Hebrews Lesson #8

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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
HEBREWS 6:4-20
LESSON #8
LOST SALVATION OR ETERNAL SECURITY?

MEMORY VERSE: 2PET 3:17

• IN CHAPTER 6 WE HAVE A VERY DIFFICULT PASSAGE. IN FACT SOME BIBLE COMMENTARIES AVOID DISCUSSING THIS SECTION ALTOGETHER. THEY AVOID IT BECAUSE IT PRESENTS ONE OF THOSE BIG THEOLOGICAL PROBLEMS LIKE: FOREKNOWLEDGE / PREDESTINATION / FREE WILL. IN OTHER WORDS, IT’S A CAN OF WORMS.
• BEFORE WE OPEN ANY “CAN OF WORMS”, IT HELPS TO CONSIDER THE SCRIPTURAL CONTEXT TO MAKE SURE WE KEEP THE MEANING IN THE PROPER PERSPECTIVE.
• THE CONTEXT OF HEBRREWS 6:
• REMEMBER THE BOOK IS WRITTEN TO BELIEVERS!
• HEBRREWS 6 IS THE THIRD WARNING.
• REMEMBER THAT THE FIRST WARNING WAS: “DON’T NEGLECT YOUR SALVATION AND DRIFT AWAY”. (HEB 2:1-4)
• REMEMBER THE SECOND WARNING WAS: “DON’T HARDEN YOUR HEART AND FALL INTO UNBELIEF.” (HEB 3:7-4:13)
• THERE IS A PROGRESSION PRESENTED HERE. IF YOU NEGLECT YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST, YOU WILL DRIFT AWAY FROM HIM. IF YOU DRIFT AWAY, YOUR HEART BECOMES HARD AND YOU FALL INTO UNBELIEF. IF YOU FALL INTO UNBELIEF, YOUR SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT BECOMES DULL. (HEB 5:11)

• READ HEB 6:4-12 A SOBER WARNING (WARNING #3)
• SCRIPTURAL BACKGROUND: THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND!
• 1. SALVATION IS A FREE GIFT OF GOD NOT DEPENDENT ON MAN’S WORKS. EITHER FOR ENTRANCE INTO GOD’S KINGDOM, OR TO MAINTAIN SALVATION AFTER YOU ARE BORN AGAIN. EPH 2:8
• 2. ONE PARTAKES OF SALVATION BY EXERCISING ONE’S OWN FREE WILL. LUK 8:12
• 3. NO EXTERNAL CONDITION, EXTERNAL BEING, OR OTHER PERSON CAN TAKE AWAY YOUR SALVATION. JOH 6:39-40
• JOH 10:27-30 ROM 8:35-39 1PE 1:23
• 4. IT IS A PROMISED SURETY THAT GOD WILL HONOR. GOD DOES NOT LIE!

• THE CAN OF WORMS: THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT INTERPRETATIONS TO THIS WARNING. WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT ONLY THE MOST COMMON ONES.
• 1. CHRISTIANS CAN ACTUALLY LOSE THEIR SALVATION BY WALKING AWAY FROM CHRIST. THEN IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM TO BE SAVED A SECOND TIME.
• REBUTTAL: IF SALVATION IS A FREE GIFT OF GOD NOT DEPENDENT ON MAN’S BEHAVIOR, THERE ARE NO CONDITIONS BY WHICH A PERSON CAN LOSE HIS SALVATION.

• 2. THESE VERSES DESCRIBE A “HYPOTHETICAL” SITUATION, NOT A REAL ONE. IF A CHRISTIAN COULD HYPOTHETICALLY LOSE HIS SALVATION, THEN THERE WOULD BE NO FURTHER PROVISION OF REPENTANCE.
• REBUTTAL: WOULD THE AUTHOR GIVE A SERIOUS WARNING UNLESS THE POSSIBILITY OF THE DANGER REALLY EXISTED?
• 3. THESE VERSES REFER TO “PROFESSING” BELIEVERS BUT NOT TRUE, GENUINE BELIEVERS. VERSE 4 AND 5 DESCRIBE EXPERIENCES THAT FALL SHORT OF SALVATION. THEREFORE, THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT TRULY SAVED, THEY ONLY SAY THEY ARE.
• REBUTTAL: THE DESCRIPTION IN VERSES 4 AND 5 CAN ONLY BE BORN-AGAIN BELIEVERS

