Heb. 6:1-10 Moving Toward Maturity

INTRODUCTION: When a baby is born it has all the equipment it needs to grow and mature - not like a pollywog - gets arms, legs, later

A.)So the Older that Child gets the more he uses what he has been given, brain / muscles; more it develops grows and matures

B.) Same principle applies spiritually - when saved - given all we need to grow and mature

1) Spiritual maturity is not a process of gaining things you didn't have

when first believed It is a matter of developing what Lord has given you

Now As wonderful as a baby is - every parent's desire is for that child to grow up –become a mature responsible, loving adult

A.)God has same desire for His kids He wants us to grow up; spiritually

B) However A Christian can become arrested in his development by not using what he has been given!- MY LEG – MUSCLES SHRUNK WEAK

1)Imagine never using right arm /muscles shrink, weak/

soon arm ineffective! Infant stage!

Spiritually that is what happened to these Hebrews believers they weren’t using what they had

A.) So Spiritually they began to deteriorate - so much so they were like babes again!

B)Focus of study Sunday BY now you should be teachers – but still needing to be taught the basics / not using what given

1) Heart grown dull – Dull = IGNORANCE - not lack of info / but ignoring the info that you have been given.

C) Hosea My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge because they have rejected knowledge

Listen person says – not getting anything out of bible study – Church / my devotional life –

A)Listen the problem could very well be person is in a state of being dulled Why?

B) God spoke to them months 2 wks ago / 2 months ago – concerning what they should be doing / but they ignored it / they didn’t listen/ didn’t respond

1) So He spoke the them again – again /

C) Now Why in the world is God going to continue to speak to me if I am not doing what he has made clear to me He wants me to do.

1) God voice grows faint – because the heart is grown dull .

D)But Use what given / respond to what God says & you will be given more

1) Solid food is for those who use what been given

So As move into chapter 6, the Lord is challenging these people to move on into maturity! Not remain infants Chapter 6:1-3

A)So He says leaving elementary principles –Lit ABC's - time to graduate from elementary school / Let us go on - "Let us be carried forward"

1) It is God who enables our progress as we yield to Him!

C) Let us move on from the foundation – the First Principles of Christ

1) Once a foundation is laid – you want to begin to build upon it / the object is not to lay another foundation

D)He lists 6 things that make up the foundation/ They are all connected to Christ – First principles have their understanding in Him / what are they?

Not laying foundation of repentance from dead works

A) DEAD WORKS are trying earn God's favor by things you do – Context – Rituals/ Sacrifices / Ceremonies / those are dead works -

B)Realize saved by grace through faith - not of works ….boast or Earn

C) So I'm not longer trying to earn blessings - realize salvation and blessing result of God's grace!

1) God has chosen to deal favorably w/ me w/ you even though we don’t deserve it

Now In moving on to maturity - there is always that which we turn away from that which we turn toward

A) Must turn from something hindering to something that helps -

2 Tim 2 flee youthful lust.....pursue...... pure heart

B) Here repentance from dead works a conscious turning away from the old life / Turning to : faith toward God

Faith towards God! Realizing our walk w/ God is based upon a trust / a latching onto What He has done : Cross/

A)what He has promised to do:Transform - & take us to heaven

B) We walk by faith not by sight having confidence in God for my salvation;

1) SO we move from putting our trust in Dead works to putting my trust in a LIVING SAVIOR / His grace & Mercy

Next he mentions Doctrine of Baptisms - notice plural because there are # of different baptisms in scripture!

A.) Water baptism: outward sign of inward commitment to Christ

B.) Baptism into body of Christ - 1 Cor 12:13 When saved - immersed into family of God

C.) Baptism of the Holy Spirit Acts 2 God empowers, fills, to overflowing / to serve ; be witnesses for Christ

1) Baptism with fire - 1 Peter 1:7,8 - Purifying of faith when tested goes through fire/ become more like Christ

D)Baptism of suffering - Mt 20:22-23 - Identify with Christ in fellowship of His sufferings - draws us closer

Next- Laying on of hands - speaks of calling for ministry Timothy stir …

A.) Don't lay hands no man suddenly/ also could refer to the praying for the sick so that they would be healed by Christ

B) Resurrection of the Dead / the hope of heaven! Because we have a Risen Savior Begotten again to a living hope ……thru Rez.

C) Eternal Judgment – End times stuff – the Rapture Millennium the Judgment to come!

1) These are the basics we should have down * Staples in early Church

Now this is a wonderful OUTLINE for anyone working w/ New Believers / They should be schooled in these 6 areas

A)If you are working w/ New Believers – these are the foundational things that we need to make sure they have a handle on

B) Then they can pass them on to someone else !!!

