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Now, I would like you to please
turn to Hebrews chapter 5. Hebrews chapter 5, we're going
to be starting with verse 8. I'm going to do the scripture
reading, then I've got a little something I'll read to you from
a book by Warren Wiersbe. But let's go to Hebrews chapter
5, verse 8. We're going to go past the chapter
division and end up with chapter 6, verse 12. Hebrews 5. Verse eight, though he were a
son, capital S-O-N, yet learned he obedience by the things which
he suffered. And being made perfect, he became
the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.
Called of God, and high priest after the order of Melchizedek,
of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered,
seeing you are dull of hearing. For when 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 or solid food. For
everyone that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness,
for he is a babe. But strong meat, solid food,
belongs to them that are of full age. even those who, by reason
of use, have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let
us go on unto perfection, maturity, not laying again the foundation
of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, of the
doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection
of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do if God permit."
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, of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word
of God and the powers of the world to come, 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. for the earth which drinketh
in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs,
meat for them by whom it is dressed, receive blessing from God. But that which beareth thorns
and briars is rejected, and nigh unto cursing, whose end is to
be burned. But, beloved, we are persuaded
better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though
thus we speak, For God is not unrighteous to forget your work
and labor of love, which ye have shown towards his name, in that
ye have ministered to the saints and do minister. And we desire
that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full
assurance of hope unto the end, that ye be not slothful, but
followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the
promises. Okay, we'll end our scripture
reading. And I have been saying a thing all along at the beginning
of each one of these messages as to what we're doing with the
book of Hebrews. And as I elaborate on that, I
come to find out that Warren Worsby does an excellent job
of saying things concisely and clearly. And I thought that you
might just allow me to take a moment to read just a couple paragraphs. They're not long. This is a little
book. I say little, it's kind of thick
but small. It's called With the Word. Now,
some of the newer publications, they put it in two volumes, because
one is Old Testament, the other is New Testament. This is an
older one. It's got them both in one. With the word, it's called
a devotional commentary. And I love its conciseness, and
I just basically wish every Christian had one. And if you want one,
we can make that happen. We give it out to people who
do teaching or anything like that, because what he's done
is he has concisely discussed what's in every chapter of the
Bible in a little book. He does so well. Not everybody
could say as much as him if they had twice the amount of pages,
but he's very good at this. So his introduction to Hebrews
in this book called With the Word reads like this. The author
of Hebrews is unknown to us, but the theme of the book is
clear. Let us go on to perfection, that is, spiritual maturity.
The epistle was written to Jewish believers who were tempted to
abandon the fullness of Christ and go back to the emptiness
of a religious system soon to be destroyed. Lost people are
still in Egypt and need to be redeemed through faith in Christ.
Those who are redeemed are privileged to enter their spiritual inheritance,
represented by Canaan, and enjoy his rest. Entering Canaan is
not a type of going to heaven. It is a picture of conquering
the enemy and claiming your spiritual inheritance by faith. But too
many believers, like Israel in the Old Testament, are wandering
around in the wilderness of unbelief and yearning to go back to the
old life. The message of Hebrews is especially
for them. Let us go on to maturity. Hebrews
is one of three New Testament letters written to explain Habakkuk
2.4, the just shall live by his faith. You can also look at Romans
and Galatians besides Hebrews, but I'll spare the details. The
emphasis in Hebrews is on by faith. God has spoken through
his son, and we must respond to that word. Our response determines
the kind of life we live and how much of our spiritual inheritance
we claim. We're not only saved by faith,
but we must live by faith." And of course, his introduction has
more, but I wanted that to be a taste, and, you know, I think
he did a good job here, and he agrees with me, so that's why,
you know, I'm reading this to you. But we've had a list of things. You can see them there, the bullet
points at the top of the page. People let things slip or drift
away. People do not hold fast firmly to our confidence in Christ.