• AN EXAMINATION OF THE ACTUAL VERSES INVOLVED::
• IS THE AUTHOR TALKING ABOUT BORN-AGAIN BELIEVERS OR JUST THOSE PERSONS WHO “PROFESS” TO BE BELIEVERS? (4-5)
• ONCE ENLIGHTENED
• EXPOSED TO THE TRUTH OF THE WORD OF GOD
• TASTED OF THE HEAVENLY GIFT
• EXPERIENCED JESUS AND THE GRACE OF THE FORGIVENESS OF SIN – A BORN-AGAIN EXPERIENCE
• MADE PARTAKERS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
• PARTICIPANTS WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT BEING INVOLVED IN THEIR LIVES:
• THE HOLY SPIRIT REVEALS A PERSON’S NEED OF JESUS CHRIST AND HIS NEED OF FORGIVENESS OF SIN.
• THE HOLY SPIRIT INDWELLS A PERSON WHO IS BORN AGAIN.
• THE HOLY SPIRIT FILLS THE BELIEVER SO AS TO GIVE POWER TO LIVE THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.
• TASTED THE WORD OF GOD
• A BELIEF IN THE INSPIRED WORD OF GOD; HE SAW THE POWER OF THE WORD OF GOD IN ACTION IN HIS LIFE.
• TASTED OF THE POWERS OF THE WORLD TO COME
• “WORLD TO COME” = A JEWISH WAY OF REFERRING TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD OR ETERNAL LIFE. (MAR 10:30)
• HE GLIMPSED WHAT ETERNITY WOULD BE LIKE.
• CONCLUSION:
• I BELIEVE THE AUTHOR IS TALKING ABOUT TRUE BORN-AGAIN BELIEVERS.
• “(IF) THEY SHALL FALL AWAY” (6)
• THE WORD “IF” IS NOT PRESENT IN THE ORIGINAL GREEK. THEREFORE, THE SENTENCE MEANS, “HAVING FALLEN…IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO RENEW THEM AGAIN TO REPENTANCE.” (4)
• WHAT DOES “FALL AWAY” MEAN?
• THE GREEK WORD “FALL AWAY” IS parapito. THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT WHERE IT IS USED. IT MEANS = TO STUMBLE AND FALL DOWN. IT DOES NOT MEAN APOSTASY.
• IN THE CONTEXT OF HEBREWS, THE AUTHOR HAS JUST FINISHED TALKING ABOUT BABY CHRISTIANS WHO DESIRE ONLY MILK. WHEN BABIES LEARN TO WALK, THEY STUMBLE AND FALL DOWN.
• “FOR IT IS IMPOSSIBLE….TO RENEW THEM AGAIN TO REPENTANCE.” (4, 6)
• IS THE AUTHOR TALKING ABOUT RENEWING THEM TO SALVATION?
• NO. NOTICE THAT HE DOES NOT SAY “SALVATION” BUT “REPENTANCE”. WHAT DOES THE AUTHOR MEAN?
• WHEN CHRISTIANS MAKE A MISTAKE, WHEN CHRISTIANS STUMBLE AND FALL, THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO REPENT OF THEIR SIN. (1JO 1:9) WHEN A CHRISTIAN REPENTS, GOD FORGIVES HIM.

HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IS RESTORED OR RENEWED. HOWEVER, WHAT IS NOT RESTORED IS HIS LIFE BEFORE HE STUMBLED AND FELL.

• SIN PRODUCES CONSEQUENCES. REPENTANCE AND FORGIVENESS DOES NOT ERASE THE CONSEQUENCES.
• SIN ERASES THE CHRISTIAN’S POTENTIAL REWARD IN THE NEXT LIFE. REPENTANCE AND FORGIVENESS DOES NOT RESTORE THE REWARD THE CHRISTIAN WOULD HAVE HAD IF HE HAD NOT STUMBLED.

