Hebrews 6 what does it mean

Still others think that this penalty deals only with reward, not with salvation itself. They stress the idea that it says repentance is impossible , not salvation. This difficult passage is best understood in the context of Hebrews This is especially true for these ancient Christians from a Jewish background, since the religious customs they took up again likely included animal sacrifice for atonement, denying the total work of Jesus for them on the cross.

If they fall away : There is a necessary distinction between falling and falling away. Falling away is more than falling into sin; it is actually departing from Jesus Himself. For a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again, but the wicked shall fall by calamity Proverbs The difference is between a Peter and a Judas. If you depart from Jesus fall away there is no hope. It is not as if God prohibits their repentance.

Since repentance itself is a work of God Romans , the desire to repent is evidence that he or she has not truly fallen away. The presence of that anxiety, like the cry which betrayed the real mother in the days of Solomon, establishes beyond a doubt that you are not one that has fallen away beyond the possibility of renewal to repentance. 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; but if it bears thorns and briars, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.

For the earth which drinks in the rain… and bears herbs useful… receives blessing from God : When the earth receives rain and bears useful plants, it fulfills its purpose and justifies the blessing of rain sent upon it. But where is the fruit? But if it bears thorns and briars, it is rejected : If ground is blessed by rain but refuses to bear fruit, no one blames the farmer for burning it. The idea shows that growth and bearing fruit are important to keep from falling away. When we really bear fruit, we abide in Jesus John and are in no danger of falling away.

But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. We are confident of better things concerning you : Though he spoke so severely, the writer to the Hebrews was confident His readers would continue on with Jesus. He thinks of their continuation in the faith as one of the things that accompany salvation. Though we speak in this manner : These encouraging words after the strong warning of Hebrews should not be understood to mean that the warnings in the previous verses are not serious, or that the writer warned of impossible consequences.

If anything, verse nine shows how badly these struggling Christians needed encouragement. Their spiritual danger was not so much out of a calculated rebellion, but more because of a depressing discouragement. They need warning, but also needed encouragement. 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.

And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love : When we are discouraged we sometimes think God forgets us and all we have done for Him and for His people. But God would deny His own nature if He forgot such things He would be unjust.

God sees and remembers. Sometimes our fear that God forgot our work and labor of love comes from relying on the attention and applause of people. It is true that some people may forget your work and labor of love , but God never will. We desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end : The writer to the Hebrews encouraged like a coach, urging believers to press on.

When we fail to do this, discouragement often makes us become sluggish. If Abraham had some of our weakness then we can have some of his faith and patience. Do not become sluggish : The idea is that we should not let discouragement make us sluggish , leading to the sense that we may as well give up. First we lose the desire to press on; then we lose the desire to go on.

We can encourage our self in the Lord. For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. After he had patiently endured : A season of patient endurance is a time of spiritual attack.

It seems that we may never obtain the promise of God in our life. After he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise : God came through for Abraham, even sealing His promise with an oath. In fact, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself.

It is impossible for God to lie in either of these two things. Oh, shame upon us! He wants to give us strong consolation. Spurgeon described some characteristics of strong consolation:. Who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us : This is another reason for encouragement, knowing that God has a refuge of hope set before us. We can think of this refuge of hope are like the cities of refuge commanded by the Law of Moses, as described in Numbers No one who comes the place of refuge is turned away in time of need.

In time of need, one never came to a city of refuge just to look around. Without this refuge destruction is certain. To go outside the provided refuge means death. The cities of refuge only helped the innocent ; the guilty can come to Jesus and find refuge. 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.

This hope we have as an anchor : The anchor was a common figure for hope in the ancient world. Here the idea is that we are anchored to something firm but unseen which enters the Presence behind the veil. The rougher the weather, the more important your anchor is. The ship must have hold of the anchor, even as we must lay hold of hope.

But there is also a sense in which the anchor has hold of the ship, even as hope has hold of us. These promises of God may safely be depended upon; for here we have two things which cannot change, the counsel and the oath of God, in which it is not possible for God to lie; it would be contrary to his nature as well as to his will.

And as He cannot lie; the destruction of the unbeliever, and the salvation of the believer, are alike certain. Here observe, those to whom God has given full security of happiness, have a title to the promises by inheritance. The consolations of God are strong enough to support his people under their heaviest trials. Here is a refuge for all sinners who flee to the mercy of God, through the redemption of Christ, according to the covenant of grace, laying aside all other confidences.

We are in this world as a ship at sea, tossed up and down, and in danger of being cast away. We need an anchor to keep us sure and steady. Gospel hope is our anchor in the storms of this world. It is sure and stedfast, or it could not keep us so. The free grace of God, the merits and mediation of Christ, and the powerful influences of his Spirit, are the grounds of this hope, and so it is a stedfast hope.

Christ is the object and ground of the believer's hope. Let us therefore set our affections on things above, and wait patiently for his appearance, when we shall certainly appear with him in glory. Complete Concise Chapter Contents The Hebrews are urged to go forward in the doctrine of Christ, and the consequences of apostacy, or turning back, are described.

