SEALING the THREAT of APOSTASY—Hebrews 6:1-12
Attention:
Need:
How can someone preach or teach the word of God year after year & then walk away from it forever? If ‘once saved always saved’ is true, then how can that be?
Can I be lost forever?
Can I be saved forever?
The writer to the Hebrews was not satisfied with apostasy’s threat to his audience. & thus tried to circumvent that threat.
The threat of apostasy is unacceptable & preventable.
We may have unwittingly placed ourselves under the threat of apostasy.
What seals the threat of apostasy?
3 factors sealing the threat of apostasy.
1—A factor sealing the threat of apostasy is...
A FOUNDATIONAL STASIS(:1-3)
Explanation:(:1-3)Stagnant
:1—“Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, ....”
Due to the above argument dealing with the products of spiritual maturity, let’s be mature & “leave”(standing) the elementary teaching about the Christ.
This teaching is not an impersonal non-experiential relationship with “the Christ” as if only thru a description...as if only understood superficially thru history or record.
We are called to “press on”—make an effort/work/earnestly attempt.
Maturity must include an earnest effort on the part of the one in need of maturity. Maturity is relative to the one involved—But it is expected of all!
Spiritual Maturity is the goal of saving faith.
Examples of foundational/building blocks of salvation follow...
Mature Christians never have occasion for laying these foundational stones again. They must lay them & build upon them. It is the reason that they are laid in the first place....to hold a structure quite different from the foundation. One must admit their sinfulness, believe on Christ & commit themselves to His work in them.
“Leaving”—afihmi—1) To send away; 2) To permit, allow, not to hinder, to give up a thing to a person;3) To leave, go way from one. Strong— To send forth, in various applications (as follow):-- Cry, forgive, forsake, lay aside, leave, let (alone, be, go, have), omit, put (send) away, remit, suffer, yield up.
“Discussion/Doctrine/Teaching(s)”—logov—Strong—Something said (including the thought); by implication A topic (subject of discourse), also reasoning (the mental faculty) or motive; by extension, A computation; specifically (with the article in John) the Divine Expression (i.e. Christ):-- Account, cause, communication, X concerning, doctrine, fame, X have to do, intent, matter, mouth, preaching, question, reason, + reckon, remove, say(-ing), shew, X speaker, speech, talk, thing, + none of these things move me, tidings, treatise, utterance, word, work.
“Elementary principles/Principles”—arch—1) Beginning, origin; 2) The person or thing that commences, the first person or thing in a series, the leader; 3) That by which anything begins to be, the origin, the active cause;4) The extremity of a thing—4a) Of the corners of a sail; 5) The first place, principality, rule, magistracy. Strong—(properly abstract) A commencement, or(concretely) Chief (in various applications of order, time, place, or rank):-- Beginning, corner, (at the, the) first (estate), magistrate, power, principality, principle, rule.
“Go on/Press on/”—ferw—1) To carry; 2) To bear, i.e. endure, to endure the rigor of a thing, to bear patiently one's conduct, or spare one (abstain from punishing or destroying); 3) To bring, bring to, bring forward.
“Perfection/Maturity”—teleiothv—N.—1) Perfection—1a) The state of the more intelligent, 1b) Moral & spiritual perfection. From —teleiov—Adj.—Strong—Complete (in various applications of labor, growth, mental & moral character, etc.); neuter Completeness:-- Of full age, man, perfect.
:1“....not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works & of faith toward God,”
:2—“of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, & of eternal judgment.”
A spiritual foundation is already laid for the Christian.
These go hand-in-hand. A person who truly turns away from or forsakes “dead works,” will of necessity place their faith in God rather than in their own ability to follow religious prescription.
Examples of foundational/building blocks of salvation follow...
They are...
1) “Repentance”—“from dead works”(mechanical sacrifice)
Mic. 6:6-8—“With what shall I come before the LORD, And bow myself before the High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, With calves a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, Ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?”
Hos. 6:6—“For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.”
Titus 2—“who[Jesus] gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed & purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.”
Eph. 2:10—“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
2) “Faith”—directed Godward—Attach itself to the Divine Christ of God.
The song—‘Have faith in God’
Not a god of our own design, but specifically the God of the Bible.