• HOWEVER, THERE’S MORE INVOLVED HERE THAN JUST A BABY CHRISTIAN INNOCENTLY STUMBLING AND FALLING.
• THIS IS WHERE WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND THE FLOW OF THE WARNINGS IN THE BOOK OF HEBREWS. THE WARNINGS ARE PROGRESSIVE AND BECOME MORE AND MORE SERIOUS AS YOU GO FROM THE FIRST WARNING TO THE THIRD WARNING.
• THE AUTHOR TELLS US THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE SIN OF THESE CHRISTIANS IN THE LAST HALF OF VERSE 6.
• “SEEING THEY CRUCIFY TO THEMSELVES THE SON OF GOD AFRESH, AND PUT HIM TO AN OPEN SHAME.” (6) WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
• WHEN A PERSON IS SAVED, HE IDENTIFIES HIMSELF WITH JESUS CHRIST ON THE CROSS. HE RECOGNIZES THAT JESUS WAS CRUCIFIED FOR HIS SINS. IN THE SAME WAY THAT JESUS WENT THROUGH A PUBLIC CRUCIFIXION, THE BELIEVER ACKNOWLEDGES IN PUBLIC HIS FAITH IN CHRIST.
• WHEN A CHRISTIAN DRIFTS SO FAR AWAY FROM CHRIST AND HARDENS HIS HEART IN UNBELIEF, HE HAS REACHED STAGE 3 OF THE WARNINGS. HE NOW DENIES IN PUBLIC THAT JESUS WAS CRUCIFIED FOR HIS SINS. HIS CHRISTIAN TESTIMONY IS SO DAMAGED THAT CHRIST IS SHAMED BEFORE NON-BELIEVERS.
• THEREFORE, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO RENEW HIM TO A STATE OF REPENTANCE.
• HE HAS REACHED THE POINT WHERE HE WILL NEVER TURN BACK TO GOD AND REPENT. IT IS NOT BECAUSE GOD WOULD NOT FORGIVE HIM IF HE DID. IT IS BECAUSE HIS HEART HAS BECOME SO HARD, THAT HE RESISTS REPENTANCE AND THE CONVICTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. (HOS 14:4 1JO 1:9)
• ESAU IS THE EXAMPLE. READ HEB 12:16-17
• HAS HE LOST HIS SALVATION? NO. HE HAS LOST HIS REWARD. HOW DO WE KNOW HIS REWARD IS WHAT IS MEANT HERE IN HEB 6? BECAUSE IN VERSES 7-8, THE AUTHOR GIVES US AN AGRICULTURAL EXAMPLE OF, “AS YOU SOW, THAT SHALL YOU REAP.”

• THE RESULTS OF FALLING SO FAR FROM GOD (8)
• CURSING AND REJECTION
• READ JOH 15:4-6
• NOT A LOST SALVATION BUT SEVERE CHASTISEMENT AND LOST REWARD.
• GOD REJECTS HIM AS UNUSABLE IN HIS KINGDOM.
• THE HOLY SPIRIT CANNOT USE HIM TO FURTHER THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST ON THIS EARTH.
• GOD WILL NOT USE HIM TO RULE WITH CHRIST IN THE MILLENNIUM.
• READ 1COR 3:12-15
• IS IT THE BELIEVER WHO IS LOST AND DESTROYED BY FLAMES? NO, IT IS HIS WORKS THAT ARE TRIED AT THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST. THIS PASSAGE IS CLEAR TO TELL US HE IS SAVED BY THE SKIN OF HIS TEETH.

• CONCLUSION:
• THE AUTHOR IS PERSUADED THAT THESE HEBREW CHRISTIANS HAVE NOT FALLEN THIS FAR AWAY FROM GOD.

• THE AUTHOR REPEATS THE WARNING BY ENCOURAGING HIS READERS NOT TO BE LAZY BUT TO BE IMITATORS OF THOSE FAITHFUL OLD TESTAMENT BELIEVERS WHO GAINED THE PROMISES OF GOD–SPECIFICALLY ABRAHAM.