People harden their hearts. Last week we studied people gain
unprofitable knowledge of God's Word. Now we are moving on to
this passage here, Hebrews 5.8 through 6.12. It was hard to
make this a short title, because this is a huge thing. People
become lethargic and fruitless. Are they superficially enlightened,
or are they actually regenerated? And I mean by that, having experienced
the new birth. Now, this passage, along with
one in Hebrews 10, contains some of the most controversial statements
in the New Testament. There's variant interpretations
of this part of scripture. And they are at the core of doctrinal
debates and denominational differences. Good commentators can greatly
vary in their explanations and interpretations. They might agree
together what, it doesn't mean this, but when they try to say
this is what it does mean, then they all can sound a little different.
So it's not an easy road. And there's a lot of commentaries
out there. And this study I'm doing right now doesn't give
me time to do this whole huge exposition with all the debates
being explained and qualified. I can't do all of that, but I
refer you to commentaries by Warren Wiersbe or John MacArthur. And there's another one I decided
to list. I mentioned those earlier at
the beginning of the series, but there's another one that's
a substantial commentary. It's older. And though it's deep,
it's also devotional. But it's the book of Hebrews
by John Brown. It's a banner of truth publication.
So I throw those out there as ways that if you want to wrestle
with this. You see, if you know the Calvinist-Arminian
debate, everybody has a problem with this passage. Because to
Calvinists, they're threatened by the, it sounds like somebody
might lose their salvation here. And to the Arminians, they're
threatened because it sounds like if you lost your salvation,
you couldn't get it back. And I don't know of any Arminian
teachers that say you can't be saved again, and again, and again,
and again. And so everybody has a problem
here. And I think there's a couple simple keys to this. The basic
one is this. Enlightenment is not the same
thing as regeneration. If you're not used to me using
the word regeneration, or you haven't heard others use it,
well, listen to John MacArthur, you sure will. But enlightenment,
there's a certain amount in which the Holy Spirit will cause people
to understand things, understand truth, even make some changes
in their lives, but it is not the same thing as the new life
when Christ comes to live inside by the new birth. Enlightenment
can look dangerously like salvation, but what it does is it can make
religious people. Enlightenment can cause people
to go on to be regenerated later. But some people only get to the
level of enlightenment and they don't go farther. And some of
the terms that are used here to describe this are, well, let's
just say they're edgy for us. They're saying things we would
instinctively say that describes someone who's born again. So
I'm going to not be able to go into super depth and quote all
the different teachers and pose all the arguments. I can't do
all that. So I'm gonna try to stay, Accurate, simple, practical. I hope I can do that. A simple,
faithful approach. So, in Hebrews 5, and I've got
verses 1 through 10 here. We started with verse 8, but
in verses 1 through 10, we're looking at the theme of understanding
Christ from the Old Testament. When we first learn about Jesus,
we usually learn about him from a New Testament passage. And
as we get older and more mature and experienced, we find out
that a lot of those New Testament passages are quotes and references
to Old Testament things. Because this wasn't all invented
when Jesus came. Jesus had laid the foundation.
Peter even says in one of his letters that the Spirit of Christ
was in them, the prophets who wrote. And they didn't fully
understand it, but the Spirit of Christ was in them. So the
entire book is the Word of Christ, which we're supposed to have
dwell in us richly. And Colossians 3, 16 especially
mentions the Psalms. Christ is all over the place,
and the writer of Hebrews is trying to appeal to Hebrew people
with their Old Testament legacy, but saying it's time to move
on and grow up. And what they don't know, but
the Spirit of God knows, that within probably a couple of years,
the besiegement of Jerusalem, the destruction of Jerusalem,
there goes the temple, there goes the festivals and the feasts
and the sacrifices, all that's going to go. And if Christians
were leaning on those as props to keep their faith going, because,
oh, I got all this still, plus Jesus, all that being pulled
away could make them flop right on the floor like you kick the
crutches right out from under them. And I've always said, this
could happen to us if we lost a whole lot of the paraphernalia
of churchianity, our buildings, our schools, our publishing houses,
the freedom to just write and speak and be on the radio and
do all of this, we would be tested sorely if we lost all that. But
do you realize Jesus can be worshiped in a field, in a basement, in
the woods, in a house, and the work of Christ, the kingdom of
Christ goes on without those things. We could be put to that
test, folks. We started to wonder here in the last few years, and
don't give up wondering, because these things could still happen.
