April 10, 2021
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Hebrews? Here’s today’s reading:
Hebrews 6 (NIV)
1 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death and of faith in God, 2 instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3And God permitting, we will do so........Continue Reading
God does not lie and He keeps His promises to us and just like Abraham they may not come in our timing but we must trust. He is our anchor and He does not leave us even when we don’t see the plan…He is always working!
19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.
Hebrews 6
Hebrews 6
More stern warnings bout the dangers of drifting away. Some challenging verses here with difficult questions we should be asking ourselves. Upon becoming enlightened and aware of the truth and glory of Jesus and His sacrifice for us, have felt the drawing of the Holy Spirit to accept Jesus as our savior; have we truly repented of our past lives and turned toward Him as our only salvation and given over our lives for Him to sanctify?
Admittedly, this is a confusing portion of Scripture and one finds many different takes on what the writer is saying when one consults commentaries. What is clear to me is that his main point is to encourage maturity and once again warn them about falling away as he has already done several times in the first few chapters. So the issue is sanctification (growing in Christ), not justification (being established in Christ through faith). It is also clear to me that he is talking about believers. He does use some odd descriptions in verses 4 and 5 to define a believer, but all together they are more consistent with what is true about a believer than an unbeliever. Another thing that is clear to me is that it is never impossible to return to God when we fall away. When has God ever turned someone away who repented? God even did it for Ahab in the Old Testament. Now what is impossible is to be saved again. So I think his point is, if we fall away we can’t go back and get saved again, that would be like crucifying Jesus all over again. We have to move on in grace and not lay again the foundation of repentance mentioned in verse 1.
Now certainly God desires for us to grow and thereby be a blessing to those around us. But our wood, hay and stubble will be burned at the Bema seat judgement of Christ. And the writer has an expectation that his recipients will produce good fruit…works that accompany salvation (as opposed to works that bring salvation or keep salvation). And just in case we thought that our salvation was somehow established in something we are or we did, the writer makes clear that God’s oath to us is established on Himself and on His Son Jesus, who went behind the curtain because He is a High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.
And now the writer of Hebrews can continue what he started in 5:10 after taking some time to talk about maturing…..
The writer is telling believers to move on from milk (elementary teachings – repentance, Christ’s death and resurrection – salvation foundations) to meat (better things that accompany salvation – labor and works, fruit-bearing endeavors) “show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end”.
I think the writer of Hebrews is placing the anchor. Have you ever spoke with a Christian who wasn’t sure if they were saved? Didn’t know the gospel? Was relying on their own works..still? I think this is who the writer is talking to. It’s time to move on from the “am I sure I am saved maybe I should come to Christ again to be sure” lack of faith position to true BELIEF in Christ’s work on your behalf and moving on to better things that accompany that faith.
“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”
Hebrews 6
17Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. 19We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.