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Psalms
134:1-3 A Song of Ascents.
Behold, bless the LORD, All you
servants of the LORD, Who by night stand in the house of the LORD! Lift up your
hands in the sanctuary, And
bless the LORD. The LORD who made heaven and earth Bless you from Zion!
Father God, let the Blessed Hope we
have in You light a flame of zeal within us to do your will and promote the
Gospel for your Kingdom. We pray and ask for this in Jesus name, Amen!
Book of Hebrews 6:1-12 NKJV
If you
remember the last chapter Paul was still explaining who Jesus is and what He
did for us on the Cross, but the Hebrew Christians became lazy in their faith
and spiritually dull. Paul tells them this: Hebrews
5:11-14 NLT There is much more we would like to say about this, but it
is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don't
seem to listen. You have been believers so long now that you ought to be
teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things
about God's word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food.
For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn't know how to do
what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training
have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.
This
chapter starts out with Paul telling his readers that he is moving forward with
his message to them; that he is not going through the fundamentals of salvation
with them again and that they need to get up and start studying and practicing
their faith; that they need to stop being a couch potato. Keep in mind these
are Jewish Hebrew Christians about to fall back into the law of the OT, and
also a very good lesson to keep in mind for ourselves, if we call ourselves
believers. So let’s see what Paul has for us this week.
1 Therefore, leaving the discussion of the
elementary principles of
Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of
repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,
Rephrasing this verse it
would read something like this: So let us stop going over the basic teachings
about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our
understanding. Surely we don't need to start again with the fundamental
importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God.
Therefore,
leaving the discussion of the elementary principles
of Christ; This first
verse is a continuation of the last chapter when Paul tells them they are like
babies drinking milk instead of eating solid food like they should be. These
Hebrew Christians already know about the basic Gospel in that salvation is not
in their own good deeds, or performing rituals, or trying to obey laws, etc. but
in faith in Jesus and that He died on the Cross for them. They had already
repented and accept Jesus as their saviour.
Let
us go on to perfection; They
need to go on to maturity in understanding, they need to move beyond the basic
teachings to a more complete understanding of the faith, but not away from the
Cross and what it taught them. Mature Christians should be teaching new
Christians the basics, and acting on what they know. The mature will then learn
more from God's Word and become deeply rooted in the Word.
Not
laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward
God; Again this is a
repeat of the first phrase of this verse. Paul sees no value in repeating what
is required of a person to be saved, which is faith, simple child like faith in
what Jesus did at Calvary for whosoever that desires eternal life in Heaven.
2 of the
doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and
of eternal judgment.
This verse broken down takes
on two meanings, what is meant based on the OT teachings which always point to
the NT, and what is meant based on the NT teachings.
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Verse Phrases
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Old Covenant (Pre-Jesus)
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New Covenant (Post Jesus)
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The Doctrine of Baptisms
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Pertains to the Doctrine of
Washings; Ceremonial washings of Judaism. Hebrews 9:10 Refers to all through the old and
new testament washings and cleansings mentioned.
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Many believe today that Baptism
washes away sin and therefore they are saved. This isn’t what the Bible
teaches. Baptism is an outward sign that we have place our faith in Jesus
death, burial, and resurrection and that baptism by immersion is a symbol of
what Jesus did for us. We are one with Jesus just as a wedding ring symbolized
a couple are one. (We die to our old lifestyle, we are buried by immersion in
water, and resurrected to a new life when we come up out of the water.)
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The Laying on of Hands
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This Jewish custom goes back to the
Levitical Offerings of the Old Testament; when the person brought the animal
for Sacrifice, he had to lay his hands on the head of the innocent victim,
confessing his sins, thereby transferring them to the innocent animal which
would be slain.
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The NT Christians, and today we think
of “laying on of hands,” of doing such in the Name of Jesus, etc. (Mark
16:18). But
remember Paul is speaking to a Jewish audience. To go back to the Levitical
way is saying Jesus death was of no value.
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The Resurrections of the Dead
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In OT times the doctrine of
resurrection was very vague. The Jewish people for the most part believed in
a resurrection, but didn’t know how this would come about. Job knew and
believed in a resurrection. Job 14:14
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We think of resurrection as Jesus
resurrection, the Rapture, etc. We have a much better understanding than
those of the OT times.
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Eternal Judgment
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In OT time God/Jesus was thought of
as a judge placing judgment on the people.
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In NT time we think of Jesus as our
Saviour.
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“In fact,
and as we’ve stated, the entirety of the Old Testament was but a shadow of that
which was to come. It all awaited Christ! If it is to be noticed, He is all of
these things. He is cleansing from sin, therefore, all the washings of the past
are no longer needed. He has taken our sin away, therefore, the animal
sacrifices are no longer needed. He is our Resurrection, which now makes it
easy to understand. As well, He took our judgment, so there will be no Judgment
for the Believer in Christ.” (JSM)
3 And this
we will do if God permits.
These Hebrew Christians
needed to move beyond the basics of their faith to an understanding of Christ
as the perfect High Priest and the fulfillment of all the Old Testament
prophecies. Rather than arguing about the respective merits of Judaism and
Christianity, they needed to depend on Christ and live effectively for him.