But if it bears thorns and briars, it is rejected : If ground that is blessed by rain refuses to bear fruit, then who can blame the farmer for burning it? The picture presented reminds us that growth and bearing fruit is important to keep from falling away. When we really bear fruit, we abide in Jesus John and in no danger of falling away.

Heb The writer admits he is being a little more harsh than he needs to be. But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. We are confident of better things concerning you : Though he spoke so severely, the writer to the Hebrews is confident that they really will continue on in Jesus, that their perseverance is one of the things that accompany salvation.

Though we speak in this manner : However, it would be wrong to take Hebrews to mean the warnings in the previous verses were not serious, or warned of impossible things. If anything, verse nine is a verse of encouragement; these Christians are in danger of falling away not so much out of a calculated rebellion, as because of a depressing discouragement.

They need to be warned, but they also need to be encouraged! Heb Don't be discouraged into giving up on Jesus! God hasn't forgotten about you! 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.

And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love : When we are discouraged, we often think God has forgotten all we have done for Him and His people.

But God would cease to be God He would be unjust if He forgot such things. God sees and remembers. How many lose sight of the fact that God sees their service? How many serve for the applause and attention of man, and are discouraged because it doesn't come? We desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end : Keep up your good work; press on with that hope until the end; imitate those who inherit not earn God's promises.

When we are discouraged as the Hebrew Christians were discouraged we can easily become sluggish. The writer to Hebrews encourages us like a coach, pressing us to press on.

But imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises : Imitate those who found the key to gaining God's promises - faith and patience , as demonstrated by Abraham. But, praise God, Abraham did not have a perfect faith or a perfect patience! If Abraham had some of our weaknesses, then we can have some of his faith and patience.

Do not become sluggish : Don't let discouragement make you sluggish. It's that sluggish attitude that really makes us feel like giving up. First we lose the desire to press on then we lose the desire to go on. You really don't have to give into discouragement.

So can you! Encourage yourself in the Lord! Heb Don't be discouraged: God's promises are reliable. For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, "Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you. For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.

After he had patiently endured : During this time of patient endurance, many Christians get attacked. They wonder if they too will obtain the promise. They often wonder "Will God really come through? After he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise : God came through for Abraham, even sealing His promise with an oath. In fact, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself.

This oath showed that God's promises like His character are unchanging. That by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation : The two immutable unchanging things are God's promise and His oath. It is impossible for God to lie in either of these two things. We might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us : Don't be discouraged!

God has a refuge of hope ready for you. We can think of this refuge of hope are like the cities of refuge commanded by the Law of Moses, as described in Numbers Both Jesus and the cities of refuge are within easy reach of the needy person; they were of no use unless someone could get to the place of refuge.

Both Jesus and the cities of refuge are open to all , not just the Israelite; no one needs to fear that they would be turned away from their place of refuge in their time of need. Both Jesus and the cities of refuge became a place where the one in need would live ; you didn't come to a city of refuge in time of need just to look around. Both Jesus and the cities of refuge are the only alternative for the one in need; without this specific protection, they will be destroyed.

Both Jesus and the cities of refuge provide protection only within their boundaries ; to go outside meant death. With both Jesus and the cities of refuge, full freedom comes with the death of the High Priest. However, there is a crucial distinction between Jesus and the cities of refuge. The cities of refuge only helped the innocent ; the guilty can come to Jesus and find refuge. Heb Don't be discouraged! Jesus will lead us into God's glory.

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. This hope we have as an anchor : The anchor was a common figure for hope in the ancient world.

Here it especially reminds us that we are anchored to something firm, but unseen which enters the Presence behind the veil. You don't need an anchor for calm seas. The rougher the weather, the more important your anchor! But the anchor analogy doesn't apply perfectly. We are anchored upward in heaven , not down in the ground; and we are anchored to move on , not to stand still! Which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us : This hope will see us into the very presence of God.

Hope is the opposite of the discouragement these Jewish Christians have been battling against. The forerunner … even Jesus : We are assured of this access into the presence of God because Jesus has entered as a forerunner. The Levitical high priest did not enter the veil as a forerunner, only as a representative.

But Jesus has entered into the Father's intimate presence so that His people can follow Him there. A forerunner the ancient Greek word prodromos was a reconnaissance man in the military. A forerunner goes forward, knowing that others are going to follow! Behind the veil … having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek : The temple analogy behind the veil reminds the writer to the Hebrews that he was speaking of Jesus as our High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

The thought continues into the next chapter. Since the text and audio content provided by BLB represent a range of evangelical traditions, all of the ideas and principles conveyed in the resource materials are not necessarily affirmed, in total, by this ministry. Blue Letter Bible study tools make reading, searching and studying the Bible easy and rewarding.

Individual instructors or editors may still require the use of URLs. Keep me logged in! Error: Usernames should only contain letters, numbers, dots, dashes, or underscores. Passwords should have at least 6 characters. Usernames should only contain letters, numbers, dots, dashes, or underscores. Your partnership makes all we do possible. Would you prayerfully consider a gift of support today? Cookie Notice: Our website uses cookies to store user preferences.

By proceeding, you consent to our cookie usage. Clear Advanced Options. DBY Darby Translation. WEB Webster's Bible. RVR60 Reina-Valera VUL Latin Vulgate.