3) “Baptisms”(“Washings”)—ceremonial cleansing....their fulfillment in Christ—
Jn. 13:8-11—“Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands & my head!” Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; & you are clean, but not all of you.” For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, “You are not all clean.””
2Cor. 7:1—“Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh & spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
4) “Laying on of hands”(transfer of sins to sacrifice)
OT sacrifice required transfer of responsibility for sin to the sacrifice by placing the offerer’s hands on the head of the animal.
5) “Resurrection”—of the dead—Bodily & incorruptible, powerful, glorification, spiritual, bearing the image of the heavenly
1Cor. 15:
6) “Judgment”—eternal—No annihilation & no purgatory, but judgment determined & meeted out eternally in/thru/by either heaven or hell.
Rom. 2:5-8—“But in accordance with your hardness & your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath & revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who “will render to each one according to his deeds”: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, & immortality; but to those who are self-seeking & do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness--indignation & wrath,”
Mature Christians never have occasion for laying these foundational stones again.
“Laying again”—kataballw—1) To cast down—1a) To throw to the ground, prostate; 2) To put in a lower place—2a) To lay (down) a foundation
“Foundation”—yemeliov—1) Laid down as a foundation, the foundation (of a building, wall, city); 2) metaph. the foundations, beginnings, first principals—2a) Of institution or system of truth.
“Repentance”—metanoia—1) A change of mind, as it appears to one who repents, of a purpose he has formed or of something he has done.
“Faith”—pistiv—Strong—Persuasion, i.e. Credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstractly, Constancy in such profession; by extension, the system of religious (Gospel) truth itself:-- Assurance, belief, believe, faith, fidelity.
“Doctrine”—didach—1)Teaching; 2) The act of teaching, instruction.
“Baptisms/Washings”—baptismov—V.—1) A washing, purification effected by means of water. Strong—Ablution (ceremonial or Christian):-- Baptism, washing. Used 4X.
This is NOT—baptizw —N.—always used for Christian baptism.
‘....In order to make a pickle, the vegetable should first be 'dipped' (bapto) into boiling water and then 'baptised' (baptizo) in the vinegar solution. Both verbs concern the immersing of vegetables in a solution. But the first is temporary. The second, the act of baptising the vegetable, produces a permanent change.’—Thayer
“Laying on of hands”—epiyesiv—The imposition of hands was a sacred rite transmitted by the Jews to the Christians, & employed in praying for another, or in conferring upon him divine blessings, especially bodily health, or the Holy Spirit (at the administration of baptism & the inauguration to their office of the teachers & ministers of the church). Strong—An imposition (of hands officially):-- Laying (putting) on.
:3—“And this we will do if God permits.”
These foundational/elementary things shall be left behind only if God permits.
What is our part in the permission of God?—It partially depends upon our willingness to surrender to God’s will, i.e., that we must be willing to mature. It also depends on God’s sovereignty—His bringing it about.
It is dependent upon our willingness to allow God to move us to His position.
“Permits”—epitrepw—1) To turn to, transfer, commit, instruct; 2) To permit, allow, give leave.
Argumentation:
1Cor. 3:10-15—“According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, & another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; & the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”
Eph 4:11-16—“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, & some pastors & teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith & of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to & fro & carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ-- from whom the whole body, joined & knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”
Illustration:
Corn must flower or you have no corn/Each of the silks is attached to a kernel of corn-a flower/Imagine corn which never goes beyond the foundational stalk & leaves!/Now imagine a 10,000 acre farm in the midwest planted with this kind of corn/Disaster!/FOUNDATIONAL STASIS
Me at the creek/Some water would become isolated after an initial flood/Pockets of water standing/Get a film which could be broken with a finger/Different kinds of animals lived there in comparison to the swift waters of the creek/Stagnant water would eventually evaporate, killing everything in it/FOUNDATIONAL STASIS ruins everything
I have a few cacti/The form is appealing to me/Lack of flowers is no problem/but in the wild it is!/
Animals that hibernate/Enter into a sort of suspended life/Survival technique of God’s design/Spring arrives & hibernation ceases/Immediate search for food/Left to continual hibernation, no animal will survive/FOUNDATIONAL STASIS
Application:
?Has A FOUNDATIONAL STASIS sealed the Threat of Apostasy to you?