1) That is what Discipleship is all about / Given to & Give out

C) SO He is stating that He wanting to move on from the elementary Principles to the Discussion concerning MELCH. & CHRIST

1) What it means for us that we have a Priest who is also our King and His ministry is forever V 3 this we will do if God permits –

Now before the writer moves on He issues this warning here in v.4-8

A)Now as come to v.4 - encounter one of many warnings in this letter:

Bible is a book feeds us also warns us

B) If merely feed - never warn - only fattens us up for kill

1) Here he warns of the dangers of not moving on to maturity can

eventually lead to falling away!

C)Now this passage is one that has caused much confusion: Brings up age old question / often debated once saved, always saved?

1) There are several ways that this passage is interpreted

What is the Biblical approach to controversial passages like this?

A) We must first be concerned with understanding what the text says (the exposition, the Context ), that is our first concern

1) before we are concerned w/ fitting what it says into a system of theology

B) Systems of theology are important, because the Bible does not contradict itself; but the way to right systems begins with a right understanding of the text, not one that bends the text to fit into a system

(Spurgeon sound advice) "We come to this passage ourselves with the intention to read it with the simplicity of a child, and whatever we find therein to state it; and if it may not seem to agree with something we have hitherto held, we are prepared to cast away every doctrine of our own, rather than one passage of Scripture."

"it is far better to be inconsistent with ourselves than with the inspired Word. I have been called an Arminian Calvinist or a Calvinistic Arminian, and I am quite content so long as I can keep close to my Bible."

C) SO need to consider the Context : but when considering the explanation for this passage many do the opposite /

1) They ignore the Context & bend this to fit their theological system

So what are some of the different theories

1^st there are those who suggest that the reference is to those who were actually never saved to begin w// if they were they would never fall away

A)These are people who merely dabbled in Christianity – they sampled it / tasted of Christ – but really didn’t digest Him / really receive Him

B)Problems w/ that view first of all is it IGNORES the context who writing to Ch. 3 identified as Holy Brethren - partakers of heavenly calling

C) Second description here: Enlightened, tasted of heavenly gift, partakers of Holy Spirit tasted of Word of God, & of the Powers of the age to come

1) I don't think you can get any more saved than that!

D) Enlightened is the same word that Paul prays for the believers in Eph.1:18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe,

Paul prays that they would be enlightened – that the Blinders would be lifted / the film of sin removed –

A)This writer says that it has happened to these people – they were (past tense ) Enlightened

B)2^nd Word tasted carries idea of Full experience; Hebrews 2:9 says that in securing our redemption that Christ tasted death for everyone

1) Now did Jesus just sample death – did He just take a little nibble of death / if so He couldn’t be our savior

C) In order for Him to satisfy the Justice of God – He needed to partake fully of Death / full force of God’s Wrath

1) He tasted it in Full – Same word is used here – tasted of the heavenly gift which speaks of salvation / tasted of the Word of God

D) Partakers of the Holy Spirit = sharers in the H.S./ Partner or an associate/ HAVING FELLOWSHIP W/ . BELONGING TO

E) Same word is used for Christ Heb. 2:14 He partook of Flesh & blood He became just like us

F) Tasted of the powers of the age to Come – Experienced the power of God in their lives

1) Clearly referring to those who are Saved –

A 2^nd theory suggest that this is just a Hypothetical situation

A)The if in v. 6 is Hypothetical if they were to fall away – they really can’t but if it were possible they would re-crucify Christ & it would be impossible to renew them

B) That doesn’t make any sense linguistically – really study the language you will find that it Can’t be saying that

1) This is talking about real people who can walk away from Christ

Now I do agree that it is hard to explain how anyone who truly has experienced the love of GOD Relationship w/ Jesus

A) Could walk away from Him - go back into sin or like in the case of these Hebrews go back into Judaism / religiosity

B) But the truth is the bible says it has happened & will happen

1) 1TIM. 4:1,2 LAST DAYS ..DEPART FROM THE FAITH

2Tim 4:4 Turn aside to fables ( new age philosophies)

2) Heb. 10 sin willfully ...ref to turning from Christ

3) 2 Tim. 4:9 Demas forsaken .. loved this world

1Tim 1:19,20 Hymaneaus & Alexander/ spiritual shipwreck

C) These examples and others make it plain that some will turn away : Question remains: to what degree & what happens to them?