• READ HEB 6:13-20 THE ASSURANCE OF A COVENANT
• GOD MADE MANY PROMISES TO ABRAHAM. WE CAN FIND THEM IN THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT IN GENESIS.
• THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT GEN 11:31-12:4 GEN 22:15-18
• SINCE THIS COVENANT WAS OF TREMENDOUS IMPORTANCE TO THE JEWS, THE AUTHOR MENTIONS IT FOR 2 REASONS (15,19):
• PATIENT AND FAITHFUL ENDURANCE TO MATURE IN OUR CHRISTIAN LIVES WILL GAIN US THE FULLER BLESSINGS OF GOD.
• THE PROMISES TO ABRAHAM IN GENESIS ARE MEANT FOR US TODAY.
• READ GAL 3:6-14
• REMEMBER THE CURSE OF SIN, POVERTY, AND SICKNESS THAT CAME UPON THE JEWS FOR NOT MATURING IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD? (DEU 28)
• CHRIST HAS REDEEMED US FROM THE CURSE OF SIN (SPIRITUAL BLESSING), FROM THE CURSE OF POVERTY (MATERIAL BLESSING), THE CURSE OF SICKNESS (PHYSICAL BLESSING)
• CHRIST WAS PROMISED IN THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT IN GEN 22:18. THE AUTHOR IS POINTING TO THE FACT THAT THE PROMISE HAS BEEN FULFILLED IN JESUS CHRIST.
• HOW DID GOD CONFIRM HIS COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM SO THAT ALL WOULD KNOW IT WOULD BE FULFILLED?
• GOD TOOK AN OATH–LIKE HAVING YOUR SIGNATURE ATTESTED TO BY A NOTARY PUBLIC. HE DID NOT HAVE TO DO THIS. HE DID IT TO POINT TO THE FACT THAT IT IS AN UNCONDITIONAL COVENANT. GOD WILL FULFILL IT EVEN IF MAN FAILS TO DO HIS PART.
• GEN 15:7-18
• TWO IMMUTABLE THINGS:
• THERE ARE TWO THINGS WE CAN COUNT ON REGARDING ALL THE BLESSINGS CONTAINED IN ABRAHAM’S COVENANT THAT ARE FOR US TODAY:
• GOD’S PROMISE
• GOD’S OATH
• THE SURETY OF OUR SALVATION — OUR ETERNAL SECURITY
• THE ANCHOR OF THE SOUL = JESUS CHRIST, OUR HIGH PRIEST
• THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA FLOOR IS SAND WITHOUT ROCK. IT DID NOT PROVIDE A SECURE MEANS TO ANCHOR A SHIP. THEREFORE, TO SECURE A LARGE SHIP, THE ANCHOR WAS PUT INTO A SMALLER BOAT. THE SMALL BOAT WAS ROWED INTO SHORE, AND THE ANCHOR WAS SECURED TO THE SHORE.
• THE AUTHOR HAS THIS IN MIND WHEN HE SPEAKS OF JESUS ENTERING THE HOLY OF HOLIES, THE INNER SANCTUARY, TO SECURE THE ANCHOR THERE.
• THE VEIL OF THE JEWISH TABERNACLE, AND LATER IN THE TEMPLE, WAS A THICK CURTAIN THAT SEPARATED MAN FROM GOD. IT WAS 60 FT. BY 40 FT. BY 4 INCHES THICK. ONLY THE HIGH PRIEST WAS ALLOWED TO GO BEHIND THE VEIL ONCE A YEAR TO BRING THE BLOOD OF THE SACRIFICE TO THE MERCY SEAT. THIS VEIL TORE FROM TOP TO BOTTOM INDICATING THAT GOD TORE IT. AT THAT SAME MOMENT, CHRIST BROKE OPEN HIS HEART ON THE CROSS.
• (MAT 27:50-51 MAR 15:37-38
• JOH 19:34)
• FIRM AND SECURE =
• THE WORD “FIRM” IMPLIES SOMETHING THAT CANNOT BE MADE TO FALL WHEN PUT TO THE TEST.
• THE WORD “SECURE” SUGGESTS SOMETHING THAT DOES NOT BREAK DOWN UNDER THE WEIGHT OF A HEAVY OBJECT.

• SUMMARY: VISUALIZING HEB 5:11-6:20

		[D] MATURITY: THE REWARDS OF A PERSERVERING CHRISTIAN LIFE
	[A] THE HEALTH OF A GROWING CHRISTIAN
THE BORN AGAIN EXPERIENCE OF THE HEBREW CHRISTIANS	[B] THE SICKNESS OF A STATIC CHRISTIAN LIFE
		[C] FALLING AWAY
		CURSING AND REJECTION: REAPING THE RESULTS OF A REBELLIOUS CHRISTIAN LIFE

• KEY:

[A]–THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE HEBREW CHRISTIAN’S EXPERIENCE
[B]–THIS HAS BEEN THEIR EXPERIENCE, UP TO THE WRITING OF THE BOOK
OF HEBREWS.
[C]–THIS WILL BE THEIR EXPERIENCE, IF THEY PERSIST IN THEIR SLOTH
[D]–THIS CAN BE THEIR EXPERIENCE, IF THEY WILL RISE UP AND PRESS ON

HOMEWORK FOR HEBREWS 7

THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF HEB 6:
• IS THERE ANYTHING IN YOUR LIFE THAT HINDERS YOUR PERSONAL SPIRITUAL GROWTH?
• WHAT CHANGES DO YOU NEED TO MAKE IN YOUR LIFE TO MAKE SURE YOU MOVE FORWARD IN YOUR CHRISTIAN LIFE?

• PREPARATION FOR HEB 7:
• READ HEB 7:1-10
• FOR BACKGROUND, READ GEN 14:17-24 PSA 110 MELCHIZEDEK IS A TYPE OF CHRIST. COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING CHART LISTING COMPARISONS AND CONTRASTS BETWEEN MELCHIZEDEK AND CHRIST.

MELCHIZEDEK	JESUS CHRIST

 

• MEMORY VERSE: HEB 7:19