?Has the Threat of Apostasy been sealed with you?
2—A factor sealing the threat of apostasy is...
A FOUNDATIONAL DEPARTURE(:4-8)
Explanation:(:4-8)
:4—“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, & have tasted the heavenly gift, & have become partakers of the Holy Spirit,”
Why should we leave the elementary teaching about the Christ? It is a very dangerous position to be in before an awesome & holy God because there is an “impossibility” into which one has thereby placed himself.
Abandoning what has occurred with our relationship with God in the past is literally damning.
:5—“& have tasted the good word of God & the powers of the age to come,”
The fact remains that we must reach & go beyond being satisfied with our PAST...
1) “Enlightenment”—There is the same to be had at every moment of every day.
2)“Tasting— “of the heavenly gift”—To full-blown ingestion of salvation of Christ Jesus.
3) “Partaking”— of the Holy Spirit”—To being used of the Holy Spirit....from taking to giving.
4) “Tasting”—the goodness of “the word of God”—To consuming “the good word of God.”
5)“Tasting”—“of the powers of the age to come”—To enable the future powers to be manifested thru our living— working, playing, worshiping.
“Impossible”—adunatov—1) Without strength, impotent, powerless, weakly, disabled; 2) Unable to be done, impossible. Strong—Unable, i.e. Weak (literally or figuratively); passively, Impossible:-- Could not do, impossible, impotent, not possible, weak.
“Enlightened”—fwtizw—1) To give light, to shine; 2) To enlighten, light up, illumine; 3) To bring to light, render evident—3a) To cause something to exist & thus come to light & become clear to all; 4) To enlighten, spiritually, imbue with saving knowledge. Strong—To shed rays, i.e. To shine or (transitively) To brighten up (literally or figuratively):-- Enlighten, illuminate, (bring to, give) light, make to see.
“Tasted”—geuomai—1) To taste, to try the flavor of; 2) To taste—2a) i.e. perceive the flavor of, partake of, enjoy, 2b) To feel, make trial of, experience; 3) To take food, eat, to take nourishment, eat. Strong—To taste; by implication, To eat; figuratively, To experience (good or ill):-- Eat, taste.
“Heavenly”—epouraniov—1) existing in heaven; 2) of heavenly origin or nature.
“Gift”—dwrea—A gratuity or gift. Denotes a gift which is also a gratuity, hence of the gift of a sovereign. “Partakers”—metocov—1) Sharing in, partaking; 2) A partner (in a work, office, dignity).
“Word”—rhma—1) That which is or has been uttered by the living voice, thing spoken, word; 2) Subject matter of speech, thing spoken of.
“Powers”—dunamiv—1) Strength power, ability. Power, natural ability, general & inherent. Strong—Force (literally or figuratively); specially, Miraculous power (usually by implication, a miracle itself):-- Ability, abundance, meaning, might(-ily, -y, -y deed), (worker of) miracle(-s), power, strength,violence, mighty (wonderful) work.
Paul wanted to see the “power” of his detractors...
1Cor. 4:18 -20—“Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, & I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.”
Power to change a life, Persevering power, Power to trust God at His word, Miraculous power.
“Age”—aiwn—1) For ever, an unbroken age, perpetuity of time, eternity; 2) The worlds, universe; 3) Period of time, age. Strong—properly, An age; by extension, Perpetuity (also past); by implication, The world; specially (Jewish) a Messianic period (present or future):-- Age, course, eternal, (for) ever(-more), [n-]ever, (beginning of the , while the) world (began, without end).
“To come”—mellw—1) To be about—1a) To be on the point of doing or suffering something, 1b) To intend, have in mind, think to.
:6—“if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, & put Him to an open shame.”
The above factors(:4-6) have characterized certain people(s) before & theirs is a common result which will be repeated if taken up by others.
Though all the above interaction with God(:4-5)—His power, word, & actions—& His people, they may yet “fall away.”
What does it mean to fall away? This condition must be a permanent, one time(conclusive) occurrence!