4 For it is impossible for those who were
once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers
of the Holy Spirit,
For
it is impossible for those who
were once enlightened; This
is speaking of those that were/are truly Born Again to go back to their old
beliefs. If a person is not truly Born Again, they will continue to live the
same lifestyle. There has to be a change in the life of a Born Again Saint.
And
have tasted the heavenly gift;
This is referring to Jesus and His death and resurrection; placing ones faith
in Jesus and being truly saved. A person that is truly saved will experience a
change in their life along with peace in knowing Jesus is in control.
And
have become partakers of the Holy Spirit; This refers to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within
an individual that accepts Jesus as their Saviour. Acts 15:8 So God, who
knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us.
5 and have
tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,
This verse goes right
along with verse 4 in stating that anyone that is truly Born Again will know
the truth and what is to come. They will believe what the Word of God states
and what lies ahead.
6 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.
This verse is better
stated: and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people
back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing
Him to the cross once again and holding Him up to public shame.
If
they fall away; This
should have been translated, “and having fallen away”.
To
renew them again to repentance; This
phrase tells us that these Hebrew’s were saved at one point in time.
Since
they crucify again for themselves the Son of God; This phrase is stating they no longer
believe what Christ did at the Cross, actually professing Him to be an
imposter.
And
put Him to an open shame; This is referring to denying Jesus,
who He is, and what He did on the Cross for us.
7 For the
earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful
for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God;
8 but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being
cursed, whose end is to be burned.
Paul compares a Christian
to a crop grown in a field here with these 2 verses. Real seeds (the gospel)
given genuine care by the farmer (God) and planted in a fertile field (your
heart and life) will produce a bountiful crop (spiritual maturity). Weeds
(temptations) threaten to overwhelm the crop (once saved individuals). If the
field (individuals) produces only weeds (sinful life, in this case going back
to OT Law), then the seeds are lost and the field ruined (will perish in Hell).
9 But, beloved, we are confident of better
things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in
this manner.
But,
beloved; This
statement, “beloved” by Paul tells us these are believers. The following verses
also verify this fact. Paul uses beloved many times in this Epistle, meaning
believers, but they were on the verge of abandoning their faith in Jesus. (Hebrews
3:1, 12; 10:19; 13:22)
We
are confident of better things concerning you; Paul is telling his listeners that he
expects fruit from them. They should be doing things out of love that comes
from all true believers. This also holds true for today.
Yes,
things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner; Things like the fruit of the spirit. Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23
gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
10 For God is not unjust to forget your work and
labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
What a grand promise we
have knowing that God will remember all the things we did out of love for Him.
Whether it be to those around us or fellow Saints. Everything we do must be
done in His name and for Him. Paul is telling these Hebrew Christians not to
turn their backs on the things they did in the name of Jesus out of love for
Him. This is evidence that they were truly saved. Their love reached out to
other Saints, which will always be the characteristic of true Christians.
Unsaved people don’t do these types of things. God knows your efforts of love
and ministry. Let God's love for you and his intimate knowledge of your service
for him, strengthen you as you face disappointment and rejection here on earth.
11 And we
desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of
hope until the end,
12 that you
do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience
inherit the promises.
Here Paul is telling the
Hebrews and us, that if we claim to be truly saved then we must diligently
minister God’s will till death. We are soldiers of Christ and our duty is to
minister the will of God, as the Apostles did, till we die or are Raptured up.
Being a true believer we cannot retire when it comes to the Gospel of Jesus
Christ. Hope keeps the Christian from becoming lazy or feeling bored. Like an
athlete, train hard, run well, and remember the reward (Philippians
3:14).
Colossians 1:16 For by Him all things were created
that are in heaven and that are on earth,
visible and invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers.
All
things were created through Him and for Him.
Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of
the glory of God,
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our
Lord.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, Most assuredly, I say to you,
unless one is
born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
Bill
Wiesbrock https://www.facebook.com/bill.wiesbrock?ref=tn_tnmn
The
Lighthouse Full Gospel Church
Sinners Prayer; Pray this, and if you
believe it with your heart, Jesus will save you!
“Lord Jesus
I know I am a sinner. I confess my sins
to you; I am sorry for my sins; I repent (Meaning, desiring to turn from a
sinful lifestyle.) of all my sins, and I am asking for your forgiveness of all
of my sins. I believe that only you can
forgive sin. I commit my life to you and
ask you to come into my heart, direct, and take charge of my life. I believe that you died to set me free from
my sinful lifestyle and you rose from the dead to give me eternal life, and
right now you are seated at the Right Hand of God Almighty. I believe you are
the Son of God; the only Way, the only Truth, the only Life, and my
Savior.” I believe this and have faith
you will make a new person out of me, by sending the Holy Spirit to dwell in my
heart and lead me in a new life. In Jesus name I pray Amen.” (John 3:16,17;
Romans 3:23; 6:23; 5:8; 10:9-13; Ephesians 2:8-10; 1
John 5:11-14; 1:6-10) (Sin: Rom.
1:22-32; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 5:3-7)
You are welcome!
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