But Christ's truth abideth still, Martin Luther said. And so the
people of God, the church of God, the kingdom of Christ, it
moves on. And if we can learn how the Hebrew
people were to take the spiritual realities and take them into
the future without the physical props, then we'll be equipped
to do the same thing. If we lose some things that we
think are so Christian that how could you have Christianity without
a church building, or without a band, or without stained glass
windows? I could go on, but I better not. Because I've got some really
important things that I have to talk about. So what we're learning
here is Christ's priesthood is not like the priesthood of Aaron,
which originated with Moses and Leviticus and all that. Now the
priesthood of Aaron had continual offerings and a succession of
different priests. But Christ's priesthood is compared
to Melchizedek. I don't have all the references
here, but any Bible that has references will start telling
you where to go back and look in Genesis for Melchizedek. He
had no lineage and pedigree of previous priests, and he had
no succession of priests to follow him in any literal earthly way. This discussion will continue
in Hebrews 7-10, but the writer pauses And you know I think the writer's
Paul, but I thought I'd sound cool and just say the writer
of Hebrews. He pauses to deal with a spiritual
problem that hinders reception to this deeper teaching about
Christ. And as we get to verse 11 here, it has to do with no
appetite for solid food. Okay, let me just tap back in
here to remind you of something that we just read. Verse 11 says,
"'Of whom we have many things to say and hard to be uttered,
seeing you are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye ought
to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again, which
is the first principles or the elemental teachings of the oracles
of God, and are become such as have need of milk and not strong
meat or solid food. For everyone that uses milk is
unskillful in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But strong
meat, solid food, belongs to them who are of full age, maturity,
even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to
discern both good and evil." Let's just talk about that a
little. People, he says, have become
dull of hearing. Now, when I have these little
slash marks and it goes on and on and on, I'm basically summarizing
from different translations. I don't know which one you might
be holding or which one you might compare, and I don't bother listing
all of them. Dull of hearing, poor listeners
who no longer try to understand. That's a summary of what you
might read in some other translations that are faithful to this. The
Greek word represented here means to be slow, sluggish, indolent,
that is lazy, dull, languid, that is lackadaisical, and if
they don't like that, simply having no interest or enthusiasm. Okay, and here Jesus, we're told
in Titus 2, wanted to make us zealous of good works. But people
are not developing and maturing. Instead of being able to teach
others, they are just pacifying themselves with a milk diet.
Solid food is not desired, so people are not growing in skillfulness
and discernment. They let others do that while
they remain babes. And this was a big problem in
the Corinthian church, and you have one reference there to point
you to that. But now if we're going to talk
about this matter of just wanting milk, we better discern and understand
what is milk, what is solid food. I find there's some misunderstandings
here. In this passage, milk is described,
and maybe I should read this, 6 verses 1 through 3, therefore
leaving the principles where the elemental teachings of the
doctrines of Christ let us go on to perfection, not laying
again the foundation, it says, of repentance from dead works
and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms and of laying
on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgment."
Okay, now, if we give it the more formal terms here, we could
say, excuse me, we could say that they are handling soteriology,
that sounds sophisticated, the doctrine of salvation, repentance
and faith. And then when we mentioned baptism
and laying on of hands, we're talking about church ordinances,
and that comes under the category of ecclesiology. Resurrection
and eternal judgment, that's eschatology, the doctrine of
future things. And quite frankly, what Paul
has called milk, Many people today call this the meat. Because
you can put a lot of hard work into this studying salvation.