For those who have “fallen away,” it is “impossible”(:4) for them to be ‘renewed again’ to repentance. These cannot be brought to repentance again. Repentance is a daily, lifelong process/battle for any Christian.
*Once a person reaches the conclusion that salvation & life in Christ is false—only after truly choosing to experience a formal part in it—then they can never return to it.
*Billy Graham’s friend & colleague of many years—Charles Templeton became a Christian 1936, toured & preached with BG but in 1957, “after a long struggle with doubt”, declared himself agnostic.
Impossibly unrepentant people can never be brought back to the possibility of saving faith. It is due to their own hardened heart.
The impossibly unrepentant person re-crucifies the Son of God inwardly/secretly. has no qualms about criminalizing & assassinating the one who is not admitted as their savior.
The impossibly unrepentant person openly puts Christ to shame.
1Tim. 4:1-3—“But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits & doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, men who forbid marriage & advocate abstaining from foods, which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe & know the truth.”
Ps. 51:10—“Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
“Fallen away”—parapiptw—1) To fall beside a person or thing; 2) To slip aside. Strong—To fall aside, i.e. (figuratively) To apostatize:-- Fall away. Used 1X.
“Renew”—anakainizw—To renew, renovate. Strong— To restore:-- renew. Used 1X.
“Repentance”—metanoia—1) A change of mind, as it appears to one who repents, of a purpose he has formed or of something he has done. Strong—(subjectively) Compunction (for guilt, including reformation); by implication Reversal (of [another's] decision):-- Repentance.
“Crucify again”—anastaurow—Strong—To re-crucify (figuratively):-- Crucify afresh. Used 1X.
“Put to an open shame”—paradeigmatizw—1) To set forth as a public example, make an example of. Strong—To show alongside (the public), i.e. expose to infamy:-- make a public example, put to an open shame.
:7—“For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, & bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God;”
There is a natural analogy/parable/picture of the above condition ending in apostasy, which follows in :7-8.
Cultivated ground which receives abundant rain can produce useful produce for those who work/till it.
This same land receives a blessing from God. This is somewhat like the parable of the soils, whose ground is set(path,stony, weedy, good ground).
*No matter the potential of the seed(monolithic as well), the state of the ground limits it.
“Drinks”—pinw—1) To drink; 2) figuratively, To receive into the soul what serves to refresh strengthen, nourish it unto life eternal.
“Herbs”—botanh—1) An herb fit for fodder, green herb, growing plant.
“Useful”—euyetov—1)Well placed—1a)Fit, 1b)Useful. Strong—Well placed, i.e. (figuratively) Appropriate:-- Fit, meet. Used 3X.
“Cultivated”—gewrgew—1) To practice agriculture, to till the ground.
“Receives”—metalambanw—1) To be or to be made a partner; 2) To partake of, take [some] food; 3) Of a thing, to get, find (a whole). Strong—To participate; genitive case to accept (& use):-- Eat, have, be partaker, receive, take.
“Blessing”—eulogia— ‘Well-Word’—Strong—Fine speaking, i.e. Elegance of language; commendation ("eulogy"), i.e. (reverentially) Adoration; religiously, benediction; by implication, consecration; by extension benefit or largess:-- Blessing (a matter of) bounty (X -tifully), fair speech.
:8—“but if it bears thorns & briars, it is rejected & near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.”
—OR—
Likewise, Cultivated ground which receives abundant rain CAN yield the opposite of its intent. I may yield only thorns & thistles rather than a useable crop.
Land which responds thusly is useless/worthless to those for whom it is cultivated.
Because of the lack of sought out crop, this land has a “near/close” brush with being “cursed.”
In order to remove or prevent the state of cursing, the land is instead burned. The end result of unproductive land is that it is customarily burned. This process destroys weed seeds.
“Rejected”—adokimov—1) Not standing the test, not approved—1a) Properly used of metals & coins; 2) That which does not prove itself such as it ought—2a) Unfit for, unproved, spurious, reprobate. Strong—Unapproved, i.e. Rejected; by implication, Worthless (literally or morally):-- Castaway, rejected, reprobate.
“Cursed”—katara—An execration, imprecation, curse.
