Study in Hebrews

1. Study in Hebrews Presentation 08

2. The Danger Of Immaturity The Third Warning Chap 5v11-6v10 Presentation 08

3. Introduction In 5v11ff the writer substantiates his claim that his hearers were slow to learn by telling them that after so much exposure to Christian truth they should at this stage have been able to teach it. Their regression to infancy must represent a quite recent development. It was apparently an attempt to sidestep their responsibility in a world that persecuted them and held them in contempt. They had abandoned the equivalent of a spiritual university in favour of the kindergarten of Christ. They were contenting themselves with baby food when they should have passed on to solids. cf1Cor. 3v1-3. Presentation 08

4. Dull Of Hearing Rather than listening carefully, hearing completely, and comprehending clearly, they had become mentally and spiritually dull in their hearing. They were not slow learners but had allowed themselves to grow lazy. A spiritual callus was growing over their ears. "Deafness or dullness in receptivity is a dangerous condition for those who have been called to radical obedience”. Lane One of the first symptoms of spiritual regression, or backsliding, is a dullness toward scripture. The preaching is dull, Bible study is dull. The problem is usually not with the teacher or the pastor, but with the believer himself Presentation 08

5. Dull Of Hearing Every Christian becomes capable of instructing others when he or she learns the elementary truths of the faith. This is true whether one has the gift of teaching [i.e., the ability to communicate with unusual clarity and effectiveness] or not. However, when we fail to pass on what we know, we begin to lose what we know. Eventually, we may need to relearn the most basic teachings of Scripture. When we stop growing spiritually, we start shrinking. We do not simply stay the same. Presentation 08

6. Dull Of Hearing Immature babies consume only milk. They cannot chew and assimilate solid food because they are immature. Comparing milk with solid food was very common in Greek philosophy. The readers would have understood the writer's meaning. Similarly immature Christians take in only the basics of the gospel because they cannot assimilate the more advanced aspects of the faith. They cannot do this because they have not tried repeatedly [practiced] to understand and apply more advanced truths. This is a picture of Christians who have been content to know and practice only the most elementary lessons of their faith. They are too lazy to do what is necessary to grow. Presentation 08

7. Dull Of Hearing The writer's point in these verses is not just that spiritual babies lack information, which they do, but that they lack experience. A person becomes a mature Christian not only by gaining information, though that is foundational, but by using that information to make decisions that are in harmony with God's will. Cf. Pro. 13v4 Isa. 5v20 “The word of righteousness” v 13 is the solid food that results in righteous behaviour. In this context the “solid food” must refer to instruction about the high priestly office of Jesus Christ [7v1-10v18]. Presentation 08

8. The Needed Remedy Practice is essential for maturity. Consequently a new Christian cannot be mature even though he or she follows the leading of the Spirit [i.e., is “spiritual,” cf. 1 Cor. 2v14-3v3. Spiritual maturity comes neither from isolated events, significant spiritual crisis nor from a great spiritual growth spurt. It comes from a steady application of spiritual discipline. The readers were in danger of not understanding what the writer had to tell them because they had not put what they did understand into practice in their lives. If a sports team fails to put into practice the instructions provided by the coach before the match how can they hope to be successful on the playing field? Presentation 08

9. The Needed Remedy In 6v1-3the writer wants to move beyond the A B C of the gospel, like the teacher who has spent a great deal of time teaching her class the alphabet and then says “Its time we started learning how to read”. Notice what the writer considers to be some of the elementary matters of the faith: a. Repentance from dead works: turning from that which can’t save. 9v14, Mk. 1v15 b. Faith towards God: the corollary of repentance, a turning from and a turning to. c. Teaching of baptisms: The difference between Christian baptism and other religious washings.cf. 9v10and Acts 19v1. Presentation 08

10. The Needed Remedy d. The laying on of hands which symbolised the bestowal of the Holy Spirit and his empowering for service. It is important to note that the Holy Spirit was not mechanically bestowed by this method cf. Acts 10v44ff. It was used for commissioning or ordaining to service cf. Acts 13v3, 1Tim. 4v14, 5v22 e. The resurrection of the dead. We are the subjects of two worlds. Death is not the end. Jesus is to the Christian, the Resurrection and the Life. Jn. 11v25 f. The eternal judgement: We are all answerable to God for how we live our lives. Rom.14v10 How familiar are people today with this A B C of the gospel.? Presentation 08

11. A Dreadful Alternative Before looking at v 4-8 an introductory comment. The writer is addressing a people whose view of Christ was inadequate. He wants to reshape their thinking. If we find this epistle difficult or obscure the most likely reason is that our minds have not been sharpened Christologically. The epistle unpacks the deity of Christ, the duality of his nature human and divine, his temptation, his crucifixion, the significance of his ascension, his present heavenly session and his second coming. These are the basic building blocks used by the writer in the epistle. He will show how useful and practical a clear biblical Christology can be. Presentation 08

12. A Dreadful Alternative Sinclair Ferguson when speaking about this epistle says that for the author of the Hebrews it was not possible to distinguish between backsliding and the beginning of spiritual apostasy. Why should that be? They both begin in precisely the same way with a loss of spiritual appetite. This is why we have the appearance of the constant warning passages. These warnings are then balanced by the writer who also expounds the privileges belonging to the believer. He attempts to give them a taste of the glory that is theirs now in order to provide an appetite for the glory to follow. Presentation 08