We study it a lot. studying about the nature of
the church, its ministry and its components, talking about
future judgment, talking about the end of the world or what
heaven and hell are like. There's a lot of good doctrinal
things there, but that, Paul, the writer of Hebrews that is,
does not call the solid food. That's just laying the groundwork,
laying the foundation. But according to what we see
in chapter five, and will be continued in chapter seven through
10, the solid food is to learn more about Christ from both Old
and New Testaments, and be transformed into His likeness. Truth that
causes me to behold the glory of the Lord, and in doing that,
I am changed, I am transformed, I am metamorphosized into the
same image. from glory to glory, not all
at once, even as by the Spirit of our God. That's 2 Corinthians
3.18, just in a nutshell. And there was another chapter
that was talking about Old Testament things and bringing up New Testament
realities. We're studying the shadows to
see what the substance is that makes those shadows. And so when
you start beholding Christ, you don't just get your head filled,
you get your life changed, your mind and your heart are transformed. by these things. Now that is
solid food, which is for people who are being prepared to work
and serve and teach and share and represent Christ. The babies
are just sitting in the nursery, wanting to hear the John 3, 16
stuff. And some of them say, oh no, I want to hear prophecy.
I want to get on deeper things in doctrine. And that could still
be milk because it's not going any farther than just laying
groundwork. You know, I had the painful experience of seeing
a church that was struggling. They had property. They were
going to build a new church building. They laid a foundation. You saw
the base of it. You saw the brick walls going
up, and it laid there, sat there. They had no more money. It sat
there for years and years and years. Weeds are starting to
grow up, and it became a laughingstock. And we start, and we build on
this foundation, and then we don't build. We don't build.
We're here to learn and grow and serve. Yes, as newborn babes,
we're to desire the sincere milk of the word. We're to be like
a babe in our desire, our hunger, our appetite, desperation. We
want more, we want more, but it's so that we can grow. And
Peter goes on to say, but grow in grace and in the knowledge
of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Folks, now we're talking
the meat. which some people would say,
oh, that's just devotional stuff, or oh, that's just nice little
things, but I don't need those, because I understand all the
things about the gospel, and I understand about the doctrine
of the church, and the doctrine of prophecy, and I can argue
with the best of them which position I think is right, and that we're
still milk eaters, unless we get to this. And Paul's saying,
the writer of Hebrews is saying, you're dull. You've lost enthusiasm. You've gotten complacent about
this. And so there's some really important scriptures I hope you'll
consider in the top of the second page there with Hebrews 6, 1
through 3, that talk about our need to be established and to
grow and to mature and go forward. It isn't like we haven't shared
such scriptures before, but I'm doing it again. But Hebrews 6,
verses 4 through 6, now here's where the sparks start flying. In verse three, Paul had said,
or forgive me, I'm just going to keep saying it. I can't help
myself. You can edit that if you want. But he said, this will
we do if God permit. And I'm humbled just by that
little statement because, you know, I could think of all kinds
of things I want to teach you, all kinds of things where I'd
like to take us. But I have to say, if God permits. There's
a practicality that steps in there. You have to address issues
and needs. In two years, they're going to be addressing some huge
problems. with persecution and the attack of the Roman Empire
and all of that. And we make great plans, but
as we intend, God super intends. And I depend on God how this
church really will grow and how you will grow. And I'm only just
one tool in the toolbox. But he now gets to the nitty
gritty, verse four through six, 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 and have tasted the
good word of God and the powers of the world to come. If they
shall fall away, it's impossible to renew them again unto repentance.
Seeing they crucified to themselves the Son of God afresh and put
him to an open shame. Now we just got to stop there.
This is where it really gets tough. And people can get angry
and scared and confused and want to give up or want to choke somebody. I mean, it's tough stuff. And
maybe some of you have never bothered with it because you
have been systematically avoiding it or you've had teachers who
avoid it. Why do we have to do this hard one when we've got
so many other nice ones we can talk about? But here I am. So
tasted of the heavenly gift. Tasted of the good word of God.