“End”—telov—Strong—properly, The point aimed at as a limit, i.e. (by implication) The conclusion of an act or state (termination [literally, figuratively or indefinitely], Result [immediate, ultimate or prophetic], purpose); specifically, An impost or levy (as paid):-- + continual, custom, end(-ing), finally, uttermost.
“Burned”—kausiv—Burning, burning up.
Argumentation:
1Jn. 2:18-19—“Little children, it is the last hour; & as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.”
1Cor. 11:17-19—“Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you.”
Decision to separate either —From the world....by God’s desire OR —From the church...by flesh.
Illustration:
Gang controlled areas/Those not of gang mentality or agreement will not knowingly buy property in those areas/OR if the gang encroaches, neighborhoods mass forces to fight it/FOUNDATIONAL DEPARTURE
Smelting metal/Dross(imperfections of a material unlike that of the one sought) from a precious metal/FOUNDATIONAL DEPARTURE
Children who leave home but never involve themselves in the church of God except for personal gain/FOUNDATIONAL DEPARTURE
Weeds growing in a crop/FOUNDATIONAL DEPARTURE
Application:
?Has A FOUNDATIONAL DEPARTURE sealed the Threat of Apostasy to you?
?Has the Threat of Apostasy been sealed with you?
3—A factor sealing the threat of apostasy is...
A FOUNDATIONAL DILIGENCE(:9-12)
Explanation:(:9-12)Removes the threat of apostasy.
:9—“But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner.”
However, there is also a contrast from the above illustration(:4-8).
*The writer is convinced that the readers are potentially but NOT in the same condition as those he has just described(:1-8).
& these are written it for the reader’s awakening.
The writer is convinced that the readers will produce “better things.”
“Better things” are those things that “accompany” or are part & parcel with salvation.
This also tells us that the apostatis behavior just described(:1-8) belongs that of people lost forever to the fires of hell.
Though the writer is speaking to the readers as if they are impossibly lost, he is nonetheless convinced that they are saved & are worthy of encouragement.
This implies that their behavior belies/misrepresents/contradicts their confession.
“Confident/Convinced”—peiyw—1) Persuade; 2) Be persuaded; 3) To trust, have confidence, be confident. Strong—To convince (by argument, true or false); by analogy, To pacify or conciliate (by other fair means); reflexively or passively, To assent (to evidence or authority), to rely (by inward certainty):-- Agree, assure, believe, have confidence, be (wax) conflent, make friend, obey, persuade, trust, yield.
“Better things”—kreittwn—1) More useful, more serviceable, more advantageous; 2) More excellent. Strong—Stronger, i.e. (figuratively) Better, i.e. Nobler:-- Best, better.
“Accompany”—ecw—1) To have, i.e. to hold; 2) To have i.e. own, possess; 3) To hold one's self or find one's self so and so, to be in such or such a condition; 4) To hold one's self to a thing, to lay hold of a thing, to adhere or cling to.
“Salvation”—swthria—1) Deliverance, preservation, safety, salvation.
:10—“For God is not unjust to forget your work & labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, & do minister.”
The writer is convinced of their “better things” because
1)God will not forget their “work” toward His name
2)God will not forget their “love” toward His name
The expression of work & love toward God’s name is in our past ministering & in our continual ministering.
This ministering directed toward God’s name is commended because it is expressed from saint to saint.
“Unjust”—adikov—1) Descriptive of one who violates or has violated justice. Strong—Unjust; by extension Wicked; by implication, Treacherous; specially, Heathen:-- Unjust, unrighteous.
“Forget”—epilanyanomai—1) To forget; 2) Neglecting, no longer caring for; 2) Forgotten, given over to oblivion, i.e. Uncared for. Strong—To lose out of mind; by implication, to neglect:-- (be) forget(-ful of).
“Labor”—kopov—1) A beating; 2) A beating of the breast with grief, sorrow; 3) labor. Strong—A cut, i.e. (by analogy) Toil (as reducing the strength), literally or figuratively; by implication, Pains:-- Labor, + trouble, weariness.
“Love”—agaph—Strong—Love, i.e. affection or benevolence; specially (plural) a love-feast:-- (feast of) charity([-ably]), dear, love.