One thing we know for sure is whom the Lord loves He chastens

A)God makes it extremely difficult & hard for someone to run away from Him / He is the good shepherd who leaves the 99 to go after the one

B) If there is no Chastening going on / Good indication that person is not really born again

1) Person who is truly saved who is in Sin the H.S. because He loves them so much is going to make them miserable in their sin

Third View: ( of this passage) Makes the most sense it - Look at words, crucify and put / understand their in Greek present participles -

A.)Translated "While they are crucifying the Son of God and putting Him to open shame"

B) Here is the idea: To go back to the old life / old system of offering up sacrifices for sins would in effect be saying that Jesus death was of no effect

1) To do so is putting Christ back on the cross & putting His work at Calvary to open shame

C)The idea is this - the writer is not saying they could never be brought to repentance

1) What He is saying is : as long as they were in that place & treating Jesus Christ in such a shameful way – they could not be brought to repentance

D)In other words ; the writer is saying that if they do retreat back to Judaism, all the religious "repentance" in the world will do them no good –

1) It is only when they stop disgracing Jesus Christ in this way they can be

brought to repentance and renew their relationship with God

That I believe is the most contextual & logical interpretation for this passage

A)I also think that it would do us well to remember the story of the rich young ruler

B) Young guy who had it all – came to Jesus seeking eternal life

1) Keep Commands – which ones / neighbor / still lacking

C) Jesus reveals His Heart – reveals His problem / go & Sell – He was not loving God w/ all His heart soul mind & strength

1) His faced sagged – Went away Sad – crushed couldn’t give up his god

²³Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God²⁵It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

²⁶And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, “Who then can be saved?” Rabbinical teaching Riches sign of spirituality

²⁷But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible BUT not with God; for with God all things are possible.”

D) I think This passage gives insight into Heb. 6 passage

You have walked away sister / brother it is impossible in your own energy/strength & by your own efforts to renew you again to repentance

A)But guess what God is doing a miracle / he has brought you to that place of decision again / brought you back to the Church

B) He has made you see the stupidity of what you have been doing & He has done the impossible / He has brought you back once again

C) But understand that if it wasn’t for His matchless power & unlimited mercy it would be impossible for you to Go back

What does that do to me – Makes me say thank you Lord for your incredible mercy – in bringing me back to you

A)Because if it wasn’t for that mercy I would be in a HEEP of trouble

B) Listen this sobers me a whole bunch because I do believe that it is possible to wander away one too many times

1) I believe it is possible that if a person continues to wander away that there will come a day like the day w/ the rich young ruler

C) When their heart becomes SO hardened they are LOST

So am I suggesting that a person can lose their salvation/ No you cannot lose your salvation / but if you choose you can LEAVE IT

A)God doesn’t force himself on anyone / He never forces anyone to follow after Him / and He never will – GENTLEMEN / NO RAPE

B) Listen the Bible clearly teaches – the Security of the Believer

1)Jude Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,

2)Jn. 10 My sheep Know me - …… snatch out of my Hand

Romans 8 ³⁵Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ³⁸For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, ³⁹nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

C) Yes I believe in the Keeping power of Jesus / Security of the Believer

1) But I also believe the Bible talks about the Responsibility of the believer

Jude also said – Keep yourselves in the Love of God / calling ….sure

D) Pastor Chuck hits the nail on the Head – Secure as long as I am abiding

So here is what I do – struggling brother or sister – Condemnation

A)Reason you feel lousy is proof not lost – 50 lbs weight on you while sleeping – stir & wrestle it off – because your alive / life in you

B) Reason you feel so convicted about your sin – is there is life in you

1) God is chasing you / chastening you – Repent turn & receive His grace & mercy – Go & sin no more

C) But I could take that same 50lbs weight & put it on a dead person – not going to feel a thing.

1) So the Guys who is living in immorality/ drugs etc who is doing own his own thing but thinks I went up out of Harvest crusade / I am ok

D) That person I am going to WARN THE HELL OUT OF – mean that Literally – Gal. 5 those who practice such things not inherit ……..

1)Eagle & ground hog

Listen sin will suck the life right out of you

A) Samson his strength was in the H.S. not his hair but Samsons

defeat came when he was asleep & in sin

B) That can happen to anyone of us who tries to live after the flesh & doesn’t take seriously the warnings of God / What happens ? Don’t want to find out

1) Illustration in v.7,8

So The main issue in passage talking about moving on to maturity

A.)The issue that He brings up in V.7, 8 - is that a field proves it's worth by bearing fruit

B) Christian shows where he is really at by what comes out of his life!

that which isn’t fruit is cursed and burned!

C.) The key to bearing fruit is simple - Jesus made it plain - John 15 - abide in me - bear much fruit

1.) Message to these guys and to us! (all along in epistle has been Abide

in me! Keep eyes on the Lord!)

D) Authentic Living Produces Visible Fruit

V.9 Better things – next time