Tasted of the powers of the world to come. Here the phrase tasted
means to experience the workings of the Holy Spirit, but not actually
receive the Holy Spirit. People that are not regenerated,
that is, they're not born again, can be enlightened about truth
and even profess faith in Christ. They may witness what God's Spirit
is doing in the lives of others. in the assembly of the saints,
and even experienced personal conviction." Now, folks, I want
you to know how I wrestled here. I sweat during this because I
could have tried to put dozens of verses in here for all the
things, and I couldn't. No room for that. I gave you
a sample, something you can look up. But believe me, here is the
kind of stuff that you'll have to dig and hunt and search, and
other commentators can help you. I would help you if you asked,
or God help you to compare scripture with scripture. But let me just
say it again, because I labored hard for every word here, what
I said. So, it is possible for them to experience
the workings of the Holy Spirit, but not actually receive the
Holy Spirit. People that are not regenerated,
not born again, can be enlightened about truth, and even profess
faith in Christ. They may witness what God's Spirit
is doing in the lives of others, in the assembly of the saints,
and even experience personal conviction. Sadly, they can be
partakers of and share moments in which God's Spirit is working,
yet not be a true believer. They have sampled but not swallowed
and digested the grace of God. And you might want to think about
2 Corinthians 6, where Paul tells them, and I do mean Paul, tells
them, receive not the grace of God in vain. And maybe you have never wrestled
with it, but when more than once Jesus says, many are called,
few are chosen, Many have been drawn to something, attracted
to something, but they don't go in. They put it in their mouth,
they spit it out, like a wine tester. People like this cannot
be brought back to repentance with the simple truth of the
gospel. You take somebody who has been going to church for
years, and may be smart enough to know things and argue and
debate with people, and can you just come back and say, oh, you
just need to trust Jesus? Oh, didn't you know about John
3.16? They probably have plaques on their wall with that on it,
maybe. But they cannot be brought back to repentance with the simple
truth of the gospel. They know all of that, but it
has not truly transformed them. They will become hardened and
stubborn by their knowledge. It's kind of like the vaccination
thing. Sorry to bring up a word we hate.
But you get a small dose of something bad so that you build up resistance
to it, antibodies, and not get the full-fledged disease. That's
the theory behind that. And there are people who have
received enough gospel to be inoculated, and they won't really
catch it now. They got enough to feel good
about themselves. Oh, I know stuff. You see these
different plaques up there, and they'll say, I do this, this,
and this, and I know things. They love to say that for some
reason. They will think that they know
as much or more than others. And scripture says they have
fallen away. They've departed from the path.
They are blinded from being able to see why they've fallen off
the path. They don't get it. They justify
themselves saying, I am just fine. Or perhaps in another sense,
they'll say, I tried that and it didn't work. Now, this is connected to the
previous lesson we just had from Hebrews 4, 1 through 2, where
you have gained unprofitable knowledge. You've learned facts,
you've learned information, you can state positions and all of
that, and you've got enough to inoculate you, but you haven't
been transformed, so it is unprofitable knowledge. Now, therefore, Hebrews 6, 7
through 12, I get to say something happier. This is a warning, what
we've just studied. You can be religious but not
right with God. How do I know? Have you ever
had someone ask you, or maybe you have asked, I wonder if I've
ever committed the unpardonable sin? Some people want to know,
what is the unpardonable sin? And I'm going to give just a
simple answer. The unpardonable sin, maybe only
could have been committed in the days of Jesus when he walked
on this earth, because they saw powerful demonstrations of the
Spirit of God operating through Jesus as he spoke and as he did
miracles. There was a power and a sense there, and it drove some
people mad, made some people glad, had different reactions. But when someone could see a
stupendous miracle, and it glorified God, and it was a fulfillment
of Scripture, and they still identified it as the work of
the devil. That's when Jesus brought that
up, to attribute the work of God to the devil. Now, some people
say that could only happen when Jesus himself was here, because
that was so stupendously powerful. We weren't there to see it, but
we can catch it when we read it. It's possible that what we're
thinking of in the blasphemy of the Holy Ghost has to do with
simply resisting the Spirit talking to you and just not ever surrendering,
not ever believing, not ever repenting. And at the end, the
one thing God needed to hear from you, He didn't hear. And
that is, I believe in Jesus. Please have Him come into my
heart. Please have Him wash away my sins. And you know, a person
can repeat those words, but not mean them. And these are things
that are hard. The Word of God, which is quick
and alive, powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, it
discerns between the thoughts and the intent of the heart,
the soul and the spirit. Even theologians can't get those
two things straight. And here's something that I can't
tell you about you. You have to find out from God
about you. And this either reveals to you that you never were born
again and you need to be, Or it reveals to you that you're
acting like a religious lost person, but you need to straighten
this up and get back on track with Christ. And awake thou that
sleepest, and Christ shall give thee light. So it could awaken
a dead sinner who's religious, or it could revive a Christian
who has gotten lethargic, sleepy, indolent, if you like that word. So now, we come to a conclusion. Verse seven through 12. I'm going
to read verses seven and eight. For the earth which drinketh
in the rain and cometh oft upon it and bringeth forth herbs meet
for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God.