“Shown”—endeiknumi—1) To point out—1a) To show, demonstrate, prove, whether by arguments or by acts; 2) To manifest, display, put forth. Strong—To indicate (by word or act):-- Do, show (forth).
“Ministered”2X—diakonew—1)) to be a servant, attendant, domestic, to serve, wait upon. Strong—To be an attendant, i.e. Wait upon (menially or as a host, friend, or [figuratively] teacher); techn. To act as a Christian deacon:-- (ad-)minister (unto), serve, use the office of a deacon.
“Saints”—agiov—Most holy thing, a saint. Separation, i.e., from the world to God's service. If not the original meaning, this at any rate is a meaning early in use. This separation, however, is not chiefly external, it is rather a separation from evil and defilement.
:11—“And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end,”
The writer has a desire/purpose for his readers.
His desire is that they exhibit the same type of “diligence” as they once lived out.
Only thru diligence in ministry can we realize/experience the certainty of hope in Christ to the very end of God’s desire or minimally to the end of our lives. Diligence is the expression of a continual ever-present trust.
Assurance takes us thru death & into eternity. This journey is taken by faith as it is built upon the “hope” guaranteed in Christ.
“Desire”—epiyumew— ‘Thru passion’—To set the heart upon, i.e. Long for (rightfully or otherwise):-- Covet, desire, would fain, lust (after).
*“Diligence”—spoudh—1) Haste, with haste; 2) Earnestness, diligence. Strong—"Speed", i.e. (by implication) Despatch, eagerness, earnestness:-- Business, (earnest) care(-fulness), diligence, forwardness, haste.
“Full Assurance”—plhroforia—N.—1) Full assurance, most certain confidence. Strong—From—plhroforew—V.—To carry out fully (in evidence), i.e. Completely assure (or convince), Entirely accomplish:-- Most surely believe, fully know (persuade), make full proof of.
:12—“that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith & patience inherit the promises.”
We are not to be sluggish/indolent/lethargic/indifferent/apathetic. That is what places us in danger of apostasy.
The opposite of sluggishness can be obtained by “imitating” those of “faith & patience.”
The “promises” of God are only obtained thru faith & patience.
*“Sluggish”(See :11—“Dull”)—nwyrov—1) Slow, sluggish, indolent, dull, languid. Sluggish, descriptive of constitutional qualities & suggestive of censure. Strong–Sluggish, i.e. (literally) Lazy, or (figuratively) Stupid:-- Dull, slothful.
“Imitate”—mimhthv—1) an imitator. Strong—An imitator:-- Follower.
“Patience”—makroyumia—1) Patience, endurance, constancy, steadfastness, perseverance; 2) Patience, forbearance, longsuffering, slowness in avenging wrongs. the self restraint which does not hastilyretaliate a wrong. Opposing wrath & revenge.
“Promises”—epaggelia—1) Announcement; 2) Promise. Strong—To announce upon (reflexively), i.e. (by implication) To engage to do something, to assert something respecting oneself:-- Profess, (make) promise.
Argumentation:
Prov. 12:24—“The hand of the diligent will rule, But the lazy man will be put to forced labor.”
Note the contrast between diligent & lazy.
Prov. 6:6-11—“Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest. How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep-- So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.”
Rom. 12:10-13—“Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.”
Rom. 8:25—“But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.”
Even though we “wait”, we do not wait idly.
Illustration:
Fire-ants/Huge undisturbed mounds in south GA & FL/How do they get so big?/At the very core there is a tremendous amount of constant activity, of energy expended to— land aquisition, provision, progeny, protection/FOUNDATIONAL DILIGENCE
Application:
?Has A FOUNDATIONAL DILIGENCE sealed the Threat of Apostasy to you?
?Has the Threat of Apostasy been sealed with you?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
Action:
A factor sealing the threat of apostasy is...
1. A Foundational STASIS(:1-3)Spiritual Stagnation
2. A Foundational DEPARTURE(:4-8)Departure from God’s goodness
3. A Foundational DILIGENCE(:9-12)Removes the threat of apostasy
Presented 11/28/2010am to:
Needmore Baptist Church
1620 Mt. Vernon Rd.
Woodleaf, NC 27054