13. A Dreadful Alternative Turning to v4-8we encounter the severest warning in the epistle with the intention of arousing the readers to a sense of danger. The readers loss of confidence is addressed. Their flagging will to persevere in the Christian race points alarmingly to the possibility of their dropping out of the Christian race altogether, and by so doing put themselves beyond all hope of restoration. The writer is speaking of a class of persons who once appeared truly regenerate but by their behaviour proved they were not. Cf. Acts 8v18ff Presentation 08

14. A Dreadful Alternative This passage doesn’t teach that it’s possible for the converted to “fall away” but rather that it’s possible to have only a temporary enjoyment of great spiritual privileges. The enlightenment spoken of in v4 refers to an ‘acceptance’ of gospel truth. cf.10v26. But what of “tasting the heavenly gift”? A number of points can be made here. [a] It is possible to taste the word in its truth but not in its power, Mark 6v20. [b] You can taste the worship of the church in its outward order but not its inward beauty. [c] You can taste the gifts of the Spirit and not his graces. Matt. 7v22, Lk. 10v 17-20, Jn. 6v70, 1Cor. 13v1. Presentation 08

15. A Dreadful Alternative Some commentators argue that the ‘sharing of the Holy Spirit’ mentioned in v4 refers to seeing the miracles which confirmed the truth and the power of the gospel. But the miracles which confirm the truth and the power of the gospel seem more in view in the expression, ‘the powers of the coming age’ in v5. What then is meant by ‘sharing/partaking in/of the Holy Spirit’?It is possible for an unregenerate man to be made a partaker of the Holy Spirit and yet the Spirit not to indwell him. The Holy Spirit can work in power through those whom he has never transformed and made new creatures. e.g. Saul, Judas. Presentation 08

16. A Dreadful Alternative It is impossible to bring such a person back to repentance because you cannot bring a person back to a place where they have never been. They may have professed repentance but genuine repentance has a once and for all element associated with it as well as a continuing element . The once and for all element is the repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret [2 Cor.7.v10] it is transitional in the sense that it brings a person out of darkness into light. It is a foundational work. And when foundations have been properly laid you do not lay them again. The apostate crucifies Christ on his own account v6 by publicly repudiating his profession and so, by his behaviour, he is confirming the judgement of the original crucifiers. Presentation 08

17. A Dreadful Alternative Those who are genuinely Christ’s do not fall away. Where a work of grace has truly begun, because it is God’s work it cannot fail cf. Phil 1v6 , 2Tim. 2v19 regarding the apostasy of two me. cf also Jn. 6v37 The agricultural analogy in v7-8 is a reworking of the teaching of Jesus. Spiritual productiveness is an evidence of divine grace [ Jn. 15v1ff. ] and of a genuine relationship with Jesus. But the man who has been brought into the sphere of gospel blessings and who has publicly professed faith in Christ and associated himself with the fellowship of God’s people but whose life produces thorns and thistles [an evidence of a hostility towards God] contradicts his profession and invites not the blessing but the curse of God. Presentation 08

18. The Encouraging Prospect Despite this sober warning the writer is quick in v9 to point out his confidence in his readership. This does not dilute the impact of the warning. Backsliding, spiritual stagnation and apostasy have similar symptoms in the early stages. Though the danger signals are plain so too is the fact that a work of God’s grace has been done in their hearts. In saying that he has confidence in them the author is really saying that he has confidence in the work of God’s grace in them. cfEph. 1v11-14... Presentation 08

19. The Encouraging Prospect The writer encourages them also by pointing to their past and present behaviour that they might see a‘God at work sign’ planted firmly in their lives. And with that encouragement ringing in their ears they are encouraged to persevere and to take seriously indwelling sin’s potency. They are to recognise that they are not only in danger of being hardened by sins deceitfulness [3v12] but weakened by sins slothfulness 6v12. The readers are encouraged to see that indwelling sin has not changed its character since they first came to faith, though they have been delivered from its dominion. The section closes with the sentiment, ‘be encouraged, press on, press on’ ringing in their ears. Presentation 08

20. Conclusion The Christians addressed in this epistle were becoming uncertain about the uniqueness of Christ and the trustworthiness of the gospel. Examples of past persecution and the prospect of impending persecution were producing a disenchanted view of the kingdom. Things were not working out as they had hoped and expected. The writer has already indicated that he believed there was little evidence of the ‘patience of faith’ in their lives and has already illustrated this danger by pointing to Israel’s failure to enter the rest of God cf. 3v7-4v13.But then that warning had been balanced with teaching on the high priestly and intercessory role of Jesus cf.4v14-5v10. Presentation 08

21. Conclusion A further warning is issued in 5v11-6v8 against the danger of apostasy. Backsliding and apostasy are indistinguishable in the early stages, both begin with a lack of appetite for God. However, having issued the warning the writer now makes it clear that he believed better things of them v9-12. And now following the pattern of warning and encouragement - the two sides of the same coin intended to guide God’s people safely home - the writer now begins positively to encourage the development of the patience of faith. Notice in v12 how ‘spiritual laziness’ and the ‘patience of faith’ are contrasted. It is the patience of faith which alone inherits God’s promise. Presentation 08