Hebrews 6:1-8
Shiloh Bible Church
Pilgrims Should Make Progress
Introduction
The Rubik’s Cube. [Play with the Cube.]
Have you ever tried to solve the Rubik’s Cube? It’s a challenge! The Cube was invented in 1974 by a Hungarian man named Erno Rubik. The object of the game is to arrange the cube in such a way that each of the 9 squares on a face contains the same color. I have never been able to solve the puzzle!
Like the Rubik’s Cube, some passages of Scripture are a challenge to interpret. Such is the passage we have before us in our study of Hebrews this morning. As a matter of fact, one Bible commentator wrote, “Hebrews 6 is the Rubik’s Cube of the Bible.” Listen to what the writer of Hebrews says in Hebrews 6:4-6: “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.”
What does the writer of Hebrews mean by these stern words? Let’s find out. Let’s try to solve the Rubik’s Cube of the Bible this morning. Please turn to Hebrews chapter 6. If you’d like to take notes, you’ll find a teaching outline as an insert in your bulletin.
Now, Hebrews 6 is usually interpreted in 1 of 2 ways. One view is that it is a warning to unbelievers to get saved. But I don’t think that is what the writer of Hebrews is saying here. I don’t think he’s addressing unbelievers. I think he is referring to Christians. Look at their description in verse 4. He describes them as …
· Those who have once been enlightened—they received the light—they understood the gospel.
· Who have tasted the heavenly gift—not only did they understand the gospel, they also appropriated it. Now, some people say, “They only tasted the heavenly gift. They didn’t digest it so they weren’t saved.” But the word “taste” is the same word used in 2:9 where it says that Jesus tasted death. Jesus didn’t just nibble on death. Jesus fully experienced death. Likewise, these people fully experienced the heavenly gift—they embraced Christ as their Savior.
· Who have shared in the Holy Spirit—when they saw the light and trusted Christ, they received the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit regenerated and indwelt and sealed them till the day of redemption.
· Who have tasted the goodness of the word of God—they have deeply experienced the Scriptures in a powerful way.
· And the powers of the coming age—they experienced first hand God’s miraculous workings in their lives.
It seems to me that the writer of Hebrews is describing Christians—not unbelievers. So, I don’t think these verses are a warning to unbelievers to get saved.
A second view of this passage is that it is a warning to believers about losing their salvation. But I don’t think that is what the writer of Hebrews is saying here either. This view contradicts other New Testament Scriptures that clearly teach that a believer cannot lose his salvation. Jesus said in John 10 that He gives believers eternal life and they will never perish. Paul said in Romans 8 that no one or nothing can separate believers from the love of God.
So, what is this passage talking about? If it isn’t a warning to unbelievers to get saved and it isn’t a warning to believers about losing their salvation, then what is it? What do we do with this Rubik’s Cube? Do we give up, put it back on the coffee table, and forget about it? No, we can’t do that! This is God’s inspired, infallible Word and we need to understand its message to us.
Well, I believe that this Rubik’s Cube can be solved. And I think the key to solving the puzzle is found in the context of this passage. Look at the first word in 6:1. What does it say? What is the first word? “Therefore.” And you know the old saying, “When you read the word ‘therefore,’ find out what it’s there for.” The writer of Hebrews is drawing a conclusion to what he said at the end of chapter 5. And do you remember what he said in 5:11-14? He described his readers’ spiritual immaturity. Look at what he said: “We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”
The readers were spiritually stagnant. They were stuck on the ABC’s of the Christian life. Instead of chewing on the meaty doctrines of the Word of God, they were still sucking on spiritual pabulum!
“Therefore,” the writer says in 6:1, “let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to”—what? What’s that next word?— [maturity] “maturity.” “Let us go on to maturity.” I have those words highlighted and underlined in my Bible. I think it’s the key to understanding this passage. It’s the key to solving the Rubik’s Cube.
You see, this passage isn’t warning unbelievers to get saved. And it isn’t warning believers about losing their salvation. Rather, it is encouraging Christians to press on and to move forward to spiritual maturity.
Now, with this thought in mind, the writer of Hebrews gives us 3 principles of spiritual progress. And they are found in 6:1-8. Principle number one is this:
1. GOD DESIRES THAT YOU MAKE SPIRITUAL PROGRESS
God wants you to grow spiritually. That is His will for your life as a believer. Look at verses 1 and 2: “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.”
The writer of Hebrews lists several initial building blocks of Christianity. Now, he’s not telling us to destroy our foundation and abandon the ABC’s of the faith. But he is saying that we don’t stop there. God desires that we make spiritual progress—that we that we build on our foundation and move beyond the basics of Christianity.
