's parable of the sower (Matt. 13.1-9 and 18-23), as well as Paul's teaching about the fire testing our works (1 Cor. 3.6-23), A field proves its worth by bearing fruit, and a true believer bears fruit for God’s glory as he makes spiritual progress. Note that the "thorns and briars "are burned, not the field. God never curses His own!
The crop of God's blessing pictured in Hebrews 6:7 is called "things that accompany salvation" in verse 9.
Not every believer bears the same amount of fruit (some a hundredfold, some 60, some 30," Matt.
13:23); but every believer bears the same kind of fruit as proof that he is a child of God (Matt. 7:15-20). This is the fruit of Christian character and conduct (Gal. 5:22-26) produced by the Spirit as we mature in Christ.
The writer listed some of the fruit that he knew had been produced in their lives (Heb. 6:10): because of their love, they had worked and labored for the Lord; they had ministered to other saints; and they were still ministering. (See 1 Thes. 1:3-10; Rev. 2:2) These are some of the "things that accompany salvation.
But he was concerned lest they rest on their achievements and not press on to full maturity and the enjoyment of God's rich inheritance.
D. GROWTH TAKES WORK
While it is true that it is God who "carries us along" to maturity (Heb. 6:1, 3), it is also true that the believer must do his part. We must not be lazy ('slothful," the same word as "dull" in 5:11) but apply ourselves to the spiritual resources God has given us. We have the promises from God. We should exercise faith and patience and claim these promises for ourselves! Like Caleb and Joshua, we must believe God's promise and want to go in and claim the land!
The illustration of the farm (Heb. 6:7-S), and the admonition to be diligent always remind me of Solomon's warning (Prov. 24:30-34). Read it- -and heed it!
3. THE FOUNDATION OF SPIRITUAL PEACE
Lest anyone should misinterpret his exhortation to spiritual maturity, the writer ended this section with a tremendous argument for the assurance of salvation.
THOUGH WE ALL are not making the spiritual progress we should, we need never fear that God will condemn us. The writer gave three arguments for the sure salvation of true believers:
A. GOD’S PROMISES PROVIDE PEACE
13 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,
14 Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.
15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
God's central promise to Abraham is recorded in Genesis 22:16-17. Despite Abraham's failures and sins, God kept His promise and Isaac was born. Many of God's promises do not depend on our character but on His faithfulness. The phrase "patiently endured" (Heb. 6:15) is the exact opposite of "slothful" (6:12).
The readers of this letter were about to give up; their endurance was running out (see 12:1-2). "You will obtain and enjoy what God has promised if you diligently apply yourself to the development of your spiritual life,' is what the writer stated.
We Christians today have more of God's promises than did Abraham! What is keeping us from making spiritual progress? We do not apply ourselves by faith.
To return to the farm illustration, the farmer does not reap a harvest by sitting on the porch looking at the seed. He must get busy and plow, weed, cultivate, and perhaps water the soil. The believer who neglects church fellowship ignores his Bible, and forgets to pray will not reap much of a harvest.
B. GOD’S OATHS PROVIDE PEACE
16 For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.
17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:
18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
God not only gave Abraham a promise. but He also confirmed that promise with an oath. When a witness takes an oath in court, he is confronted with the words, "so help me God." We call on the greater to witness for the lesser. None is MORE POWERFUL than God, so He swore by Himself!
But God did not do this only for Abraham. He has also given His promise and oath to "the heirs of the promise” (v. 17). Abraham and his descendants are the first of these heirs (see 11:9), but all believers are included as "Abraham's (spiritual] seed" (Gal. 3:29. So our assurance of salvation is guaranteed by God's promise and God's oath, "two immutable [unchangeable] things" (Heb. 6:18). We have "strong consolation" (or "great encouragement) concerning the hope set before us! Hebrews is a book of encouragement, not discouragement! "The phrase "FLED for refuge" 6:18) SUGGESTS the Old Testament "cities of refuge" described in Numbers 35:9ff and Joshua 20. God appointed six cities, three on each side of the Jordan, into which a man could flee if he had accidentally killed someone. The elders of the city would investigate the case. If they determined that it was indeed manslaughter and not murder, they would permit the man to live in the city until the high priest’s death. Then he could return to his home.
The members of the slain man's family could not avenge themselves so long as the man remained in the city.
We have fled to Jesus Christ, and He is our eternal refuge. As our High Priest, He will never die (Heb. 7:23-25); and we have eternal salvation. No avenger can touch us, because He has already died and arisen from the dead.
C. GOD’S SON PROVIDES PEACE
19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Our hope in Christ is like an anchor for the soul. The anchor was a popular symbol in the early church. At least 66 pictures of anchors have been found in the catacombs. The Greek Stoic philosopher Epictetus wrote: "One must not tie a ship to a single anchor, nor life to a single hope." Christians have but one anchor- Jesus Christ our hope (Col. 1:5, 1 Tim 1:1).
However, this spiritual anchor is different from material anchors on ships. For one thing, we are anchored upward to heaven-not downward. We are anchored, not to stand still, but to move ahead!
Our anchor is "sure"_ it cannot break and "stead. fast" it cannot slip. No earthly anchor can give that kind of security!
The writer then clinches the argument: this Saviour is our "forerunner" who has gone ahead to heaven so that we may one day follow! (Heb. 6:20) The Old Testament high priest was not a "Forerunner" because nobody could follow him into the holy of holies. But Jesus Christ has gone to heaven so we may one day follow.
Dr. HA. Ironside has suggested that the two phrases "within the veil" (6:19) and "without the camp" (13:13) summarize the Epistle to the Hebrews.
Jesus Christ is "within the veil" as our High Priest. We can therefore come boldly to His throne and receive all the help that we need. But we must not be "secret saints." We must be willing to identify with Christ in His rejection and go "without the camp, bearing His reproach" (13:13). The Hebrew believers who received this letter were tempted to compromise to avoid that reproach. However, if we live within the veil," we shall have no trouble going "without the camp."
believers must go on to maturity, and God has made it possible for us to do so. If we start to drift from the Word (2:1-4), then we will also start to doubt the Word (3:7 - 4:13). Before long, we will get dull toward the Word (5:11-6:20) and become lazy believers. The best way to keep from drifting is--to lay hold of the anchor!
Anchored heavenward! How more secure can you be?