In this chapter the writer digresses to scold his readers for slowing down in their spiritual life; they may even be turning around, backtracking, in their walk with God and their Messiah.
6:1-3
Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so.
This is a clear call to stepping up to more serious growth as a Christian and not hanging out at the "Jesus Saves" introductory level of spiritual understanding. The readers are called to move on to maturity in (1) faith in God, (2) instruction about baptisms (?!), (3) laying on of hands, (4) resurrection of the dead, (5) Eternal judgment.
Although the writer hopes to eventually move on, he/she has to digress too far, apparently, to cover some of this. How I would like to know what was going to be said about "the laying on of hands" or "instructions on baptisms"! Was the writer prevented by immature Christians from continuing in these instructions? Or did God have a better plan and not intend for these more esoteric discussions to appear here?
Instructions on baptisms could also be "cleansing rites".
Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so.
This is a clear call to stepping up to more serious growth as a Christian and not hanging out at the "Jesus Saves" introductory level of spiritual understanding. The readers are called to move on to maturity in (1) faith in God, (2) instruction about baptisms (?!), (3) laying on of hands, (4) resurrection of the dead, (5) Eternal judgment.
Although the writer hopes to eventually move on, he/she has to digress too far, apparently, to cover some of this. How I would like to know what was going to be said about "the laying on of hands" or "instructions on baptisms"! Was the writer prevented by immature Christians from continuing in these instructions? Or did God have a better plan and not intend for these more esoteric discussions to appear here?
Instructions on baptisms could also be "cleansing rites".
Footnote on "acts that lead to death" in verse 1: could be translated "from useless rituals".
6:4-8
It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.
A strange instruction about turning back. (I need a C. S. Lewis quote, a time in which, for just a moment, an evil individual had a moment of enlightenment, an perception that his or her view was wrong and that God was waiting, yet turned back to evil....)
This is a problem passage. Some say it teaches one can lose their salvation. If so, it then teaches that the salvation is lost forever. I think it warns a group of people of the dangers of faking it.
It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.
A strange instruction about turning back. (I need a C. S. Lewis quote, a time in which, for just a moment, an evil individual had a moment of enlightenment, an perception that his or her view was wrong and that God was waiting, yet turned back to evil....)
This is a problem passage. Some say it teaches one can lose their salvation. If so, it then teaches that the salvation is lost forever. I think it warns a group of people of the dangers of faking it.
6:9-12
Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case--things that accompany salvation. God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case--things that accompany salvation. God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
Now upbeat and encouraging, as if the writer knows his readers, at some deeper level, have been, are serious and need to be merely reminded.
6:13-20
When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, "I will surely bless you and give you many descendants." And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.
An apparent tangent? A strange argument... the God needs to swear by Himself?!
Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged.
What are the two unchangeable things?
We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.
When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, "I will surely bless you and give you many descendants." And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.
The quote is from Gen. 22:17.
Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged.
What are the two unchangeable things?
We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.
We are encouraged to follow Jesus into the inner sanctuary, "behind the curtain."
In the next post we go on to a serious conversation about Melchizedek.
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