But that which beareth thorns and briars is rejected and is
nigh or near unto cursing whose end is to be burned. Well, that's
the tough part. We're told here in Hebrews 6.1
to go on to perfection or maturity. And we have some other scriptures
that would confirm that. Hebrews 10.35-39, hopefully we'll
see that next week. 2 Corinthians 7.1, but right
here we are compared to herbs planted in a garden, drinking
in the rain, and bringing forth fruit, but the plants that produce
thorns and briars, or thistles, are rejected and burned. So we
need to be careful and seek to be fruitful. Now, on one hand,
it's the work of Christ to make us fruitful. On the other hand,
we have a responsibility to be in place and seeking that fruitfulness. And you read John 15, one through
eight. And Jesus says, on the vine,
you're the branches, and you need to abide in me. You need,
for my word, to abide in you. And if you abide in me, and I
in you, you're going to bring forth fruit, and you're going
to glorify the Father, and so shall you be my disciples. He
goes farther on in John 15, 16, to say, you've not chosen me,
I've chosen you, and I've ordained you to bear fruit, and that your
fruit should remain. It's going to be the real stuff,
not the superficial stuff. And Peter kindly gives us instructions
to take and add to our faith virtue and knowledge and all
kinds of other wonderful things. And if we do this, we shall never
be unfruitful or barren. And he that can't see this is
blind and can't see afar off, and they're headed for destruction
as a religious hypocrite. God in his kindness warns us
with firm scriptures and keeps some pictures before us of a
plant that was planted in a garden or a vineyard. It was meant to
be fruitful and bring something pleasant, whether it be herbs
or whether it be grapes or whether it be the figs on a fig tree.
We've got all these things. And someone was taking care of
that. Someone was taking care of all
that. And that's where the Father and the Son come in and how they
work with us like the plantings of the Lord. But then there's
that kind of garden that's been neglected. The Lord hasn't been
brought into it. And so gardens left to themselves get pretty
bad. Pretty bad with weeds, thorns, thistles, and all kinds of other
stuff. We don't want that environment.
And we need to say, I am destitute of the real fruit. I am destitute
of that culturing, cultivating of the Lord. And we get the chance,
a plant can't do this, but we get the chance to ask for it.
To desire it and seek it. So, we go to verses 9 through
12. But beloved, we are persuaded
better things of you and things that accompany salvation, though
thus we speak." So in other words, I had to lay out a hard lesson
here, but I really in my heart think you're better than that. Using some positive treatment
here, I think you're better than that. He gives hope that the
readers are true believers who simply need to be diligent. and
seek those things that accompany, or belong to, or go along with
salvation. Let me read verses 9 through
12. But beloved, we are persuaded better things of you and things
that accompany salvation, though thus we speak. For God is not
unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which he have
showed toward his name, and that you have ministered to the saints
and do minister. And we desire that every one
of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope
unto the end. that you be not slothful, but
followers of them who, through faith and patience, inherit the
promises." So here's what that looks like.