But God might not let you do this. And that leads us to the second principle:
2. GOD DECIDES WHETHER YOU MAKE SPIRITUAL PROGRESS
Verse 3 tells us: “And God permitting, we will do so.”
It’s possible that God might not allow a believer to move forward to spiritual maturity. You say, “Why?! Why wouldn’t God allow us to do that?” Verses 4-6 tell us.
We have already established the fact that verses 4 and 5 describe a believer: “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.”
Now, verse 6 begins with the word “if.” But actually, that Greek word is better translated by the word “and.” The writer is not stating a condition, but rather a statement of fact. I like how the New American Standard Bible translates verse 6. It reads: “and then have fallen away.” Believers can fall away.
Fall away from what? Not from salvation. Salvation isn’t the topic being discussed in this passage. What is the topic under consideration? Verse 1—“let us go on to maturity.” Progressing to spiritual maturity is what the writer is discussing. So “falling away” is a reference to wandering off the path of spiritual growth.
Look at verses 4-6 again to get the full impact of what the writer is saying. “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, (and then) they fall away, (it is impossible for them) 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.”
It is possible for a Christian—a true born again believer—to deliberately and willfully walk off the path of spiritual maturity and live a life of sin and rebellion against God. It is possible for a believer to live a life that brings ridicule and shame and public disgrace to the name of Christ.
And if he continue to harden his heart against the Lord and continues in his sinful ways, then he can get to a point where God says “No more!” God puts His foot down. And it will be impossible for him to repent and to get back on the path of spiritual maturity. Why? Why will it be impossible? Because God won’t permit it. You see, God decides whether you make spiritual progress. And if you continue to follow the road of carnality, you might cross the line where God doesn’t allow you back on the road to maturity.
Now you say, “When does that happen? What sins does a Christian commit that would cause God to do that? Where is the point of no return?” Our text doesn’t say. God hasn’t revealed that information to us. But God has set a limit. That’s why verse 3 says, “And God permitting, we will do so.” It’s God who permits us to repent of our sin. It is God who allows us to continue on the path of maturity. But it is possible for us to reach a point where God doesn’t allow us to do so.
You say, “Then what happens? What does God do?” That leads us to our third principle of progress:
3. GOD DISCIPLINES IF YOU DON’T MAKE SPIRITUAL PROGRESS
I see this in verses 7 and 8: “Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.”
The writer of Hebrews gives us an analogy from nature. He uses it to illustrate either being spiritually productive or unproductive. If a believer is obedient to the Lord, he will be spiritually fruitful and receive God’s blessing. But if a believer is disobedient, he will be spiritually barren and receive God’s discipline.
Now, the writer of Hebrews uses the image of fire at the end of verse 8: “In the end it will be burned.” The burning here is not an unproductive believer burning in hell. Remember, a believer cannot lose his salvation. A believer will never go to hell. However, a believer can be disciplined by God.
I remind you that this letter is written to a congregation of Hebrew Christians—individuals who were familiar with the Old Testament. And fire was a common metaphor in the Old Testament to describe God’s temporal judgment. God can discipline wayward believers through loss of joy, peace, contentment as well as inflicting them with physical ills or even death.
Conclusion
I have never solved the Rubik’s Cube. But there is a solution. [Show a completed Cube.] It takes time and patience to solve the puzzle. But it can be done. Back in March at our Shiloh Talent Show, Rich and Beth Myers got up and solved the Rubik’s Cube. It took them a few minutes to do it, but they solved it. Now, the world record for solving the Cube was set this year—May, 2007. It was completed in 9.86 seconds.
Well, it takes time and patience to solve a puzzle. And the same is true with Hebrews 6—the Rubik’s Cube of the Bible. But I believe that patiently studying the passage verse by verse in context with the author’s flow of thought in mind helps us to solve the puzzle!
But we don’t want to stop there. We don’t want to be satisfied with a correct interpretation and understanding of the passage. We want to go on to actually apply the passage to our lives. And the message of Hebrews 6 is found in verse 1: “Go on to maturity.” Continue on the path of spiritual growth. How do we do this? The answer is found in the last verse of Hebrews 5. You grow by means of:
· Solid Food
Verse 14 says, “But solid food is for the mature.” We need to study the Word of God in order to mature as believers.
· Consistent Practice
Verse 14 says, “But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves.” We need to put the truth into action.
· Keen Discernment
Verse 14 concludes, “But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” We need to discern between good and evil.
Solid Food; Consistent Practice; Keen Discernment. These are the ingredients that help each of us to stay on the path of spiritual maturity and continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ.
Let’s pray.