Why would the writer of Hebrews say, we are persuaded better
things of you? He offers some things here that
we maybe ought to look for as clarification as to what this
fruitfulness is all about. what this diligence is all about.
So he mentions labors of love for the sake of Christ's name.
He mentions ministry and service to the followers of Christ. He
mentions that there should be diligently and continually seeking
assurance and hope from God's word. and not slothful, not lazy,
not indolent, or lackadaisical, or all those other words we mentioned
earlier. Not slothful, but following the examples of others who exercise
their faith with patience, and they are motivated by God's promises. We have an inheritance. Christ
has made us qualified to partake of the inheritance of the saints
in light. But we are to strive and to seek
that Christ truly is developing us. It's the work of Christ,
not of my imagination, not of my temporary enthusiasm that
might only last a moment, but the real work of Christ to change
me. Now, we had talked earlier in
this study about people who do not hold fast firmly to our confidence
in Christ. And I didn't give you the list
then. I've gone back in the notes to
fix them now. But let me just mention these things here. We're
in Hebrews 6. Let's go back to 4.14. Hebrews 4.14. Seeing then that we have a great
high priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus, the Son of
God, let us hold fast our profession. Chapter six, verses 11 and 12,
we just read, we desire that every one of you do show the
same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end, that you
be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and
patience inherit the promises We go on to chapter 10, verse
23. Chapter 10, verse 23. Let us
hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, for He
is faithful, that promised. And then also in chapter 10,
and this will be hopefully dealt with more next week, but in chapter
10, verse 35, cast not away therefore your confidence, which has great
recompense of reward. For you have need of patience
that after you have done the will of God, you might receive
the promise. For yet a little while, and he
that shall come will come and will not tarry. Now the just
shall live by faith, but if any man draw back, my soul shall
have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw
back unto perdition or destruction, but we are of them that believe
to the saving of the soul. And this gets lost sometimes
as people argue about eternal security and the preservation
of the saints. They don't understand the perseverance
aspect. They don't understand that the
results of a true salvation should be something more tangible. You
know, I commonly will take Ephesians 2, 8, and 9, and make sure I
add verse 10. Ephesians 2, 8, and 9, for by grace are you saved
through faith. That not of yourselves, it's
a gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should
boast. Adds verse 10, for we are his workmanship. Some would
say masterpiece. Created in Christ Jesus, unto
good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk
in them. So let's see it through. Let's not just be believers intellectually
in Jesus, let us be followers of Jesus. Jesus will take care
of all those things that you're uncertain about. But as we understand
his work to make us to will and to do of his good pleasure, His
work to finish what He's begun in us. He calls us, He's also
faithful to do it. He who has begun a good work
in us will perform it till the day of Jesus Christ. But we are
to cooperate, collaborate, connect, and stay connected to go on and
know the Lord in such a way. Even Paul, after he knew the
Lord for many years, he still aspired in Philippians 3 that
I may know Him. in the power of His resurrection,
in the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable to His
death. Folks, I hope that's a heart, desire, and prayer in you every
day. Well, I've delivered my soul
as best I could. Let's pray. Father, please give
us grace to take of these words and receive the challenge, receive
the encouragement, and if need be, scared and worried and move
with a little fear to make sure these things are right with us
before you. We don't add works to our faith,
but we have to have a faith that does work. And just allow us,
Father, to enjoy and not neglect so great salvation. and give
faith where it's needed to each person in this room or anybody
else that's hearing this message. I ask in Jesus' name, amen.
Warnings for All - 5
Series Long-term Effect of the Gospel
We are studying teachings and warnings, gleaned from the Book of Hebrews, that compel people to examine their faith and their walk with God. Let's continue to examine some dangerous things people do and the gospel-driven call to correct or protect that situation.
| Sermon ID | 232574645751 |
| Duration | 41:49 |
| Date | |
| Category | Sunday Service |
| Bible Text | Hebrews 5:8-14; Hebrews 6:1-12 |
| Language | English |
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